Interview by Denny Fisher, Runstad Dept of Real Estate 2025-2026 Undergraduate Ambassador
Carson Sharpe is a recent graduate of the UW Runstad Department of Real Estate’s Bachelor of Science in Real Estate program. He currently serves as a Real Estate Analyst at Microsoft. During his time at UW, Carson was deeply immersed in the program’s ecosystem, actively participating in the Real Estate Club, industry panels, and completing multiple internships. He successfully leveraged the department’s resources to transition into the corporate sector. In his current role, he supports the management of Microsoft’s global portfolio, focusing on strategic analysis and operational efficiency.
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Q: Carson, you are currently a Real Estate Analyst at Microsoft, which manages one of the largest corporate real estate portfolios in the world. Could you give us a snapshot of your day-to-day responsibilities and the types of projects you are working on?
A: My primary responsibility as a real estate analyst on the land acquisition team is to conduct market research, perform risk analysis, and lead cross-functional teams to make informed decisions. My work is largely focused on supporting the infrastructure for Microsoft Cloud Services. It involves pulling in inputs from various stakeholders to ensure we are making the best strategic moves for the portfolio.
Q: Looking back at your time in the program, are there specific courses or technical skills you learned that you find yourself using regularly in your role at Microsoft?
A: Two classes immediately come to mind that are pertinent to my everyday work. First was Keith Leung’s class on Real Estate Investment. What I appreciated most was the emphasis on critical thinking; we weren’t just given a formula, we were given business cases. We had to perform our own research and formulate a defensible thesis on the quality of an investment—learning to see the “forest” of the market, not just the “trees” of the property.
Second was Vince Wang’s Real Estate Data Analysis (RE 397). That course emphasized the importance of interpreting and utilizing data to make decisions, which is central to what I do now.
Q: Success in this industry often requires more than just good grades. What did you do outside of the classroom—whether through the Real Estate Club, competitions, or networking events—that helped you stand out during the recruitment process?
A: First, my past internship experiences were vital. They were an incredible opportunity to take what I was learning in school and apply it to the real world; everything “clicked” once I saw it in practice. I would recommend every undergrad prioritize getting an internship.
Second, I seized the opportunities provided directly by the Real Estate Department. I went to every career fair, in a suit, ready to talk to employers. It can be a little uncomfortable at first, but you have to do it to build the relationships that bring about opportunities. In fact, I met my current employer at a Runstad Department Career Fair.
Q: The UW Runstad Department is known for its strong ties to the local industry. How did the alumni network or mentorship opportunities impact your transition from student to full-time professional?
A: The adjunct professors provided incredible value because they are working professionals, not just academics. They provided insight from reality. For example, Jeff McCann would bring in examples from deals he was working on in real-time, which allowed us to see where “the rubber meets the road.” The real estate courses didn’t just teach the concept of a practice; they exposed me to the industry itself. Learning from a textbook is different than learning from a professor who shows you how the industry actually operates.
Q: Now that you are on the other side of graduation, what is one piece of advice you would give to a current student to help them maximize their time at UW?
A: You get out of it exactly what you put in. As I mentioned earlier: show up to things, do the extracurriculars, and try. You are going to fail more than you succeed at first—I faced plenty of rejection while going to career fairs—but I kept going. It is possible to just “get by” in the major, but you can get so much out of it if you push yourself.
The answer is always “no” unless you ask—whether that is asking for a job or asking professors for connections. Real Estate is a people business. When the time comes that people are hiring, if they already know you and what you are about, you are much more likely to succeed.
