As you read this, there are more than five million people in the United States employed in identifiable real estate fields such as title insurance, construction, mortgage banking, property management, real estate appraisals, brokerage and leasing, and real estate development. In addition, many were engaged in corporate real estate and in real estate lending in commercial banks, savings and loans, and insurance companies where their jobs are not included in the real estate sector. Over a third of the world's wealth is tied up in real estate. Real estate is collateral for mortgages and a large amount of financial assets.
As important as the field of real estate might be, it is also worth recognizing how interesting the work in this field is. Real estate professionals are tied to the development of our society in a very direct way and participate in decisions that will shape the way we live for centuries. Work in real estate and consider your potential in the field or real estate.
Real Estate: Skills and Talents
Real estate employers are looking for people with a combination of strong deal-making and interpersonal skills.
The skills involved include:
Excellent Job Opportunities
The field of real estate involves the sale, management and analysis of land and properties. this is one of the largest parts of the economy and offers excellent job opportunities.
Tough to Break In
It's relatively hard to break into investment banking. You need to be prepared to pursue firms on your own after you have thoroughly prepared yourself.
The Field is Highly Entrepreneurial
Real estate jobs tend to be more entrepreneurial and create opportunities to become wealthy if you have the right mix of analytical skills and entrepreneurial drive.
There are Many Ways to Play the Field
One of the exciting things about real estate is that it can be approached from so many different ways. You can be a white-collar worker projecting and analyzing cash flows from new developments with spreadsheet; an agent in the field with heavy contact with customers on a day to day basis; or an entrepreneurial property owner/manager looking for undervalued real estate buys and strategies for creating value.
Multiple entry Points Available
There are a variety of ways to break into real estate. If you are interested in the sales side you need to get licensed and should go to work for a commercial or residential broker. If you would like to get involved in property acquisition and analysis you should get a higher degree with a specialization in real estate and go to work for a major property management company. There are also many other ways to enter including through corporate site selection departments, governmental entities and banks.
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