Career in CRE? Advice to get started?
Commercial real estate has always fascinated me and I’d love to make the transition. I am currently 25 and am considering switching careers. Based upon my background what type of roles in CRE would be a good fit for my experience?

Background: 

- Education/Licenses: 
 (B.S. Geology, math minor)
 Texas Real Estate License 
- Work Experience: 

- Environmental Consultant (Two years) : Conducted Phase I and II environmental field studies (hydrogeology, soil sampling), compiled/analyzed data and wrote reports for RE developer clients in DFW metroplex

- Acquisition Analyst ( One year): Prospected, valued, negotiated, and closed 30 -40 SFR properties for a Japanese hedge fund client in Dallas . Ran comps for hundreds of properties , modeled NOI calculations, drafted contracts. 

- Client Service Associate (Current - 1 year): Prepare high net worth clients accounts for portfolio implementation during early sales cycle, transfer and liquidate 100m + of all asset classes

Although I currently work in a financial services firm, the entrepenuerial nature of real estate and “numbers” aspect of valuation appeal to me. I have a decent salary and great benefits at my current firm; however, Real Estate seems to offer uncapped earning potential over wealth management. More strategy and negotations go into the deal.  The development process or asset management side (finance) also is interesting, but only have a surface level understanding. 

Also would you reccomend using a Master of Land Economics/RE development degree as a way to pivot into the industry? 

Considering the program at Texas A&amp;M for fall admission. 

Do you have any other advice for a young person looking to enter the industry?

Thanks!
[{"id": "eh5294z", "text": "Your experience would be perfect for NNN investment sales.  Focus on building relationships with big developers, guys pumping out 6+ NNN retail single tenant deals a year.  Might even think about something like gas station developers with the experience in environmental.  Investment sales (at least the way we do it) is all about the hustle though.  You have to work very hard, always pushing.  Ramping up from a high paying job is going to be hard.  A lot of people in this business don\u2019t get a check for their first YEAR in brokerage.  Last thing you probably want to do is go 6 months without getting paid and then break and go back.   Either all in or don\u2019t do it.  \n\nEdit:\n\nThere\u2019s another side of investment brokerage too that isn\u2019t what I\u2019m describing.  Institutional side.  Your experience could probably get you in the door there also, someone like JLL.  I don\u2019t know that side very well so can\u2019t really speak to it, except that\u2019s who the REITs call when they want to do business.  You\u2019d probably start as an analyst, no idea the pay or benefits.  Analyst would probably start in the 60-80k range.  I wouldn\u2019t think it\u2019s an \u201cunlimited income potential\u201d business especially at the lower rungs.  We can make $400k+ 3 or 4 years in if we are hustling in the private investor space.  I guarantee the 29 year old analyst at JLL that\u2019s been there since he graduated college isn\u2019t making that.  Now, the dude on top of a specialty group at JLL within a particular region or market can easily be is making $2m+ a year which only a handful of guys are doing at a place like Marcus &amp; Millichap.  I\u2019d think it\u2019s fair to say that more people at big national firms make $500k+ servicing the private investor side than on the institutional side.\n\nSecond edit:\n\nThere is also the choice of going with a full service brokerage vs a strictly investment sales firm.  Full service brokerage firm would likely get your drilled down pretty deep into a particular market.  You might also become somewhat of a generalist as you will be involved in things like bringing developers to land deals, mixed use redevelopments, etc.  That would occur because your firm is doing land deals, leasing, investment sales, everything.   At an investment only firm you are dealing with cash flowing assets, discussing cap rates, interest rates, assessing the strength and quality of tenants, specializing in transactions of investment grade real estate.", "replies": [{"id": "eh53u3x", "text": "Thank you for the very thorough background information. I will need to review this to learn more about the institutional/private ate investor sides. \n\nWhat is your opinion of a graduate degree? Will cost 30k, take 16 months (with paid internship in summer)  but has 100% placement rates at places like Hines, Goldman Sachs, Exxon, JLL, Cushman and Wakefield , Deloitte, CBRE etc. \n\nhttps://mays.tamu.edu/master-of-real-estate/overview/", "replies": [{"id": "eh54iqy", "text": "You can get in at places like JLL, Cush Wake, and CBRE today.  Experience trumps education in this business pretty quickly.  If you want to get in somewhere like GS and Exxon I imagine the degree could be more valuable.  Typically I would say experience over degree, but like I said I don\u2019t really know what happens on the institutional side.  That\u2019s not a party I\u2019ve been invited to. \n\nEdit:\n\nAsk for a meeting with the managing director at JLL Dallas and ask him what he thinks. \n\nhttp://cities-research.jll.com/united-states/en-us/people/4550/byron-edgmon", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eh5df01", "text": "In some cities guys at smaller brokerages do better than the guys at CBRE, and Cushman. The CRE brokers in my city (small city 1.2 million) make much more than the guys at national flags. ", "replies": [{"id": "eh78mrf", "text": "We had a team from a big 3 brokerage move to a smaller brokerage shop because of lower fees ", "replies": [{"id": "eh7ccz9", "text": "Definitely a large contributing factor in smaller cities is the smaller shops that have been around forever have better relationships dating back many years that the national flags can\u2019t secure. \n\nThe guys in my city that work for CBRE, Cushman, JLL, and Colliers that do make a lot usually do this by doing lots of deals out of state. ", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eh5fcov", "text": "You could get in bed with a residential builder or developer with your background. Especially if you are in TX. ", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "ei8wfse", "text": "Hey i run comps this way and i think its very simple and effective i usually go out about half a mile and 15% of the square footage up and down to gauge what properties i use. As well as the subject property's attributes beds/bath built etc.\n\nHere's a youtube link showing exactly how to run comps and make offers hope it helps! \n\n[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2fD2FjqSTk&amp;t=27s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2fD2FjqSTk&amp;t=27s)", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]