Women & Real Estate Investing


The words women and investing historically have not been associated, but with record numbers of females in the workforce and changing attitudes about gender, old barriers are being broken with impunity. However, investing may be gender-blind, but strategy should not. Women live longer and will likely earn less than men, so their investment goals need to reflect this, and putting their money to work becomes even more important.

Here are a few tips to get started…

  1. Investing and perfection don’t go together - don’t worry about not knowing enough. The key is to get involved and improve over time.
  2. A financial planner can help take some of the fear out of investing - just be sure to find one that’s right for you.
  3. Women traditionally earn less and work for fewer years then men, but live longer. This makes planning for retirement especially important.
  4. Diversification is important in putting together a complete portfolio, and don’t be afraid to take some risks; remember, you’re investing for the long term.
  5. Taking control of your financial future doesn’t need to be daunting — women all over the country are discovering how to invest.

Susan Feitleberg
“Women have three problems facing them that most men don’t. They tend to make less, live longer, and they risk less.”

Paula Kennedy
“Women have the intelligence, but they don’t have the time. And it’s interesting that women feel like they need to know an awful lot before they take a single step.”

Ruth Hayden
“A woman never needs to be an expert in money. That’s why she hires one. But she has to understand and it has to make sense to her.”

Do you know!!! (FYI)

* Women are marrying later in life, getting divorced more frequently and outliving their spouses by an average of seven years. As a result, nearly 90% of all women will end up managing their finances alone at some point in their lives.

* Women tend to invest their retirement portfolios too conservatively. For most investors who are saving for retirement, more risk should be taken with their retirement portfolios than with other investments. While it is usually best to avoid excessive risk, being too conservative can result in losing your financial independence.

*Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a large sum of money to start investing. You can open an account at many mutual fund companies with as little as $50 per month, depending on how you make your initial investment.

*According to the National Center For Health Statistics, a woman who is 45 years old today-who plans to retire at the age of 60-can expect to live 21 years in retirement, to the age of 81. Because women live such a long time, they have to do an especially good job of retirement planning. Unfortunately, too many women invest their retirement portfolios much too conservatively.

*If you’re retired and don’t have a plan that will allow you to remain financially independent, find a financial advisor who can help you create one.

*According to the pay scale ranges and replacement figures established by the Social Security Administration, a person retiring this year who has an annual income of $50,000 can expect roughly 30% of that amount, or $15,000, to be replaced by Social Security payments.

*If inflation stayed at 4%, per year, the $50 dinner for two at your favorite restaurant may cost you about $74 ten years from now. That’s why it’s important to put your money in an investment that will help you keep pace with inflation. And, if you want your money to grow over time, you need to put your money in an investment that has the potential to exceed the current inflation rate.