They say if you don?t believe you are lucky, you don?t belong in real estate, said Sharon Caplan, senior vice president in brokerage at Manekin LLC.
Twenty-three years ago, a lucky opportunity in brokerage management came to Caplan in the form of Richard Manekin.
Caplan had been working with the Baltimore County Department of Economic Development Commission, and knew all about the happenings of other local businesses.
“I said to Dick [Manekin], ?I know so little [brokerage management] the only way I?ll [work for Manekin] is if I can tag along with you.? After three weeks, he said, ?You just graduated,?” she said.
At first, Caplan said she experienced some difficulties doing deals because of her gender. “Getting in the door became a difficult task, but being a woman was my angle,” she said.
Caplan is a self-proclaimed product of an era when women didn?t plan their careers or having children. Now she is the mother of three and a grandmother.
“Everything just happened,” she said.
Today, Caplan still works hard, keeps herself up to speed on current and prospective clients and mentors newer brokers.
“Sharon is very persistent and leaves no stone unturned,” said Matthew Haas, vice president in brokerage and one of Caplan?s protégées. “She prioritizes never being late and always returning phone calls out of courtesy.”
Haas, a native of Baltimore, has been with Manekin since 1999.
Manekin manages 10 million square feet of space in the Baltimore-Washington region. Leading the charge as director of asset management is Barbara Alden.
Alden has a master?s degree in business administration in real estate finance, but her first career was as a critical care nurse in Texas.
“In property management, there are a lot of parallels to what we do in health care,” she said.
“It?s all customer service, and a certain set of skills translates well into real estate, like making critical decisions, being well-organized and leading others.”
Hired by Manekin in 1997, Alden has since implemented new programs and standards for asset management.
“For a woman, it?s a great career because the compensation level is competitive in the industry and because you have flexibility in your schedule,” she said.
“Barbara has forged more good for women in the property management area,” Haas said. “She is a huge proponent for bringing
highly qualified women into Manekin.”
While luck may be a factor in the success of these women, skill, dedication and vision are certainly others.
