REFAI Certification: πŸ‘ or πŸ‘Ž

A question for those already working in REPE / Real Estate Development:

I got a huge discount on REFAI when it was on sale and I’m curious to know how good this program is to prepare for Analyst positions at REPE & Development firms? Are the models actually similar to those at institutional shops?

I’ve done Break into CRE courses, but I’ve heard that the models you build there aren’t like the ones you’d actually use on the job. I would appreciate some more insight.

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Do certificates for your own benefit, not to impress employers. They are far more useful for gaining knowledge than they are for boosting your profile. 

And then, IMO, the biggest issue with models in programs like Breaking into CRE IMO is not that they don't match actual on-the-job models, but that is is very rare that you are actually building a new model on the job. 90% of what you do is plug numbers into an already-built model, and any modeling on your own is typically adapting that model to incorporate new complications or product types. If anyone is out there building models from scratch for every new deal, they are horribly inefficient, but so many of these interview tests are just that: building models from scratch. 

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

CRE:

Do certificates for your own benefit, not to impress employers. They are far more useful for gaining knowledge than they are for boosting your profile. 



And then, IMO, the biggest issue with models in programs like Breaking into CRE IMO is not that they don't match actual on-the-job models, but that is is very rare that you are actually building a new model on the job. 90% of what you do is plug numbers into an already-built model, and any modeling on your own is typically adapting that model to incorporate new complications or product types. If anyone is out there building models from scratch for every new deal, they are horribly inefficient, but so many of these interview tests are just that: building models from scratch. 


That is exactly why I’m doing it - I wanted a better understand of real estate finance & financial modeling in excel. Thanks for the insight.

 

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