The industry isn't built for women just yet, say women in mortgage

Women in mortgage are done with waiting for the mortgage industry to play catch up in the fight for equality - they are demanding change and leading the way despite systemic obstacles.

Women are driving more financial decisions than ever, yet the mortgage industry still makes them fight for a seat at the table. Leadership roles? Still a rarity, with women holding only 32.5% of mortgage broker positions. Flexible work policies? Practically nonexistent. And while more women are buying homes solo—single women own 13% of owner-occupied homes compared to 10.2% by single men—lenders haven’t caught up, offering little in the way of mortgage products that reflect their financial realities. The message is clear: women are expected to navigate a system that wasn’t built for them, and yet, they’re doing it anyway.

For this Women’s History Month, it’s important to look at the women who are changing that narrative. El Deane (pictured left), Jen Highton (pictured centre), and Joanna O’Shea (pictured right) know exactly what it’s like to work twice as hard just to be taken seriously. They’re speaking out about what’s changed, what hasn’t, and why the industry still has a long way to go.

Fighting for credibility and leadership

Women in the industry still struggle to be taken seriously. Eleanor Deane pointed out that even though many women manage household finances, that doesn’t always mean they’re sought after as professionals.

"The challenge is being taken seriously, but I do think age has something to do with that as well. Time buys you some respect," Deane said.

Leadership roles have historically been out of reach for women in mortgages. Jen Highton recalls how stark the imbalance was.

"Years ago, there wasn’t really any women in positions of managerial or directorship; it was completely male dominated,” Highton said. “But now, I’ve got people who I speak to every single day regarding the law and also buying and selling, and they’re all women."

Yet, as Joanna O’Shea points out, the path to leadership remains far from equal.

"There is absolutely, and still is, and it will take ages to align, but limited leadership opportunities,” O’Shea said. “There are still situations where your voice isn't heard, or you're not taken seriously. And probably the biggest thing is you have to work harder to be credible."

Systemic challenges: work-life balance and industry culture

Beyond leadership, rigid workplace policies make career advancement even harder. O’Shea highlighted the glaring lack of flexible working options.

"There is just such a lack of support with flexible working, and it’s just bananas,” she said. “It’s going to take so long to implement properly into the workplace."

Some firms are making strides, but progress is slow.

"It’s really nice to be somewhere now that shows it absolutely can be done. Before, that was hard," O’Shea said.

But the deeper issue extends beyond policies—culture is a problem, too. Deane didn’t hold back when discussing the workplace discrimination she’s witnessed.

"The things that needed improving in the company I worked at with regards to respect for women were things that the company should have been doing,” she said. “There was misogyny, there was sexism, there was discrimination. They need to pull their socks up to the minimum standard."

Industry veteran Roz Cawood echoed this, noting that progress remains uneven.

"It's getting better, but I think there’s still got a long way to go," Cawood said. "It doesn't feel like 50/50—certainly in finance and specialist lending, most of the brokers are male, most of the salespeople are male. It still feels like that traditional... the further to the top you go, it's more male and then the lower level, like maybe admin, is more female."

Women taking financial control

Despite industry hurdles, women are increasingly taking charge of their financial futures. O’Shea pointed to a shift in homeownership trends.

"I did a poll on my social media, and the respondents—both men and women—confirmed that in their household, over 75% said the female manages the finances,” she said. “Not that long ago, women couldn’t even have a bank account."

She also noted that "a quarter of first-time buyers are single women now, which is super cool. I’m definitely seeing more women taking charge and buying a house on their own, getting on the property ladder sooner."

O’Shea believes lenders should step up with products that better serve women’s realities.

"I would like to see a lender come out with an innovative single-woman product or single-mum product,” she said. “There’s a period in life where your pay is less, your outgoings are more. But that evens out eventually. It would be really nice if a lender could bring something out to support women in that situation."

Branding also plays a role in reaching female clients. Highton, who owns The Mortgage Lady, has seen firsthand how positioning matters.

"It was important to have that in the name, but it really came from people saying, ‘Oh, just ring The Mortgage Lady,’” she said. “It seems to be working because I’m on the first page of Google when you search for mortgages in Liverpool or female mortgage brokers, which is brilliant.”

Her approach is clear-cut:

"My ethos is, I’m going to walk you right the way through it,” Highton said. “You’re not on your own. We can help you every step of the way and talk you through every step of the way. If you need me for anything, I’ll be at the end of the phone until completion—and for the whole of your financial life."

The industry is changing, but not fast enough

The mortgage sector is evolving, but the pace of change isn’t quick enough. More female leadership, better support for work-life balance, and targeted financial products could make a real difference.

O’Shea acknowledged the progress but made it clear that the fight wasn’t over.

"We know that there has been progress… there are definitely more women in the mortgage industry,” O’Shea said. “I definitely feel like I’m not nervous to be a woman in the sector like I was before, but there absolutely needs to be more effort to create true equal opportunities."

Women are no longer waiting for the industry to catch up—they’re pushing for change. The question is, will the sector rise to meet them?