When women do the bidding

Keen eyes and the ability to sniff out bargains can give women the upper hand in bidding for properties on SA’s thriving property auction scene.

This is according to leading auctioneer Eleanor Redman, director of Park Village Auctions, who says the days of women standing at the back of the queue while men do the bidding are long gone. Women are active participants nowadays and make up a large, and growing, portion of bidders at the company’s auctions.

Auctions are professional events that are geared to giving everyone a fair chance and even offer those who cannot physically attend the chance to participate through online auctions.

The number of property bids won by women is growing exponentially and invigorating the industry.

Research conducted by Lightstone Property shows that women are proportionally the biggest buyers of all property in SA, having recently overtaken men and married couples to take the top spot. It also shows that female owners largely dominate in Gauteng and to a lesser extent in the Eastern Cape, while in other provinces they are right up there.

“Investors regard auctions as one of their primary means of acquiring properties and with women steadily playing the largest role in the industry, it is no surprise that they are also swelling the ranks at our auctions. It makes for healthier competition among bidders and brings a new dimension of thoroughness, as well as an interesting new dynamic among our bidders,” Redman says.

“We welcome the growing numbers of women at our auctions and invite all potential buyers and investors to come and experience the energy and excitement for themselves.”