Alex Greenhalgh

Nationality: British
MSc Course: MSc Real Estate
Graduation year: 2024

“Bayes has been a fantastic springboard for my real estate career”

“If you throw yourself into it, what you can achieve in a year is quite fantastic. I really do feel that I’ve got a material advantage compared to people who haven’t had the Bayes experience.”

Alex Greenhalgh is reflecting on a transformational twelve months at Bayes Business School on the MSc Real Estate. With a first degree in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History from Oxford, what initially drew him to the real estate sector?

“I had family who were already in the industry, and I liked the emphasis placed on inter-personal relationships. I was attracted to being a real estate investment manager, as I enjoy analytical processes - the fact you can combine that in an industry which really values human interaction, was particularly appealing. To gain some experience and insight, I completed a couple of internships during the summer holidays during my undergraduate degree; I had been on an internship right before starting at Bayes.”

“I picked Bayes because in the broader real estate industry, the course has a reputation for being highly practical, while some of the other universities I looked at were much more theoretical. My first degree was purely theoretical, and so I was keen to do something which was more applied, and with a better balance of practice and theory.”

“Another important factor was that I wanted to be in London. It’s where I am from, and I was excited to begin my professional life here. If you want to be in the real estate industry, it's where the majority of large European firms are based or headquartered. I wanted to be able to make the most of the experience in London and be able to go and meet other people in the industry and build my network alongside my studies.”

A course that delivers skills, knowledge and experience

Alex found that the MSc Real Estate gave him everything he needed to accelerate his career in the industry.

“You learn a lot of technical skills, but the thing I found really valuable is the general knowledge the course provides across the entire real estate industry. We did such a breadth of modules on topics including credit, project management, construction, development, valuation processes, even covering aspects of the law. Having that wider knowledge has been incredibly useful in my career, because I have an understanding of many of the issues at play in the sector.

“Bayes gives you fantastic access to top tier resources. For example, Costar is a very expensive specialist platform that you’d normally only have access to via your company. During the course, I could use Costar to look up recent transactions and do a deep dive into articles that covered all the relevant topics. It means that when you go out into the professional world afterwards, you’ve got a much better appreciation for all the different aspects of the real estate market. There is a lot of jargon in the industry and terms which can be difficult to grasp. From my time at Bayes, I can navigate not just conversations but properly understand how different areas interlink and work together.”

Coursework that led to founding a company

Students on the MSc are assessed through a combination of coursework, group projects, presentations and exams. For Alex, one particular piece of coursework gave him an invaluable insight into the sector.

“On the Investment Vehicles and Portfolios module, taught by Alex Moss, Director of the Real Estate Research Centre, the coursework was to pitch a vehicle for an investment strategy. The pitchbook we created for that coursework landed on the desk of a potential sponsor. They got in touch and said they would be willing to back us as a business, if we wanted to have a more serious conversation about it. Conversations turned into contracts and so it was off the back of that piece of coursework that Granicus Management became a reality.”

“It’s been a great experience – really grappling with what’s practical and doable as a new entrant into the real estate sector, which is predominantly made up of major players. Although we had the financial support of a capital partner, we were bidding on buildings alongside enormous financial institutions. It was a real trial by fire, going in at the deep end.”

“It was a fantastic experience to have at such a young age, and one that wouldn't have been possible without Bayes. It’s given me a thick skin, and I’ll take everything I’ve learned into my career going forward.”

Building a network at Bayes

“When you do your master’s at Bayes, you completely immerse yourself in the subject. You talk to your peers about the roles they are interested in, you attend guest lectures and networking events, and you’re talking out new business ideas with like-minded people. It’s a really good way of effectively mimicking professional life to some degree, but where you can be completely intellectually curious.”

“After the guest lectures, I’d try and meet with the speakers, and that led to all sorts of conversations and introductions. It’s a constant chain reaction of learning and networking. Being in London, you can easily meet new contacts, ask for advice and seek out industry insight. Bayes location makes that so easy – if you are outside of London, there are barriers you need to overcome.”

“If you are looking to go into real estate, it is and always will be a people’s industry. It’s all about your network, who you know, being a good person and treating other people well. I think what Bayes gives you is a ready-made group of diverse people from all over the world, with similar interests and at the same career stage. Your classmates are not just prospective colleagues to do future business with, but people you build lasting friendships with. It makes your work life better knowing that you’ve got trusted friends you can put in a call to, if you aren’t sure how something works.”

Finding relevant part-time work alongside studying

“I secured a part-time job through the Careers Service that was a fantastic complement to my studies. It was the perfect balance and a great way of getting some very practical experience. I worked for a small London-based developer, and it showed me what property entrepreneurialism looks like. It was as if I was on a course in being a real estate entrepreneur. It was all done through the Careers Service and so I am massively thankful for their help.”

Alex has advice for anyone contemplating following in his footsteps on one of Bayes’ real estate degrees:

“Although the MSc will teach you everything you need to know, try and get some experience in the industry before you start. Be diligent about the preparatory materials they send you in advance and try to complete work experience or an internship if you can. That way, you’ll get the most out of the course. Because I already understood some of the fundamentals before I started, it allowed me time to really do a deep dive on certain topics of interest. I was able to make the most of the resources on offer and felt comfortable doing extracurricular studying. It’s a steep learning curve when you start, and the concepts can be difficult to wrap your head around, so I think doing a bit of work just to soften that curve can be useful.”

A connected community

Alex has formed strong bonds with his fellow students, and looks to the future with anticipation:

“I’m excited to see where everybody ends up in five or ten years’ time. Bayes holds a summer party at the end of the course, and I remember reflecting on what a great year it had been. I met some great people and we’re all embarking on our career journeys at the same time. Seeing where we all end up is going to be exciting.”

“The course reaffirmed that I have picked the right industry. The real estate world is full of great people and it’s an area where I am happy to continue my career. Bayes exposes you to every element of the real estate spectrum, and you can tailor the master’s towards your goals. For example, if you wanted to go down a more traditional Chartered Surveying route, you could. Alternatively, if your interest was real estate finance, you can follow that path.”