Do I Need a Degree to Work in Real Estate? 

Hi,

Most of the people I know who work in real estate grew organically into their positions, or joined existing family businesses. They know the right people and invested well. None went to college. Is there a reason to get a degree in the field or can I just follow their lead?

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me they wanted to “go into real estate,” I’d be a wealthy real estate investor. It’s fairly common to dream of earning a fabulous living “doing real estate.” Maybe you know someone who never seems to be at work and still seems to be well-off. What do they do? Real estate, of course.

But kidding aside, what do all these people actually do? What’s the secret to getting started? And most of all, what can you do to create a successful career in real estate?

Let’s begin by clarifying the difference between a career and an investment. Are you actually interested in the work itself, or are you hoping that you can invest in real estate and eventually create a passive income stream through your investments? It’s important to resolve that before starting your career. If your goal is really investment, it makes sense to choose another career path that’s suited to your abilities, interests, and talents, and then to eventually invest accumulated savings into real estate.