With the participation of top real estate companies and bright real estate graduate students, REFM is currently in the process of authoring The REFM Collection, a series of Case Studies for educational license to leading universities worldwide.
Interested in being a case study subject or a student Co-Author? Read On!
What They Are
Case Studies (“cases”) are teaching and learning tools for university instructors and students. Specifically, they are a narrative-based simulation of a real business situation that revolve around a significant business issue. They place the student reader in the role of participant (protagonist), and in essence ask the student, “What should you do?”
While cases contain sufficient information on which to base a course of action, there is no “right answer” to the central problem in the case. There is only the opportunity for the student to perform a rigorous, exhaustive analysis of the alternatives in the face of either too much or too little information, and to decide and justify which course of action to pursue.
Case Study Topics Sought
REFM is currently seeking to author real estate case studies on the following business issues, among others:
- The “go/no go” decision for the ground-up development of a property, or for the redevelopment of an existing property from one use to another use
- Choosing one of two different product types to develop on a piece of land (e.g., condominiums vs. apartments)
- Selecting the optimal proportional mix of uses to be developed in a major mixed-use project
- Acquisition of one or a subset of a group of different income-producing assets, and how to value them
- Whether to loan on a development project, and if so, how much and on what terms
- Optimally structuring a joint venture for a particular project such that both sides feel they are being rewarded appropriately
- Selecting one of multiple leases as the most attractive to a tenant/most attractive to a landlord
- Defaulting on a loan, or keep investing cash in a property in the hope of replacing a lost tenant
- If and when you should raise a real estate fund, and what sectors and submarkets you should target
- Whether you should enter a new geographic market, in which sector, and when.
Benefits To Student Co-Authors
- A Co-Author credit on the published Case Study (and the ability to list Co-Authorship on your resume)
- A new or improved connection with a real estate company, and the ability to showcase your smarts to them
- An incredible amount of relevant analysis and writing experience
- $250 cash stipend or $500 credit towards REFM products and training.
Benefits To Case Study Subject Companies
- The final written 7-10 page Case Study
- Annual Excel-based cash flow projection model of the transaction(s) being considered *
- Making a contribution to business education by providing a current case study subject
- Increased exposure in business school programs to help in recruiting of business school students
- Potential insight into their business/transaction from the interviewing process
- $750 credit towards REFM products and training.
How To Be Considered As A Student Co-Author Or A Case Study Subject
Email [email protected]
Privacy Policy
If your company is interested in taking part but is concerned about public disclosure of internal information, you may elect to have your case disguised with ficitionalized names, dates, locations, dollar amounts, etc.
* Note: To prevent any potential confusion, please note that being the subject of an REFM Case Study does not constitute a consulting arrangement whereby the subject will be given any advice or suggestions. The cash flow projection model provided is that constructed by REFM for the express purpose of teaching the case only. Additionally, being a case study subject does not involve any cash compensation to the subject.