Women Business Owners Of Leading Real Estate Publishing Franchise Top 73%; Outpacing Us Census Averages

Posted on December 04, 2007 by Bill Dube

Tallahassee, FL – Homes & Land, the nation’s leading real estate and media franchisor today announced that women business owners comprise 73% of its entire network of franchisees.  This statistic is significantly higher than the US Census Bureau’s national average.  The government agency reports that both sole women owners and equally male/female business partnerships represent approximately 40% of all businesses in the United States.        

Homes & Land’s 67 million publications and its real estate web site www.HomesAndLand.com are driven by its franchisees’ 343 separately licensed magazine titles.  The company recently signed its 125th franchise agreement involving female ownership thereby creating its uncommon milestone.

            One of the factors the company attributes to their above-average female franchise following is that its product combines two industries that traditionally draw more women:  marketing and real estate.  The Census Bureau reports that marketing is the number four, and real estate is the number six industry with most women ownership. 

            According to Linda Garner Haynes who has owned several Homes & Land franchises since 1982, “franchising allowed me to run my own business but I didn’t have to create everything myself.  The company already provides an established host of marketing products.  This allows me to focus on putting strategic marketing plans together for agents to help them succeed with buyers and sellers.  I also have a particular advantage as a woman in this industry since I have so many female customers.” 

            Ms. Haynes’ personal experience is aligned with the national statistics.  The National Association of Realtors reports that 59% of all Realtors® are women.  Additionally, research* shows that women control 85% of all purchases related to real estate.

Studies by the Small Business Administration (SBA) cite lifestyle choices like work/life balance and flexibility as reasons why women seek their own businesses, particularly among married and/or single mother entrepreneurs.  Eileen Hodgins, who chose to franchise with Homes & Land in 2005, is an example of one of these scenarios.  “I started out on this venture as a single mom and this was the ideal situation for me.  While I’m not an expert in sociology, I believe that women are also nurturers and very community-oriented.  We do everything it takes to protect and ensure the survival and success of those things for which we are responsible.” 

Ms. Hodgins ought to know.  She was awarded her franchise and began her real estate magazine in New Orleans just five months before Hurricane Katrina.  Within three months of the storm’s devastation, this resolute woman had a magazine on the shelves.  Since then, she has more than tripled her sales and provides a comprehensive real estate resource to the people in her community.   Ms. Hodgins also actively supports community efforts to rebuild New Orleans.