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Real Estate Division

Career Opportunities

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Considering a Career in Real Estate?

Real estate is a multifaceted industry that brings together professionals from various fields, each requiring unique skill sets and expertise. A career in real estate offers potential growth. Professionals often work between disciplines, allowing for valuable networking opportunities and partnerships. Careers in real estate can vary significantly in terms of work hours, payment structure, and organization size – whatever your goals are, there is likely a suitable career option for you.

This page provides a brief description of different career paths in the real estate industry along with current and archived job postings. Click to expand each career path and to see job postings. Links to other employers' career pages are also listed below. Understanding the diverse roles within real estate can help you to better navigate the industry. Take some time to explore the various career paths available and find the one that best suits your ambitions and skills! 

Not sure which career path is right for you? Our Real Estate Essentials: Build Your Knowledge, Build Your Career course explores each of these career options in more detail while teaching you the fundamentals of the real estate industry.

The valuation profession involves determining the value of real property across different sectors. Valuation professionals (also called appraisers) provide important services categorized broadly as either fee appraisers, in-house/institutional appraisers, or government appraisers. Fee appraisers operate independently or within firms, offering services including (but not limited to) mortgage financing, litigation support, and estate settlement. Institutional appraisers work within corporations like banks and insurance companies, ensuring accurate property valuations for internal needs. Government appraisers, employed by public bodies, handle tasks like tax assessments and land acquisition. Each role demands a blend of property expertise, market analysis, and a commitment to objective valuation standards, making it well-suited for analytical minds seeking a varied set of challenges.

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The development profession offers opportunities to transform an underused plot of land into valuable new buildings which can help reshape communities. Developers range from individual entrepreneurs to large corporations managing global projects, each focused on building wealth, maintaining solvency, and leaving a positive community impact. Specializing in various sectors like residential, commercial, and industrial, developers strive to create tangible legacies and solve complex challenges unique to each project. Considering the potential for high rewards, development is inherently risky, subject to market volatility, political scrutiny, and capital-intensive funding requirements. Successful developers must balance ambition with resilience, adaptability to market shifts, and strategic risk management throughout lengthy project cycles.

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Real estate salespeople, whether specializing in residential or commercial properties, play crucial roles in guiding clients through property transactions. Residential sales focus on helping buyers or renters find homes that meet their needs and assisting sellers in achieving the best sale price through market analysis and negotiation. In contrast, commercial sales involve larger projects and cater to investors seeking properties for financial returns. Commercial sales can also entail helping businesses find the most suitable space for their operations. The autonomous nature of real estate sales grants flexibility but involves some challenges. Salespeople must constantly seek clients, often incurring out-of-pocket expenses, and face unpredictable income due to market cycles and the commission-based pay structure. Success in both sectors requires market knowledge, negotiation skills, and the ability to navigate complex transactions. While residential sales are driven by personal preferences and emotional considerations, commercial sales are more investment-focused, demanding thorough financial analysis and strategic planning to meet clients' financial goals.

At the moment, we do not post residential sales positions. For those looking to get into residential sales, we recommend researching brokerages that are local to your area and reaching out to those that interest you to set up a meeting. Your research may include reviewing the brokerage’s social media and website, speaking with salespeople currently working at the brokerage, reviewing the brokerage’s marketing materials and existing listings, and speaking with people in your network who have experience working in or with real estate brokerages, either as a salesperson or as a client. When deciding on the best fit, consider the following factors:

  • Brokerage culture, ethics, and policies
  • Reputation and track record
  • Commission structure: Some brokerages operate on commission splits, others charge a desk fee, and some do both.
  • Marketing: Consider what is provided for you by the brokerage and what must be paid out of your own pocket.
  • Training and development opportunities
  • Technology and tools: Ask what tools and resources the brokerage is able to provide, if any.
  • Potential to work on an existing team
  • The market the brokerage focuses on
  • The brokerage’s physical office space and location
  • Administrative support

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Mortgage brokers play an important role in facilitating real estate transactions by connecting borrowers with lenders and navigating a complex landscape of mortgage products and financial options. Acting as intermediaries, they assist clients in understanding and selecting from an array of mortgage products, negotiate favourable terms, and secure competitive interest rates from multiple lenders. Unlike loan officers tied to specific institutions, mortgage brokers leverage their independence to maximize client choices and tailor solutions to individual needs, whether residential or commercial. The self-directed nature of this position offers mortgage brokers the freedom to manage their schedules and client relationships, though the commission-based income model poses challenges in income stability and client acquisition. Despite these challenges, mortgage brokerage offers significant earnings potential and opportunities for professional growth.

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Property managers and strata or condominium managers play key roles in overseeing the operation of various types of properties, including residential and commercial units. Their responsibilities encompass managing relationships among owners, investors, tenants, and condominium boards, requiring strong organizational, communication, and conflict-resolution skills. Whether managing rental or owner-occupied properties, their primary objectives are to meet the financial goals of the owners while maintaining property quality. Duties may include budget preparation, tenant relations, maintenance oversight, and strategic marketing. Property managers ensure operational efficiency and value enhancement, addressing day-to-day concerns and long-term property management strategies. The role demands flexibility; managers may conduct on-site visits and work irregular hours to accommodate tenant needs and board meetings.

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Real estate consultants offer specialized expertise and strategic advice to clients in a professional setting. They typically provide short-term, project-specific assistance, ranging from advising on property investment strategies to identifying development opportunities. Consultants leverage their industry experience and analytical skills to guide clients through decision-making processes, ensuring that the process and outcome of their recommendations fit well with the client’s objectives. Compensation is often project-based, either through hourly rates or lump-sum payments, reflecting the consultant's expertise and the value delivered. The profession offers flexibility and a diverse range of work, with consultants enjoying the variety of assignments and the opportunity to continually learn and grow. Challenges include managing the inherent limitations of fee-for-service income, maintaining a steady flow of clients, and addressing the demands of running a small business. Successful consultants can establish lucrative careers by specializing in niche areas and building strong client relationships over time.

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Jobs at the Real Estate Division

As a nationally and internationally-renowned business faculty, the Sauder School of Business at UBC generates new business knowledge, fuels organizations with innovative ideas, and graduates tomorrow's business leaders. Sauder's Real Estate Division delivers a variety of highly respected adult distance education offerings focused on real estate, ranging from licensing and professional development courses, to Diploma and Certificate programs, to the Bachelor of Business in Real Estate degree.

Depending on your area of expertise, we often have opportunities for real estate industry professionals to get involved in education. Please check back regularly to see if we have an opportunity for you.

Related Job Postings

How to Post a Job

Email us at jobs@realestate.sauder.ubc.ca and include the job posting as a PDF attachment or a link to the posting on your site that we can share. Positions will be listed for six weeks unless we are notified that the position is open longer. We regret we are unable to post trading services representative (sales) positions. 

Please indicate Job Category when emailing:

  • Valuation/Appraisal
  • Development
  • Sales and Leasing
  • Mortgage Broker
  • Property and Strata/Condominium Management
  • Consulting

Job posting details must include the following:

  • job title
  • job location
  • status (e.g., full-time, permanent)
  • company description
  • job duties
  • qualifications and experience required
  • closing date
  • how to apply
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