Licenses and Certifications That Actually Matter For Real Estate Analysts

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Any licenses or certifications that I didn't cover that you've found helpful? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for watching!

[@祈战]

What about a CCIM certification?

[@BreakIntoCRE]

@@祈战 Is this Ian? If so, I don't see you needing a CCIM designation on top of your MSRE. You're in a great grad school program and you'll learn the technical things you need to know inside the Academy. I wouldn't spend the time or money on a CCIM designation if I were you. Just my two cents.

[@祈战]

Break Into CRE Yes, that’s me Ian.

[@shahahsan1323]

Hey Justin. Thanks for the posting this video. I watched this video a month back and i actually went on to pursue the REFM designation. I just wanted to hear your thoughts on more industry specific designations. For example, the ICSC offers a Certified Retail Real Estate Professional (CRRP). Do you think designations like these are helpful for somebody trying to specialize in a niche?

[@BreakIntoCRE]

@@shahahsan1323 great to hear you took the REFM exams. I wouldn't recommend fringe certifications like this for most people. It definitely wouldn't hurt, but the big time brokers and acquisition/asset management professionals in real estate don't have (or at least don't publicly feature) designations like this. Definitely not necessary to break into the business.

[@tiffy1103]

I've worked as a property manager / assistant pm many years in commercial and I not till this video did I realize that so many of these certificates would have been helpful for someone like me lol. I hate excel and omg preparing budgets and stuff for high rises in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica omg the struggle lol. 😫 I'm now solely a realtor and I stumbled upon your way because I'm blessed to have my first commercial client I feel so clueless at times.

[@ryanborzouei4879]

REFM is really good for Excel modeling but the best comprehensive program I came across is Accelerator from Adventures in CRE. The Case-Study method was helpful in understanding complex problems related to development modeling as well as waterfall modeling. I also like the fact that they require students to build an acquisition and development model from scratch to pass their final exams. It’s a lot of work but this program preps you well for PERE interviews.

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Great input, thanks Ryan!

[@acuriousape]

I second the sentiment. A.cre accelerator is amazing.

[@llclassifiedll8179]

Where can I find this program?

[@koretv1581]

What are you thoughts on the certifications that schools like NYU and cornell offer on real estate

[@jamesstoreyccim9963]

Great video and very informative. The CFA is very valuable if you want to work on the debt originating and management side of commercial real estate. Between modeling debt portfolios or calculating prepayment penalties, the CFA would be helpful. But like you said, not of very practical use of time for the acquisition and disposition side of CRE. I am personally bias toward the CCIM but I also understand how expensive it is and you have to be doing deals to qualify for the final exam. Glad to see someone finally made a channel on commercial real estate analysis. Will be subscribing.

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Very well said, James. I agree with you that the CFA can be way more helpful on the high-finance debt side of CRE. Thanks for the comment and for watching!

[@pbabs3389]

CCIM has been hugely beneficial as a broker

[@yashanand4645]

Thanks Justin for sharing this.

[@manuelparedesbalen2890]

Thanks for the video. I think two very well known certifications weren't covered: RICS, this is one of the most recognized certifications in RE, and CAIA which may be quite more specific to RE sector than CFA.

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Thanks for the input, Manuel! Appreciate you watching!

[@kurtjohnston6620]

Manuel, I agree completely, great points!

[@fitfirst4468]

RICS is not globally recognised right , just UK?

[@ktkl68]

I have a CFA charter. Great for debt and equity investing REPE, which is where I work.

[@ljaggerl]

Argus is offered at my college for $150. They work with a lot of colleges so if you're interested in it talk to the real esate center at your college.

[@Jakob123999]

RICS!!!! A globally recognized credential with many pathways to certification. Huge deal if you don’t want to be tied down to just one country.

[@gayatriabhyankar5969]

Please tell more in detail

[@bw8240]

Yah I have the question too, if RICS is better if you plan to move to another country but not yet decide on which country yet ..

[@gracesprite]

Hello Justin, curious what do you think of the CREFS (commercial-real-estate-finance-specialist) issued by CFI? Thank you!

[@KD-eq2ch]

What about a Masters in Real Estate from Georgetown?

[@markforest7163]

Justin, thanks for all your videos. What about CCIM certification?

[@OrlandoMiner]

CCIM is worth it for me. Check it out!

[@pbabs3389]

CCIM has worked for me

[@祈战]

Hi Justin I’m so glad that I found your channel. I officially joined your academy program today!

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Great to hear! Welcome to the program!

[@LotusCreek]

Killing it with the wisdom again! Thank You!

[@GlennGoryl]

Excellent, Justin. Thank you.

[@ianozimec2369]

Epic video! I took several RE courses at CSUF, but I plan on getting my REFM and ARGUS certifications to up my skillset.

[@ernieaguilera1272]

Thank you so much for the clarifications and distinctions regarding certifications that DEMONSTRATE job competency from the get go! Who's BOMA's target audience then, given your experience?

