Finnish Real Estate professionals- Technical experts or composite athletes?

In Finland, certification of real estate executives began in 1999. Until February 2001, 47 real estate professionals have been certified. These managers largely have their background in construction or engineering: 40 % of them are graduate engineers and 11 % construction engineers. (Luoma 2000) This is mainly due to the traditions of Finnish real estate education being largely based on the study of construction technology, house-building and surveying. Economic and financial aspects have traditionally received minor attention. (Hedvall ñ Leiwo 2000). One of the aims of the certification of Finnish real estate executives is to enhance the versatility of competencies required in the futureís business environment: property professionals have to be experts on real estate as well as on business management and financial issues. These requirements and expectations provide a great challenge for both real estate professionals themselves and also for the education institutes. In this paper, the current qualities and competencies of Finnish real estate managers as well as competencies required in the future are analysed. What are the strengths and challenges of real estate managers? What kind of qualities is required of them in the future? What kind of education and training should be provided (or demanded) to enhance the real estate management in Finland? Comparisons are made with international experiences, where possible. The paper is based on the analysis of the data of 47 certified real estate managers as well as on theme interviews of 20 of them. A literature study will provide both international and basic theoretical information on the matter.