eCornell Commercial Real Estate Program -- WORTH IT?
You can view my background on this thread: [https://www.reddit.com/r/CommercialRealEstate/comments/d2znnl/advice\_on\_taking\_over\_family\_business\_in/](https://www.reddit.com/r/CommercialRealEstate/comments/d2znnl/advice_on_taking_over_family_business_in/)

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TL;DR I am taking over family business and want to learn more about commercial real estate. I'm going into executive meetings daily and refining my skills through grass-root methods however there can never be enough knowledge. Do you think the eCornell online program is good? I need to brush up on my commercial property management &amp; investment skills. Are there better online classes? Thoughts? 

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[https://www.ecornell.com/certificates/real-estate/commercial-real-estate/](https://www.ecornell.com/certificates/real-estate/commercial-real-estate/)
[{"id": "f3abvsy", "text": "Took it 6 months ago, It covers development, site selection, property management, what makes a good investment. It's a comprehensive course and you can access the information after the course is over. There might be a 30% off code, I got it when signing up so it was cheaper. Wasn't good for connections, but theres a lot discussion boards and video instruction with useful knowledge.\n\nI would ask your mom if you can help with her duties. The course is helpful, but you learn by doing; get involved with the acquisitions process, what it takes to get developments approved, etc. Look at if you're buildings need work and renovate. Those are real life examples you can use which would be a lot more helpful than the eCornell course. Most of us are using it because we don't have the property to model it on. Your family has at least tens of millions in real estate you can learn from. Talk to your mom, see if you can start doing more. Maybe a floor needs to be renovated in an office building and it's vacant, take over that process and have an incentive for you to do it. That's a small job for a large portfolio but you'll learn dealing with GC to get things done, see a budget, improve the asset, interview brokers to lease it out.\n\nPM me if you're interested in talking more about the course/real estate. Not sure where you are, but if you're in NYC there are tons of great biographies on the city and successful developers that you can learn from (Zeckendorf Biography, The Flatiron). Look at news sites, the two I check everyday are The Real Deal and Commercial Observer. Go to real estate events (Bisnow has great ones, i pick and choose which one's I like).", "replies": [{"id": "f3aek8a", "text": "does it cover modeling?", "replies": [{"id": "f3afapv", "text": "Some, gives you pre filled models and you have to fill the blanks in. Not very challenging and definitely not something that'd prepare you for an interview, it's not a \"build this from scratch\". More plug in this value.", "replies": [{"id": "f3afigz", "text": "Yeah I\u2019ll just tell people stick to the adventure in cre or breaking into Wall Street real estate/reit modeling classes then", "replies": [{"id": "f3ah0aw", "text": "What is modeling?", "replies": [{"id": "f3arlk5", "text": "Financial modeling. Lots of ways to model a real estate investment. I\u2019d check out Udemy if you are interested.", "replies": [], "depth": 6}], "depth": 5}, {"id": "f3ao0z7", "text": "GetREFM was the most helpful imo", "replies": [{"id": "f3azn4l", "text": "I'd say I have an intermediate knowledge of financial modeling, do you think this program will still be helpful? Looking into the two day course.", "replies": [{"id": "f3bg0fs", "text": "Well, why do you want to know how to model? Development, acquisition roles?\n\nIt also depends what you mean by intermediate. Can you build one from scratch?", "replies": [{"id": "f3cl52w", "text": "&gt;It also depends what you mean by intermediate. Can you build one from scratch?\n\nNot OP but I haaaaate this as a litmus test for modeling skills. In the course of my job I've built a working model from scratch all of once and I've underwritten billions in deals. \"Can you build one from scratch\" seems about as useful of a question as \"can you guess the number of jelly beans in the jar.\"", "replies": [{"id": "f3clnxw", "text": "There has to be some way to gauge re finance acumen. Do I like it? Nope. I also just build mine off of already existing templates where a few adjustments were sufficient. Fortunately, I\u2019m to the point where I don\u2019t see these tests when I interview.\n\nEvery once in a while, I have had to basically build it from the nuts and bolts up though.", "replies": [], "depth": 9}], "depth": 8}], "depth": 7}], "depth": 6}], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}, {"id": "f3af9ud", "text": "How much was it?", "replies": [{"id": "f3b4vdb", "text": "looks like $3,600 on the website payable 650 monthly", "replies": [{"id": "f3b6s44", "text": "Thank you. My dumbass couldn\u2019t find it for some reason", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "f3b3kwm", "text": "Have you looked in to getting the CCIM designation? I was just in Phoenix Az. for the 102 course and was talking with someone in the same situation as you. thier plan was to get work experienee outside of the family company, then move over to the family company in 5-10 years. This seems like a good idea, i started in a family business, i learned a lot, but believe an outside work atmosphere may yield valuable knowledge and experience to bring additional value to the family company. Best wishes. -KO", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]