It doesn’t matter if you’re an amateur or adept in the industry — if you’re interested in advancing a career in commercial real estate, consider pursuing an education.
These days, aspiring brokers and investors are looking to the ample amount of educational opportunities available online in order to better serve their clients and improve their ability to navigate the market with ease and proficiency.
We’ve compiled a list of high-ranking educational resources that have been tried-and-tested by investors at all skill levels. Many of the courses below are available online, offering users flexibility and ease of use along with a formal certification or designation.
The CCIM Institute has continued to lead the effort in educating real estate professionals across the globe — so much so that it’s considered an industry standard in education. The institute reports that Certified Commercial Investment Members (CCIM) make 42 percent more transactions than a brokerage specialist per year.
CCIMs are tasked with completing rigorous coursework and must demonstrate a serious commitment to the commercial real estate industry. Nearly 70 percent of members are owners, partners, principals, presidents, vice presidents or brokers.
The Institute for Real Estate Management (IREM) offers a number of different professional development courses which focus on topics about client-based communication, risk management and asset and financial management, just to name a few.
IREM specializes in offering a series of credentials to real estate professionals through its education and information-sharing platform. According to IREM, more than 19,000 take advantage of what the organization has to offer.
The Counselors of Real Estate organization pulls expertise from an approximate 1,000 real estate professionals who’ve demonstrated knowledge and expertise in the industry. Membership is invite-only, but opens doors to a plethora of unique resources and educational opportunities.
All of the educational institution’s mentioned above are affiliated with the National Association of Realtors, which claims the title of America’s largest trade association.
In additional to its direct affiliations with several educational resources available today, it offers one of its own called Center for Realtor Development, which provides a series of online courses, certifications and designations for commercial real estate investors.
The National Association of Realtors represents specialized organizations within the industry that also offer educational course offerings. The Realtors’ Land Institute, for example, sponsors a series of in-person and online coursework solely dedicated to the sale of land. On the other end of the spectrum is the SIOR Center for Career Advancement, which specializes in the sale of industrial and office space.
To learn more about the National Association of Realtors, visit www.realtor.org.