Property investment is overwhelmingly a man’s world with new research showing only 27% of women own investment properties.

The survey was conducted by the Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA).

Chair Nicola McDougall says many women may have been nervous about investing in the past, but she says there is now plenty of advice and guidance available to assist them.

Kate Hill, who co-authored The Female Investor with McDougall, says throughout their working lives women have to navigate the gender pay gap, lower superannuation and poorer financial outcomes post-divorce.

She says this means it is harder for women to achieve the same sort of financial outcomes on retirement.

“The fact that women only represent a smidge over a quarter of all property investors is another factor that shows women are just not on the same financial footing as men in this country,” Hill says.

She says there are now plenty of opportunities for women to invest as property prices were softer and buyer demand lower.