All About Real Estate Careers in Government and Non-Profit (Updated Aug 2024)
A host of real estate related jobs are available at government and non-profit organizations. Examples of roles in this area might include business development professionals working with local developers and real estate investors to coordinate and encourage public-private partnerships; managers of real estate assets owned by these types of organizations; and real estate professionals working with investment incentive programs such as the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program.
Search our list of real estate related jobs in government and non-profit or use our advanced search page.
TYPICAL TITLES
There is no standard convention for job titles in this area of real estate. Examples of titles include investment manager, real estate specialist, business development professional, project manager, director, and others.
WHERE THEY WORK
All levels of government hire real estate professionals. Economic development corporations, such as the NYCEDC, hire these types of professionals – an Economic Development Corporation in the United States is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage economic development in a certain area. Non-profit housing organizations, such as Utah’s UNPHC, are other common employers.
GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Duties and responsibilities vary depending on the specific role and organization.
COMMON REQUIREMENTS
Requirements vary by organization, with government roles generally having the most requirements while non-profits offer more flexibility. Also note that government positions, due to regulatory requirements around hiring, often have a longer and more arduous hiring process than do non-government organizations.
HOW MUCH DO REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS IN GOVERNMENT OR NON-PROFIT MAKE?
See our section on salaries in real estate for more information.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
Again, keys to success really vary depending on the role and organization. It is not uncommon for young real estate professionals to spend a few years in a non-profit or government role before moving on to successful careers in the private sector. It is also the case that veteran real estate professionals will move to non-profit organizations late in their careers as a means of giving back, sharing their knowledge, and downsizing their workload.
Conclusion
In summary, real estate careers within government and non-profit organizations offer many opportunities for professionals at various stages of their careers. From roles in business development to managing real estate assets, these positions can be found across all levels of government and various non-profit entities. While job titles and duties vary widely, these roles often provide a unique chance to contribute to public-private partnerships and community development initiatives. Whether you’re starting your career or looking to transition, exploring these sectors can be a rewarding way to make a meaningful impact in the real estate industry.
We also have a variety of other career and education resources here at A.CRE that we’ve found valuable as we’ve blazed our own career paths (see below). Moreover, for those ready to actively pursue new opportunities, consider using our Cover Letter Composer tool. We designed this custom GPT to help you craft compelling cover letters tailored to various roles in commercial real estate, enhancing your applications and improving your chances of landing an interview in this competitive field. We also have a guide for Real Estate Interview Prep With Chatgpt-4 that outline how to use comprehensive interview simulation prompts with ChatGPT to help you practice and prepare for your upcoming commercial real estate interview. Utilizing resources like this can be a significant step towards advancing your career in CRE.
CAREER RESOURCES AT A.CRE
- A.CRE Commercial Real Estate Job Board
- Day in the Life Series
- General Content on Careers in CRE
- Help with CRE Interviews
