TSA Realty Specialist: 1170 Leasing, Property and Resume Evidence
TSA Realty Specialists help the agency acquire, use, administer and release the real property and leased space required for transportation-security operations.
The occupation is classified in federal series 1170, Realty. OPM does not publish a separate Individual Occupational Requirement for this series, so qualification depends on the general administrative standard and the specialized experience stated in the vacancy.
TSA publicly identifies Real Estate Specialist and Supervisory Real Estate Specialist among its Mission Support property careers.
Role at a Glance
| Topic | General current information |
|---|---|
| Occupational series | 1170 Realty |
| Career family | Mission Support property and real estate |
| Main purpose | Acquire, administer and dispose of federal or leased property interests |
| Degree requirement | Not universal |
| Specialized experience | Commonly required |
| Federal resume | Required |
| Negotiation experience | Commonly important |
| Background process | Required |
| Clearance or sensitivity | Position specific |
| Travel | Position specific |
| Telework | Vacancy specific |
| Private commission role | No |
| Law-enforcement authority | No |
What Realty Work Can Include
Assignments can involve:
- identifying space requirements;
- market research;
- site evaluation;
- lease acquisition;
- lease administration;
- occupancy agreements;
- airport or commercial-space coordination;
- negotiation of terms;
- rent and operating-cost review;
- space planning;
- property records;
- renewal, expansion or reduction decisions;
- resolving landlord or occupancy issues;
- coordinating alterations;
- property transition;
- disposal or release of space; and
- advising program offices on real-estate options.
The work can support airports, headquarters offices, training locations, warehouses, laboratories or other operational facilities.
Federal Realty Versus Private Brokerage
A TSA Realty Specialist does not act as a private buyer’s agent or seller’s agent for a commission.
The employee represents federal interests and must follow:
- statutory authority;
- federal property policy;
- delegated real-estate authority;
- competition and market-research requirements;
- ethics and conflict-of-interest rules;
- documentation standards;
- funding limitations; and
- agency approval processes.
Private-sector real-estate experience can be relevant, but applicants must explain how it translates to public-sector leasing, documentation and stewardship.
Lease Acquisition
A lease-acquisition assignment can require the specialist to:
- clarify operational and space requirements;
- determine the acquisition strategy;
- conduct market research;
- coordinate technical and security requirements;
- prepare or support solicitation documents;
- evaluate locations and offers;
- negotiate business terms;
- document the decision;
- coordinate legal and funding reviews; and
- support occupancy and administration.
The specialist does not independently waive required competition, funding or approval steps because a location appears convenient.
Lease Administration
After award or occupancy, work can include:
- tracking rent and operating costs;
- managing renewal or termination dates;
- coordinating repairs or alterations;
- resolving lessor performance issues;
- reviewing occupancy and use;
- documenting changes;
- supporting claims or disputes;
- maintaining official files;
- coordinating inspections; and
- planning future space needs.
A strong lease administrator controls deadlines and records rather than waiting for a problem to become urgent.
Realty Versus Facilities Operations
| Realty Specialist 1170 | Facilities Operations Specialist |
|---|---|
| Manages property interests, leases and agreements | Coordinates day-to-day building operations and services |
| Focuses on acquisition, occupancy rights and disposition | Focuses on maintenance, utilities, repairs and service continuity |
| Negotiates and administers real-estate terms | Oversees vendors, work orders and facility support |
| Can plan long-term space strategy | Keeps current space functional and safe |
The roles work together but are not interchangeable.
Read the TSA Facilities Operations Specialist guide.
Realty Versus Contracting
A Realty Specialist manages real-property transactions under real-estate authority. A Contract Specialist in series 1102 manages federal procurement contracts.
Both roles can involve competition, negotiation, documentation and government funds, but the legal authorities, instruments and qualification frameworks differ.
A real-estate agreement is not automatically an 1102 procurement action, and an 1102 title does not automatically grant real-estate authority.
Qualifications
Relevant specialized experience can include:
- federal or commercial leasing;
- real-estate acquisition;
- property management;
- lease administration;
- negotiations;
- market analysis;
- site selection;
- property records;
- space planning;
- occupancy agreements;
- claims or dispute support;
- real-estate appraisal support;
- disposal; and
- advising customers on property options.
