Several UCLA students and alumni have shared their reasons for pursuing careers in real estate, highlighting a variety of motivations such as career flexibility, community impact, and an interest in urban development. This follows a recent partnership between the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) and the UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate, which provides students with a clearer path to obtaining real estate licenses in California.
As part of this agreement, the DRE has identified specific courses at the Ziman Center that satisfy state education requirements for those seeking to become licensed salespersons or brokers. DRE Commissioner Chika Sunquist stated, “I am thankful for the partnership between the UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate and DRE, which helps remove barriers to licensure by providing UCLA students a clear path to become a salesperson or broker in California. We are happy to promote overall student success as they embark on their new career and encourage new generations into the real estate profession.”
Jolie N., an MBA candidate at UCLA Anderson School of Management from Los Angeles, explained her motivation: she wanted to connect her background in social services with practical knowledge about housing finance and management. She noted that earning her license allowed her hands-on experience with properties and helped her transition into real estate, which initially seemed daunting. Jolie eventually focused on affordable housing development after working with residential buyers and investors.
Sumer P., a business economics undergraduate from Modesto, was influenced by family members in real estate but also by observing housing challenges in his community. He gained early experience through internships in property management and private equity firms and plans to use his future license to support communities similar to his own.
Andrew H., another MBA student at Anderson from Washington, DC, expressed appreciation for the partnership between DRE and the Ziman Center: “I’m grateful for the recent partnership between the DRE and the Ziman Center, which allows several of our core courses to count toward California salesperson and broker licensing requirements.” He said earning these licenses would enable him to advise clients more effectively and apply classroom learning directly in professional settings.
Mark Y., who holds both salesperson’s and broker’s licenses after four years in real estate, described how licensure provided him with greater opportunities: “The biggest value that I see in working in real estate is that it’s an incredibly impactful career path that has a huge effect on where people live, work, and spend time together.” Mark plans to continue working in commercial real estate private equity across California.
Gyasi E., an alumnus who works on multifamily financing deals, highlighted skills such as underwriting and deal evaluation as key benefits of his role. He intends to remain involved on the financing side while also investing personally.
Nick P., currently studying history at UCLA, aims for a long-term career in Los Angeles real estate due to ongoing opportunities he sees locally.
The collaboration between UCLA’s Ziman Center for Real Estate and the California Department of Real Estate is designed to help students overcome obstacles toward licensure while supporting their entry into various sectors within real estate.
