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Real Estate Internship Experiences
Natalie Hearon, JP Morgan Mortgage Capital, Atlanta, GA, Summer 1999
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| The internship with J.P. Morgan Mortgage capital was a great opportunity to experience the world of Corporate Real Estate. My responsibilities included various underwriting support activities. These activities included reviewing third party reports such as Appraisals, Physical Assessment Reports, and Environmental Reports. Not only will an intern gain valuable knowledge of underwriting, but also experience office situations and have the opportunity to meet important people.
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Raymond Hearndon, Adams Appraisal Service, Athens, GA, Summer 1999
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Working at Adams Appraisal Service has been one of the fulfilling experiences in my college career. I would search for and take pictures of comparable sales, and research deeds, plats, tax information, etc. at the courthouse of many different counties. I did this to learn from start to finish the appraisal process. I left Adams Appraisals gaining valuable experience in the real estate and valuation field. |
Jennifer Nicole Isbell, Residential Mortgage Source, Inc., Jonesboro, GA, Summer 1999
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| At the Mortgage Company I sat in on several loan applications and learned a great deal about the loan application process. I also had my own big project, which was to set up the company's accounting system. I recommend a real estate internship to all majors because it is a great learning experience.
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Greta Edwards, Schultz, Carr, Bissette, & Associates, Atlanta, GA, Summer 1999
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I did a lot of research for the appraisers for them to use in their appraisals. I worked on research for appraisals of office parks, road widening projects for the GA DOT, apartment complexes, mobile home parks, and raw land. They are also the nicest group of people that I have ever worked with. Dennis Carr really encourages a family-type atmosphere and takes the time to help you learn.
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Robin Mayhood, WestPark Corporate Center, Athens, GA, Summer 1999
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| I was hired to do market research of Athens. I learned how to research deeds at the courthouse and the types of information places like the Planning Office and the local Department of Transportation have to offer the public. I worked on finding comparables in the market for their projects and also prospective tenants. An experience that a person can obtain while working in the real world with others in the field is an experience worth having, if nothing else it will make you a more well rounded person. The information I learned is definitely going to be useful for me when I start my career.
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Cadie Cox, The Holland Group, Naples, FL, Summer 1999
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I worked for my uncle, Frank Holland, Jr, who was CEO of the firm. I assisted him in daily operations and obtained exposure to commercial appraisal, development and brokerage. I performed research on properties using public records, met with architects, gained exposure to the marketing aspect of real estate, and attended major meetings with prospective buyers. The internship experience was truly one of the smartest things I have done. The hands on approach is such a valuable way to gain knowledge in the field of real estate. I would strongly recommend anyone majoring in real estate to take advantage of the internship opportunity. I feel it has provided me with a glimpse of the real world applications of real estate.
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Joe Baker Harris III, Harris Real Estate, Jessup, GA, Summer 1999
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| One of the major areas in which I contributed was with the new listings. I would set up a file and also put up the company sign on the property. If there were questions concerning the listing, I would go down to the courthouse to dig the deed or Platt. I also took pictures so that they could be put in the newspaper and on the Internet for advertisement.
I was able to step right in and participate like I had worked at the firm all my life. I was able to meet some of the players in the real estate business and I may have even found a place to start a career when I graduate from the University.
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Teri J. Evans,WaterMark Realty, Lavonia, GA, Summer 1999
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In working for WaterMark I felt like I was handling a variety of issues that were not usually open to those of my age and experience. My basic job functions consisted of customer information request, scheduling showing appointments, making sure all legal documents/contracts were executed properly and maintenance of the company's web site. Towards the end of my internship I obtained my real estate license. WaterMark gave me a truly unique learning experience no class could ever match.
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Randall Shulin, RE/MAX Realty, Atlanta, GA, Summer 1999
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| The most interesting part about the job was being able to get out in the field to meet with clients at the subject properties, meeting with engineers, attending zoning meetings, and looking for property for clients. I also had the opportunity to work on large land acquisitions deals. The internship experience with this firm was a great learning experience that would give anyone interested in real estate a true taste for the business.
