Sherry Lee Cox, REALTOR(R)/ Broker/ Certified Foreclosure Specialist/ePRO

Thank you to Ginny Mees, founder of Independent Women Homeowners, for allowing me to reprint this article...

Rising Tide of Female Opportunity

"Whether career definition for you is corporate, philanthropic, entrepreneurial, educational or working at home, the favorable global economic shift to woman holds promise and potential for you. Several recent reports and studies note the following:

Information from recent Newsweek Magazine, Hear Her Roar article:

In the last few months, economists, consultants, and other business types have begun to track the rise of a new emerging market, one that may end up being the largest and most powerful of all: women. According to a new study by the Boston Consulting Group, women are now poised to drive the post-recession world economy, thanks to an estimated $5 trillion in new female-earned income that will be coming on line over the next five years. Worldwide, total income for men ($23.4 trillion) is still more than double that for women ($10.5 trillion), but the gap is poised to shrink significantly because the vast majority of new income growth over the next few years will go to women, due to a narrowing wage gap and rising female employment. That means women will be the ones driving the shopping—and, economists hope, the recovery. That growth represents the biggest emerging market in the history of the planet—more than twice the size of the two hottest developing markets, India and China, combined.

Another November 2009 report from Sphere:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this fall, for the first time in U.S. history, women have surpassed men and now make up more than 50 percent of the nation's workforce. In 1967, by comparison, they accounted for just one-third of all workers. Signs of the changing landscape in gender relations are just about everywhere you look:

• Double the number of single women are now purchasing homes in America than there are single men.

• Four out of every 10 women are are now their family's primary breadwinner, a sharp increase from past decades.

• The New Hampshire State Legislature is now made up of a majority of women, a first for a legislative body in the U.S., and the number of women in government continues to edge up nationwide.

• Women now account for 30 percent of math Ph.D.s, up from just 5 percent in the 1960s.

• On average, women read nine books every year. Men only read four, and women account for 80 percent of the U.S. fiction market.

• The World Bank recently estimated that the global earning power of women will reach an estimated $18 trillion by the year 2014, up $5 trillion today.

"Women really have become the dominant gender," said Guy Garcia, author of "The Decline of Men." "What concerns me is that guys are rapidly falling behind. Women are becoming better educated than men, earning more than men, and, generally speaking, not needing men at all. Meanwhile, as a group, men are losing their way."

Another opportunity to embrace and appreciate the work of our Women's Liberation trailblazers like Gloria Steinem, who paved the way for our futures. Now we are seeing the fruits of their labors, and the economic power shift from men to women. As the financial power of women grows so will the opportunities for political and social change. We as women, are living in historic times.

In the next 10 years the number of Fortune 500 female CEOs may increase from 38-100: imagine: one fifth of the worlds powerhouse companies will be lead by women! The opportunities for us to allow our innate talents to shine. Enjoy the paradigm shift from past social economic norms to a new set of standards...no one knows exactly what the landscape will look like, but one thing is for certain it will be much more equitable to women. How are you positioning yourself for this positive change?"

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<!--[if !IE]> end of div.showcase<![endif]-->When making real estate decisions, women have different needs and concerns, whether it is their security, style, financing, investment decisions or maintenance. Although single women are the fastest growing segment of home buyers, the traditional real estate model has never before been addressed from a female point of view. But WomenHomeowners.com is changing that.

At WomenHomeowners.com you’ll find the answers to your questions, gain insight into the real estate market and have access to a network of professional women who share your interests, and often your point of view. While some of our female professionals are happily married, all of us were single at one time or another, and many of us have been divorced or widowed.

You’ll find stories of women like you — how they overcame obstacles to become homeowners and how they deal with the various challenges they encounter. And, depending on where you live, you may be able to become part of a local support group of women homeowners and professionals.

This website also offers articles on a variety of topics and resources that can help you improve your home, prepare your house for sale and improve your lifestyle, along with a marketplace to shop for products and services you might need as a homeowner or homebuyer.

If you would like to search the MLS for listings in San Luis Obispo County,visit my website. If you have any real estate questions or general questions about Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo County, please contact me via email or call me at (805) 235-0234 for more information.

Ca DRE # 01317192

It starts with a dream...