Real Estate
Industry-Specific Insights
- Real estate agents help people buy and sell their homes and must have advanced knowledge of local real estate laws, financing options, mortgages, and fair housing regulations.
- To be eligible to become a licensed real estate salesperson or agent, you must:
- Be at least 18 or 19 years old (depends on the state)
- Have legal US residency
- Complete your required pre-license education (find your state’s requirements here)
- Pass your state real estate license examination
- Networking and building relationships are crucial in real estate. Start finding industry professionals to shadow, observe, and conduct informational interviews with during the semester.
- In real estate, you are basically an independent contractor. This means that you set your own hours, which can be good if you are prone to taking initiative. But having a flexible schedule means you have to be flexible to the client’s needs, even if it is at times you would normally be spending with friends or family.
- Your income isn’t limited by an hourly wage or a corporate-dictated salary range but is largely dictated by the time you invest yourself. However, at first, your cash-flow direction will be outward. Most new real estate agents need a nest egg to begin their careers as getting your first sale will take time.
- View our Career Planning Guide & Internship Orientation Guide. Here is an accessible PDF: Internship Orientation Guide.
Job Boards
Industry-Specific Job Boards
Recommended Resources
The resources below are a combination of general industry information as well as specific job and internship posting sites for this industry.
Professional Associations
A professional association is an organization of people who have similar career interests. These membership-based organizations often offer a reduced rate for students that allow access to the many resources they provide. Professional association websites can also offer job/internship databases as well as opportunities to find mentors or other contacts.
- CCIM
- CREW Network (Commercial Real Estate Women)
- The Counselors of Real Estate
- Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM)
- National Association of Realtors
- Real Estate Business Institute (REBI)
- Residential Real Estate Council (RRC) (formerly the Council of Residential Specialists)