Published: Aug. 18, 2023

In commercial real estate, who you know is sometimes as important as what you know.

silhouettes of a group that make up an association

Explore leading real estate associations:

Focus areas: educational programs, networking opportunities, industry codes and standards, market analysis and trends.

Focus areas: innovation, global networking, multi-disciplinary problem-solving. Ìý

Focus areas: innovation, global networking, multi-disciplinary problem-solving.

Focus area: research analysis, networking opportunities, mentorship, educational programs.

Focus areas: international, learning, certifications, and networking.

Focus areas: networking opportunities, educational programs, advocacy, research and education. Ìý

Focus areas: build expertise, professional ethics.

Focus area: investment index performance, data products, networking opportunities, educational programs. Ìý

Focus area: diversity, equity and inclusion in real estate, educational programs, mentorship and partnerships.

Focus areas: land real estate nuance, brokerage, subdivision and lot wholesaling, site selection and assemblage of land parcels, appraisals and land valuation, auctions.

Focus areas: global network, trusted industry leaders.

Focus area: global networking, research indices.
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Networking is a critical element to navigating the strong community of experts and practitioners working together to meet the changing demands in a profession that is nuanced, complex and ever-changing.

If you’re looking to expand your network in commercial real estate, it’s important to take advantage of connections with the numerous real estate associations. While each association has its own mission and personality, they all share the common goal to provide trusted guidance, thought-leadership, education and inspiration for current and aspiring real estate professionals.

Every association offers a robust catalog of tools and resources, so how do you take full advantage of the perks of networking and associations?

  1. Business opportunities – building relationships can be an overlooked asset in commercial real estate, but still very important. The more people you know and connect with, the greater number of opportunities you will have to find clients, investors, partners and tenants. Every connection expands your network and increases your financial potential.
  2. Market knowledge and trends – Tapping into associations and networks helps you stay up to date on the latest trends, market conditions and industry insights. Participating in events and discussions can help you make better investment opportunities by staying on top of the emerging trends to make informed business decisions.
  3. Continuing education – Many associations offer workshops, courses and seminars to help maintain necessary continuing education credits.
  4. Partnerships – Learn to leverage others’ areas of expertise and focus to build collaborative relationships where you can pool resources and contacts that may result in shared projects, joint ventures or partnership on complex deals.
  5. Referrals and recommendations – In real estate, word-of-mouth and your reputation go a long way. Building trust and credibility in your network can help foster those deeper relationships whether you’re looking for a new job opportunity or a new business opportunity.

Want to build your commercial real estate knowledge, while also getting access to a built-in network of peers and instructors in real estate? Providing education at theÌýundergraduate levelÌýand through theÌýMS in real estate,ÌýMBA courseworkÌýand executive education programs ensures the university can reach all levels of experience to advance real estate education. The executive educationÌýcommercial real estate certificateÌýoffers flexible courses that can be taken independently or combined to earn a certificate and continuing education credits for those in the state of Colorado. For continuing education hours outside the state, please contact us for more details. The finance course isÌýÌýwith the course beginning on September 13.

Curious? ContactÌýLeedsExecEd@colorado.edu.

Why LeedsÌý Executive Education at Leeds