A Wide Range of Real Estate Careers
There is a wide variety of careers available in the real estate world, from appraisers to developers. Each job has its own pros and cons and involves a different set of skills. The main thing connecting these jobs is an involvement in the process of making land available for human use.
Real Estate Job Types
These are the most common jobs available in this competitive and exciting industry:
- Agents and Brokers - Agents and brokers act as the intermediaries between the buyers and sellers of property. Some people in these positions focus on commercial properties and some focus on residential real estate. People in these real estate careers will find themselves creating lists of available properties, determining prices for the properties, learning more about each property's features, marketing the real estate, meeting with potential buyers, helping buyers find financing, and drawing up sales contracts. People who want to work independently can undergo the more rigorous licensing to become a broker instead of an agent.
- Developers - Developers usually conceive of real estate projects and then orchestrate the entire process, from getting the project off the ground to the first day the project opens for business. Even if a developer doesn't come up with a plan for a piece of land initially, they are often hired by investment companies to see a project through the entire process. They will oversee the buying of the land, the legal process involved in preparing it for development, the hiring of the architect, the construction, and sometimes even the interior decoration of a project, if necessary. The developer is in charge of the budget and time management for the real estate venture, as well. He or she will manage the work force and coordinate details. Developing can be a great real estate job for people who can both see the big picture and keep track of a hundred small specifics.
- Appraisers - Appraisers can work either for the local government or independently. They assess a property and determine the value to give a neutral estimate of its worth. Both the buyers and the sellers then use the appraiser's assessment. Buyers use it to check whether they are paying too much and sellers use it to figure out if they are accepting too little for the property. Appraisers determine real estate value through a series of standard methodologies. They look at statistics, blue prints, records, and survey drawings. Most of these real estate professionals specialize in either commercial or residential real estate.
- Property Managers - Property managers oversee the property on a day-to-day basis. The duties for these jobs can include leasing out the property to tenants, dealing with tenant issues, preparing reports for the property owners, hiring service employees, collecting rent, paying bills, and maintaining the condition of the property. Positions range from on-site managers for one building to property managers for a variety of properties.
- Asset Managers - These managers help companies make key decisions about purchasing, developing, and selling their real estate. Researching zoning laws, property values, real estate taxes, and local population are all part of this job. Most asset managers started their careers as property managers.
How to Start a Real Estate Career
Most real estate professionals have to go through a licensing process before they are able to do business legitimately. This is because there are local tax laws, zoning regulations, school district regulations, contracts, building repair codes, utility structures, transportation laws, business practices, and much more that all need to be fully understood by the people in real estate before they can effectively do their jobs.
- Licensing - All states in the US require real estate agents and brokers to be licensed. Each state has different rules and requirements that determine who can be licensed, but in most states, agents must be over 18 years old, have a high school diploma, and pass a written test. Appraisers also need to be licensed in all 50 states, as do most developers.
- Additional Requirements - Most real estate professionals have more success if they have a college degree in business, accounting, finance, or real estate. A strong understanding of business and real estate also helps prospective real estate professionals gain a competitive edge in the industry.
Finding Real Estate Jobs
The best way to find real estate jobs is to visit JobsOnline. JobsOnline will help you filter job listing from all over the web. You can look at jobs by industry, by location, or both to find the best job options for you. Check every day to see what's available across the web. JobsOnline wants to help you get your dream job. Start your job search today and find a wide range of great opportunities in your area.