'Biggest message is that we can do it:' Birmingham realtors encourage women to close gender gap in industry
Ivy Rice, a former physical therapist, has been in the real estate industry for a year. She recently transitioned to the trade full-time and has found her passion to be in the residential sector.
"There were so many things that I didn't know when I first bought my first property. So, I own my own home. Now, I'm able to help my clients go through that first home process,鈥� Rice said.
Rice is among several women at the WIRE (Women Investing in Real Estate) is Fire conference, looking up to these agents who are experts in residential and commercial real estate.
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Rice said, "I'm getting a ton of inspiration. I think the biggest message is that we can do it. Women, you know, have the power to step into their own power and do the things that they want to do, especially in real estate."
The brought this first-of-its-kind conference on the week of Magic City Classic to bring an educational component before the fun begins.
Tonya Smitherman, the first vice president, says there's a gender gap with women in the real estate industry.
鈥淲omen are one of the largest demographics who purchase homes, right? Specifically in the African American community, but when we look at really investing in real estate, the number is very small. It's actually in the single digits. It's about 8%,鈥� Smitherman said.
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Smitherman says it's time to increase that number, 鈥淲e're really talking about in that breakout, the developments that's going on in the city of Birmingham and really paying attention to who owns the land."
Paying attention is what Rice is doing, she says, "They had some really powerful things to say on the commercial side, so I'm a little bit excited about that now. Baby steps, but, but we'll see where that leads me."