In 1978, a California school district started a weeklong celebration of women’s contributions to history. This evolved into a month long celebration in 1987 and continues today. In honor of Women’s History Month, the Commission is taking a look at the history of women in real estate.
Although women have historically been involved in real estate since its inception, their roles were limited to administrative ones until the late 1800’s. As women slowly started to move into agent roles, they often found themselves on their own with no support. The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) was founded in 1908, as a resource to support agents. However, during its first few decades, membership was comprised primarily of men as many local boards barred women from membership. To circumvent the bans instituted by local boards, women formed their own real estate organizations, such as the Women’s Council of Realtors® in 1938. This Council assisted women in advancing as professionals and leaders in the field of real estate.
Many women have served on the Commission since its inception in 1957, with the first being Dee McCandlish who was appointed in 1978. Currently, two of the nine Commission members are women: Sandra O’Connor, who has served since 2017, and Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette, who has served since 2023.
To learn more about Women’s History Month or women’s history in real estate refer to the links below:
Women’s Council History – Women’s Council of Realtors