Move from RE to Equities

Hi all!

I am currently working in RE AM (at first I though it was a PE firm however it ended up being an AM, the whole thing happened quite fast and I needed a job, so I didn't really do much channel checks on them,) but anyways.. The firm is a solid boutique with loads of $AUM and it's involved in some major residential/office/logistics projects. They also started investing some of their own equity, so it's a sort-of-kinda-more-or-less a REPE firm.

It just happens that.. I don't like RE :( I really tried to convince myself that RE is a cool asset class, but when I start modeling a deal or do market research I realize that I just don't care about the asset, to me it's just a building, period. And it affects my concentration and the quality of my work.

What I really like, and now I realized it even more, is equities! I love the idea that you can build an empire from scratch and there is so much cool stuff happening with equities, the markets, the earning beatings, the crazy CEOs, you name it! To me it's just fascinating!

So, what do you guys think is a good way to move from RE to ER/M&A and other equity-related roles?

  • Do CFA? (I got cfa1) Would CFA2 help?
  • Should I stick to this company for a few months? like 6 months experience and then try to move? It would show I kinda gave it a good shot and then moved on, plus I would gain at least some modeling experience. Or should I move ASAP, so I don't get the "RE label" on my CV?
  • Does working for RE pigeonhole my career to RE?

It's a shame I'm not into this asset, 'cause I heard you can make great $ and work very decent hours.. but hey.. I'd rather work the double for half the pay doing something I really love, right? :)

Thank you all for any feedback! :)

7 Comments
 

you may get a better response posting outside of the real estate forum. I started out in equities, on my own, in high school and through college, I realized the real estate market will never be centralized and will always be relatively inefficient compared to equities, that is why I am here.

If you are trading/investing already/have been for a while disregard what I am saying and do you, but if you are just starting into your career, it would be a shame to jump to equities and realize you liked real estate more, if you have not been trading for a while, I might think about slowing things down while you test it out on the side, and learn a lot while you can in RE, it is helpful stuff to know.

 

Yeah you posted this in the wrong forum - gotta ask the equity guys how to get into equity.

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Do the CFA.

Apply to equity research associate roles at banks and buyside firms.

Stay at the firm until you get a new job.

Working in real estate, especially asset management will pigeon hole you eventually so if you don’t like it it’s better to move as soon as possible. The longer you stay in RE the more difficult it will become to move to equities in my opinion.

I’d say a good strategy would be to look at Real Estate Security funds, slightly easier transition. However, once you’re in real estate securities, you generally stay there. Having worked in both real estate, real estate equities and wider real asset equities I’d be wary of wanting to just switch for earnings beats, crazy ceo’s and the markets - that’s not the job.

There are no easy answers to questions like this unfortunately. CFA, nailing modelling techniques (3 statement models and DCFs etc) and network.

 
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