Recognising women in real estate — Day 4

Across this week, we will share their answers with you.

Christine Mikhael, LJ Hooker Avnu chief performance officer

What drew you to a career in real estate?

The truth is I wanted to be an architect, and I still do, but I thought I wouldn’t get the marks required in my HSC. With the encouragement of one of my older brothers, I looked at a related field, real estate, and I landed a job in property management 32 years ago, and I’m still here. But architecture is one of my passions, and I plan to study it in the future.

What is a challenge you faced, and how did you overcome it?

In the 1980s, most women in the industry were found in administration and operational roles and there where very few in sales. In my first role as a property manager, the sales director, at the time, heard I was keen to get into sales. He came into my office, lifted the desk and told me to get a grip as he tipped all my files and paperwork (no computers back then!) along with a glass of water over me. He said to rethink my future as I’d be better off cutting hair, answering phones and eventually, if I’m lucky enough, to meet the right guy and pop out some babies. I didn’t agree, so I used my “I’ll show you” attitude to power through. I went about my tasks achieving some big goals, including going on to become, at the age of just 22, the youngest woman to have ever opened a real estate agency on her own. I recently heard this achievement still stands, and it was this business that I built that saw me win Telstra Business Woman of Year and the local award for business excellence 10 years running.

I want to add that I’ve been really fortunate to work with some phenomenal human beings, mostly men in the early days, who afforded me opportunities and supported me along the way. 

What goals and milestones do you have for your career?

When the time comes, I’m passionate about leaving the industry in a much better state than when I found it. At Avnu, and the LJ Hooker Group, I’m working side by side with remarkable people who together are reimagining what the real estate industry could look like in the new world. I’m determined to ensure our agents and clients have an enriched experience when transacting property. I’d like to think that we are achieving this authentically with more transparency and ease. 

Do you think real estate is a good industry for women to work in?

Real estate has been amazing for me. I was able to forge a great career as a sales agent, developer, principal, high-performance coach and now as chief performance officer for Avnu. There is huge scope in roles for young women to explore, from sales, property management, operations, marketing, finance etc. — this list goes on! I believe we’ve come a long way in relation to women in real estate, but also know we have a long way to go. For women, who particularly would like to start a family business, they need to look at providing flexible work arrangements, opportunities for childcare facilities, extended annual leave (to assist during school holidays) as well as opportunities for part-time work. This should not only be extended to women but also men who are also parenting. 

We now have so many women’s groups supporting women in real estate, which is empowering. I feel we need to come back to humans in real estate and share any struggles or differences for both genders.

Mechlenne Douaihy, Merc Real Estate CEO

What drew you to a career in real estate?

What drew me to the industry was the flexibility that came with being an agent, which was very important to me as a working mother, as well as the autonomy of the position. I appreciated that I was able to run my own business within a brand and essentially work for myself from the beginning of my career. The opportunity for limitless success and business growth is something that most industries are not able to offer and was very attractive. In addition to this, I liked being able to consistently meet new people and help them achieve their property goals.

What is a challenge you faced, and how did you overcome it?

A major challenge was the tough nature and competitiveness of the industry and overwhelmingly male-dominated offices. Furthermore, a continuous challenge is the negative reputation of the industry, which makes it difficult to earn client trust, which is an essential part of being an agent. I overcame this challenge by doing my best to set myself apart from the competition and creating a boutique agency. Premium service and transparency throughout the entire process, as well as marketing excellence, are my primary focus as an agent and the basis of my business.

What goals and milestones do you have for your career? 

My goals and milestones for my career include expanding my business and growing and developing my team. I also endeavour to achieve more great results for my clients, hopefully breaking more suburb records. Another goal is to always be at the forefront of property marketing. I believe that an agent’s role as a property marketer is vital, and I endeavour to always do my best to have my property listings stand out in a crowded market.

Do you think real estate is a good industry for women to work in?

Yes, I believe real estate is a good industry for women. I believe improvement can be made in most offices by agencies making a conscious effort to have a more equal balance of women and men, especially in positions of authority. I believe this will greatly improve the working environment for women and improve the ability of women’s voices to be heard in the industry.