As Houston’s population continues to grow, so does the need for housing, creating opportunities for the next generation of real estate professionals – including area high schoolers
Juan Crawford, Ph.D., Houston City College (HCC) division chair for banking, finance, real estate, marketing, paralegal, and translation and interpretation programs said the region’s growth is helping drive demand for new housing and skilled professionals in the industry.
“We are in the fourth largest city in North America,” the professor said during a recent appearance on the HCC television program, Up 2 the Minute. “There’s 7.5 million people here.”
Dr. Crawford said approximately 5,400 people move to the Houston area each month, increasing the demand for housing and creating opportunities for real estate professionals throughout the area.
To help students take advantage of opportunities, HCC’s has developed a dual-credit real estate program that allows high school students to complete the coursework required for a Texas real estate license before graduation.
The program, available across select local high schools and via designated HCC campuses like Eastside, includes six required courses spread across students’ junior and senior years. During their final semester, students participate in exam preparation and a 16-week internship designed to provide hands-on industry experience.
Dr. Crawford said the program offers benefits beyond preparing students for careers in real estate. It also introduces them to financial concepts many adults do not learn until later in life.
“At 18, they know what a mortgage is. I did not know what a mortgage was at 18,” Dr. Crawford said. “They would know the difference between buying a house and renting a house. They would know about wealth, building equity and controlling their future.”
The dual-credit program also provides students with an alternative pathway into the workforce while keeping the door open for additional education. Students can earn industry credentials, gain practical experience and develop income-generating skills while still in high school.
With Houston continuing to expand and demand for housing remaining strong, Dr. Crawford said real estate education offers students a chance to build both careers and financial literacy.
“To be able to encourage someone who is 18 years old that there are these possibilities is fulfilling,” Dr. Crawford said. “That’s really life changing.”
Learn more about the HCC Real Estate offerings at hccs.edu/real-estate.
