Typical technical questions that you have given or received for entry level analyst position at a REPE firm.
Please share any questions that you have received/given out that you think are challenging/test knowledge well.
[{"id": "i4seap0", "text": "For my first job, was asked to write a VLOOKUP function on a white board in the middle of an interview. Obviously super simple under normal circumstances, but was unexpected and did make me think. Keep your RE knowledge high level and don\u2019t act like you know how to UW deals better than the people interviewing you. Be smart on what this firm is invested in and the trends in those sectors and ask questions on what you don\u2019t know. If you\u2019re getting an interview, I\u2019d assume you already know basic real estate finance and the basic excel work that goes with it. These groups aren\u2019t looking for entry level analysts to change their business model- they need excel financials/Argus runs dropped into models and investment committee PPT presentations to be completed.", "replies": [{"id": "i4sgsuq", "text": "If they have you model anything, it\u2019ll be a multi deal. So understand (probably don\u2019t have to know how to model) a waterfall, basic debt assumptions (look up current lender fixed pricing as you prepare and see the positive relationship between cap rate and proceeds), and understand hold periods positive effects on equity multiple and dilution of IRR as time increases.", "replies": [{"id": "i4uczen", "text": "Actual question and don\u2019t want to sound snarky. Hardly ever use VLOOKUP anymore, mostly XLOOKUP. Would it be an issue to change and use the newer function, because I kinda forget the offset H/V need now haha.", "replies": [{"id": "i56ee5r", "text": "Wouldn\u2019t be an issue at all and they probably would know the difference. Only reason I got asked that question in an interview was me putting excel modeling on my resume. If your given a case study for a deal (particularly in person) don\u2019t use it as an opportunity to show off excel skills, but instead lean in on showing that your capable of analyzing a deal and how you see the worla", "replies": [{"id": "i56eu0i", "text": "*world. No one\u2019s going to be asking what lookup function you use, it\u2019s the basic understanding of calculating risk adjusted returns and answering the question of \u201chow does this deal look\u201d when given basic assumptions", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}]