2024 is shaping up to be a year of transformation in the real estate industry. Women are not only closing the homeownership gap, but they’re also rapidly rising through the ranks of agents, developers, investors and innovators.
This surge is fueled by a combination of factors, including government initiatives, a growing awareness of the financial advantages of real estate ownership for women, and the industry’s recognition of the unique skills and perspectives women bring to the table.
Khushboo Jha is at the forefront of this progress. As the CEO and Founder of BuyProperly, she serves as a source of inspiration for the emerging generation in the field. Jha’s commitment and proficiency showcase the constructive influence that women are exerting in the real estate field, laying the foundation for a future in the industry that is both inclusive and prosperous.
Jha isn’t just a leader in real estate; she’s a visionary shaping its future. As a PropTech (Property Technology) pioneer, she understands the power of innovation. Through BuyProperly, she uses technology to revolutionize property investment, making it more accessible than ever. By providing data-driven insights and streamlined processes, she breaks down traditional barriers and empowers investors.
Jha’s work showcases how PropTech can transform real estate: making it more accessible, efficient, and sustainable. In a historically change-resistant industry, she is a catalyst. Her innovative approach is paving the way for a more inclusive and dynamic future for real estate.
We, at CIO Global, are honored to introduce Khushboo Jha as one of the most Successful Women in Real Estate in 2024. Our cover story explores the changing landscape of real estate in 2024, highlighting the impact of women and the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.
About the Company
Led by the visionary Jha since 2020, BuyProperly is an AI-powered real estate investment platform headquartered in Toronto with offices across North America.
The company empowers investors with access to exclusive opportunities, starting with low minimum investment amounts. Through a streamlined five-minute digital process, BuyProperly facilitates frictionless investing, while also offering on-demand liquidity via their own exchange.
Combined with 100+ years of experience in real estate, investments, and technology on the BuyProperly team, the platform leverages the best in AI to provide personalized deal recommendations and predictive analytics that help investors make informed decisions and sponsors get critical projects off the ground.
The Distinguishing Aspect
At BuyProperly, teams embody a vibrant spirit of collaboration and camaraderie, pooling their diverse talents and expertise to make investing accessible to everyone. Their collective efforts reflect a shared commitment to inclusivity and empowerment, fostering an environment where individuals thrive and ideas flourish. By working diligently and harmoniously, these teams are not only advancing the accessibility of investment opportunities but also enriching the lives of people by providing them with the means to secure their financial futures.
Jha says, “Our mission is to enable investors to grow their wealth and build diversified portfolios through access to alternative assets, such as real estate, private credit, and private equity.”
BuyProperly stands out as the only platform that leverages data and machine learning throughout the investment journey. This empowers them to source deals and recommend investors with unmatched precision. Additionally, they’ve established a secondary exchange, tackling a major pain point in the industry.
This unique combination provides much-needed liquidity to an asset class known for its long investment cycles and historically low turnover. In short, BuyProperly empowers investors and unlocks value through data-driven deal sourcing, investor matching, and an innovative secondary market.
Jha’s Journey in Real Estate
Jha’s fascination with real estate began with her first investment in 2010, a perfect fit for her analytical mind. Her Wharton MBA, with a specialization in Real Estate Finance, solidified this passion. She laughs, “However, no one takes action until necessity or, in my case, frustration requires one to!”
While working at Amazon, Jha longed for an Amazon-like approach to real estate investing – a simple, one-click solution. Recognizing a shared frustration among colleagues, she saw a gap in the market. They all craved portfolio diversification but lacked access to deals, investment knowledge, and the tools to evaluate opportunities.
This unmet need sparked the idea behind BuyProperly. Driven by a desire to transform the investor experience, Jha set out to change the industry.
The Wisdom of Experience
Experience acts as a powerful teacher. Each project, success, and even setback shapes the understanding of our chosen field. We learn what approaches yield the best results, how to navigate unforeseen challenges, and what pitfalls to avoid. This accumulated knowledge becomes a wellspring of insights that guide our future decisions.
Just as experience teaches valuable lessons, Jha’s own career path exemplifies this principle. She reflects, “While working at Amazon, I was leading the launch of a hazardous materials seller marketplace. This new business launch taught me an appreciation of the ways regulations were protecting customers across countries, their implications, and mechanisms to translate them into the digital world working closely with regulators so that the overall set of stakeholders would all benefit. It was a great learning on balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders, with competing interests/ and perspectives.”
Exploring the Drivers of Achievement
Jha’s financial expertise and comfort level with regulatory matters provided a solid foundation for entering the real estate industry. However, her background in tech proved to be an unexpected advantage. “Being an outsider coming from the tech industry,” she explains, “opened up a whole lot of possibilities given I was not constrained by existing ways of working and thinking.”
This outsider perspective fueled the creation of her award-winning platform, which disrupts the industry by harnessing technology and AI to streamline the value chain.
While Jha acknowledges the influence of real estate powerhouses like Barbara Corcoran and Sallie Krawchek, her vision is ultimately shaped by a desire to transform the industry through technological innovation.
Women Navigating the Challenges of Real Estate
Real estate thrives on user-centric design. Understanding diverse user needs is crucial for creating structures that truly resonate. Women, often adept at considering multiple viewpoints – a skill fostered by both social expectations and natural inclination – bring a more inclusive and data-driven perspective to development. This holistic approach translates to higher success rates.
However, the industry’s traditional deal-making culture, often revolving around golf outings and geographically scattered development sites, presents a barrier for women seeking to integrate into established networks. This can be a significant hurdle compared to a traditional office setting.
Actionable Steps Towards Gender Equality
Education and acknowledging bias come first.
Three key steps that individuals can take:
- Educate yourself by reading books, attending training, and understanding and acknowledging conscious and subconscious bias.
- Take Tangible Action, such as making a valuable introduction, writing a cheque to / investing in a women’s business, buying from a woman or gender-diverse business,
- Equality starts at home, so share the workload and do joint financial and investment planning.
Three steps organizations can take:
- Provide mandatory and consistent education and training on biases and how to overcome them.
- Representation matters – include women as speakers in conferences, company presentations, and other important events.
- Hire on potential, not past performance, include women in the hiring process and ensure job descriptions are gender neutral and the process has representation at each stage.
- Create a gender-friendly environment for connecting in and outside work events.
BuyProperly Charts Its Course Ahead
BuyProperly is a company built on continuous innovation, consistently launching projects that benefit a broad range of users. With a pipeline brimming with exciting initiatives, Jha’s leadership ensures BuyProperly stays at the forefront of the industry.
She says, “We have an exciting partnership we will soon announce with a phenomenal, award-winning developer that has an excellent track record working on affordable, environmentally friendly housing. It’s hard to come by projects that would check off so many boxes at the same time and I can’t wait to launch it to investors.”
Jha’s Guiding Principle
Doing the right thing.