Interesting Facts About Women And Real Estate

World over, women are being recognised as capable investors and entrepreneurs in the field of real estate. This International Women's Day we bring to you some interesting facts about women and real estate:

• American financial services company Fidelity Investments found that women save more than men and their investments earn more too, annually. Although this might not be a significant number at 0.4 per cent, this is an important pointer indicating the investment appetite of women.

• Single women as a buying segment make up for the second-largest segment after married couples who buy a home, said a study by the US-based National Association of Realtors. While married couples formed 63 per cent of the buyers, single women were 18 per cent while single men were only nine per cent.

• According to a blog by one of the leading real estate advisories, in 2018, a record number of women became directors of real estate investment trusts taking up 52 per cent of the newly elected roles.

• Efforts by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority and the Land Department of Dubai has rendered the United Arab Emirates (UAE) a better place for women to thrive. It is also worth noting that three out of every 10 property in Dubai is owned by a woman, a finding released by the Dubai Land Department shows.

• About 14 per cent of the chartered surveyors in the United Kingdom are women, a significant improvement from the yesteryears. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is calling on property firms to encourage women role models and make them more visible. RICS is also expecting that women workforce in real estate would be up to a quarter by 2020.

• The Finer Wealth Investment Club in West Africa is a community for women who are interested in creating wealth and also an impact on property investment. The Chief Executive Officer, Udo Okonjo recently urged women to undertake investments. At a meeting, she said, “and it is interesting the way women invest, so even when they have money, there is always this sense of reluctance, discomfort and confidence. But somehow we found out that if they have the right information, it made them more confident and therefore they were able to do much more”.

• Women in Housing and Real Estate Ecosystem, California, is a leading voice for women in this domain. The group provides women opportunities and tools for economic expansion.

• A research in Australia by HouseLand suggests that more than one-third of Australian women have bought or built a property when they were anywhere between 20-24 years old. This is substantial considering the number of men who were active in real estate within that age group.

• According to a report by Wells Fargo Securities, out of the 165 equity real estate investment trusts (REITs) between 2006-17, “companies with more than the average percentage of women” on their boards “achieved higher average price and total returns over that period.”