First-home buyers can repay a mortgage, but they’re finding it hard to get a loan.
Camera IconFirst-home buyers can repay a mortgage, but they’re finding it hard to get a loan. Credit: Supplied/Getty Images

International Women’s Day: Women in real estate – Martine Eyers

Natalie HordovWestern Suburbs Weekly

MARTINE Eyers has seen a massive change in the industry since she started her career nine years ago, joining her husband David who was already in real estate.

“I remember being one of only two women in our office when I first started,” she said.

“Over the past six years we have almost seen that trend reversed, with some of our best performers being women. The beauty about real estate is the client chooses the agent based on who they feel is best suited or most comfortable with, regardless of being male or female.

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“The great thing about working with my husband is that you really do see that some people prefer to deal with women and some prefer to deal with men; we don’t mind who the buyer prefers to deal with as long as we get the outcome for the client.”

Mrs Eyers joined the industry after the birth of her son, originally to work part-time but it quickly became a full-time job.

She said real estate was a job that allowed great flexibility, particularly for women, but was hard to do part-time.

“I wouldn’t say I have faced challenges due to being a woman in real estate, but rather being a parent in real estate,” she said.

“Our hours can be very unpredictable and often urgency can be key.

“Working with my husband, who understands that sometimes you need to drop everything to meet a buyer or a seller, makes these challenges easier.”

For people looking to start in the industry, Mrs Eyers’ advice is to listen to the client.

“Every owner has a different reason for selling and strategy needs to be adjusted accordingly,” she said.

“As salespeople, our biggest weakness is talking too much rather than really listening to the client and their needs.”

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