Entry-Level CRE Job Openings Drop, Setting Up Talent Squeeze
The commercial real estate (CRE) sector is facing a significant challenge as entry-level job openings continue to decline. Over the past two years, there has been a marked decrease in opportunities for young professionals seeking to enter the industry. This trend poses a substantial barrier for those aiming to gain the skills and experience necessary for advancement.
According to data from real estate job site SelectLeaders, listings for positions requiring zero to four years of experience have dropped by 26% year-over-year as of May. This follows a 35% decline between May 2022 and 2023. Such reductions are exacerbated by a weak commercial real estate market, where entry-level roles are often the first to be outsourced to artificial intelligence or overseas workers.
Andy Hunt, director of the real estate program at Marquette University, likens the situation to a “glass-half-empty version of the Goldilocks story,” where prolonged uncertainty stifles decision-making, impacting entry-level hiring more than other areas.
Many firms have been more conservative when hiring for CRE roles, due to an industry slowdown.
The impact of this decline is uneven across the industry. While some sectors and regions, such as asset management in Florida or Texas, continue to offer opportunities, others, particularly transaction or financing roles in the Midwest, are experiencing hiring freezes. BGO Chief Economist Ryan Severino notes that several large CRE organizations have halted hiring altogether.
Collete English Dixon, executive director of the Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate at Chicago’s Roosevelt University, emphasizes the importance of finding niches where students can excel, despite the broader hiring challenges.
Technology, especially AI, looms large over the hiring landscape. As AI’s capabilities expand, tasks traditionally handled by entry-level workers may increasingly fall to automation. English Dixon warns of the need to balance teaching fundamentals with preparing students for an AI-driven future.
Hiring trends have placed Gen Z applicants for CRE roles in a tough position.
The current hiring environment is particularly challenging for recent college graduates. At the University of Central Florida, only half of the 100 real estate graduates have secured positions through internships, while another 25 have job offers through other means. At Marquette University, about 60% of the recent class of 40 real estate students have jobs lined up, with many still searching.
RCLCO Management Consulting Practice Managing Director Ellen Klasson highlights the potential long-term impact of starting a career in a challenging environment, noting that the conditions at the beginning of one’s career can influence the entire trajectory.
For more insights on this topic, you can read the full article on Bisnow.
More Articles
Getting licensed or staying ahead in your career can be a journey—but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Grab your favorite coffee or tea, take a moment to relax, and browse through our articles. Whether you’re just starting out or renewing your expertise, we’ve got tips, insights, and advice to keep you moving forward. Here’s to your success—one sip and one step at a time!
Long Island’s commercial real estate market just smashed every previous record, hitting an unprecedented $4.1 billion in 2025 deal volume—up a massive 71.5 percent from the year before. A surge in specialty-use properties like assisted living centers and self-storage facilities fueled the boom, alongside hundreds of new transactions across Nassau and Suffolk counties. With investor confidence rebounding, interest rates easing, and new buyer profiles entering the scene, the region has become one of the hottest real estate markets to watch.
Federal cuts to housing oversight in 2026 are creating a nationwide regulatory scramble, with states—especially California—rapidly stepping in to fill the gap. As the CFPB reduces its enforcement role, lawmakers and agencies across the country are crafting their own rules on mortgage compliance, consumer protection, affordability, and even AI‑driven underwriting. For real estate, mortgage, and finance professionals, the message is clear: state regulations are becoming just as influential as federal policy, making ongoing education and compliance awareness more critical than ever.
The insurance industry poured an eye‑opening $172 million into federal lobbying in 2025, making it the fourth‑largest lobbying sector in the country. Medical insurers led the spending, but property and casualty giants weren’t far behind, with APCIA, Nationwide, Liberty Mutual, and Allstate all landing among the top contributors. And this is only federal spending—state‑level influence, where regulations are truly shaped, remains vastly underreported. For professionals in insurance, real estate, and finance, these lobbying efforts play a powerful role in shaping regulations, costs, and the competitive landscape.
Florida’s home insurance market saw a 3.35% non-renewal rate last year—a small percentage that translated into hundreds of thousands of homeowners suddenly losing coverage. Driven by repeated storm damage, soaring construction costs, heavy litigation, and insurers pulling back from high-risk areas, the state’s insurance landscape is rapidly shifting. Homeowners now face higher premiums, fewer options, and tougher underwriting, while professionals in real estate, mortgage, and insurance must stay informed to guide clients through a tightening market.
Florida’s recent tort reforms are doing far more than reshaping the state’s legal system—they’re driving down property and casualty insurance costs by an average of 14.5% and injecting over $4.2 billion into the state’s economy each year. With nearly 30,000 jobs supported and state and local governments seeing hundreds of millions in new tax revenue, the changes are already transforming Florida’s insurance market. Lawsuits have dropped, insurers are returning, and businesses and homeowners alike are reaping the benefits of a more balanced, competitive, and financially resilient environment.
Major commercial real estate firms are reporting strong revenue and renewed market activity, signaling a rebound in dealmaking and office demand. Yet even with record earnings, CEOs from CBRE, Colliers, and Marcus & Millichap spent much of their earnings calls addressing a growing concern: whether artificial intelligence could threaten traditional brokerage and valuation roles. While leaders insist that complex transactions still rely on human relationships and negotiation, AI‑related market jitters briefly pushed some CRE stocks down before they recovered.
