Real Estate Investing: “It’s a Man’s World?”

Time and time again, we have all heard it before, the old saying, “It’s a man’s world.”  But these days, you have to ask yourself the question, “Is it really still only a man’s world?”  As the economy is evolving and technology is improving, so are the roles of women in the work force and the in business arena.  Women are increasingly taking a more active role both on their careers and their finances.  The number of women CEOs is consistently growing.  Thirty percent of the CEOs in non-profit organizations are female and there is an increasing number of women CEOs in other fields including health care, legal services, finance, and real estate.

Strong females are taking a more dominant role in business, politics, and finances.  The old cliché of it being a man’s world that we live in will be just a memory sooner than later.  It is a common misconception and also an overused excuse that females are not as good with finances and/or investing as their male counterparts.  For these reasons, women are often less confident with their skills in making investments and achieving financial freedom.

Fear is also a factor when considering making an investment or purchasing property.  This fear factor often deters women from wrestling with the investment animal.  Women seem to shy away from the “risk” of investing because they fear they will lose their money or become financially unstable.

In more recent years there has been a general progression of empowerment in regards to women.   The roles of women in society are changing and so are their levels of confidence and fear.  A heightened level of confidence and lower level of fear combined with other key ingredients such the major advances in technology, internet opportunities, and greater knowledge of the business and real estate industries is an inevitable recipe for success for the women who are willing to delve into these arenas.

More and more people are turning to real estate due to the instability of corporate America or just because they want a piece of the action.  Real estate investing, as with any business venture always involves risk.  This risk should not dishearten anyone looking to invest.  Getting started is probably the most difficult task of all.  Anyone hungry enough to jump into the real estate market should form a personal real estate strategy, which is based on how much time and money he/she is really willing to spend.

Doing your homework is key for any savvy investor.  As mentioned before, the internet is an excellent resource for gaining knowledge on the real estate market.  There are much more opportunities for women in real estate than there have ever been before.  Real estate investment clubs are available that offer women the education, networking opportunities, and contacts that are essential to achieving success.  For example, the National Real Estate Investment Association (NREIA) has over forty thousand members and two hundred REIA chapters nationwide. These clubs offer women the ability to put their finger on the pulse of the market and allows them to receive up to date information on not only the real estate market but also the law.

Other organizations that offer insight via the information super highway include MeetUp.com, where women share information with other women and Wisewomeninvestor.com which offers free financial information on a variety of topics and also hosts a blog talk radio show.  Also, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), which offers a general business perspective is a good resource.   Learning and working with other women provides a great benefit and advantage to females in the market.

In addition to acquiring knowledge through the internet, women can also learn do-it-yourself basics from local hardware stores that offer such courses.  Knowing these basics can only be beneficial when seeking to purchase a home or property.  Knowledge is power, and the more you know about housing essentials such as plumbing, construction, flooring, and electrical wiring, the better.  Not to mention, that it would be more cost effective and could save you money in the long run.

Once a strategy is in place and knowledge and research about the market has been done, taking action is the next step.

Women are naturally the more relationship oriented of the sexes.  As nurturers, they have a tendency to establish relationships more easily than men.  This can be used to their advantage, as building and maintaining relationships is critical whether it be personal or in business.

In order to move forward with taking action, you must begin by deciding what type of financing will be incorporated in the investment.  There are a variety of methods available to the investor.  The traditional method of financing involves getting financed through banks, credit unions, or home mortgage companies.  It also usually requires about ten percent of the purchase price as a down payment and a credit score of about six hundred eighty.