Commercial brokers work with corporations looking to buy or lease facilities as well as anyone wishing to buy investment properties. Commercial agents analyze property values, income-producing capabilities, and other market conditions to structure acceptable lease or purchase terms. The demand for commercial and residential real estate brokers is expected to increase in economically developing regions of the country. They may also prepare cost analyses and feasibility studies for proposed projects. While appraisers may work for banks, specialized appraisal firms, insurance companies, and real estate developers, many are independent practitioners.
Specialized education is required to become an appraiser.
The demand for skilled appraisers, particularly with the MAI designation, is increasing significantly as companies ' pension funds and financial institutions with large real estate holdings require current appraisals of asset values. The real estate asset manager is responsible for one or more portfolios of real estate, overseeing the property managers, and determining the optimum time to sell or refinance. Most major insurance companies have comprehensive training programs and require continuing education to keep abreast of new products. An agent is usually employed by a single insurance company, whereas a broker is independent and represents no particular company but can sell policies from many insurance companies. This includes the appraisal of the risks of individuals after analyzing insurance applications, reports from loss-control consultants, medical reports, and actuarial studies.