Advice for Employers and Recruiters
Why September is the best time to apply for and hire real estate interns
September is a turning point in the real estate industry. The fall market is heating up, projects for the coming year are taking shape, and students are settling back into their academic routines. That timing makes September one of the best moments for students to search for internships in the real estate industry, and for employers to hire those students as interns. Employers can bring on interns who are eager to dive into the busy season, while students get the chance to learn directly from the industry at one of its most active times. The result is a foundation that sets both sides up for long-term success.
- September Resets Real Estate Recruitment Cycle
- Fall Offers Ideal Learning Environment
- Witness Seasonal Market Shifts Firsthand
- Experience Fall Rush in Real Time
- Plan Ahead for Next Year’s Opportunities
- Set Foundation for Successful Spring Season
- Align with Academic and Industry Calendars
- Secure Top Talent Before Competition Intensifies
- Capitalize on Students’ Career-Focused Mindset
- Gain Early Access to Real-World Experience
- Lock in Positions Before Year-End
- Prepare Interns for Upcoming Project Pipeline
- Beat Competing Industries to Qualified Candidates
- Leverage September’s Market Momentum
- Seize Early Opportunities for Career Growth
- Train During Quiet Months for Success
September Resets Real Estate Recruitment Cycle
September acts as a reset button for students and busy real estate brokerages like Pepine Realty. This fresh energy makes it the ideal time to plan internships focusing on houses, client service, title, property management, and community projects.
Recruiting in September provides time to design roles intentionally: defining what an intern will learn each week, how they will engage with open houses, market houses, communicate with clients, and impact the community. This level of planning is only possible before end-of-semester deadlines and holiday rushes.
Students applying in September are ahead of the curve. Their applications arrive when career centers are busy, inboxes are not overloaded, and recruiters are actively evaluating. This improves their chances of receiving interviews and offers, particularly in real estate, where experiential training matters.
Ultimately, September launches a real estate internship cycle built on clarity, connection, and real-world responsibilities. It benefits both students and brokerages and strengthens the pipeline of talent eager to learn about homes, families, and community.
Betsy Pepine
Owner and Real Estate Broker, Pepine Realty
Fall Offers Ideal Learning Environment
September is when the dust settles from the summer rush, and that’s exactly why it matters. The phones don’t ring nonstop like they did in June, so there’s room to slow down and actually teach. I’ve brought students in during this window and watched them sit side by side with agents, learning how to follow up with clients, prep listings, and manage the details that often get overlooked in peak season.
For employers, it’s the sweet spot: you’re not scrambling, but you’re not in hibernation either. For students, you’re walking into an office that’s still active but has time to invest in you. I once had an intern start in September who, by the time spring rolled back around, could handle showings on their own because they had months of guided practice. That kind of head start simply doesn’t happen if you wait until the busy season.
Jeff Burke
CEO, Jeff Burke & Associates
Witness Seasonal Market Shifts Firsthand
September is critical because it gives interns a front-row seat to the shift from slower summer months into the busier fall market. I’ve seen interns light up when they realize how quickly buyer urgency changes after Labor Day. One student I mentored was able to track listings from sitting unsold in August to moving quickly by October, which gave them a unique understanding of demand cycles. Starting then also helps them build momentum before the holiday slowdown. It’s an ideal time for students to apply because they’ll see a fuller picture of how real estate markets flow across seasons.
Peter Kim
Owner, Odigo Real Estate Club
Experience Fall Rush in Real Time
September is really a turning point in real estate because it marks the shift from summer’s slower pace to the fall rush. Houses start moving again, listings pick up, and clients come back with renewed energy after taking a break during the hotter months. For students looking at internships, this is the moment to jump in because the market is active, and teams are gearing up for the final quarter push. Employers in real estate are often planning their pipeline for the next year, and bringing interns on board now allows them to train and integrate new talent when the pace is picking up.
For students, starting in September gives them a front-row seat to the flow of deals, open houses, client interactions, and the behind-the-scenes work that doesn’t slow down once the summer ends. It’s a chance to learn in real time how houses get marketed, how contracts move, and how a real estate team operates when the energy and stakes are higher. Interns who get involved now have time to contribute meaningfully, see the impact of their work, and build relationships with clients and agents before the busiest months hit. The experience is far richer starting in September than waiting until winter when the market slows.
