How Many RE Investors are Engineers?

Rental Property Investor · Fargo, ND · Member since 2016 · 136 posts · 112 votes

Is it just me or are about 25% of all real estate investors, also engineers? As an Engineer myself I could be biased but curious if anyone has insight. I know folks usually have professional background like IT, accounting, dr but would be going out on a limb to say engineers cover the majority of all real estate investors?

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Pat L.

Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes

I did the eng gig until REI proved to be way more profitable. It's paid off in so many ways allowing me to do 'permitted' electrical (took that minor in elect.), opening & replacing walls with LVL beams, HVAC installs, on-demand HW (elect & NG) etc etc. It's a discipline that opened so many cost saving opportunities & you don't get snowed by contractors, home or building inspectors. Biggest job 'permitted' by my town was the complete design, install & wiring/flow rate monitoring of complete fire sprinkler system for a 6 unit. They allowed me 6 months & did it all myself.

But then again I remember our final exams forbade the use of calculators, slide rules were the only device allowed as were card punched software solutions in our lab finals.

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Michael Healy
Investor · Greenville, SC · Member since 2018 · 1 post · 3 votes
6y
I'm a Mechanical Engineer (with BS and MS degrees) looking to BRRRR in the upstate of South Carolina. I currently live in Greenville, SC. I've been working in my career over a decade now - and am ready to start a side-hustle in RE investing, building some passive income with a buy and hold strategy. Glad to see many other engineers getting in on the RE game! I highly recommend any into #'s (which should be all of us engineers) to read Frank Gallinelli's book "What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know about Cash Flow". Best of luck all!
3 Reply
Taylor L.
Rental Property Investor · RVA · Member since 2016 · 5k+ posts · 4k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Michael Healy:
I'm a Mechanical Engineer (with BS and MS degrees) looking to BRRRR in the upstate of South Carolina. I currently live in Greenville, SC. I've been working in my career over a decade now - and am ready to start a side-hustle in RE investing, building some passive income with a buy and hold strategy. Glad to see many other engineers getting in on the RE game! I highly recommend any into #'s (which should be all of us engineers) to read Frank Gallinelli's book "What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know about Cash Flow". Best of luck all!