[@abdrahamanediakite8160]

Hi Justin, Thank you for the video great comtent as always. It's probably more of a European thing but here in Europe Real estate professionals tend to have the Rics certification.

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Great feedback - I've heard this from other European viewers since posting this video as well, and that's a certification that I'd add to the list for your region. Thanks for the comment!

[@somethingPhilosophical]

Hi Justin! What are your thoughts on the certifications from IREM? I know they primarily focus on property management but they also have courses for asset management. Thank you! I’m a new sub and have been binging your videos

[@jamesomotade2262]

Hi Justin, I’m in grad school and purchased ACRE course, would you recommend?

[@edreesfeda9266]

Hi, what about the CRI (Chartered Realty Investor) designation? It’s administered by the Mortgage Broker’s Association and I’ve seen a lot of WSO posts praising it’s rigor in teaching in depth about the RE industry. Please let me know. Thanks!

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Hey Endrees, this could be helpful on the debt side. I don't think it's an essential or more important than the other things mentioned in this video, but if your goal is to get into mortgage banking or brokerage, I don't think it could hurt.

[@edreesfeda9266]

​@@BreakIntoCRE I'm looking to get into brokerage. If you have time for another question, what about market-specific designations? I'm talking like SIOR, ALC for land, etc? I've only seen those two for brokerage professionals, especially SIOR. Also, I'm not looking to get an MBA/Master's in RE for various reasons, so do you think that getting the CCIM, CAIA would also be helpful since I won't pursue my masters? I'm enrolled for all three levels for REFM and REFAI certifications with Professor Linneman, and about to enroll in CRE Academy ;). I just wanted to hear your opinion on these specific ones, even though I know the hard-skills for analysis are the biggest priority.

[@BreakIntoCRE]

@@edreesfeda9266 on the debt side, I've heard really good things about the CCIM from people who decided to forego the MBA/Masters route. I think that would be the best value for your money if you want to get one of those certifications.

[@paulavidal3828]

Would any of these courses also work for real estate development? what would you recommend

[@adamsapple13]

Hey Justin! Thanks for the great video. Do you think you could go over the pros/cons of an MBA vs a MSRE?

[@jaguar3395]

Hi Justin, I was wondering what do you think about the CAIA charter, the designation for alternative investment professionals offered by the CAIA Association? It is kinda similar to the CFA but it focuses on Alternative Investments. Thank you!

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Hey Edgar, good question. I have actually never run into anyone in the real estate field with that designation. I'm in the US, so it may be different in other countries, but I can't see it being a major value add to an employer based on my experience. I'd recommend focusing on the things covered in this video first.

[@cvonpete]

How about a course simply for understanding CRE investment concepts including development.

[@annieo6919]

So what certification I need for just residential property management?

[@shay1212]

Hey , how about the Ecornell RE Investment modeling course?

[@kungfoochicken08]

It’s a money grab. There are much cheaper and faster ways to acquire the same knowledge.

[@enra55]

Thoughts on LEED green associate certification for people going into development?

[@xxnf99987]

You cover CFA but not CCIM or MAI?

[@yoelfn]

Thoughts about CAIA?

[@kayvee2002]

Is it worth it to get a 4 year course BS Real Estate Management Degree?

[@championmode2512]

How about Real Estate Certification by LSE?

[@tiwipratiwi4848]

I desire to start my career in real estate as a valuer after I graduate. Is that a good step ahead to reach asset management level? What is the different between valuer and property valuer? Are those roles similar?

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Hi Tiwi, property valuation isn't generally a pre-requisite for getting into asset management, but can be helpful. Usually the path in asset management is asset management analyst or portfolio management analyst and then moving to the asset manager level. This video has more detail on the asset management path: kzbin.info/www/bejne/paDJfJWOfMdmsKs Regarding valuer and property valuer, where are you located? Here in the US, I believe the equivalent term would be an appraiser. I would imagine a valuer and property valuer would be similar, but I don't believe I'm local to your market so can't say for sure.

[@tiwipratiwi4848]

@@BreakIntoCRE I am going to study and move to Australia. Property valuer/property analyst/valuer are common jobs in real estate sector but it requires a higher degree to land on. I don't have experience in this field. Is the practical study or training really helpfully to add values on my resume and land on this job after graduate?

[@BreakIntoCRE]

@@tiwipratiwi4848 got it. Yes, much of the practical training represents what an acquisitions analyst will be required to do, which is primarily property valuation on behalf an investment firm (similar to what it sounds like a property valuer/property analyst/valuer would do in Australia).

[@alexsada6740]

Hi Justin what is your thoughts on CCIM designation?

[@kathleenbrown5167]

Is it possible to work as an independent analyst and not for a company?

[@ThatGuyHanz]

Are the refm exams still free to take ?

[@trenttimmons5949]

Sir you're freaking awesome.