Justin Landis
Founder, Justin Landis Group
Plan Ahead for Next Year’s Opportunities
It marks the moment when the industry starts thinking about the year ahead in a very concrete way. For employers, it’s the time to plan for the cycles of the market, especially as we move into the busy fall season. Teams are looking at upcoming listings, leases, and sales pipelines, and bringing in interns at this stage gives students a chance to learn in real time as deals are being evaluated and executed.
For students, applying in September means they’re entering the process at the point where they can actually see how the day-to-day operations of real estate play out, from analyzing market trends to touring properties and understanding client priorities. It also gives interns time to settle into the rhythm of a firm, learn the systems and culture, and contribute meaningfully before the end-of-year push. Houses, commercial properties, and multifamily buildings are all part of the story that interns get to experience hands-on, and that exposure is invaluable when it comes to shaping career direction. Starting early in September positions both employers and students to make the most of the learning and talent opportunities available, and it sets a foundation that carries through the rest of the real estate cycle. It’s about timing and momentum in an industry where every move counts.
Erik Egelko
President, Palm Tree Properties
Set Foundation for Successful Spring Season
September matters because it sets the tone for the next real estate cycle. Families who buy or sell in the spring are already planning by late fall, and internships that begin in January or early spring need to be filled before the holidays hit. If you wait until October or November, you’ll lose out; students are already tied up, and employers are scrambling to train when business picks up. I’ve seen it firsthand where the interns who start conversations in September end up with stronger placements, more hands-on experience, and better relationships going into the busy season. It’s the right window to line up talent before the market demands your full focus.
Jimmy Welch
President, The Jimmy Welch Team
Align with Academic and Industry Calendars
September is the intersection of school years and real estate seasons, and is strategically valuable for both employers and students. October and into November, many of the businesses in Des Moines are wrapping up misses from the summer and starting to prep for spring listings, renovation schedules. By recruiting interns in September, they can come on board and be trained during the quiet winter months and then really contribute when the busy season hits in March and April.
In my own projects, I’ve discovered that interns who begin in September have sufficient runway to comprehend the fundamentals of zoning research, cost estimating and vendor coordination before the make-or-break spring season. By the time we reach the firehose rush of inspections and closings in May, they’re not anymore trainees — they’re contributors.
Jacob Naig
Owner & Real Estate Investor, Webuyhousesindesmoines
Secure Top Talent Before Competition Intensifies
September is a turning point in real estate intern recruitment, as it coincides well with the academic cycle. Students are returning to campus, career centers are busiest, and candidates are eager to secure opportunities before their coursework intensifies. Early starters can access a motivated pool of talent before they are taken by other competing industries. Personally, I have witnessed that interns who join in the fall can become full-time employees by the end of their college years since they have a longer runway period to learn and contribute value. Delaying until spring usually results in missing out on the best candidates, who have made commitments elsewhere.
Gagan Saini
Real Estate Expert & Director of Acquisitions at Jit Home Buyers, JiT Home Buyers
Capitalize on Students’ Career-Focused Mindset
September is often the month of new beginnings, at least in the academic calendar, and this explains why it also doubles as one of the peak recruitment months, especially for industries and businesses looking to take on student interns.
September is a critical time for employers to start recruiting for real estate internships and also for students to start applying to those internships. For companies, it’s the best time to take advantage of the fact that thoughts of their career and professional future are fresh on the minds of students. As such, students are eager to gain practical experiences as well as build networks that prepare them to put their best foot forward when it’s time to enter the job market.
For students interested in pursuing a career in real estate, September is a good time to start applying for internships. This is when companies start posting internship opportunities for the academic year. The truth about internships is that the earlier you start applying, the more likely it becomes to land positions in your chosen firms, because the slots at many top firms and businesses tend to fill up very fast. This is why, in order to stay ahead of the competition, it’s crucial to begin when the doors of opportunity first open: in September.
Oren Sofrin
Founder, Real Estate Expert and Investor, Business Owner., Eaglecashbuyers
Gain Early Access to Real-World Experience
From my perspective, September is critical because it’s the point when the real estate market starts to pick up again after summer, and firms can clearly see what support they’ll need heading into the busy fall and spring seasons. For students, applying early gives them the best shot at securing roles before positions fill up, while also aligning them with mentorship and training opportunities during a period when agents are highly active and can offer real-world experience rather than just theory.
