Patricia Sheth- General Manager,
Daykio Plantations

She draws her inspiration from women who confront traditional norms and challenge the status quo to achieve their goals. Patricia Sheth of Daykio Plantations is committed to empowering women and her message to women as we celebrate women’s day, “support each other and break the bias!”

 

Read more about Patricia’s vision for the women in real estate here:

  1. Why did you choose to work in real estate and what do you like most about your job?

Real Estate, according to me is about providing shelter. I enjoy my work because I make a difference in people’s lives. It gives me great satisfaction to see a customer invest in land and gradually transform it into a home for his /her family.

Most of our women customers are resilient and do their best to retain their investment. We support our customers by extending time for payment and negotiate on professional and legal fees on their behalf so they can fulfill their dreams. This gives me great satisfaction.

  1. Is there a perception out there about what women in real estate are like?

Certainly. Women still face a lot of challenges in real estate like any other industry especially on gender bias. It is a big challenge when some conservative men refuse to take instructions from women and that means the work cannot be completed on schedule. Since the real estate industry has been male dominated for a long time, some men find it difficult to accept that women can be more knowledgeable than them. Some men do not appreciate that women usually take time to evaluate a project logically before they embark on a task, including construction.

  1. Which women inspire you the most?

I salute women who confront societal and traditional norms against women and take up the challenge to enhance gender equality. I am also inspired by women who go out of their way to support other women who are passionate about achieving their goals. Recently we rode with an Uber lady driver and I was so encouraged by her positive attitude. She felt motivated to enhance her career when we appreciated her.

  1. What do you think about the future of women in the real estate industry in Kenya?

I believe with insight, awareness and exposure from WIRE (Women in Real Estate) and similar women forums that are geared towards educating and mentoring women, access to finance at subsidized interest rates, there is a huge future for women in real estate industry.

  1. Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes, we have several projects in the pipeline. We are currently consulting with several women-led    companies for provision of professional services, housing concepts etc. We envisage a new concept that is accessible and affordable (flexible payment plans) to many people especially women who may have been marginalized due to gender bias.

  1. On international women’s day, what’s a very practical tip for women just starting their real estate careers?

On this year’s Women international Day my prayer for women who want to pursue a career in real estate is, they should never give up on their dreams and goals because of challenges they might encounter as they start up. There are a lot of opportunities in the industry and women should use the challenges as “stepping stones” to venture into the business. It is time women trained as electricians, plumbers, painters (There is a big shortage in this field, I know of only one plumber when I have an issue at home and he comes at his own time) Engineers, Architects etc. The list is endless.

I would encourage women to join WIRE as they conduct programs that can help women gain insight, exposure and mentorship to venture into Real Estate Industry,

This time around let us as women support each other to “Break the Bias”.