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Real Estate Finance

Real estate is the largest asset class in the world, encompassing land, housing, commercial buildings (hotels, office buildings, shopping centers), industrial buildings (warehouses and factories), healthcare facilities (hospitals and nursing homes), and government buildings (offices, schools, military, etc.). There are a variety of opportunities in real estate for finance professionals, including valuing real estate, analyzing the financial aspects of real estate projects and investments, financing real estate projects and investments, and selling and leasing real estate.

Financial analysis is at the heart of many decisions involving real estate – whether or not to proceed with a building project, whether to buy or lease a building, whether to expand or renovate a building, determining the right price at which to buy or sell, deciding how to finance a project, or estimating the fair value of the stock of a real estate company.  As a result, there is a wide variety of employers in various facets of the real estate industry value students who have knowledge of both Finance and Real Estate. 

Virginia Tech’s Real Estate Finance Major is for students who want to pursue a career in real estate finance and development. The program provides students with in-depth coursework in both Real Estate and Finance, positioning them well for success in a wide variety of real estate-related careers after graduation.

Student Competencies:

  • Understand and apply the concepts of financial analysis and valuation to real estate assets
  • Understand the various phases of the real estate development process
  • Understand the various methods of financing real estate
  • Understand be able to value investment products based on real estate assets

Experiential Learning:

Students can apply their knowledge of finance and real estate as members of BASIS and SEED, Virginia Tech’s student-managed investment funds, as well as Credit Corps, Virginia Tech’s student-managed loan fund.

Targeted Skill-sets:

  • Interest in real estate assets and markets
  • Willingness to learn about a diverse set of subject areas (project design and management, financial analysis, laws and regulations, financing, and investments)
  • Ability to organize and analyze data using Excel, make data-based decisions and apply them to tangible projects and assets
  • Ability to analyze projects from both a qualitative and quantitative standpoint

Example Careers:

  • Financial analyst for a real estate developer, real estate investment firm, or corporation that owns significant amounts of real estate
  • Real estate appraisal (valuation)
  • Bank credit officer or loan officer specializing in real estate financing
  • Mortgage broker
  • Investment banker or trader specializing in real estate
  • Project or property Management
  • Entrepreneur or investor in real estate assets