Development vs acquisition role
Right now I am outside the industry but I have no idea which of these two would I prefer. What does each involve? What is stress level, upward mobility, pay like? 
[{"id": "crpx7lt", "text": "I've worked as an analyst on dispositions in retail and now am a broker in industrial.  I found that your best bet is to do in person interviews of folk in the business.  Most people are willing have coffee to discuss.  Acquisitions is basically working with owners or brokers to help fulfill your group/company's/REITs return requirements.  This entails understanding which markets have the prerequisites and reviewing deals to see if they fit.  Or perhaps developing a strategy and its implementation cost and how the property will fit once you acquire it.  Development is more speculative but operates under the principles above, with the property developed either being a buy and hold vs a disposition to recapture cost plus profit.  Stress level can be high due to a lot of circumstances out of your control i.e. the market or others opinion.  Overall id say both can be very lucrative if you find it a fit for you.", "replies": [{"id": "crqs53f", "text": "I've seen both and acquisitions is heavily based on research (everything from demographics to market rents). Writing reports and making presentations is 75% of your time. Then using that research and finding possible acquisitions with your broker connections. Each possible acquisition you write an investment proposal for where you work out the numbers and show all the research that is applicable. This you have to get thru the investment committee to get approved. Once it gets approved (and you went thru the actual acquisition process with your broker) it's out of your hands and into 'property management department?'. Also you get to present your research to investors to make them interested in investing in your sector and your company. So unless you like research and writing reports I wouldn't go that route.\n\nDevelopment is a different story. Because development is a far longer and more complicated process the research part of it in the beginning is far less. In my instance the market research was done by the research department and not the development part of the company. Based on the research you look for opportunities in the market for development. This can be a plot of land but more often then not it's an acquisition of an exciting building that would make place for a new one (or redeveloping it). You as the developer need to make the numbers work. You are like a producer. Collaborating with many professionals and always keeping an eye on the budget. Working with contractors, architect and concept artist. Generating marketing ideas with the marketing people. Approving brochures and websites. Holding information evenings for potential buyers etc.etc. The bigger the development the more you delegate and collaborate. I would definitely consider looking in to development. I'm speaking from a 50 unit single family development.  ", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}]