TYPES OF ROLES FINANCE STUDENTS LAND ADVISORY
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
Overview: Advisory refers to the act of providing a third party with expert knowledge for a fee. The advisory services provided by the major accounting firms include:
Overview: There are several different areas of specialization in commercial real estate. Below are a few areas of interest:
Increasing the efficiency of a company through an analysis of its processes and functions Risk management, i.e., determining the threats faced by the company and suggesting appropriate mitigation strategies/solutions Creation of financial reporting programs which leverage the latest technology for the company Creation of accounting programs which leverage the latest technology for the company Firms that have hired Bentley students / alumni for advisory roles: Deloitte | EY | Grant Thornton | KPMG | PwC | RSM
COMMERCIAL BANKING (also see Credit Analysis) Overview: A commercial banking career path has you providing clients with credit products such as term loans, revolving lines of credit, syndicated facilities, cash management services, and other fixed income products. From undergrad, you typically start as a credit analyst. A credit analyst is tasked with analyzing a client’s financial statements, competitive position, industry, and management team. The credit analyst prepares an “application for credit” that determines the structure and pricing of a financing request. As a credit analyst, you deliver financial advice and solutions that are tailored to your clients’ needs, such as growing their business, buying new equipment, funding working capital, and day-to-day banking. Firms that have hired Bentley students / alumni for commercial banking roles: Berkshire Bank | Brookline Bank | Cambridge Savings Bank | Citizens Bank | East Boston Savings Bank | Eastern Bank | Middlesex Savings Bank | People’s United Bank | Rockland Trust | Salem Five Bank | Santander Bank | Silicon Valley Bank | TD Bank
Acquisitions: Real estate acquisitions professionals are generally responsible for helping source, analyze, perform due diligence on, and negotiate the purchase of new equity investments for their real estate investment firms. It’s important to note that acquisitions professionals generally pursue existing properties (either stabilized or unstabilized properties) whereas real estate development professionals pursue new build opportunities. Asset Management: Real estate asset managers make important investment decisions, ensure the client's investment doesn't depreciate, and mitigate the client's exposure to risk. Real estate portfolios may include different types of properties in a variety of regions and markets. Asset managers in the real estate industry also hire key personnel like property managers, work with leasing agents, communicate with investors, and negotiate contracts. Brokerage: Brokers conduct business on behalf of a firm and they represent a buyer or seller in a transaction. They can conduct business with corporations, institutional buyers and sellers, foreign and domestic businesses, as well as various other investment entities. A commercial broker will usually focus on a single type of property such as industrial, retail, office, lodging, or apartments. Development: Real estate developers buy land, finance real estate deals, build or have builders build projects, create, imagine, control, and orchestrate the process of development from the beginning to end. Typically, developers purchase a tract of land, determine the marketing of the property, develop the building program and design, obtain the necessary public approval and financing, build the structures, and rent out, manage, and ultimately sell it.
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