What is property?

You may think the property industry is limited to working as an estate agent, but it actually consists of a broad range of other professions, such as architects, construction workers and engineers.

You could also work as a property surveyor. This profession involves inspecting the condition of a property to see if there are any structural problems, such as subsidence or unstable walls.

Working as a surveyor, you would highlight any of the major repairs and alterations to a property that are needed.

Areas in Property

In addition to the areas mentioned above, there are many other areas within the property industry in which you could work.

Here are some examples:

• Commercial Property: This concerns properties like shops, offices and warehouses.
• Consultancy: This involves advising clients to find the best solutions to their property requirements.
• Dispute Resolution: This area concerns providing advice and representation for planning disputes, lease renewals and rent reviews.
• Environment: This concerns advising on projects’ environmental implications.
• Investment: This is about the acquisition and disposal of property that is bought for investment purposes.

If you want to work as a surveyor, there are also a number of areas you could work in. For instance, you could become a building surveyor, a building control surveyor or an estimator.

Why study a property course?

Not every profession in property and surveying requires you to have a formal qualification, but many positions do. For instance, you don’t need a degree to become an estate agent; although it can be helpful to get into the profession if you do have some qualifications.

If you want to work in a role like surveyor, planner, architect or engineer, you’ll need to obtain a degree or an equivalent qualification in a related discipline.

Career Outcomes from a Property Course

Once you have completed a course in a relevant subject, there are a number of career outcomes available.

Here are some of the most popular career choices in surveying and property:

• Quantity Surveyor: As a quantity surveyor, you would manage the costs for a building or civil engineering project. The most common entry route into this profession is studying an RICS-accredited undergraduate or postgraduate course.

• Planning and Development Surveyor: This role involves advising private and public sector clients regarding their property investment options. You will need an RCIS-accredited professional or postgraduate qualification to become a planning and development surveyor.
• Town Planner: In this position, you would be involved with the management and development of villages, towns, cities and the countryside. It’s possible to become a town planner with a degree in any subject, but it helps to have a degree in a specific subject like urban studies or landscape architecture.
• Housing Manager: This profession involves managing housing and related services on behalf of clients like local authorities and private sector organisations. To get into this career, it helps to have a degree in a subject like business studies or planning.