The real estate industry has long been regarded as male-dominated, and historically it has been male-led. Recently, however, and specifically in Bulgaria, many women are realizing their careers as real estate professionals, steadily influencing the field.

Despite the progress, we can observe gender pay disparities. As data from the National Statistical Institute in Bulgaria shows, the gender pay gap in real estate increased significantly in recent years, peaking in 2022 with a 10% pay gap between male and female professionals, according to the most recent records. While women constitute a larger portion of the workforce in real estate activities, making up approximately 55.7% of employees, they earn less than men, with average annual wages approximately 19.5% lower than their male counterparts.​ This is only one of the many challenges female-led players face in the sector. 

Bulgaria’s property market has over 1500 traditional agencies and thousands of individual brokers, resulting in intense competition and a fragmented market. Imagine leading a startup company of 8 people, aiming to digitalize a 35-year-old industry with outdated practices and a traditional system that’s no longer trusted. However, society accepts the status quo but has yet to fully understand the adequate alternative.

Read more at: https://therecursive.com/flatimo-advice-female-leadership-woman-in-real-estate-gender-bias/