Chicago Real Estate Jobs Overview
A “For Sale” sign in your neighbor's front yard means that you'll soon be seeing a real estate agent coming and going, showing the home to potential buyers. While being an agent is one of the familiar jobs in real estate, many other real estate jobs come into play when a home or commercial property is for sale. It takes a large team of professionals from diverse backgrounds to help individuals and businesses buy, sell, and live or operate in real estate.
The National Association of Realtors says that most real estate jobs have several things in common—the freedom and flexibility to work at your own pace and set your hours and a direct correlation between the amount of time and effort you put in and your income. Besides being a real estate agent, you might look at being a broker or a leasing agent if you're a people person. If your interest is in finance, you can be a real estate investor, developer, attorney, appraiser, or loan officer. If you're looking for a management job, a residential or commercial property manager might be a good fit. Many other jobs support the real estate industry, including home inspectors, real estate assistants, and real estate marketing specialists.
You can expand your search for management jobs by checking out these similar positions:
About Working in Chicago, Illinois
If you're going to Chicago to experience "da Bears," deep-dish pizza, and windy streets, native Chicagoans say "fogetta 'bout it!" While these have made Chicago famous, you'll find many locals eating thin-crust, tavern-style pie. Plus, the city isn't on any list of the windiest cities in the U.S.—a local newspaper named it "The Windy City" after the Chicago elite's propensity toward boastfulness and self-promotion. And while the Chicago jobs list (hit jobs, that is) includes notorious mobsters from Chicago like Al Capone, John Dillinger, and Baby Face Nelson, linguists are noticing that the "Chicago accent" is disappearing.
However, there's a reason Condé Nast Traveler has named Chicago the "best big city in the U.S." Chicago is home to top universities, including Northwestern University, Wheaton College, and Valparaiso. And if you're looking for Chicago jobs, you can relocate to any one of the city's unique neighborhoods, such as North Center with its cozy Irish pubs and breweries or Uptown, the lively entertainment district. For those who want to live further out from the city, you can also find jobs in popular suburbs including Cicero, Oak Park, and Evanston.
Update Your Chicago Real Estate Resume
Applying for any real estate job requires a resume. Whether you need to update your resume or start from scratch, we have resources to help you. Take a look at these sample resumes for commercial property managers and real estate agents. Put your best foot forward with a stellar cover letter to go with that resume. We can help there too! Take a look at this sample property management cover letter, available on Monster.
How Much Do Real Estate Jobs Pay in Chicago, Illinois?
Got money on your mind? You should! Make sure you’re getting paid what you’re worth. Our Salary Tools can help you understand what you can expect to make in real estate jobs in Chicago, Illinois, as well as the skills that can boost your value and what the next steps in your career might be. Right now, the median real estate agent pay in Chicago is $70,643 per year, which is 4% lower than the national average.
Find Your Next Chicago Real Estate Job. Monster Can Help Get You Started
Are you prepared for a career in real estate? If so, set up your profile on Monster for free and begin clicking on those real estate jobs. When you sign up with us, you’ll receive custom job alerts and expert advice on how to negotiate your salary in Chicago, how to nail your job interview, and more.