5 Ways Women Can Move Into Male-dominated Real Estate Investing

Women need to know the industry lingo, find a mentor and network to become savvy in the male-saturated field of real estate investing, says a leader at one of the country’s top female-owned real estate agencies. Women are the key decision-makers when buying their own home, but few move beyond a personal purchase and invest in real estate. They keep their money in savings or checking accounts rather than investing those funds because they aren’t confident investors and they lack industry knowledge.

Statistics show women feel confident in managing daily financial responsibilities such as balancing a checkbook (69 percent), managing a household budget (59 percent) and making large purchases (47 percent) such as a car or home. But only a small percentage of those women said they had confidence in selecting the right financial investments. In fact, only 30 percent of property investors are women and only 29 percent of women view themselves as investors at all.

Use the following tips to break these trend women:

Encourage confidence

Studies show women lack confidence to invest. Learn what you can and don’t take anyone else’s word for it. Investigate the possibilities and the real-world profits investors in real estate are seeing.

Network to find the best deals

Local investment clubs, Rotary clubs, chamber of commerce events, economic development councils, local Realtor agencies and more can assist in finding a good investment opportunity.

Find a mentor or coach

Look for a Realtor, investment counselor or an investor who’s had success in a similar market. Make sure it’s someone who understands the market, costs before profit, the time period before you see a profit and additional aspects you need to consider to make the best purchase. It’s always best to have someone with experience whom you can trust to direct you to make the right decision on a property.

Know the lingo

Statistics show that women shy away from real estate investing because they do not understand industry terminology. Listen to podcasts and read top real estate news from sources such as Inman, REAL Trends, and Realtor Magazine.

Start small 

Adding one rental property to your portfolio every few years can set you up for retirement or help you reach future financial goals.