We all know there are many professions but it seems they are mostly male-dominated. The majority of individuals involved in the real estate industry may seem male but there are also women.
In this post, we highlight contributions being made by a number of women in the real estate sector. They are Barbara Azumah, a broker with Mec-Ellis Ghana Realty, Aliya Sissoko of ACI Constructions Limited and Miriam Kabutey of GoldBrock Properties. These ladies run the affairs in their various agencies. They admit the property market is a challenging field to tread but amidst the difficulties, it is very rewarding.
Exciting moments
One of the most exciting moments for every business is when they make a profit. For any real estate agent, appreciation from a client and the ability to close a deal is one of the best times.
“When I do a search for a client and they like what I found and they readily accept it, I get excited.” Ms. Azumah of Mec-Ellis says.
Miss Sissoko of ACI Constructions Limited admits, “Finding the right property for the client, being able to satisfy a client to the point where he makes up his mind.”
Challenging times
The real estate market, like any other industry, has both its good and challenging times. Finding the right property for a customer is not an easy task. Statistics show that it can take up to six months for a real estate agent to close a deal.
According to Miriam Kabutey of GoldBrock Properties, one of the most challenging times is dealing with certain types of clients, “A number of clients do not know what they really want. They say they want this and in the next moment they change their mind.”
“I think it is a bit difficult sometimes, but it is nothing you cannot overcome. It can be a challenge as most of the big real estate players are men, however it’s definitely interesting and great when the challenge pays off.” Ms. Azumah says. “Sometimes people are difficult to deal with, so if you want to remain in the industry, you need to be tough. I have learnt to be a tough person through this work. Basically all that I do boils down to building good customer relationships no matter the challenges,” she added.
“It is quite challenging because there are so many competitors. Standing out is one huge challenge that we are facing,” commented Ms Sissoko.
Opportunities for women in the sector
“Working in the real estate sector is not about sitting in an office; you need to go out there and find the right property for the client. It is also an avenue to make money for yourself,” explains Ms Kabutey.
“We do have a number of women in the sector but obviously they do not outnumber the men. I would like to see more women explore this sector,” concluded Miss Sissoko.
Would you consider a career in the real estate sector? Let us know.