A degree in real estate, business, finance, public administration, law, construction management or a related field can help, but it is not universally required.
Federal Resume Evidence
A strong resume should identify:
- property or lease type;
- square footage or portfolio size;
- number of locations;
- market area;
- transaction value or annual rent where disclosure is permitted;
- acquisition or administration phase;
- negotiations personally conducted;
- stakeholders coordinated;
- lease issues resolved;
- records or systems used;
- deadlines controlled;
- cost avoidance or savings;
- occupancy outcomes;
- dates; and
- hours worked per week.
Useful outcomes can include:
- completed occupancy before a mission deadline;
- prevented an avoidable lease lapse;
- negotiated improved terms;
- reduced unused space;
- corrected inaccurate property records;
- resolved recurring lessor performance problems;
- supported a successful relocation; or
- improved portfolio reporting.
Do not disclose protected facility locations, layouts, vulnerabilities, security requirements or procurement-sensitive negotiations.
Negotiation and Ethics
Realty Specialists can face pressure from landlords, brokers, program offices or local stakeholders.
Professional conduct requires:
- impartial treatment;
- avoidance of conflicts of interest;
- refusal of gifts or improper influence;
- accurate documentation;
- disclosure of relevant personal interests;
- use of delegated authority only;
- protection of source-selection or negotiation information; and
- decisions based on mission, law, value and documented requirements.
A successful negotiation is not simply the lowest rent. It must also satisfy mission, security, schedule, accessibility and total-cost considerations.
Interview Preparation
Prepare examples involving:
- a difficult lease negotiation;
- a location that did not meet requirements;
- a landlord performance problem;
- competing customer priorities;
- a compressed occupancy deadline;
- an inaccurate market assumption;
- a renewal-versus-relocation decision;
- a dispute over responsibility for alterations;
- a conflict-of-interest concern;
- incomplete property records; and
- a transaction that required several approvals.
A strong answer explains your authority, analysis, negotiation strategy, documentation and measurable result.
Can a TSO Move Into Realty?
Yes, after developing relevant property, leasing or administrative qualifications.
Useful preparation can include:
- facilities or property-support assignments;
- contract-administration exposure;
- lease or space-management experience;
- business or real-estate coursework;
- market research;
- negotiation experience;
- project coordination;
- property records; and
- developmental Mission Support roles.
Airport experience can provide useful operational context, but checkpoint screening alone does not prove 1170 specialized experience.
Pay, Location and Telework
Pay depends on TSA band, locality, duty station, portfolio complexity, experience, supervisory responsibility and the final offer.
Realty Specialists can work at headquarters, regional offices or field locations. Some documentation and negotiation work can be telework eligible, while site visits, inspections, market surveys and occupancy coordination require travel or onsite work.
Common Application Mistakes
Applicants often:
- describe private brokerage without explaining government relevance;
- confuse realty with facilities operations;
- confuse lease authority with 1102 contracting authority;
- omit transaction or portfolio scope;
- fail to identify personal negotiation responsibility;
- provide no measurable outcome;
- disclose protected location or security information;
- copy the vacancy;
- omit hours worked per week;
- assume a real-estate licence is universally required; or
- assume telework means fully remote.
Frequently Asked Questions
What series is TSA Realty Specialist?
1170 Realty.
Is a real-estate licence required?
Not universally. The vacancy controls qualification requirements.
Is this the same as Facilities Operations Specialist?
No. Realty manages property interests and leases; facilities operations manages building services and maintenance.
Is this the same as Contract Specialist?
No. The authorities and occupational series differ.
Does the role earn commissions?
No. Federal employees do not act as private commission-based brokers in their official duties.
Can a TSO become a Realty Specialist?
Yes, after developing qualifying real-estate or property-management experience.
Exploring Mission Support roles?
Use the Mission Support careers hub to compare series and education requirements. When a vacancy opens, apply through the TSA application guide and track progress with the application status guide. Many candidates start as TSOs — review the TSA test-prep hub and optional JobTestPrep TSA PrepPack.