What should you be reading for real estate?
Reading real estate-related news is one of the easiest ways you can start to separate yourself from others. Not to mention, it’s super practical and you can start doing it today.
My guess is, if you are reading this, you are already someone who is active with self improvement, so here’s more on how to start reading to increase your real estate awareness and knowledge and why it’s so important.
One of our goals at A.CRE is to dedicate our time, resources, and expertise to help our readers grow and evolve faster in their careers. One way we do this is by training you in the technical skills needed to hit the ground running on day one, like our A.CRE Accelerator program.
We also have a considerable amount of content geared towards helping you learn soft skills, identifying what companies you’d like to work for, and facilitating new hires with resources like our job board and our CRE Career Connections program.
In this article, I interviewed Spencer Burton, the Co-Founder of Adventures in CRE, to get his thoughts on why reading is so important and what it will teach you.
What do you read?
“The Wall Street Journal is always open on one of my monitors because I want to be in the know of geopolitical, financial, and political news from national and international events. This is a publication I read at least twice per day.”
“Bloomberg, I read for more financial market insights. For instance, the CPI reading for September came out recently and Bloomberg had some good analysis on why the market was moving the way it was.”
“Green Street is something I read for real estate-specific analytics. But it’s very expensive for students.”
Spencer also mentioned Bisnow, Globe Street, and Costar News as great websites for real estate-specific news.
Why is it important to be reading real estate-related news?
“It’s important for any student to understand the industry they are going into, the macro environment that is affecting your industry and how it’s changing, where opportunities are today and where might opportunities be tomorrow.
“Students will get a familiarity with the industry, and understanding of how the market is changing, and how that would impact their job prospects, help them prepare for answers to interview questions, and help them understand which firms are positioned for success.”
Conclusion
The goal of these types of publications is to add value to their readers with noteworthy stories that will help students and professionals in the CRE business make better business decisions.
As a former college student who didn’t read the paper, I’ve learned recently how many real estate professionals read certain news articles, like The Wall Street Journal or The Business Journals. For example, I was out to lunch with a real estate owner, and he was talking about what he was reading in the Wall Street Journal and how I thought it was going to affect his real estate.
This meeting got me thinking about sharing this insight with y’all.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Reading to Improve Real Estate Knowledge
Why is reading real estate news important?
According to Spencer Burton, “It’s important for any student to understand the industry they are going into, the macro environment that is affecting your industry and how it’s changing, where opportunities are today and where might opportunities be tomorrow.” Reading builds industry familiarity, improves interview readiness, and helps you identify strong firms.
What types of publications should I be reading?
You should read both general financial news and real estate-specific sources. Spencer Burton recommends:
The Wall Street Journal (for geopolitical, financial, and political news)
Bloomberg (for financial market insights)
Green Street (for real estate analytics — though it’s expensive for students)
Bisnow, Globe Street, and Costar News (for real estate-specific headlines)
How often should I be reading real estate news?
Spencer Burton shares, “The Wall Street Journal is always open on one of my monitors… I read it at least twice per day.” Frequent reading helps you stay current and form habits that deepen your market understanding.
What are the benefits of reading for career development in CRE?
Reading helps students and professionals make better business decisions and stay prepared for industry changes. It also enhances your ability to speak confidently in interviews, understand company performance, and identify where job opportunities are growing.
What if I didn’t grow up reading newspapers—does it still help?
Yes. The article’s author reflects, “As a former college student who didn’t read the paper, I’ve learned recently how many real estate professionals read certain news articles…” It’s never too late to start, and doing so will help you fit into the professional culture of CRE.
How can reading improve my interview performance?
Being informed allows you to answer questions with context and confidence. Reading real estate news shows that you’re engaged with current events, understand the market, and can discuss how external trends affect firms—key traits interviewers look for.
Where can I find additional career support in CRE?
A.CRE offers resources like the A.CRE Accelerator, job board, and CRE Career Connections to help you grow. “One way we do this is by training you in the technical skills needed to hit the ground running on day one,” says the article.