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Carrie Williamson,Mopper-Stapen Realty, Savannah, GA, Summer 1999
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I was exposed to the extraordinary world of new construction, commercial sales and leasing, property management, and historic restoration and preservation. On a regular basis I assisted agents in preparing new listings, contracts and closings. On many occasions I was invited on listing appointments, showings, and to sit in on the closing process. I worked along side the co-broker/owner of the firm in designing a commercial lease receipt that best suited his needs. I am sure that his experience has given me a good basis for the upper level real estate classes that I anxiously await.
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Shawn Brown, Coldwell Banker/Stepp Realty, Calhoun, GA, Summer 1999
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| While working at Stepp Realty I was given a good bit of responsibility and freedom.
The activity that I probably did more that anything else was entering and updating listing into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system on the computer. Another one of my major duties that I performed was to type up many of the contracts that the agent would request. The most common type of contracts that I would type would be the listing contracts when an agent would list a property and the purchase and the sales agreement when an agents client would make and offer on a piece of property. I assisted the agents by selecting the comparables off the MLS after the agents gave me an estimate of values on the subject property. Stepp Realty Company allowed me a relaxed and pleasant environment in which to learn the activities that I learned and allowed me to go at a pace that I was comfortable with until I had a good grasp on what I was doing.
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Carl Tremel,J.P. Morgan, Atlanta, GA, Summer 1999
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My internship provided me the opportunity to participate in the underwriting and
subsequent securitization of commercial real estate with one of the counties
largest conduit lenders. While at J.P. Morgan I assisted in over 100 individual
underwritings and two of this years? largest CMBS IO's. My experience gave me
the opportunity to see the practical application of the financial techniques
used by the mortgage industry in determining real values for commercial real
estate. I worked on reviewing leases for rent escalations, expense reimbursement
schedules, lease expirations and renewal clauses. In addition, I compiled
property data from appraisals, environmental assessments, property condition
reports and site inspections. My time with the securitization staff was spent
writing property and loan summaries, which Moody's actually used to determine
the ratings for JP Morgan's CMBS issues. The experience I gained through my
internship has helped me immensely in solidifying my traditional textbook
education. People often say there is no teacher like experience. In my case it
is very true. |
Reid Nix, NationsBank, Atlanta, GA, Summer 1998
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| I worked in the Real Estate Banking Group, the commercial division, which finances projects that require at least five million dollars to complete. My activities included everything from making on-site visits to the facilities that NationsBank funded, to assisting with the preparation of loan documents. I got the opportunity to visit a facility that the bank was in the process of funding, and other sites that the bank had financed in the past. In addition, I sat in with a NationsBank Relationship Manager and partners from the borrowing firm during their negotiations on a new deal. I prepared Annual Reviews and Base Reviews, which covered everything about a company from its organizational structure to its exposure risk to its cash flows and liquidity. Working at NationsBank was a pleasure. Overall, it was a very valuable experience. |
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Wendy Wooten, SeaPines Real Estate Company, Hilton Head, SC, Summer 1998
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SeaPines Real Estate is affiliated with SeaPines Company who controls the rental of beach houses and villas in and around the SeaPines Resort. SeaPines Real Estate Company does not rent units, it just sells real estate. One of my favorite things was the sales meeting. At the meeting, agents who had acquired new listings would announce them. SeaPines had over a million dollars a day in transactions over the majority of the summer. I would caravan or do a walk through of the new houses and leave comments for the listing agent on things like the price, improvements, and other suggestions. The rest of the time I worked on projects such as composing a manual on the new developments around the island, which SeaPines was in charge of selling. I also helped in marketing many properties. I would do anything from run errands, fill in for sales assistants who were absent, or make newsletters for agents. Once everyone got to know me and felt they could depend on me to accomplish tasks, I never had a boring moment.
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Matt Rice, Rice Appraisal Services, Newnan, GA, Summer 1998
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| My internship took place in my hometown of Newnan, Georgia. During my internship I completed a hundred and fifteen appraisals with forty final inspections. I did this for eight weeks this summer and really enjoyed it. I can't wait till I can go out and do this for a living.
