Expert calls for increased education and support to help more women build wealth through property investment. The commercial real estate industry faces a dramatic gender imbalance that represents both a challenge and an opportunity, according to veteran investor Monick Halm.
The Scale of the Gap
“Only about 31% of all real estate investors are female, and in the commercial space, it’s only 2% who are owners of commercial real estate,” says Halm, host of the Real Estate Investor Goddesses Podcast. These statistics, she argues, highlight a significant disparity in access to one of the most reliable wealth-building vehicles.
“This is the way wealth has been passed on and transferred for millennia, for a reason,” Halm notes. “I think it’s really important that everyone have some real estate in their portfolio.”
Market Conditions Demand Expertise
Halm argues that while opportunities exist, today’s market requires more sophisticated knowledge than previous cycles. “When I started, especially after the market crashed, before the market crashed, it was easy because you could breathe and somebody would give you money to buy a property,” she says.
“After that, prices were so low, there was so much room for error,” Halm continues. “Now there’s not as much room for error. There’s still a lot of profit that can be made, but I think it’s really important that people make sure they get educated.”
Building New Pathways
According to Halm, closing the gender gap in commercial real estate ownership requires more than awareness, it demands targeted education and support systems designed specifically for women investors. She emphasizes the importance of focused training in several key areas, including understanding market cycles and timing, conducting risk assessment and due diligence, building strong professional networks, and improving access to capital and financing. By equipping women with these tools, the industry can begin to level the playing field and open more opportunities for female ownership.
The Solution: Education and Community
Through her platform, Halm works to address these gaps by providing targeted education and building supportive communities for women investors. “Part of my mission is helping more women, especially get into this real estate investing world,” she explains.
Looking ahead, Halm believes the current market conditions, including distressed properties and foreclosures, continue to create opportunities. However, she emphasizes that success requires careful preparation: “I think that it’s particularly important that investors get educated so that they don’t make mistakes.”
