The real estate profession
offers one of the widest career selections in the business
world today. Helping people buy and sell homes, office buildings,
industrial property, and farmland is part of it. So is property
management, land development, mortgage banking, urban planning,
and real estate appraisal.
A career in real estate provides flexibility and freedom
to set your own pace. Successful people in real estate are
goal-oriented, persevering, self-motivated, ambitious and
people-oriented. Entry into the real estate field depends
on education, training and interests. Most people begin as
sales people in a brokerage firm. Other possibilities include
office assistant, licenced agent assistant or rental agent,
assistant in a department of a large real estate organization,
or in the mortgage division of a bank or lending institution.
In real estate, a salesperson is an individual employed by
a Broker to trade in real estate, who has met provincial licensing
requirements. As a member of organized real estate, they belong
to a local real estate Board and are employed by a brokerage
that is a member of that Board.
A Broker has met provincial licensing requirements, which
typically includes both experience and education criteria.
They may then manage and own a brokerage. A brokerage company
may be an independent company, locally-owned and managed by
a Broker, or be a franchise brokerage owned and operated locally,
or a national franchise office that is corporately-owned and
managed locally.
Once you get into the field, you’ll be employed as
a salesperson or sales associate working in affiliation with
a large or small brokerage. With experience and additional
education becoming a real estate Broker is a next step you
can persue. Brokers can own their own businesses and employ
other salespeople.
In residential real estate, helping people buy and sell homes
is one of the most important and basic services a real estate
agent performs. The real estate agent's expertise facilitates
the transaction, saving clients time and money and avoiding
problems. Commercial Brokers specialize in income-producing
properties, such as apartment and office buildings, retail
stores and warehouses, shopping centers and industrial parks.
To understand and explain why these properties are good investments,
commercial Brokers need to be aware of growth possibilities
in the area, current income tax regulations and purchasing
arrangements that give the buyer the greatest possible return
on investment.
Education
Education and Licensing requirements for jobs in the real
estate industry are established by the province in which you
intend to practice. Generally, you’ll be required to
complete an educational requirement before you can get involved
in the field. A period of supervised practical training –
sometimes called “articling” – may also
be required before you can be registered as a real estate
professional.
Colleges and universities now offer a variety of real estate
or related courses. At many of these colleges, students can
specialize in a program that leads to a bachelor's degree
in real estate. Some universities offer graduate level courses.
Contact the university or college of your choice for course
information and directories.
Continuing education is also required in many provinces,
and available in others so that real estate professionals
are regularly kept up to date and trained in the many aspects
of their career, and the real estate industry. In the real
estate Code of Ethics, this is a commitment to competence.
Licencing
Entry into the real estate profession takes preparation. As
with other professions, provincial licensing is required.
Licensing requirements vary across Canada, but all provinces
and territories require prospective salespeople and Brokers
to pass a written exam. For more information on licensing,
visit the web site of the real estate Association in the province
where you intend to work in real estate. Convenient hotlinks
are provided here:
