The skill that defined entry-level CRE hiring for 50 years just dropped out of the top three.
Our 2026 AI in CRE Survey lands in a few weeks. 727 respondents, and the employment signal is hard to miss.
----- The hiring picture -----
66% of respondents think AI will lead to fewer real estate jobs.
They estimate AI can already do 40% of entry-level work.
28% say they're already hiring fewer people.
Not a forecast. Already happening.
----- What actually changed -----
AI didn't replace modeling overnight, but it looks like it might have killed the premium on it.
A spreadsheet jockey with fast hands used to be valuable. Now AI can crank out a base-case model in minutes. What AI can't do (yet) is tell you which assumptions matter, which scenarios are worth running, and which deals to walk away from.
That's critical thinking. It sits at the top of every hiring manager's list.
----- The uncomfortable math -----
If 28% of firms are already hiring fewer people, and 40% of entry-level work can be automated, the path in just got narrower.
Thinking > processing
PS -- Our next FastTrack cohort opens soon. 95% of the people in the last cohort said it increased their earning capacity.
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