What jobs are there in property?

What jobs are there in property?

  The property industry is a diverse sector employing people with a variety of skills, involved in all aspects of property across commercial, industrial, residential and agricultural sectors. It can be divided into the following main areas:

  •  Agency - providing advice on the acquisition, development, letting or disposal of property. 
  •  Architecture - all aspects of building design.  Commercial property - includes offices, shops, and warehouses. 
  •  Construction - projects related to residential housing, commercial projects, and infrastructure work.  Consultancy - advising clients on the best solutions for their property needs.
  •  Dispute resolution - providing advice and representation in rent reviews, lease renewals, and planning disputes. 
  •  Environment - advising on the environmental implications of all kinds of projects. 
  •  Engineering - structural, mechanical and electrical engineering work. 
  •  Facilities management - managing issues relating to buildings, occupiers and services. 
  •  Investment - the acquisition and disposal of property that is bought as an investment. 
  •  Property management - the day-to-day management of property, managing clients' portfolios, finding tenants, arranging repairs and collecting rent. 
  •  Planning - in relation to new or existing buildings, regeneration, renovation, conservation, and major redevelopment schemes. 
  •  Project management - overseeing all activities on property-related projects. 
  •  Property development - the redevelopment or refurbishment of existing buildings. 2
  •  Surveying - including a variety of specialist roles such as building, quantity (advising on procurement for construction work) and rural practice. 
  •  Valuation - assessing the value of property, land and business assets. 

What’s it like working in this industry?

Salaries vary considerably according to the location, sector, and size of the employing organization. Salaries are normally higher in London and in specific sectors such as consultancy and investment. Lower salaries tend to be offered by smaller or regional companies, local authorities and not-for-profit organizations. The gap between private and public sector pay has narrowed somewhat over recent years. An element of commission is common practice in the residential and commercial sectors. The average graduate starting salary is around £20-24,000 (plus 10-15% London weighting if appropriate). The industry has an older than average workforce and the majority (59%) of the property workforce are male (Asset Skills Property Fact Sheet, 2011). In 2010 almost a quarter of newly qualified surveyors were female and 30% of current student members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) are female (RICS-360, 'Women in Surveying', 2011). RICS and the Association of Women in Property (WiP) are working together to try to increase this proportion through mentoring schemes.

How big is this industry? 

There are currently 360,000 people employed in the property and housing sectors working in over 105,000 workplaces. Over 55% of organizations employ ten or less staff (Property Services Framework, Asset Skills, 2011). The property negotiation and management sectors have the largest share of the market, followed by valuing, surveying, town planning, and estate agency. 

Asset Skills report that the majority of companies expect to 'grow moderately' over the next three years, with only 17% expecting to 'grow rapidly'. There has been a significant shift in the sector, which has seen employment move from construction and property sales to lettings and the social housing sector.

Where can I work? 


The property industry offers opportunities throughout the UK, especially London, where the residential and commercial property markets are most buoyant and international companies base their operations. London continues to be a major international center for property investment and portfolio management. Property is a global industry and there will continue to be opportunities to work abroad, especially for qualified and experienced professionals.  

Job Roles 


The following profiles are examples of key jobs that exist in the property sector. To find the job roles that best match your skills and interests, login to what jobs would suit me?  
 Architect 
  • Building Surveyor 
  •  A commercial/residential surveyor 
  •  Estate agent 
  •  Facilities manager 
  •  Housing manager/officer 
  •  Land/geomatics surveyor 
  •  Mechanical engineer 
  •  Planning and development surveyor 
  •  Quantity surveyor 
  •  Rural practice surveyor 
  •  Structural engineer 
  •  Town planner For even more career ideas, take a look at types of jobs. 

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