Brick By Brick- Femina

I am: A consultant for residential property services.

My age: 25

My job profile: I look after the residential property segment. My work revolves around property transactions, both in sale and lease capacity, and value-added consultancy services required for the same.

The modus operandi: From understanding the client's requirements to site selection to short-listing options for site visits, negotiations and registration, and being legal advisory to the final culmination of the deal. The property market in India is very unstructured and volatile. Transparency in this trade is perhaps the last word that one would count on, as there are so many grey areas. There are no set parameters in this business; every transaction is different and peculiar in its own way.

Apprehensions when I started: I started through a placement consultant. I was working in the education sector prior to this and the 'real world' of real estate seemed quite intriguing to start off with. Initially, I wondered whether I was too soft for this profession? Or perhaps too honest? Gradually, I realised that the most important quality in this business is smartness in understanding the scope of work and of course, efficient delivery. Of course, honesty - like it does everywhere else - pays off here too.

A woman in this business: It's nice to be a woman in a man's world! It's actually my biggest strength. I understood quite early that to sustain in this erstwhile man's world of real estate, I needed to carve a niche out for myself. Perhaps that was the spirit that inspired me to move further, perhaps this is the spirit of 'Femina', of being a woman. I think I understand my clients' requirements more sensitively than a man. As the old saying goes, it's a woman who turns a house into a home! So while other agents promised good houses, I promised livable homes. This underlying sensitivity helped me in establishing good relationships with my clients and they started referring me to others.

The female client: In most of the residential property transactions, it is observed that the woman of the family has the dominant influence on decision-making. I, being a woman, at least take good care of that factor and am able to convince the W factor. As a result, I close certain transactions with ease as compared to my male counterparts. And frankly, people feel that I would be more honest than men! I remember a Vasant Vihar case, where a property was available for rent. There were four male property consultants and me, trying to convince the same client, an MNC, to take the property on rent. Incidentally, the decision-making authority was a woman too. It could have been anybody's deal, yet I was able to close it! Maybe my understanding of the client's requirements, being a woman myself, outscored everybody else. Or perhaps my image as a woman clicked with the client!
Also, interestingly women clients are more particular about 'Vastu Shastra', especially when it comes to residences!

So You Want To Become A Real Estate Consultant?
Have patience and work hard.
Be well aware of the ever-changing market scenario and the competition because it’s a survival of the fittest.