Adam Chahl
Owner / Realtor, Vancouver Home Search
Lock in Positions Before Year-End
September is critical because many brokerages finalize their spring and summer intern cohorts before the end of the year. Students who apply early have access to more positions and better choices, while employers secure top candidates before the market becomes competitive.
Zev Freidus
President Zfc Real Estate, ZFC Real Estate
Prepare Interns for Upcoming Project Pipeline
For many real estate development firms, Q4 is when budgets are finalized, capital plans are reviewed, and new projects are queued up for the coming year. Recruiting interns and students in September ensures they’re ready to contribute as project activity ramps up in spring and summer. Bringing talent in early also gives you time to train them, immerse them in your company culture, and align their learning with your project pipeline, rather than scrambling for help once deadlines hit.
Amy Copeland
Senior Marketing Manager, Boldt
Beat Competing Industries to Qualified Candidates
Most universities finalize their schedules and students lock in their semester commitments in September. If an employer waits until later, students are already balancing classes, part-time jobs, and other obligations. By beginning early in September, employers are able to reach students just before their calendars close. Both parties are happier since they have more freedom to select structured internship hours without interference.
Real estate companies frequently don’t realize how fast other sectors hire qualified applicants. Jobs in tech, consulting, and finance are filled early in the school year, sometimes as early as August. If a broking firm or property management firm waits until October or November, they are playing from a smaller pool. Recruiting in September allows you to compete at the ideal moment, when students still have options to consider and the best ones haven’t been taken yet, rather than just filling a seat.
Chris Desino
Owner, Ocala
Leverage September’s Market Momentum
September matters because it’s when the momentum in real estate starts to shift after the quieter summer months. Houses that have been sitting on the market through July and August begin to see more serious buyers, and new listings often come online as families settle back into routines.
For students, applying for internships in September means they get a front-row view of how real estate really works when activity ramps up. They’re not just shadowing someone; they’re seeing how agents manage multiple houses, negotiate offers, and keep transactions moving. Employers benefit because this is the time they can bring in interns who have the energy and availability to learn while contributing meaningfully.
Real estate is all about timing and relationships, and September is a chance for both sides to get a jump on the busy season. Interns have the opportunity to form connections that carry through the year, while firms gain extra hands to manage open houses, listings, and client communications. Starting in September positions students to absorb lessons from the market’s natural cycles, see how deals progress from listing to closing, and understand the nuances of working in a fast-paced, relationship-driven industry. It’s a month where preparation translates directly into experience, insight, and opportunity.
Matt Ward
Team Lead, The Matt Ward Group
Seize Early Opportunities for Career Growth
September is a make-or-break month for real estate internships because it’s when students and employers are both kicking things into high gear. Honestly, what I’ve found is that students come back to campus with a renewed focus on their careers and start searching for meaningful fall and spring opportunities. At the same time, real estate firms know that if they want fresh, ambitious talent for busy seasons or project pipelines, they need to move early. By mid-September, I’ve seen some of the top candidates already locked in elsewhere.
This window is all about timing. Wait too long, and you’re picking from a much smaller talent pool. But if you show up in September with roles ready and a clear message of what you offer, you’re much more likely to snag the driven interns who’ll bring energy and fresh ideas to your team. It’s a classic case of “the early bird gets the worm,” and in real estate, things move fast, so no one wants to miss their shot.
Dominykas Kalvelis
Owner, We Buy NJ Homes Fast
Train During Quiet Months for Success
September is critical because it sits right before the real estate market starts heating up again in the spring and early summer. For employers, hiring at this point means they have plenty of time to train new interns during the relatively quiet months, so that by the time the market gets busy, those interns will be ready to add real value to the company.
For students, this is a good time to start applying for internship opportunities because it gives them a chance to secure a role before the competition intensifies later in the academic year. It also means that they enter the real estate market at the exact moment when experienced professionals have enough bandwidth to mentor them properly.
Luke Patterson
Co-Founder / Senior Mortgage Broker, Koalify
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