Real Estate

Overview

What is real estate?

Real estate is defined as ‘property in the form of land or buildings’ and Real Estate Surveyors work across a wide range of markets and activities.

Real Estate Surveyors could be involved with the management, purchase, sale or leasing of land and property. The focus may be on maximising the value and return of as asset and can range from a single building to a multi-million-pound portfolio.

Skills

What’s required for the role?

Excellent communication skills and the ability to work well with clients and other professionals
Commercial awareness as many surveyors work in fee earning roles
Drive and the ability to build relationships and networks and generate new business
Some roles require strong numeracy skills

The details

Learn more about the role

What's the role like in practice?

Real Estate Surveyors may work in the public sector or in private practice, and often to choose to specialise in either commercial or residential markets.

Real Estate Surveyors often specialise in areas including agency, asset management, landlord and tenant work and property management.

Surveyors may work on a one-off project for a client, or be retained on a longer-term basis, for example to manage a property portfolio.

Usual office hours apply, although some flexibility and travel may be required.

Real estate areas can include agency, investment, property management, planning, development and valuation work. Many graduates work in range of departments before specialising.

What's the work environment like?

Split between office and site work.

What qualifications are required?

A non-cognate or RICS accredited degree may be required, with most Surveyors working towards Chartered status with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor (MRICS).

Is it for you?

Other useful skills to have:

Managing people and leadership
Creativity and problem solving
Using verbal and written communication skills
Analysing and identifying patterns in data

Sustainability

How are real estate agents responding to the need for sustainability?

Sustainability will be a feature of each part of the life cycle of a build, from inception to demolition or repurposing. For Real Estate Surveyors working in areas such as asset, property or portfolio management, there will be a focus on providing services which meet their clients environmental, social and governance goals and commitments to reducing their ecological footprint.

Alongside financial sustainability, clients are looking for expertise that delivers positive impacts to occupiers, communities and the environment whether this is at a strategic level or ‘at the coal face’ where managing agents have a critical role to play in improving the sustainability performance of the buildings they manage.

Employment opportunities

Where will it take you?

Larger firms recruit graduates on to graduate development programmes, giving participants the opportunity to work across a number of different departments before choosing their specialisms. Smaller firms recruit all year round, offering both specialist and general practice work.

Whilst many students have an RICS accredited degree, there are opportunities for non-cognate graduates to join a firm and study for a property qualification whilst working.

There are also degree apprenticeships in real estate surveying available.