College Grad looking to broker CRE debt.

Member since 2026 · 1 post · 3 votes

Hi everyone,

I’m a recent 2026 graduate with a bachelor’s in Economics and Finance, and I’m seriously considering going the entrepreneurial route instead of jumping straight into a traditional job.

I’m looking into getting my New Jersey real estate salesperson license so I can focus on commercial real estate debt brokerage, and potentially property deals down the line. For now, I’d want to keep things lean and operate under a virtual brokerage while I get established.
I’d love to hear from more experienced members on whether this is a smart approach, what pitfalls I should watch out for, and any advice for someone starting from scratch.

Thanks!

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Erik EstradaBusiness Member
Lender · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2022 · 7k+ posts · 1k+ votes
5mo
Quote from @Anthony J. Hugee:

Hi everyone,

I’m a recent 2026 graduate with a bachelor’s in Economics and Finance, and I’m seriously considering going the entrepreneurial route instead of jumping straight into a traditional job.

I’m looking into getting my New Jersey real estate salesperson license so I can focus on commercial real estate debt brokerage, and potentially property deals down the line. For now, I’d want to keep things lean and operate under a virtual brokerage while I get established.
I’d love to hear from more experienced members on whether this is a smart approach, what pitfalls I should watch out for, and any advice for someone starting from scratch.

Thanks!

I would suggest applying to several different firms and see if they even have a licensing requirement. Commercial loans are very different than traditional residential lending. A lot of lenders do not need a license to originate commercial loans, especially in NJ.
Some states do require a license such as CA. So I would suggest calling around. Maybe you can start by cold-calling and setting up appointments.
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Doug Smith
Lender · Tampa, FL · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
5mo
Commercial loans are a completely different animal than residential, but the air is rarified. I was a lender/bank exec and even handles special assets for a bank for 18 years for I sold my first commercial note. I'm now 35 years in, run company that does, among other things, the very thing you're looking to do...and I'm still figuring it out. Commercial loans are harder to find and even harder to broker. When we started during the last big crash it was easier because there were fewer big money players in the game. Now there's big money in the space and banks know who buys commercial mortgages. It will be hard to start. I am not trying to discourage you because I like your spunk, but definitely have a backup plan in place. It's a really hard space to enter without a background and connections. I do wish you well in your endeavors. Doug
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