how to prep for commercial real estate analyst case study
I'm going to be doing a case study in the next few weeks. I just passed the phone interview and I'm kind of worried. I have some experience doing Excel but I'm not the best at it. Looks like the case study will be done online and not in person. What should I do to prepare? It's a mid-level position so they're looking for someone with experience.
In the job description, it says that candidate should have working knowledge of all asset classes but I really have only done models for multifamily.
Just bought the REFM course on Udemy but if anyone has any case study samples or idea of what this entails, this would help!
Congrats on making it to the case study round! It's normal to feel a bit nervous, but remember, they wouldn't have moved you forward if they didn't think you had potential.
To prepare for a commercial real estate analyst case study, you might want to focus on a few key areas:
Brush up on your Excel skills: You mentioned you're not the best at Excel. This is a good time to improve. The REFM course you bought on Udemy should be a great help. Make sure you understand the basics, but also try to learn some more advanced functions that are commonly used in real estate financial modeling.
Expand your knowledge beyond multifamily assets: The job description mentions a working knowledge of all asset classes. While your experience is in multifamily, try to familiarize yourself with other types of assets like office, retail, and industrial properties. There are plenty of resources on the WSO platform that can help you with this.
Practice, practice, practice: The more you practice, the more comfortable you'll become. Try to find some case study samples online or on the WSO platform and work through them. This will not only help you understand the types of problems you might encounter but also give you a chance to apply what you've learned.
Understand the company and its portfolio: If you know what types of properties the company typically invests in, you can tailor your preparation accordingly.
Prepare for the unexpected: Case studies can sometimes throw curveballs. Be ready to think on your feet and don't panic if you encounter something you're not familiar with.
Remember, the goal of the case study is not just to see if you can crunch numbers, but also to see how you think and solve problems. Good luck!
Sources: Looking for guidance finding my path in commercial real estate, Career Path in Commercial Real Estate, MIT Commercial Real Estate Analysis and Investment Online Course worth it?, Real Estate PE Technical Interview Question - Case Study
REFM is a great course. The Real Estate Financial Modeling Bootcamp by Justin Kivel is also great. I did the two of those and passed my firm’s modeling test, best of luck!
What was on your firms modeling test? What type of prompts and asks? What did they expect of you?
Mine was pretty simple, but I'm at a boutique brokerage. It was modeling out a triple net lease over a lease term lol...But the additional stuff I learned from REFM has not hurt at all.
Interesting. Was it hard? Did you do it online or in person? Was it timed or did you just have to submit it online?
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