According to recent statistics, 63% of people that make up the real estate industry are women. That’s two out of every three people that works in the business!
It’s no secret that in pretty much any profession, women have a much more difficult time being taken seriously than men do. It’s a sad fact, but it remains true despite the strides that most industries are making in 2019. Despite the value that women bring to the field, ladies in real estate tend to be undervalued, too, just like in other professions.
Still, it isn’t all gloom and doom! Over the years, women in real estate have brought positive changes to the industry with their unique outlooks on the world and willingness to overcome obstacles.
Read on to learn more about four female real estate agents that aren’t only beating the odds, but are changing the game in the process.
1. Corrine Simpson
Though she isn’t alive in 2019, we want to tell you the story of Corrine Simpson. A woman in the early 20th century, she paved the way for modern-day female realtors to be just as big a part of the professional world as their male counterparts are.
Despite the fact that women had been buying and selling land since the 1700s, they weren’t dominant in the industry. Corrine Simpson was the first woman to ever join the National Association of Realtors in 1908. She paved the way for 2/3 of the current members to join the NAR and do what they love.
The sad fact of the matter is that in the beginning, women like Simpson weren’t selling property because it was their passion. Instead, they did so to support their families and households since they didn’t have many other opportunities.
Despite this, Simpson would certainly be happy if she were alive today. It would make any woman in history proud to see that other women that she paved the way for could do what she did for the sake of passion rather than necessity.
2. Dani Rosenthal
One of the women that Simpson would be proud of is Dani Rosenthal of California. A modern woman, she works as a real estate agent today in Lake Arrowhead. One of her recent accomplishments? Getting on the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans!
Rosenthal used to work in sales and marketing for apparel companies before she realized that it would do her well to nurture her passions. So, turning her back on her past, she decided to focus on her major interests: historic renovation and architecture.
Today, working in real estate allows Rosenthal to nurture these passions. Despite her initial trepidation and worry that she would not be respected in the broader working world, Rosenthal has found the real estate industry a welcoming environment. She is glad that she overcame those fears, because now she works in an industry that respects and empowers women by encouraging professional growth.
3. Becky Ashby
Becky Ashby of Ashby & Graff Advantage knows the value of diversity. In fact, when she and her partner John Graff, a gay man, opened the doors to their real estate firm, diversity was the number one value that the kept in mind. Diversity of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, and ideas were all to be valued, they believed.
One of the fastest growing realty firms in the US, Ashby and Graff operate in Southern California. They continue to fight for equal opportunities in housing for marginalized groups. Earlier in the year, they even created a video promoting equality to commemorate the anniversary of Stonewall.
These individuals are changing the game… big time. Even if women’s rights are improving year by year, there are places in the US where other marginalized groups are gaining fewer and fewer rights as time goes by. The sad fact of the matter is that people of color and LGBT+ individuals aren’t getting the same housing opportunities as their straight white counterparts.
Fighting this oppression is important and needs to happen more often.
4. Kim Howard
Kim Howard founded her Chicago real estate agency with the help of her husband. They liked working together and helping each other, but even more than that, they liked helping others. Believing that they had the skills to help people find affordable deals in the housing market, they set out to improve as many lives as they could.
As a woman of color, Howard has overcome more obstacles than most in her quest to help others. Still, she strives to make the process of buying a home as stress-free as possible for everyone involved.
She has also been recognized for her efforts! Because of her accomplishments, Howard has been featured in many magazines including the Chicago Agent and Featured Agent magazines. Online, realtor.com has praised her for her knowledge and willingness to help people looking to buy Chicago properties.
Learn More About Female Real Estate Agents
As a woman in the professional world, it can feel like the odds are stacked against you. When you need a lift, though, just remember the stories of women who have changed the business world… and still are out there making strides today.
Now that you know about four female real estate agents that are changing the game, check out the lifestyle section of our blog and look around! You’re sure to love our stories about other strong, independent, professional women who are paving their own way in the world brick by brick.
Keep doing your thing, ladies!
