Breaking into real estate from a non-finance background — realistic?

Very realistic — engineering is an asset, not a handicap. You already understand the physical asset better than most finance hires ever will, which matters enormously in value-add and development.

Close the gap on the finance side visibly: underwrite a few real deals on your own, learn to build and defend a model, and share the work publicly. Then target development shops and value-add operators who value the technical eye. Start smaller — they hire on capability over pedigree and you'll see real deals fast.