Here at Dream Realty, we would like to say happy National Women's Equality Day! We are no strangers to uplifting the women. For this year, we'd like to share a few quotes regarding the women in our lives:
“I was inspired to start a career in real estate because I had two women role models that I admired who were very successful real estate agents. Those two women were my best friend’s mother, MaryBeth, and long time mentor, Jeannette. Both women worked successfully in real estate for over 20 years.
I remember vividly being over my best friend’s house on her porch one summer night and we had a champagne toast because Marybeth had sold a house that day. I remember thinking “wow what an accomplishment.” My other role model was Jeanette, after getting my real estate license Jeannette would take me for rides all over to different towns, stopping or driving by potential houses for sale. I learned more in those car rides than I did during my real estate training.
Being a woman in real estate comes with its challenges, the biggest challenge I’ve faced is having to learn a lot about construction and materials. When I started in real estate I had no idea what a fieldstone foundation was but like anything else in life the more you put the time in to learn the more you know. It’s empowering to know about heating systems, electric panels, and the type of wood the flooring is. It’s also encouraging to see other women who are so knowledgeable in all areas of real estate.
As a woman who independently bought my own house, the best advice I can give other women is you can do anything as a woman, including buying, selling, or renting a property on your own.
My heroine is my mother, Tammy Contrado (see image). She is such a smart, resilient, sweet woman who I’ve admired since I was a little girl. I believe that my mother is a heroine to not only me but to many other women. I am so fortunate to have had a role model like her to look up to my whole life. " - April Contrado
“Woman's Equality Day at the Dream Realty office is 365 days a year The women I work with are more than equal - they're superior. In real estate, there's a lot of areas women far surpass men most of the time. Patience and temperament when things are rocky and enthusiasm when things are going smoothly usually makes co-broking with a female agent easier. Seeing things from a different perspective helps them thrive in an industry that - let's face it - is dominated by strong females.” - Matt Jenkins
"The opportunity to use my talents and knowledge to create a future for myself that I always dreamed of was what motivated me to start a career in real estate. I am very fortunate to work at a place that values and treats women equally. Dream Realty has also provided positive female role models, who are both amazing agents and mothers, which is encouraging to me as a new mom of a daughter. As a young woman in real estate, it is inevitable to encounter those who assume you are the assistant or the secretary, not an agent dealing with your clients’ most valuable asset. However, this has only motivated me to be the best that I can be and overcome any obstacle in my way." - Lauren O'Rourke
“I first got into the real estate industry through my very first job when I was 14. I cannot lie, it’s part of the reason why I am in marketing today. It allowed me to have so many opportunities, at a young woman who is also a minority. I was brought on to help out Dream Realty, through a connection I made in that job.
My personal specialty is marketing, so that tends to be where my professional mindset it at. Marketing tends to be a female-dominated field, except when it comes to those in power. So for me, the largest challenge tends to be making myself heard or being taken seriously. This is why I am so grateful to be a part of the Dream Realty team where my voice is heard. My greatest accomplishment has to be expanding my personal marketing services. I feel very empowered to be able to put together a plan and then see those results improve and come to fruition.
The best advice I can give to other women is to remember to uplift other women, even when the industry or position seems limited. All too many times we are made to see each other as competition when in reality, we are our assets.
My heroine is definitely my mother, Charlene (see image). She immigrated to the US from Trinidad and Tobago with my older sister who was only 1 at the time. Although I have always had a great relationship with my father, my mother raised me as a single parent.
My mom has never failed to work hard to provide us with everything we need. I can tell that she genuinely enjoys being a mother and I often refer to her as my best friend. I am always in awe whenever I visited my mom at work, to see her leadership skills and her way with people has been so insightful for me. And I thank her every day for who she is." - Gilesa Thomas
