Do you think a college degree makes a difference in succeeding as a real estate agent?
- No (56%, 73 Votes)
- Yes (44%, 58 Votes)
Total Voters: 131
College graduates play a significant role in a city’s economic success. However, attaining and keeping graduates is a struggle for some urban centers.
The national average of metro area residents with a four-year degree is 32%. In California, Contra Costa County leads the way with 44% and Fresno trails with fewer than 20% of its residents with a four-year degree as of 2009, according to the U.S. Census.
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Earlier this year, metro areas consisting of more than 33% college graduates had an average unemployment rate of 7.5%. Cities with fewer than 17% college graduates had a much higher unemployment rate of 10.5%. Other benefits of having a four-year degree include longer life expectancies, higher household incomes and lower divorce rates on average.
The difference between the most educated and least educated cities has grown significantly over the past forty years. As higher education becomes more common in the U.S., college graduates have stuck together. Thus, even when a less-educated city produces a fresh crop of college graduates, graduates tend to leave their less-educated hometowns for more educated cities.
One way for less-educated cities to keep their college graduates is through creating more internships at local businesses, enticing soon-to-be graduates with quicker promotions and less competition for top jobs.
first tuesday take
30% of all California residents have a four-year degree, compared with the national average of 28%. Likewise, California residents have an average household income $9,000 above the national average, according to the U.S. Census. In order to continue capitalizing on our larger than average number of college graduates and keep them coming, some forward-looking thinking is required.
As metro areas with already high numbers of college graduates continue growing, cities can prepare by loosening zoning restrictions. Recent graduates starting their journey into the workforce will be looking for jobs, housing and a culturally attractive place to make their start.
This means cities must prepare by allowing new high-density construction of multi-family housing in downtown areas. Cities like Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco with high-rise mentalities will win, while metro areas that tend to expand outward will lose out on cashing-in on the powerful force that college graduates can be for their economies.
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Re: A Gap in College Graduates Leaves Some Cities Behind from the New York Times
It is true a college education may broaden a person’s outlook on life. However, that college degree should be in Business, with courses that include real estate contracts and knowledge about how loans work. Also, if a person plans to be a Broker he or she should have at least two years experience as a Real Estate agent before taking the exam to be a Broker
After 37 years in this business there is no question in my mind that the college courses that teach you to think in a logical way are helpful in sorting out the Real Estate business. College level business courses can help you with foundational information on advertising, accounting, business management, investment strategies, employee relationships, team management, public speaking, legal aspects, writing and much more. All these courses and even an art appreciation course, can help you relate to customers who themselves are higher educated and may appreciate communicating with you about a particular subject. It’s not all about selling the house. For those Real Estate agents who understand the benefits of long term relationships for a rich and meaningful life, full of many friends and acquaintances (referrals) acquiring as much knowledge as possible, about as many subjects as possible, to relate with others, is a good thing.
Long term success in Real Estate is about relationships. Relating to a client on a personal level about the things in life that interest that client and having confidence in your ability to communicate in an intelligent, thoughtful and mutually beneficial way is a valuable attribute of a good friend and also of a good Real Estate professional. It helps make someone you would like to have a continuing relationship with. I am not saying everyone needs a higher education to be able to achieve this or that only those who indeed have a higher education can communicate with others who do also, only that from my point of view knowledge of many varied subjects is valuable, worthwhile, fun and provides a foundation and information on subjects many of our clients and others may want to talk about. The more people you can intelligently speak with and the more concepts you can speak with them about….the better.
College provides a level of that however reading books will also but you have to pick up the book.
You may be a college graduate but be very ignorant about the Real Estate business. Experience and RE education is the key to success. some college graduates can’t even pass the broker test, others with knowledge and integrity can pass it from the first try.
I have a college degree but never learned anything about real estate in college the skills & knowledge that I have in real estate I learned from classes and attending seminars.
They also don’t teach you ethics in college. Real Estate is a business that requires 100% honesty and ethical practices. Real Estate courses and tests push ethics, however there are certain people who will never benefit from learning to treat people fairly.
They don’t teach you Street Smarts in College. Not to mention-Sales and Human Engineering skills.