Undergraduate Careers:
Real Estate

Real estate includes several areas and finance-related roles. Areas of focus include: finance, marketing, management, construction, and entitlement. Roles include: real estate appraisal, property management, brokers, sales, commercial lending, and financial analysts.

Financial analysts can work for large-scale real estate developers, insurance companies, equity investors, pension funds, syndicates and banks. Analysts in property development conduct significant financial analysis. They perform a variety of financial functions, ranging from measuring the rate of return on a capital improvement project to performing due diligence on real estate deals. Analysts will also often work with property managers to ensure the buildings are being maintained properly and profitably. Analysts often spend approximately two years in the position, and may move to asset management positions.

Property management involves ensuring that facilities, be they commercial or residential, are maintained and leased properly, and that their value is maximized.

Brokers facilitate real estate transactions, and can also be commercial or residential in nature.

Real estate advisors and property asset managers advise large investors on property investments.

Real estate developers develop ideas for new properties, and then lead the financing and development.

Make an appointment at the FCC (617-353-2834) early during your studies at SMG to discuss preparations for a real estate career with a counselor.

If you are interested in real estate opportunities, consider joining the BU Real Estate Club, read the Vault Guide to Real Estate Careers and the Vault Guide to the Top Real Estate Employers (through MiTRAC, under Quick Links, then click on Industry Career Guides), and narrow your focus onto the area of real estate that is the best fit for you. Then, make an appointment at the Career Center to develop your job search strategy.

Secure an internship or part-time job in the real estate (or finance, if appropriate) field during the summer or academic year; this will build your resume, provide you with real-world experience and increase your competitiveness when seeking full-time employment in real estate.

Sample Entry Level Job Titles

Analyst
Commercial Real Estate Analyst
Real Estate Investment Banking Analyst
Property Underwriter Trainee
Management Trainee Programs
Research Analyst

Sample list of employers of BU alums in real estate roles

Accredited Home Lenders
Bank of America
Grubb & Ellis
Lehman Brothers
Liberty Mutual
T.R. Engel Group, LLC

Career opportunities which often require additional experience or education;

Property Manager
Broker
Real Estate Advisor
Property Asset Manager
Real Estate Developer

Real Estate Contacts

Faculty: Keith Munsell, munsell@bu.edu (Real Estate Club faculty liaison)

Boston University Real Estate Club, The Real Estate Club seeks to give students an understanding of the Real Estate Industry by discussing topics such as land development, construction, architecture, financing, property management, and the relationships that can turn an empty plot of earth into a new building. Guest speakers attend meetings to discuss their roles in the Real Estate Industry, and occasional outings to a building or construction site are also scheduled.

Alumni: Alumni contact information is available through LinkedIn and the Career Advisory Network. Please prepare carefully and approach alums professionally, not asking for a job or internship.