But while there are more women in the industry emerging than ever before and the gap has closed compared to 20, 10 or even 5 years ago, there is still a gender imbalance - especially when it comes to women principals, leaders and salespeople.

Shula Kentwell, is Principal and CEO of one of Newcastle largest agencies, PRDnationwide. Since joining in with the family business almost seven years ago, she has been perplexed as to why more women are not attracted to work in real estate.

"I believe that there is still a perception that real estate is dominated by men and is tough, stressful and competitive," Shula said. "Understandably a lot of women would feel intimidated by the thought of being catapulted into such an environment.

"What is not widely understood is that real estate is also one of the few industries whereby women can commence in an entry level position or bring their transferable skills with them and then decide which pathway within the sector they wish to pursue and go for it.

"There are many different roles in real estate that are not sales related, roles such as customer care, administration, accounts, property management, strata management, buyers agent, sales agent, management and leadership, marketing and research."

PRDnationwide operates across four locations offering residential sales, off the plan project sales and property management. Every employee is certified or licensed under the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act which enables them to readily transition between roles on their career journey.

As CEO Shula is focused on creating greater gender equality and diversity and is proud that of the 45-strong team, 23 are women across a broad spectrum of roles including customer care, administration, accounts, property management, sales and leadership including Nicole Kelly, Head of Operations, Paula Ashcroft, Sales Manager and Kate Gundry, Financial Controller.

"As a woman, I understand what it is like to balance family responsibilities with a career, and I have always supported and encouraged part-time work and flexible working arrangements," she said. "Some of our team members have parental and carer responsibilities whilst others require flexibility to care for grandchildren or aging parents.

"Additionally, sales roles provide tremendous flexibility to manage family responsibilities whilst still being able to list, negotiate and sell property for clients. Transacting real estate doesn't necessarily occur Monday to Friday, nine to five, therefore the flexibility goes both ways with meeting client needs.

"Women shouldn't be underestimated in real estate, they are becoming a powerful presence in the industry and being a woman can be a real advantage. A feminine, empathetic manner and approach are advantages in selling, especially when stress is involved, whether it is financial, divorce or death. Women can help nurture a client, multi-task with a client and be social with a client. They also have no problem closing a sale. Buying and selling decisions in the household are predominantly made by women, being a female and being able to connect on that level is a huge plus. Female agents often find it easier to connect with families and their needs."

The Real Estate Business (REB), a leading news source for the industry, found that the Top 50 performing female agents had a whopping 3514 sales in the 2018/19 year. These sales totalled $4.89 billion.

REINSW's president, Leanne Pilkington, is a strong proponent for encouraging more women into real estate and runs events throughout the country called 'Catch Up with The Property Girls'.

The next Newcastle event is on December 5 and is open to any women who are interested in real estate or property or who are thinking about a career in real estate.

"Women need to see real estate as a viable career choice and recognize that their talent, leadership and unique skills are vital to the industry," Shula said. "Companies need to also appreciate the impact that women are having on their organisations, and realise there is plenty to be gained by investing in gender diversity."

For details about the REINSW "Catch Up With The Property Girls" event on December 5, email shula@prdnewcastle.com.au.