Residential Real Estate: an Industry Dominated by Women

BY NEHIR TOPALOGLU, GRADE 11

The female real estate agents featured in Netflix’s Selling Sunset. Us Weekly

If you’re a fan of reality TV, you have probably come across Netflix’s Selling Sunset, a 6 season-long show that documents the lives of real estate agents at The Oppenheim Group – a luxury real estate brokerage in Los Angeles, California. As a viewer of the show, it is clear that the majority, if not all, of the prominent real estate agents are women. Even outside of glamorous Beverly Hills, this majority stands, with women dominating the real estate industry.

Prior to the 21th century, the real estate industry was largely male-dominated. However, during World War II, a majority of male real estate workers left their jobs to fight in the war, leading women to step into these roles. After the war, the percentage of female real estate agents and brokers continued to rise and by 1978 women had comprised the majority of REALTORS® – active members of the National Association of Realtors. Leading into the 21st century, women not only dominated real estate but also began to step into executive positions at brokerages. This trend continued as careers in real estate became immensely popular amongst women, especially mothers with busy schedules. Irem Toner, a real estate agent in the Boston area, says “as a mom of two, I desidered a career that would give me flexibility but also a substantial income to support my family. Knowing that, I figured that becoming a real estate agent would be a good option for me.”

Compared to other high earning careers, becoming a real estate agent is quite a simple process. In less than a year, one can take the real estate pre-licensing course, pass the licensing exam, activate their license, and join a brokerage. The fact that no higher education is required to become a real estate agent is what makes the career so accessible and worthwhile for women. Toner emphasizes that showcasing strong communication skills and maintaining relationships with clients is the key to fostering and preserving success in the industry. 

Statistics about women in real estate. The Zebra

Today, the typical REALTOR® is a 60-year-old white female college graduate who is a homeowner. Considering that until the 1950s women were restricted from being part of local and nationwide real estate boards, today’s percentage of female realtors represents tremendous progress. Toner states, “Women are homemakers. We know whether or not a certain layout of a home would work for our families or not.” She believes that this natural insight that women possess allows them to showcase the best possible homes for certain customers, which in turn makes women great realtors. 

This article was written during the GWS Summer Writing Workshop. Taught by the GWS Publication Team, the workshop hosted young journalists in grades 1 through 12, each with a passion for writing and learning. Over five weeks throughout the summer, students brainstormed, researched, outlined, drafted, revised, and ultimately produced an article about a topic related to women in business. Learn more about the workshop here.