ATLANTA, GA – If there is anyone who should seriously consider investing in real estate it is America’s army of Soccer Moms. These extraordinary women generally have what it takes and need what it provides. The biggest threat to America’s Soccer Mom is the lack of financial security and therefore also personal independence in her later years. The risk of divorce and widowhood is real.
So what is a mother to do, if she doesn’t want to sacrifice taking care of her family full time, while still trying to secure her own retirement? “Get motivated, educate yourself and start small,” advices my ‘partner in crime’, Barbara Heil Sonneck, herself a mother, real estate investor and mentor. Barbara used to inspect potential real estate investment homes pushing a baby stroller and her son has attended more real estate closings before the age of three than most people do in a life time. It’s common knowledge that women have always had a special talent for real estate. Many highly successful women real estate investors have used this gift to get started in this business. It can be done on the side, while shuttling between soccer practice and ballet classes. That’s why we focus our expertise in encouraging and mentoring women real estate investors.
There has never been a better time to buy real estate and invest in our independence. As our research suggests, many women already hold the key to success in this field in their hands. And exactly NOW is the time for interested women to quit sitting on the fence. No more hesitation and wondering “what if “… Instead it’s time to obtain the education on how to invest in real estate.
But first I would like to share some eye opening facts: Most of us women strive for health and happiness as well as some kind of fulfillment in our private lives and at work; and ideally with all of this we hope for an end to our money worries by attaining financial freedom. The problem however is that too many women are going down a different path. Talk to any financial expert and she will tell you that not only are many Americans ill prepared for times of hardship, but that disproportionably more women than men are affected by it, be it through losing their jobs, being beaten down by a severe illness or simply having to overcome the financial consequences of a nasty divorce or unfortunate business failure.
What it all comes down to is that women face far greater financial risk during their later years than men. Think about it: Women are the ones who most often give up their jobs to stay at home and care for their kids, or carry the burden of being the sole provider while also raising one or more children. Numbers show that we are less likely than our male counterparts to work for a company that offers benefits including a retirement plan.
Therefore women are less likely to be vested in pension or other retirement savings plans. And even when things look fine during most of our younger years, too many women find themselves confronted with terrifying challenges once they reach their mid fifties, the average age of widowhood in the United States. And according to government figures four out of five widows who are living below the poverty line were not considered poor prior to their husband’s death. Given that almost a third of all women who are in their mid sixties today will live well into their nineties, it is more imperative than ever that we put personal independence and financial freedom on the very top of our life agenda.
This is where real estate investing comes into play. You can gamble with your hard earned money by putting it in the hands of Wall Street (Good luck!), you can follow Grandma’s advice and put it under the mattress (Inflation ate my money…) or you can take charge of your own fate by considering to invest in real estate. It all boils down to whom do you trust more – Wall Street, Washington or yourself?
But – is real estate investing indeed for you? How can you get motivated enough to take the first steps? And where will you find the right coaches to educate you in this field?
To get women motivated, Barbara and I took it upon us to examine how exactly successful women investors do business. As it turns out women investors proceed in a less aggressive and rather organic fashion. They use their inherent gender specific skills to identify business opportunities, interact with their counterparts, negotiate profitable deals and set up systems to streamline their course of action. The best of it all: Women real estate investors do all this while at the same time satisfying their natural desire to nurture their environment and fulfill their need for personal harmony and happiness.
There are a number of questions to ask yourself before you get started: You have to be a people person, love to learn and educate yourself on a continuous basis and be able to deal with calculated risk, to name a few items on the check list. Next, in order to get motivated, you surround yourself with other investors, preferably more experienced ones. You might even decide to work with a reputable mentor or a coach. One of the best places to start is to ask for referrals, join a reputable investor organization and don’t ever be afraid to ask questions. Don’t try to do it all at once, and most importantly, never ever let anyone put you in a position where you feel that you have to act under pressure, not even you yourself!
Author Resource:
Journalist and Real-Estate Investor S.A. Philipp is the Co-Author of the motivational business guide "The Venus Approach to Real-Estate Investing." More free information about women and real-estate investing can be found at http://www.VenusApproach.com .
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