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Yes, Real Estate Investments Trust is a good career path. If you’re a go-getter with a great network of people and skills in sales and marketing, a career in real estate is a great option. There are a variety of opportunities within the industry that can utilize different skills depending on what you prefer.
All individuals who work in the real estate market are essential to these very large and often life-changing transactions. Entering this field ensures you are working in a career where you’ll feel fulfilled and purposeful by providing your clients with all of the information they need to make an informed and smart decision.
Here are 11 great jobs in Real Estate Investments Trust:
The 7 Best-Paying Jobs in Real Estate
Real estate careers are often linked to the financial industry. Most individuals who are buying a home must do so with a mortgage, requiring those in the real estate industry to be well versed in financial services such as brokerage, loan processing, underwriting, and more. Because of this, real estate jobs are often well-paid and highly competitive.
Here are some of the best-paying jobs in real estate.
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Commercial real estate broker
Average Annual Salary: N/A
Commercial real estate brokers are individuals who have expertise in helping clients through the complex process of buying, selling, or leasing a commercial property. This may include everything from searching for office space to focusing on the finer details of the purchase.
As a commercial real estate broker, your primary responsibility is to be the intermediary between landlords and tenants. In this role, you must be familiar with acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing transactions. You must also be comfortable with negotiating contracts and understand what to look for when advocating for your clients.
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Average Annual Salary: $67,000
Community development managers are individuals who are responsible for the economic development, community development, and membership of a specific community. This may include helping individuals, families, or communities with social change to improve their quality of life.
As a community development manager, you may act as the link between communities and the local authority or voluntary sector providers, including police, firemen, social workers, and teachers. This means you must be comfortable with talking to individuals of all backgrounds and speaking on behalf of the community you serve.
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Average Annual Salary: $48,000
A property manager is an individual hired by a property owner to oversee and manage the daily happenings of a real estate property they own. The property manager may be responsible for things like collecting rent, handling maintenance issues, filling vacant units, and setting a property budget.
Typically, when landlords hire property managers, they pay anywhere between 6-12% of the property’s overall monthly rental income. Depending on if you’re with a company or working on your own, they may also be required to pay a management fee, maintenance fee, leasing fee, and lease-renewal fee, adding up to a nice paycheck.
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Mortgage loan officer
Average Annual Salary: N/A
A mortgage loan officer is an individual that helps an individual who is looking to buy a property and get the right mortgage for their real estate transaction. The mortgage loan officer acts as the original lender for the mortgage and then works with the borrower from application and approval through the closing of the property.
As the mortgage loan officer, you may be required to work with your clients by answering questions, collecting necessary documents, and verifying information. Similar to property managers, mortgage loan officers typically receive a percentage of around 0.5-1% of the total loan.
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Average Annual Salary: $84,000
A real estate attorney or real estate lawyer is someone licensed who can practice real estate knowledge. This means you would have the knowledge and experience to advise your clients involved in a real estate transaction to ensure the sale works in their favor.
For this job, you may be required to prepare and review documents and contracts related to the property purchase. Depending on your client’s situation, you may also be responsible for the success of the closing. Most individuals purchasing a property desire a real estate attorney in their corner, making this job highly sought after.
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Average Annual Salary: $54,000
Lease administrators are responsible for overseeing all aspects of the lease agreement process. This could be anything from creating a new lease to managing the administrative tasks of lease documents. You may focus on real estate leases for a specific company, multiple companies, or for an individual.
Lease administrators have the ability to also oversee commercial real estate leases, residential leases, or rental property. This means you’ll need to be highly organized to keep track of all lease data, typically utilizing technology like spreadsheets to keep it all easily accessible.
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Real estate zoning manager
Average Annual Salary: N/A
Real estate zoning managers manage the administration and acquisition for site development. This can be a complicated job as it includes the managers overseeing all zoning real estate operations, including leasing, purchasing, and selling, as well as compliance with local zoning regulations.
This position often requires individuals to coordinate with governmental agencies for utilities and developmental standards, depending on the community in which the property is built. Depending on how much experience you have, you may also be required to train and manage a team of subordinates.
8 Entry-Level Jobs in Real Estate
There’s a reason so many people are eager to pursue real estate careers — getting into the field is relatively easy. Compared to other careers with similar earnings potential, real estate is a relatively simple career to take on. For example, you can get your real estate license quickly and affordably, all without a college degree.
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Average Annual Salary: $55,000
Appraisers are individuals who provide an estimated value on real estate property, tangible personal property, or business property. This is a job where you’ll want to make sure you’re okay with traveling. Some work is done in the office, but appraisers spend a good amount of time conducting site visits.
Getting a job as a real estate appraiser can sometimes require a bachelor’s degree, but many times the education requirements can vary. As an appraiser, you’ll also need to be sure you meet state licensure or certification requirements in the area or company for which you work.
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Average Annual Salary: $59,000
Real estate compliance specialists provide clients with expertise as it relates to regulations that govern properties and their components. Regulations tend to change annually, so having a compliance specialist is highly sought after, especially by those with a diverse real estate portfolio.
