ON WHY THERE SHOULD BE MORE WOMEN IN THE REAL ESTATE SECTOR

SHUBIKA BILKHA, 33 Director, The Real Estate Management Institute (REMI), Real estate training company, Mumbai

1 To bring in gender diversity

The real estate sector in India, according to recent reports, is slated to be a $180 billion market by 2022. For an industry that accounts for a large portion of our GDP, the sector remains primarily male-dominated and the participation of women relative to other sectors is abysmal. How can we grow the sector into a stable and mature industry if we alienate women?

2 Influence and help in increasing the sales

About 74 per cent of real estate buying decisions are taken by women and 32 per cent of buyers in the top eight cities are now single women. So, to help women buyers make informed choices and to familiarise them with the ins and outs of the sector, it is always a good idea to have more women working and leading the industry.

3 To bring the sector back on track and speed up delayed projects

Women are sharp thinkers and quick to take decisions, it is in their DNA. As the sector is highly driven by quality checks, cost control and timely deliverance of projects, women are effective as they are good at soft skills and communication abilities and take in view all practical details.