There’s a meme I absolutely adore; Elmo, in a wrestling ring, body slamming a guy in trunks; the caption reads, “You came to the wrong street…”. That’s what it’s like for a lot of male agents when we start selling residential real estate.
A lot of us, me included (I started as an agent in 2003), walk into the residential real estate sphere thinking we’re going to crush it and have our asses handed to us by ladies named “Heidi” or “BeBe” wearing knee length skirts, silk blouses, navy two-inch heels, a cardigan and some really nice pearls. I quickly realized that residential real estate was incredibly brutal and beat a quick retreat to a commercial brokerage; not a single person wanted to hear anything a young man, me, had to say about real estate.
Real estate has always been one of the few industries where grit routs gender. Long before women could work in corporate America or corner offices, they were closing deals, building empires, and out-earning men in this business. While Wall Street was still a boys’ club and corporate America was busy telling women to "wait their turn," real estate was handing out licenses to anyone willing to hustle—no glass ceiling required.
History Lesson
Hello guys, tiny history lesson here: Women were given the right to vote by the 19th amendment to the constitution in 1920, however it wasn’t until 1965 (yes, only sixty years ago) with the passage of the Voting Rights Act that women (and men) of color had an actual shot at just walking down to the corner to vote without being in fear of their lives; also little kids had to work (like in factories) until 1938; 1926, thanks to Henry Ford, is when working people in the US got to start having weekends; 1974 was when women could open bank accounts and credit cards without a male cosigner.
And we’re back…
The Unspoken Truth: Real Estate Was a Woman’s Game Before It Was a Man’s
In the early 1900s, (see above) when women couldn’t even vote, they were already selling land. Why? Because real estate was one of the few professions where commission didn’t care about your genitals or color. You didn’t, and still don’t, need a college degree. You didn’t need a male cosigner. You just needed a handshake, a contract, and the ability to close.
By the 1920s, women were dominating the real estate game. While men were off playing stockbroker, women were flipping properties, managing rentals, and building wealth—often while raising families. They weren’t just agents; they were entrepreneurs in an era when most women, (see above) weren’t even allowed to open a bank account without a husband’s permission.
Montage, and…
Today women make up approximately 2/3rd of all Realtors:
• 64% of all Realtors are women (NAR 2023 Member Profile).
• Women consistently outperform men in client satisfaction and referral business.
• The top-producing agents in luxury markets, commercial real estate, and investment sales? A huge chunk of them are women.
This isn’t luck. It’s proof that real estate is and always focused on one thing: If you can sell, negotiate, outwork, and outlast the competition, the money follows—regardless of gender.
Why Real Estate? Because the Street Doesn’t Lie
No one cares if you’re a woman, a man, or a purple unicorn. Can you get the deal done? That’s the only question that matters.
Unlike corporate America, or government, where promotions get handed out based on who you know or how well you play office politics, real estate is egalitarian. Your income is a direct reflection of:
And let’s be honest—women excel in this environment because:
• They are better listeners. (Yes, it’s a stereotype, but it’s also true. Clients want to feel heard.)
• They’re natural negotiators. (Ever tried to get a toddler to eat?? That’s high-stakes diplomacy.)
• They build relationships. (Referrals aren’t just business—they’re trust. And women know how to earn it.)
The Dark Side: Neither Rainbows Nor Lollipops Frequent This Neighborhood
Let’s not sugarcoat it—real estate is still a tough gig. Women in this business face:
• Clients who assume they’re "just the assistant”.
• Male agents who underestimate them (Finally the Elmo reference!).
• The double standard of "likability" (a man is "assertive"; a woman is "bossy").
But here’s the thing: Those same challenges are why women thrive in this industry. Because if you can navigate sexism, juggle family life, and still close deals, you can handle anything.
The Bottom Line:
Real estate has always been one of the great equalizers. It doesn’t matter where you came from, what you look like, or who you know. If you can sell, you can eat. And if you can outwork, outsmart, and outlast the competition, you can build generational wealth.
Now go close something.
Sources & Further Reading:
National Association of Realtors (NAR): 2023 Member Profile (64% of Realtors are women — page 5)
Barbara Corcoran’s Shark Tales (The chapter on her $1,000 loan is a commonly cited anecdote)
Tim Ferriss Show transcripts: Barbara Corcoran — How She Turned $1,000 into a Billion-Dollar Real Estate Empire
Harvard Business Review: Research: Women Score Higher Than Men in Most Leadership Skills
U.S. Census Bureau: Decennial Publications 1920 (context for early 20th-century women in sales)
U.S. Census Bureau: OCC1950 (occupation coding context for historical analysis)
Fraser (Federal Reserve): Changes in Women's Occupations, 1940-1950