One of my favorite real estate books! Solid recommendation
2 Reply
Account Closed
Rental Property Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2018 · 7 posts · 5 votes
6y
I am a cloud engineer.
2 Reply
Jonathan Hasan
Member since 2019 · 57 posts · 25 votes
6y
Former product engineer in St. Louis. I have been an engineer for 8 months before covid hit. Now I am looking at real estate as a way of providing a secondary source of income.
2 Reply
Account Closed
Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2018 · 420 posts · 388 votes
6y
@Adam Zach guilty as charged 🤷🏼‍♂️
1 Reply
Kingsley Obasi
Member since 2019 · 7 posts · 3 votes
6y
From the South Jersey area, I am a BSME and beginning my MSME this upcoming spring semester. Recently resigned from a federal engineering work to engage in real estate investing full-time until the spring semester. Closing on my first house next week with my group. Hoping to learn and gain a lo.
3 Reply
Sean Rana
New to Real Estate · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2020 · 38 posts · 28 votes
6y
While I am not an engineer, I certainly see that an engineer could be great, as a lot of objective analysis and decision is involved when designing different structures, and with real estate, that can be a great benefit as a lot of times, people invest out of emotion and make incorrect decisions. Furthermore, in this economic environment, I will definitely suggest for anyone to try to look into replacing their ordinary income with a source of passive income, and I do think that real estate can get the job done.
2 Reply
Matthew Reid
Rental Property Investor · Jonesboro, AR · Member since 2019 · 105 posts · 59 votes
6y
Mechanical Engineer that works as a project Engineer. It has proved very beneficial in managing the real estate projects. 👍👍
2 Reply
Jorge FigueroaPro Member
New to Real Estate · Member since 2019 · 2 posts · 2 votes
6y
Electrical Engineer from Chicago/Milwaukee land area. As much as I enjoy engineering and going to different locations for commissioning of automation control systems, I really enjoy real estate. Just have one rental so far but continue to look for that next deal.
2 Reply
Andrew DausPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Gilbert, AZ · Member since 2019 · 43 posts · 21 votes
6y
I'm a hydrologist working for a water resources engineering firm in Tempe, so I'd call myself a quasi-engineer as I don't have a degree in engineering (Bachelor's in Environmental Science, Master's in Hydrology), but I do engineering tasks daily.
Andrew Daus
2 Reply
Will Hii
Investor · Tempe, AZ · Member since 2017 · 1 post · 3 votes
6y
Drainage transportation engineer for a consulting firm in Tempe AZ! Being an engineer helps with understanding the numbers and logic behind the financial analysis part of REI.
Also, as an aspiring Project Manager, I've felt that RE has helped with understanding some components of management and there has been a lot of cross-sharing of concepts that I have applied to both my day job and my real estate hustle!
3 Reply
Hezy Washington
Member since 2020 · 1 post · 2 votes
6y
Mechanical Engineer from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I am currently looking to find my first deal.
2 Reply
Ryan Swan
Real Estate Agent · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2012 · 640 posts · 457 votes
6y
Breakdown of my investor clients by their professions (this is roughly from memory)
1) Doctors / medical profession
2) Sales (technology and payment processing two big ones)
3) Software engineers
4) General engineers (have quite a few clients in this space....mechanical, electrical, even one optical specialist)
5) Everything else - I love talking to people and learning the interesting ways they make money.
2 Reply
Jason Givens
Member since 2020 · 11 posts · 3 votes
6y
I am also a systems engineer for IT. I love my job.
It is quite literally allowing me to perform REI.
2 Reply
Account Closed
Rental Property Investor · Glens Falls, NY · Member since 2016 · 176 posts · 169 votes
6y
Civil/Environmental here.
2 Reply
Jennifer Gill
Member since 2020 · 1 post · 3 votes
6y
Also a meche and bought my first house as a duplex, rented the whole thing out and live in my second house now. Currently looking for a second duplex
3 Reply
Wale LawalBusiness Member
Real Estate Broker · Houston | Dallas | Austin, TX · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
I am a Project Engineer and I started REI about 3 years ago. It has been an interesting journey and I always look forward to my next deals.
[email protected]832-776-9582 Podcast Guest on Show #469
NETWORTH BUILDERS5236 Reviews
Website View Page
2 Reply
Massis Tavitian
Member since 2020 · 2 posts · 2 votes
6y
Geologist working in geotechnical engineering here!
2 Reply
Ivan F TrivinoPro Member
Member since 2020 · 1 post · 2 votes
6y
I'm an Aerospace Engineer, total rookie here trying to close on my first deal!
2 Reply
Steven Zoernack
Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2020 · 12 posts · 11 votes
6y
I think engineers are more organized and precise in general. For me, I've also found efficiency to be a priority and it helps so much in commercial real estate lending. I attended Boston University's School of Engineering as an Electrical Engineer. My Father was an Electrician and he was very organized, precise and efficient as well. If he ran electrical cables in an attic where no one ever see them, still they would be lined up perfectly straight and at right angles around corners etc. I learned a lot from him as well, and also that its very important to take pride in your work, whether someone will see it or not.
3 Reply
Forrest Faulconer
Real Estate Agent · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2020 · 471 posts · 462 votes
6y
Hey! I got my degree in Energy Systems Engineering and currently work as an Electrical Engineer in commercial construction. I have home building and landlord experience and recently got my real estate license in Oklahoma. I am refinancing our house and positioning myself to begin purchasing rental real estate. For me, engineering is a stable paycheck until I am able to go into full-time real estate. That being said, I am thankful for the problem solving and technical skills I received in my education, as I know they will serve me well in my RE venture! Good luck and get going on those spreadsheets!
2 Reply
Sam Lenderman
Chesapeake, VA · Member since 2018 · 14 posts · 14 votes
6y
Aerospace Engineer here starting to get into wholesaling!
3 Reply
Gabriela Peres Ramirez
Member since 2020 · 5 posts · 2 votes
6y
I am a Transportation and husband is Structural engineer. People tell us to invest in stocks and we can't find the romanticism of buying, fixing and selling homes in buying and selling virtual stocks...
1 Reply
Gloria N GearBusiness Member
Realtor · Indianapolis IN · Member since 2018 · 464 posts · 339 votes
6y
I love this post!! I am married to a mechanical engineer in the aerospace industry who is enjoying flipping on the side. I worked for 2 civil engineering companies before I became a realtor. I have always said that engineers are a strange breed - their minds just think differently. BUT, by having so many years experience working with engineers helps me work with investors. It is all about the formula - if the deal works, great! if not, on to the next project.
1 Reply
Maria Bakaj
Real Estate Agent · Denver, CO · Member since 2020 · 103 posts · 65 votes
6y
My husband is a Software Engineer and I worked in Software Engineering. As a Realtor, 90% of the clients I've worked with have also been engineers.
2 Reply

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