[@Gfield-rz3li]

I may have asked before, but what is your take on the CCIM designation? Are you familiar with it? I see a lot of real estate professionals with this designation.

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Good question - it can be helpful, but it's not as big of a value-add as the things I added to this list. It is a very expensive process, and if you already have a bachelors degree and have some real estate finance experience, I wouldn't say it adds too much value to your resume. If you're working in residential brokerage or lending and want to break into commercial, it could be a good designation to get if you don't want to go back to graduate school, but I'd definitely do the things in this video before going the CCIM route. Just my two cents.

[@sandrinescott2017]

Was wondering the same thing. Thanks for your input!

[@TunTavernDiner]

Could getting some of these other certifications on top of your degree help you throughout your career. Such as negotiating salary or looking at future higher level jobs like acquisitions/asset/portfolio manager or Vice President Thanks, Nicklaus

[@BreakIntoCRE]

In my experience, not really. When you get to the higher level roles, employers care a lot more about your experience and track record than the certifications you have from when you first started your career. They won't hurt, but for senior level roles, employers won't really be looking at these.

[@alex7fincast152]

Are your courses not similar REFM ? Would doing your courses make completing REFM simpler?

[@LotusCreek]

I was looking at the Certifications 1,2,3 and the REFAI (the real estate financial modeling course). The certifications all together cost less than the REFAI course. Would you recommend the REFAI course instead of the certs from getrefm? Also I took you're real estate financial bootcamp course, this should be a good introduction to the REFAI course, I am assuming? Thanks

[@BreakIntoCRE]

The certifications I mention in the video are free to take. These are Levels 1, 2, and 3 (link here): www.getrefm.com/training-and-certification/refm-certification-program-in-excel-for-real-estate/ I have not taken the REFAI course and am not familiar with it, so I'm not totally sure what is needed/helpful to prep for it. I'd recommend taking the free certifications first.

[@LotusCreek]

@@BreakIntoCRE Do you have an opinion of the REFAI course? (Real Estate Finance and Investments Certification) Thanks

[@BreakIntoCRE]

@@LotusCreek unfortunately I don't really know much about it - those are smart guys behind the program, though, so I'd imagine it's solid training.

[@pglore1]

@@BreakIntoCRE Are the REFM certificates still free? I am seeing costs associated with them now.

[@MrObeytok]

@@BreakIntoCRE they are not free to take, you still need to pay for their course in order to take the exams

[@behramkhan859]

Which certificate is good for workin in Qatar 🇶🇦 in RE ?

[@wilsonwilliams1141]

You missed FMVA

[@tiwipratiwi4848]

If I take master of property study at uni, should I take the licenses to secure a proper job?

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Hi Tiwi, some you may be required to (if you have to get a real estate license at a brokerage, for example). A masters degree will hold a lot of weight and will help a lot, but I would still recommend some real estate specific financial modeling and Excel training, since most masters programs don't cover this in enough detail.

[@tiwipratiwi4848]

@@BreakIntoCRE Do you have some training programs about financial modeling or are there any skills should I learn to boost my chance to obtain a job offer before I graduate.

[@tiwipratiwi4848]

I have subscribed your channel. These are incredibly awesome information about real estate. Hopefully, you can create more informative contents related to real estate jobs, management levels and how to succeed in every type of different job in this sector. What sort of skills should people learn and etc.

[@BreakIntoCRE]

@@tiwipratiwi4848 Yes I do - my individual courses on real estate financial modeling are at breakintocre.com/courses, and you can access all courses through Break Into CRE Academy here: breakintocre.com/break-into-cre-academy-enrollment-page/ These courses were built to teach the skill sets to land a job as a real estate analyst or associate at a top firm, so I'd recommend checking those out if you're interested.

[@khrisztian]

About the ARGUS certification, you mention that for a recent grad it makes sense to get it, but what about somebody that already has 2+ yr experience using the software at a job? Do employers care about having the certification at that point? or they just want you to know how to use it? Thanks!

[@BreakIntoCRE]

Great question - they really just care that you know how to use it. Employers prefer on-the-job experience far more than the certification - just make sure you highlight your specific ARGUS experience on your resume. The certification couldn't hurt, but definitely isn't necessary in your situation.

[@khrisztian]

@@BreakIntoCRE Appreciate the response!

[@BreakIntoCRE]

@@khrisztian no problem - good luck!

[@RealEstateWithRay]

Doesn't seem like it would be beneficial for an investor though right? These are to get hired

[@Gerkface55]

What brand are the shirts that you wear?

[@curiousgeorgia11.11]

Ralph Lauren

[@barrettjohn3809]

B. I. C. for life's a beach prop mgt nc . this is common knowledge . if not perceived as such . . Agent is not your forte // ???

[@tony290m]

Hey Justin. I was wondering if I can schedule a quick call with you. I am interested in the MBA program at UCI with an emphasis in real estate. Can you please contact me when you have free time? I would really appreciate it. Thank you!