PHOTO: FILE
According to the latest figures, female participation more than doubled in 2024 compared to the previous year. In 2023, the gender gap between new male and female agents was just 1.7 percentage points—but in 2024, it leapt to 9.3 points. That’s not a coincidence. That’s a movement. 💪📈
🕰️ Part-Time Flexibility Fuels Growth
Real estate’s flexible schedule and relatively low entry barriers are proving particularly attractive to women—especially those looking to switch careers or balance family commitments. Among new female part-time agents:
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40.6% are early-career “developmental part-timers” building client bases.
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59.4% are “established part-timers” with more than a year in the business but lower transaction volumes.
By contrast, only 27.8% of male part-timers are in that early developmental stage, showing a marked gender difference in how newcomers are entering the field.
📍 Regional Trends: Where Women Lead
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Northern Territory & Victoria: Women are 5.5% more likely to work part-time than men.
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Tasmania bucks the trend: female agents are 2.3% less likely to work part-time.
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Western Australia: Gender parity rules—little to no gap in part-time roles.
This regional data highlights the localised impact of national industry shifts. 🌏🗺️
💸 Gender Gaps in Sales & Transactions
While women make up 48% of the real estate workforce, the industry is still divided by role:
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Sales: Still male-dominated at 58.9%
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Property management: Female-led at 67%
And when it comes to sales success:
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52.1% of female agents record four or fewer transactions per year
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Compared to 43.3% of male agents
That’s an 8.8 percentage point gap, raising questions about support, mentorship, and structural equity.
🏆 Industry Support & Policy Shifts
Policy may be helping fuel this shift. Under the Real Estate Industry Award 2020, all new agents in Australia begin on wages before moving to commission-only roles. This financial safety net could be attracting more diverse applicants, including women.
Support networks are growing too. 👏 One standout initiative, Leading Ladies of Real Estate, saw a 260% jump in event attendance since 2021, showing massive momentum in gender-focused career development.
🗣️ “The rise in new female agents is a clear signal for agencies to double down on mentorship and recruitment strategies tailored to women,” the report states.
🛠️ What’s Next?
With more women than ever entering real estate—especially through part-time paths—the industry has a critical opportunity to evolve. From mentorship to flexible work models, the time to adapt is now. 🕊️💼
SOURCE: MPA MAG