Real Estate Training and Career Resource Guide
Find the information you need to get your real estate training and start a real estate career.
The real estate industry is much more than well-dressed agents who show open houses. The field also includes a dynamic group of professionals who work on all aspects of developing, buying, selling, financing and maintaining property, whether commercial, residential or industrial.
Particularly when it comes to the many important decisions related to buying or selling real estate, people look to real estate professionals for guidance. In good and bad economic times, clients rely on the services of real estate professionals such as agents, brokers and appraisers to negotiate profitable deals and protect their investments.
Regardless of whether the housing market is thriving, real estate career professionals with a high level of education and experience will always be in demand. Real estate careers flourish both in large metropolitan areas that offer a steady flow of work or in smaller towns that have the potential for growth. With the help of technological advancements, some real estate careers can offer flexible hours, the ability to work from home and the option of being self-employed.
Real Estate Career Options
The real estate industry is a multi-trillion dollar industry that creates or supports over 9 million jobs in this nation's economy. A real estate career encompasses an incredibly diverse range of job possibilities with great potential for advancement. Here are several real estate career options and their accompanying responsibilities:
Real Estate Developers
Real estate development is often considered the heart of the real estate industry because it fuels the transactional side of the profession. A developer must be a visionary, a politician, a business person and a seer, predicting trends and solving the unique set of problems that come with any development project. Real estate development covers several factors—not only the obvious planning, architectural design and construction aspects but also business-related fields such as entrepreneurship and finance.
Agents and Brokers
Real estate agents and brokers are primarily responsible for helping clients buy and sell property. They must understand property tax laws and financing options, and effectively market properties that need to be sold. Often working more than 40 hours a week, real estate agents spend much of their time on-site with clients.
Property Managers
Property managers are hired for their expertise in managing community or homeowners' associations, office buildings, apartment complexes or commercial properties. The responsibilities vary by specialty, but generally include dealing with the financial aspects of real estate management, collecting association dues and hiring individuals for services such as landscaping, janitorial duties or security.
Real Estate Appraisers and Assessors
The main task of real estate appraisers and assessors is to calculate the estimated value of a property. Assessors usually work for local governments and help to determine property values primarily for tax purposes, often assessing whole lots or neighborhoods at one time. Real estate appraisers typically handle property value estimates whenever any property is sold, mortgaged, insured or taxed. Appraisers can be hired by buyers, sellers or lenders.
Real Estate Finance
Besides the team of professionals who develop, sell, appraise and manage real estate, several key elements to any real estate deal rest in the financial area of real estate. Without underwriters, real estate analysts and loan officers, the planning, building, buying, selling, and managing of real estate simply wouldn't happen.
Corporate Real Estate
Corporations are among the largest owners and users of real estate in the United States, and corporate real estate professionals deal with the buying, selling and management of property for these companies. These professionals must manage their company's assets while keeping in mind how their work can benefit the company's core business, whether it is manufacturing, financial or high-tech.
Necessary Skills for Real Estate Career Professionals
Whichever area of real estate interests you, a successful real estate career requires tremendous drive and hard work. While the skill sets needed by the different career options are so diverse, helpful skills include analytical and organizational skills, mathematical aptitude, proficiency in computer and digital technology, and effective presentation skills. To make sure you refer clients to trustworthy specialists, real estate professionals must also be able to build a network that includes others in the industry as well as those in related professions, such as lawyers, mortgage lenders and insurance agents.
