Are Real Estate Agents Sexist?

The way I look at it is Im there to look for money and a deal and profit, so I dont care about all the emotional or sexist stuff, or what the agents do or dont do. Property and Success is about crunching the numbers and deals and making it work so we can have more time, lifestyle, holidays, and retire or wind down and have more fun choices!!
Ive been a principal for 18 years and agent in NSW/ QLD and still I get treated like crap sometimes by guys in property- accountants, solicitors, valuers, but I take no notice and this is their issue and I cant be bothered to even think about it. Im there to do business, serious business, make and bank money and either they want to work together and achieve results or Ill find someone else to work with, or buy from. Harden Up Girls your in Business and not the social friendly happy coffee club.
I have great men around me – very smart, switched on, motivated, and you just need to know how to handle them and be a bit more direct and assertive and say this is what I want and need, and when and heres the deadline of you want to do business.

Just ask these salesmen on the way in if they take deposit cheques from women ? 
Then ignore them.
cheers
thecrest

Roxie Springs you make an interesting comment. A flatmate of mine from a few years back is a very successful lawyer and always dresses very smartly for work. However, when she goes shopping she often goes home, has a shower and puts on her daggiest clothes as she prefers to look for clothes without pushy shop assistants. They take on elook at her dressed casually and leave her to her own devices assuming that she can't afford the clothes in their shop.

This may be a good initial strategy when looking at a property as the selling agent may be more inlcined to again leave you to your own devices so you can have a REALLY good look at the property finding all the good and possibly bad points that may assist you  in both your decision making and negotiating of a sale price.

cheers

Sonya

I wouldn't say I have an air of authority or anything similar, more curious/enthusiastic/smiley/and a little short sighted

Wow!! This is so true!!! lol

I’m an RE investor and I also sell investment property to others. So I can honestly say that I understand both sides of this tale.

As a buyer, I don’t get taken seriously ofter when attempting to buy property in this testosterone driven business of real estate filled with predominantly men. One tends to ignore the fact that this is no longer the age where the man will go kill the pig and the woman will always stay home and cook the meals, takes care of the kids, and clean the house.

Or they ask ” Do you need to talk with your husband” assuming that he is writing the checks and that I’m simply “shopping” as women are usually do.

Women that are the prime decision makers exist, but we must admit, that they are far and between.

On the other hand, When working with my investor buyers, I find myself falling victim to the same law that I oppose. This is not because I’m being sexiest. Its because this is the trend and there are not a lot of women like you and myself that are the prime decision makers. So in a room full of buyers an agent can easily go for the whom fits the “Profile” of the “Deep pocket buyer” and then work there way down. Its like working at Victoria Secret and a man and a woman come in. Its your natural and common impulse to ask the woman if she can be helped.

Thats my 2 cents

Hey all,

I have to admit that there are agents who are sexist, even if they don't realise it. 

I am an agent in training in Brisbane and we have been trained to ABSOLUTLY NOT favour one over another as BOTH parties usually have a say in the decision.  The company I work for do try to stand out from the rest though.

Karl

I have just started looking at property and I found this to be the case as well. I am single, female and I look very young for my age. I recently put in an offer for a property and I was spoken to very rudely by the real estate. I felt he had dismissed me as a time waster and didn't ask me to put in a counter offer. I have little tolerance for that but it put me in an unenviable position as I did not want to speak to him and put in another offer. I spoke to his office manager and put in an unofficial complaint and said that I felt he was rude to me because I'm single and female and yet I have more than 30% deposit and 40% if I put in all my savings which is more than most couples would have. She said I could speak to another salesperson who is in his late 40s to early 50s and I put in another offer $8k under what they wanted which I felt was more the market value. It was rejected again and yet the property stays in the market for 7 weeks. It's good to read this as I feel that it wasn't just my imagination. However, having typed all that out, I've met a lot of helpful male real estate agents. Unfortunately, they never seem to be looking after the properties I am interested in – gah!

Hi Sonya, thanks for your reply. I do believe the offers were presented to the owner. I think they are just playing hardball with the price. My bad, I went overseas last year and there were at least 3 of the same properties that sold around the $365k – $370k in that time leading up to Christmas. If the property is still on the market in a few weeks, I might nudge the second real estate agent again. The owners bought the property 18 mths ago for $370k and this is why they are holding strong. Sorry for the hijack! It's just reassuring to hear that I'm not the only one who gets treated in this manner. Mind you, people say I look young for my age so I seem to be patronised everywhere I go! Perhaps when I'm 50+, I might get some respect haha!

I was an estate agent, between 2005 and 2009. You are true, so many came to my opens and commented how agents just ignored them.
I made a point of it, to talk to them first and always shanking a woman hand (with the rare exception)

Most agent believe the man does the dealing

But I have also defend as a number of women just stand back and let the man do it.

So, I would think saying are agents sexist is a very generalised comment

It only shows that woman is always discriminated. They always think that women are only good for being a house wife and cannot make a decision on their own.

All the best,
Elea