Celebrating women in the Leeds property industry to mark International Women’s Day

This year's International Women's Day, which is held annually on March 8, the theme was 'break the bias'.

The IWD website says it is “a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women”.

Manning Stainton is a Leeds-based estate agent with 19 branches across Leeds, Wetherby and Wakefield.

In total it employs 240 people, 172 of whom are female. Its senior management team of 12, includes 6 women.

Amardeep Lall has worked at Manning Stainton for 16 years and is head of lettings.

She said: "When I started out in the property industry, I set myself a goal of what I wanted to achieve straight away. I’ve worked hard throughout my career to get to where I want to be, and that hard work and determination has paid off.

“I’ve been lucky enough not to come up against too many biases as a woman working in the industry, although I have had the odd developer and investor questioning my property knowledge, especially when it’s related to building and construction problems.

"However, I always go into every situation prepared, so I’ve always been able to answer any questions in full.

“To reduce any potential bias, I always present myself confidently and make sure I go into every meeting with up-to-date information and evidence-based stats. I’ve also always kept abreast of current market conditions, legislative changes and the best areas to invest in, which ensures I feel knowledgeable and prepared to answer anything.

“My top advice to other women entering the property industry is that knowledge is power – if you know the market well, you can speak to anyone about it with confidence, and confidence is key. If you’re confident in yourself, others will be too. And finally, always be honest, as trust from a client goes a long way.”

Dawn Carroll is the new homes director at Manning Stainton, and has been at the company for almost 23 years.

She said: "I started my career in property as a new homes sales consultant for a national housebuilder.

"I met Manning Stainton’s chairman, Russell Manning, whilst I was selling new homes on a development in Leeds, and when a position arose at one of Manning Stainton’s north Leeds branches, I saw it as a great opportunity to gain experience on the resale side to the property industry.

"I got the job and since then I’ve worked in several of the company’s branches, including Fine & Country, and at its auction division, Auction House.

“Each position has been part of a learning curve, and I progressed to branch manager level before becoming head of the Land and New Homes division, which covers new homes across the whole of our network.

“I can honestly say that I don’t believe I’ve ever been subjected to any biases because of my gender, and it definitely hasn’t affected my career progression.

“I’ve always worked extremely hard, and hard work really does pay off. If you put the effort in, you’ll reap the rewards. My advice to other women entering the industry would be to always be the absolute best you be and make every day a learning day.”

Louise Lawrence heads up Manning Stainton’s high-end and luxury home division, Fine & Country West Yorkshire, and has worked at the company for 30 years.

She said: “I’ve spent 30 years working really hard to get to where I am now. When I started at the company, the whole industry was male dominated, but over the years it’s been fantastic to see more women entering the sector and go on to achieve successful careers.

"The industry now has a much more balanced workforce, and it’s great to see more and more women breaking down barriers and having successful careers in the property sector.”

“If you work hard and make sure you know your stuff, you’ll go far, no matter what your gender.”

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