Through Fresh Eyes: What Summer Interns Are Learning About CRE
June 27, 2025 | Mary Doetterl, Research Manager, Lee & Associates – Houston
Each summer, a new class of interns steps into the world of commercial real estate and for many, it’s their first deep dive into the industry. At Lee & Associates, our research team has welcomed numerous interns over the years, each bringing a fresh perspective that both challenges and energizes our work.
This season’s interns joined our research group and quickly discovered that CRE is far more than buildings and leases it’s a world powered by data. From rent growth to absorption rates, they’ve seen how research drives smart decision-making. They’re learning how lease comps, vacancy trends, and market movement come together to tell a story and how that story shapes our clients’ strategies.
They’ve also learned that location intelligence goes beyond ZIP codes. Local knowledge like which corridor is heating up or which developer is quietly assembling parcels gives brokers and clients a critical edge.
Like many newcomers, our interns arrived assuming commercial real estate was all about office space. They’ve since been surprised and intrigued to discover the industry’s diversity, from asset types like industrial logistics hubs, adaptive reuse projects, and land development to service areas such as property management, capital markets, landlord representation, and tenant representation.
At Lee & Associates, we offer internship opportunities every summer with a clear path for growth. Interns may be invited to join full-time as research analysts, with the goal of becoming associate brokers within a year. In the past two years, we’ve promoted seven analysts to associate broker roles across both the industrial and office sectors.
“The internship program helps us identify future leaders,” says Chris Lewis, Managing Principal. “We’re investing in talent that understands the market from the inside out.”
Mike Spears, Managing Principal, adds, “Some of our strongest brokers today started as interns. They come in hungry, analytical, and ready to learn the business.”
But it’s not just the interns learning from us we’re learning from them. They bring tech fluency, energy, and thoughtful questions that challenge our assumptions. Internships like this are shaping the future of our firm — and of the commercial real estate industry.
Lee & Associates – Houston Research
About Lee & Associates – Houston
Lee & Associates – Houston is a fully-integrated commercial real estate company with unrivaled market knowledge and an unwavering commitment to integrity and excellence. Our business-minded brokers specialize in office, industrial, and land real estate investments. Lee & Associates – Houston is part of a nationwide network of brokers in more than 80 offices in North America. The brokerage is uniquely qualified to support our client’s real estate needs in Houston, across Texas, and throughout the US. For more information, visit lee-associates.com/houston.