What it is

A self-study module that can make you more knowledgeable and skilled, improving your in-class performance and competitiveness as a job applicant.

This self-study module gives you:

 Online access to 440+ minutes of easily-navigated video instruction, playable on any device including PC, Mac, phones and tablets

 Accompanying fully-unlocked Excel files, compatible with both PC and Mac

  2 online Certification Exams, which bestow REFM Certification In Excel For Real Estate.

In this 20-minute video, you will learn about the very basics of Microsoft Excel as a software tool.

Topics covered include:

• what Excel is, and what versions are in use
• launching Excel and saving a new file
• the spreadsheet grid and worksheets
• basic formatting
• basic interface navigation using the ribbon tabs
• saving alternate file versions
• printing.

In this 40-minute video, you will learn about the internal rate of return as it relates to real estate.

Topics covered include:

• time value of money basics
• the nature of the IRR calculation
• why IRRs rise or fall in various transactions
• how the IRR changes over the transaction timeline
• what the IRR does and does not tell us.

In this 50-minute video, you will learn all about cap rates.

Topics covered include:

• what composes a cap rate
• why cap rates change
• how to calculate a cap rate
• how to select a cap rate when valuing a property sale
• how to understand nuance in cap rate quotes
• where to find cap rate data.

This 3-hour video tutorial is the preparatory material for the REFM Excel for Real Estate Level 1 Certification.

Topics covered include (all topics contain exercises and solutions):

• Arithmetic and Rounding
• Statistics
• Relative vs. Absolute Cell References
• Inserting and Deleting Rows and Columns
• Dates and Timelines
• Conditional Statements
• Function Wizard
• Creating Summary Tables
• Formatting Numbers
• Conditional Cell Formatting
• Data Table Lookup Functions
• Custom Formatting
• Format Painting
• Paste Special
• Transpose
• Financial Functions for Compounding and Discounting
• Internal Rate of Return (IRR)
• Mortgage Payment Calculation
• Formula Auditing
• Data Tables for Sensitivity Analysis
• Circular References
• Keyboard Shortcuts
• Best Practices

Excel formulas and functions taught include:

• SUM
• ROUND, ROUNDUP, ROUNDDOWN
• MAX, MIN, AVERAGE, MEDIAN
• Cell Anchoring using Dollar Signs
• EOMONTH, EDATE
• IF, AND, OR, and combinations thereof
• SUMIF, SUMIFS
• COUNTIF, COUNTIFS
• VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP
• COLUMNS, ROWS
• IFERROR
• RATE
• PV, FV
• NPV and XNPV
• IRR and XIRR
• PMT, PPMT, IPMT
• CUMPRINC and CUMIPMT.

In this 30-minute video, you will learn how developers solve for land value.

Topics covered include:

• developer control of project variables
• how land is different from other development costs
• residual land valuation
• comparable sales.

This 2-hour video tutorial is the preparatory material for the REFM Excel for Real Estate Level 2 Certification.

Topics covered include (all topics contain exercises and solutions)

• The Time Value of Money Model
• The Discounted Cash Flow Model
• Net Present Value
• Residential Property Refinancing Feasibility Case Study
• Back of the Envelope Residual Land Valuation of Development Sites
• Acquisition and Development Transaction Capital Structuring
• Senior Construction Loan Mechanics
• Multi-Party Transaction Equity Structures
• Senior and Mezzanine Loan Funding and Repayment Dynamics
• Staggered and Pari Passu Equity Player Funding
• Maximum Refinance Loan Amount Calculation
• Equity Player Profit Sharing Introduction
• Preferred Return, Internal Rate of Return Waterfall and Promote Theory Basics

Excel formulas and functions taught/employed include:

• Compounding and Discounting (FV, PV)
• Net Present Value (NPV)
• Conditional Statements (IF, AND)
• Cumulative Principal (CUMPRINC)
• Minimum (MIN).