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Real estate is a field that generally attracts a certain personality type: Extroverted, self-motivated, with a knack for noticing and promoting fine details, along with the ability to simplify complex matters to clients. The real estate mantra, "location, location, location," is something that professionals know how to use to their... clients' advantage. Jobs in the field are expected to grow 14 percent* through the 2008-18 decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest transactions an adult will ever make — and it is often done with the professional guidance of licensed real estate brokers and agents. This process comes with a baffling set of formalities, laws, tax codes and paperwork, which real estate professionals help handle for clients. In order to gain both "soft" techniques (interaction with people) and "hard" techniques (codes and procedures), many real-estate agents take courses and earn a license, which reflects a certain amount of knowledge and education.

While a high school degree is the minimum requirement for licensing, agencies usually prefer to hire agents with some college education. If you are thinking of this field, first, you must decide on whether you want to become a real estate agent or a real estate broker. Note that rules on licensing and certification differ depending on the state where you want to practice. Also note that, unlike agents, brokers are licensed to own their own real estate businesses. Agents, on the other hand, help sellers develop a price and show the property to interested, prospective buyers. With notoriously unpredictable schedules, many real estate types may find that distance learning's flexible "anytime, anywhere" online format fits their lifestyle.

Other students wishing to learn from a broad overview of real estate topics, from corporate real estate to commercial investments, may choose to enroll in an online bachelor of business administration program, with a specialization in real estate. In addition to essential subject matter, the course also covers issues like land-use planning, environmental issues and real estate finance. Other programs may focus on tools and techniques such as conducting discounted cash flow analyses, development market and financial feasibility study, valuation appraisals, and meeting commercial lender requirements.

Though further certification or licensure may be required, a bachelor-level degree could help prepare you to pursue jobs as a real estate manager, a community association manager, a real estate sales office manager or to manage your own real estate portfolio. You also may wish to invest in an MBA program with a concentration in real estate studies.

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