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Ben Easterlin, Dorsey Alston Realtors, Atlanta, GA, Summer 1998
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My internship experience was one that I will never forget. Dorsey Alston is Atlanta's premier residential firm that specializes in the close-in and upper-end markets of Buckhead and north of the Perimeter. My daily activities including almost everything possible that a person can do in a real estate firm without a license. Initially, I answered the phones, filed, and did general office work that a receptionist or a secretary might perform. Then, I started being allowed to travel with the broker and project manager to sites. I would make pamphlets and flyers to distribute, and I also would enter them into a computer program that would go out on the Web. This allowed me to participate in many different areas of real estate and get to know the different sides and be exposed to many different real estate aspects. I received a job and will continue to work there after this experience. This internship has been very enlightening to me. It has helped me make decisions on which side of the real estate market I would like to participate.
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Mara Bernstein, Merchants Resource Realty, Inc., Smyrna, GA, Summer 1998
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| Networking is said to be vital in the business world, especially in real estate. This internship enabled me to do just that. Not only did I come into contact with people internally within the company, but also externally as well. Meeting with other brokers, property managers, and developers allowed me to initiate relationships with people in the industry. This is helpful when searching for a job along with normal business dealings in real estate. Lastly, because Merchants Resource Realty is housed along with three other companies, a retail power center developer, a property manager, and a specialty center developer, it allowed me to be exposed to many facets of real estate instead of only just one.
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Jennifer Slocum, Scott, Quarterman and Wells, Athens, GA, Summer 1998
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This past summer I worked for Scott, Quarterman and Wells, a law firm located in Athens, Georgia. My daily routine was basically to go to courthouses in counties surrounding the Athens-Clarke county area and search property titles for buying and selling purposes. The major highlights of my experience as a title searcher included reading hand-written deeds from the late 1700s in Oconee County and filing a lien on the wrong property in Jackson County. I did acquire many skills in a legal respect and I learned how to trace property owners back to the late 1700's given only minimal information. I would label my internship as the ultimate educational experience because I learned so many things that are not taught in a classroom. I will always value my experience of working at the firm and I think that my employment there will be a chief asset when I look for a permanent job in real estate after graduation.
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R. Whit Holder, Holder Land and Auction, Monroe, GA, Summer 1998
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| The major projects that I worked on during the two months were the company's advertisement page in the Walton County Real Estate Guide, and selling tracts of land in a particular development in Walton County. I also handled the calls for a particular development in Walton County, which is open to modular homes. If you are considering an internship in the Real Estate field, then I would encourage you to try it. By doing an internship, you are around people who do this job for a living every day, and you get a feel for what goes on in the office in a day-to-day routine. Also, you will be able to make many contacts that will benefit you in the future.
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Bryant R. Dromey, Grubb & Ellis, Atlanta, GA, Summer 1998
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Working with Grubb & Ellis was a great learning experience for me. I had the opportunity to work with a lot of top brokers in the Atlanta area. The brokers really reached out and tried to give me insight into what the commercial real estate business is all about. I also had the fortune of learning all the latest computer programs used in commercial real estate research. I would recommend this internship for any one who is looking for an in-depth overview of the commercial real estate industry. My duties while at Gubb & Ellis dealt with research side of real estate. I did everything from call competitive brokers in other offices to researching detailed financial facts of prospective companies. I was exposed to every discipline in the commercial real estate business.
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David L. Preston, Ahold Vastgoed, Amsterdam, Summer 1998
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| My main project involved a grocery chain called Mana located in Czech. I spent 3 ½ weeks in Czech completing this project. The second portion of my responsibilities involved potential store sites. I evaluated three locations on the basis of competition, population, zoning, cost and location, to come up with an estimate of weekly turnover. With the turnover information I prepared investment proposals to see if the returns were great enough to warrant the building of a store on the site. My experiences with Ahold were extraordinary. Not only did I gain insights into corporate real estate, I learned valuable lessons that will aid me no matter where I choose to go in my career. Overall, my experiences were great both on a cultural and a corporate level.
