Maternity Leave in Real Estate: The Harsh Reality for American Realtors

Maternity leave in real estate is a topic that rarely gets discussed—and when it does, it's often met with blank stares or awkward nods. Unlike traditional 9-to-5 jobs, there’s no paid time off, no one to pick up your workload, and no corporate benefits to cushion the experience. In this industry, if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. It's that simple—and that harsh.

For most female realtors, especially those who are the primary breadwinners in their families, the idea of stepping away for maternity leave feels impossible. The reality? You're working until the day you give birth—sometimes even attending listing appointments two days before delivery. Recovery becomes a juggling act. You're answering texts from the hospital bed, checking emails while rocking a newborn, and coordinating closings while breastfeeding or pumping between showings.

And referrals? They can help, but they come at a cost. Passing off a client means giving up 70-75% of the potential commission. In many cases, that client may not even return to you in the future. They’re no longer your client; they're someone else's. That can be tough to swallow—especially when it’s a big transaction that you’ve nurtured for months, only to step away when it counts the most.

The emotional toll is just as intense. Postpartum depression is real, and it’s exacerbated by the pressure to keep working, to keep producing, and to keep providing. There’s the guilt of wanting to be present with your newborn, mixed with the anxiety of missing out on income, deals, and opportunities. For many of us, it becomes a cycle of stress, exhaustion, and emotional burnout.

In countries like Canada or the Czech Republic, women are given six months to two years of paid maternity leave. Meanwhile, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world—America—women are expected to get back to work almost immediately, with little to no structural support. In real estate, where everything depends on your availability, it's even worse.

Breastfeeding on the go, pumping in bathrooms during open houses, dragging yourself back to appointments before your body has fully healed—this is the unspoken side of real estate motherhood. And it's the reason why so many women either wait until their kids are grown to start a real estate career, or leave the industry entirely when family planning begins.

The truth is, most moms in real estate are doing the impossible. If you see a fellow agent with toddlers or babies under five years old—give them a round of applause. What they’re doing is not easy, and it often goes unrecognized.

If you want to hear more about my personal story and the raw realities behind it, I encourage you to watch our full YouTube video. It’s a candid look into the challenges women face in this industry and why it’s time we start having real conversations about it.

Click Here!

Got questions about navigating real estate—whether you’re a client or a fellow agent? Reach out to us at The Hardy Group. We're here to help.