Real estate compliance can differ by region or even jurisdiction. Municipalities are responsible for establishing rules for their district, which may impact properties differently. As a compliance specialist, it would be your responsibility to stay up to date and guide your clients in a way that enables them to be in full compliance.
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Average Annual Salary: $45,000
Escrow officers are unbiased third parties who ensure smooth real estate transactions for their clients by overseeing the terms of a contract and making sure they’re honored by all involved parties. Escrow officers are essential in the home buying and refinancing process.
Similar to other jobs discussed on this list, escrow officers often act as the middleman between parties. As an escrow officer, you may be required to handle depositing escrow funds, ordering property-related documents, notifying parties if there is a title problem, and informing clients about closing timelines, among other responsibilities.
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Average Annual Salary: $45,000
A foreclosure specialist is an individual who monitors and manages all things pertaining to the foreclosure process for a piece of real estate. This may include ensuring all aspects of the foreclosure meet the federal, state, and local regulations.
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Residential real estate broker
Average Annual Salary: N/A
A residential real estate broker is a licensed professional that provides expertise to individuals looking to buy a residential property. You may be required to help with real estate transactions depending on your client’s willingness to buy or sell a property.
The difference between a broker and an agent is that it’s a broker’s duty to ensure the transactions are lawful. You are responsible for making sure all paperwork is correct and complete and that all funds, such as those in escrow accounts, are recorded and reported properly.
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Average Annual Salary: $93,000
Real estate agents, on the other hand, must work for a broker. Real estate agents handle everything that is client-facing, such as listing, sales, and attracting new clients. Agents create listing agreements or agency agreements, which are handled by the broker and client.
Breaking in as a real estate agent is a great way to learn the market and what it has to offer. This career doesn’t require a college degree but typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent. If you are good with people and enjoy selling or the process of buying a home, this may be an ideal career.
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Average Annual Salary: $48,000
Title examiners, or title officers or title searchers, are individuals who assess property titles and public records. They may be responsible for determining any legal barriers against a specific property sale. Their responsibilities include record-keeping and reporting findings to legal firms, realtors, and insurance companies.
This job requires quite a bit of research, so it’s important to be comfortable with researching and interviewing lenders, property buyers and sellers, and courthouse officials. Similar to real estate agents, becoming a title examiner typically does not require a college degree.
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Average Annual Salary: $94,000
A real estate consultant is an expert who provides advice and recommendations to clients who are looking to purchase or develop a property. Real estate consultants work with commercial real estate investors more typically than residential buyers and sellers.
If you’re more interested in working behind the scenes in real estate, working as a real estate consultant may be the perfect fit. They are responsible for performing extensive research to help guide clients’ decisions during every step of the project. Instead of focusing on the transaction, they ensure investment success for their clients.
Why Choose a Career in Real Estate?
If you’ve ever bought or rented a property, chances are you’ve encountered someone who works in real estate. This career path attracts individuals from all backgrounds and ages for a variety of reasons. Here are some great reasons to consider a career in real estate.
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Feeling rewarded. If you’re passionate about real estate and get a thrill from touring properties, real estate is a great gig. Not to mention you’ll be helping your clients with one of the biggest purchases of their lives, making this career very rewarding.
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Diverse career options. As you gain more experience in real estate, your options in this career will expand. You can utilize your knowledge in any number of things like property management, investing, corporate real estate, or more.
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Schedule freedom. If you have other responsibilities, real estate is a great option to balance your work and life. Oftentimes real estate agents set their own schedules and coordinate other responsibilities around appointments.
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Financial success. Working as a real estate agent can set you up for financial success. Many career paths in real estate ensure you’ll receive a commission percentage of the transaction you’re a part of, making for a very lucrative payday.
Education and Certification Requirements for a Career in Real Estate
Real estate agents require some valuable skills, including, but not limited to, marketing, sales, networking, and great customer skills. For many of the roles in this career path, it’s essential you are able to sell yourself and your expertise. While this is a steady career path, real estate also encounters heavy competition, so skills are important to help you stand out.
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No degree is required to become a real estate agent. However, it can certainly help agents stay competitive and relevant. Consider a degree in business, finance, or any other related field.
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Real estate degrees can set you apart from the competition. Some schools offer real estate degrees providing a foundation for the basics of buying and selling while helping you make more informed decisions about properties, mortgages, interest rates, and more.
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You must get licensed in your state in order to become a real estate agent. Many people looking to pass their license exam opt to take real estate courses. Since there is no national mandate, the requirements for passing may change by state.
What Do People Working in Real Estate Do?
Real estate agents and brokers are individuals who help clients buy, sell, and rent properties. They also typically make a commission from their work, leading to lucrative paychecks.
Working in real estate can be both fulfilling and financially rewarding, but you’ll need to be ready for both hard work and competition, especially if you choose to be an agent or broker.
There are many benefits to this career, including being your own boss, meeting new people, and helping your clients through one of the biggest milestones in their lives. However, there are also a wide variety of opportunities available in real estate that lay outside the requirement of needing to be an agent or broker.
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Author
Caitlin Mazur is a freelance writer at Zippia. Caitlin is passionate about helping Zippia’s readers land the jobs of their dreams by offering content that discusses job-seeking advice based on experience and extensive research. Caitlin holds a degree in English from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA.