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Kelly Matherly, General Realty Services, Roswell, GA, Summer 1998
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I learned a lot by working with this company. One of my major activities were helping as a manager for some of the buildings, which involved dealing with lease renewals, calling tenants about past due rent, and taking complaints about various issues. I often just tagged along to get some first hand experience. I went to a closing, on courtesy visits to tenants, to meetings with the partners in different projects, to meetings about how to get the rest of the money to buy a building after getting a loan from the bank, and to many other similar type meetings. We also had to analyze the pro-forma to make sure we would make a profit from this project. One of the special projects that I worked on involved the Roswell Business Center project. I really enjoyed working with General Realty Services. They were willing to spend time updating me on their current projects, and they were very easy to work with.
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Jonathan Dionne, Trademark Properties, Inc., Charleston, SC, Summer 1998
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| I worked on many projects involving both commercial and residential real estate. One project I worked on during the summer was doing financial analyses for various commercial investments such as shopping centers and apartment complexes. I did this by using a commercial investment software program called PlanEase. I also had the opportunity to meet many of the firm's clients. I was able to work closely with and help execute the lease of an old K-Mart building. I also had the opportunity to work closely with the residential branch of the firm. I was able to learn how to use the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Throughout my time at Trademark Properties, I was exposed to many facets of both residential and commercial real estate. I feel my summer internship gave me a great overview of the business as a whole and what it takes to be successful in the business.
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Nevan Black, James M. Black Realty, Atlanta, GA, Summer 1998
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My original duties were to assist in the day-to-day operations of Peachtree Garden Apartments. This job would include acting as a leasing agent and performing general office tasks. During late April, I was approached by Mr. Sean Rasmus, of Rasmus Realty, who wanted to hire me as an independent contractor for his realty company. I was to keep my real estate license with my original broker (James M. Black Realty), but I could perform sales related tasks with his company and be paid a salary. I worked for Mr. Rasmus as a buyers agent and performed a variety of other residential /commercial foreclosure related services. I was also able to work with a recent graduate of the University of Georgia, Jason Harris. My duties included submitting purchase offers, writing sales contracts, being in direct contact with mortgage brokers and bank REO departments, and attending closings on behalf of Rasmus Realty. I believe that this was a very positive internship experience and I look forward to working with Mr. Rasmus, Mr. Harris, and the Rasmus Realty staff when I graduate from the University of Georgia.
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Kane Lester, Schultz, Carr, Bissette and Associates, Atlanta, GA, Spring 1998
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I highly recommend serving an internship, because I learned so much from mine. I worked with every commercial appraiser in the office on a variety of projects. My experience during this time ranged from researching data and comparable sales to visiting and inspecting actual properties. My two biggest projects were a Department of Transportation road acquisition and a divorce settlement. I traveled everywhere in the Atlanta metropolitan area and learned a lot about the geography of the City. I also traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, and met an appraiser there to discuss an appraisal we did on a number of office buildings in the area.
Schultz, Carr, Bissette and Associates is the largest appraiser of commercial property in Georgia. Carl Schultz is involved in the politics of appraisal and travels the country lecturing on the finer points of real estate valuation.
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Allison Glass, Classic City Appraisal Service, Athens, GA, Spring 1998
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My job title was a research assistant. My daily tasks included researching preliminary
data for commercial and residential real estate, analyzing market information, assisting
in valuation of real estate, and researching in regional real estate market. ... I had never
been to the courthouse before this internship and now I know I can find out any information
I need to at the courthouse. ... I would strongly recommend doing an internship while you
are in school. I learned so many new terms and knowledge in real estate that is invaluable. |
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Rachael Kelly, Shields Realty, Athens, GA, Spring 1998
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I worked as an assistant to Bob Shields who is the broker and proprietor of Shields Realty
for over 30 years. My duties as an assistant included writing sales contracts, going on
listing appointments, showing property to buyers as well as renters (since we also handled
rental property). I also engaged in office duties such as putting our new listings into the
MLS system, which is the multiple listing service for brokers worldwide. This system allows
authorized agents and brokers to look up any active listings before they show it to their
prospective clients. I also called clients to set up appointments to show their homes to
interested buyers. As a property management company, we handled rental properties, and I
leased duplexes and apartments to tenants and took in their rent. I also handled calls
regarding maintenance which happened rather frequently because of the age of the rental houses.
I strongly suggest to other students to participate in internships such as this one, because it is a great opportunity to meet real estate brokers and agents in this area, stay aware of the growing market, and see the benefits of this business first hand.
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