Real estate is at the center of this study program. Graduates are experts in all matters relating to buildings and commercial premises in their various stages of existence. Emphasis in later career may be on marketing, administration, funding, and disposal.
If the location and the facilities are right, real estate is a sought-after commodity. The real estate broker prepares the important data in an expose for the customer. To present all the information transparently, he photographs the property, researches local prices and looks at municipal plans. For this activity, the brokerage company receives a commission from the sale or rental price.
Apart from property management, which focuses on the care of the property (management, maintenance and cleaning), this is the best-known activity of a real estate manager.
The tasks for a real estate economist are varied
Beyond that, however, there are many other tasks that have led to the industry's surge in professionalism in recent years. Real estate professionals are needed for financing in mortgage banks, building societies and real estate funds. When it comes to questions of planning and approval of building projects, municipalities, city planners and architects are also interested in well-trained graduates.
Last but not least, the area of disposal also plays a role. Companies that specialize in demolition or recycling of construction materials are also potential employers.
A study covers the relevant issues
In order to do justice to this colorful spectrum of fields of activity, a course of study in real estate management combines content from civil engineering, architecture and economics. Basic knowledge of the relevant legal issues also comes into play.
Compulsory courses include construction engineering (structural concepts, building materials, construction methods, building physics, maintenance and renovation, remediation of contaminated sites and land regulation), finance and economics (introduction to economics, business administration, accounting/bookkeeping, investment and financing, business administration for construction companies, and property and valuation) and law (legal systems, civil construction law, tax law and insurance).
Those starting out in their careers are expected to have a sound education, which they can acquire at a university, university of applied sciences or vocational academy, depending on their own interests.
Career prospects
The career prospects for graduates of the university of applied sciences course in real estate economics and management can be described as good. Even if new hires are not necessarily to be expected on a large scale, there is no talk of job cuts in the industry either.
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