2024 Women in CRE: Caitlin Burke, The Boulos Company - Portsmouth, NH

What recent project, transaction, or accomplishment are you most proud of? I am most proud of the client relationships I have. I have a lot of repeat clients – people I have been lucky enough to do a ton of different types of deals with – and others where I am called back to lease or sell the same building again. In an industry where brokers don’t always have the best reputations, I am proud that I don’t fit into that stereotype. 

What challenges have you faced as a woman in commercial real estate? Getting comfortable with being the only woman in the room again and again. There are not a lot of women in commercial real estate that I have to look up to as examples, so you have to get comfortable blazing your own path. Also, it took me awhile to build self-confidence to do it your own way as a woman (you don’t have to act like a man to be successful)!

What is your vision for the future of women in commercial real estate? I hope there are more and more of us – a lot of my biggest accomplishments have been because I have teamed with other women brokers, business owners and investors. I think there is a huge opportunity for women in this industry, and I can’t wait to continue to be part of that growth. 

What advice do you have for young women aspiring to enter commercial real estate? Give yourself more credit – there are statistics out there that show women wait until they feel overqualified for a position or a role before applying – I think the same applies to pursuing a larger client or deal. Don’t wait until you feel “qualified” to do so – you probably already are!