Course Overview
Real estate refers to land itself and buildings affixed to it as well as other natural resources including fauna, flora, crops among other features located either above or below the earth’s surface. Real estate is the foundation of social and economic wellbeing of the society across the globe. It can be categorized into; residential, commercial and industrial. Residential real estate includes; dwelling houses, undeveloped land etc. Commercial real estate includes; office buildings, retail store buildings, warehouses etc. Industrial real estate on the other hand includes; mines, factories, farms among others. The business of real estate is diverse and typically encompasses renting of land, buildings or housing units or buying and selling of real estate including valuation of real estate and real property. Professionals in this field may be referred to as real estate managers among other titles. Real estate managers’ work entails taking care of the many aspects of industrial, commercial, residential or industrial properties. In their day to day work, these professionals ensure the property is good looking and well maintained as well as preserving its leasing or resale value. Globally, the real estate sub sector plays a very important role in national economy as all human activities are associated with real estate.
Over the years, real estate has been one of the fastest growing and dynamic sectors in the country and has in the recent past out performed most of the traditionally recognised sectors. The rapid growth within this sector therefore requires a pool of well qualified and competent professionals to play key roles in the development of the real estate as well as in the advancement of the quality of real estate through the transformation and management of real estate resources. The Bachelor of Real Estate is a four year course that has been designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to be able to identify and solve technical problems in real estate management and the real estate industry at large. The curriculum gives emphasis in economics, property valuation, sales and leasing of real property, real estate financing, real estate investment appraisal & analysis, land taxation, building technology, property and facilities management, property dispute resolution, property maintenance, property and infrastructure development, real property law, property marketing and agency, property acquisitions among other areas all geared towards creating and managing wealth in the industry.
Upon successful completion of the course, graduates will demonstrate professional competency in real estate management including; property agency, property management, property valuation, financing & development as well as property investment among other services. Graduates can find employment in both public and private sectors including; fund and asset management companies, banks, insurance companies and training institutions among other areas. Professionals in this field can be absorbed within departments dealing with real estate valuation and corporate real estate management, urban planning, real estate finance and investment, real estate development consultancies, real estate fund management among other areas. Graduates of the course can also opt to start their own real estate firms.
Entry Qualifications
For self sponsored students, at least a mean grade of C+ in KCSE. For Government sponsored students, the minimum cut point which is announced annually applies. The students should in addition have good performance in the following cluster subjects; Subject 1 MAT A, Subject 2 any GROUP II, Subject 3 any GROUP III, Subject 4 2nd GROUP II or 2nd GROUP III or a GROUP IV or any GROUP V.
Becoming a real estate manager
If you have interest in the property & housing market, enjoy meeting different people (networking), and would like to start a career that can enable you work in a dynamic industry, then pursuing this course might be a good choice for you. In addition, you should be prepared to develop skills that can help you grow and succeed in this field.
Real estate managers have got excellent customer service skills as they have to provide excellent customer service to keep existing clients and expand their business with new ones. They also have good interpersonal skills that enable them establish good working relationships with others as they interact with people every day and must have excellent interpersonal and networking skills. These professionals are also effective listeners who are able to listen to and understand residents and property owners in order to meet their individual needs. Good organizational skills are crucial in this field as real estate managers must be able to plan, coordinate as well as direct multiple contractors at the same time, often for multiple properties.
Real estate business may be characterized by disputes between tenants, board members, buyers and property owners; good problem solving skills are therefore important as these professionals must be able to mediate disputes or legal issues between residents, homeowners and board members. Having good technical and communication skills is equally important as real estate managers must understand leasing or rental contracts and must be able to clearly explain the materials and answer questions raised by a resident or group of board members in a language they can understand.
Work environment.
Graduates of this course may work mostly in offices; however onsite managers spend a considerable amount of their workday doing tasks away from the office, such as inspecting properties, showing apartments or meeting with owners among others.
Career opportunities
Graduates of this course can find jobs in both the public and private sectors including; banks, insurance companies, fund and assent management companies, educational institutions, construction companies, real estate management companies, real estate development companies, real estate finance and investment, real estate valuation, urban planning, corporate real estate managements among other areas related to real estate. Graduates can also become entrepreneurs and start their own real estate businesses.
You may explore these courses
Bachelor of Quantity Surveying
Bachelor of Construction Management
Bachelor of Technology in Building Construction
Bachelor of Science in Land Administration
Bachelor of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning, With IT