Real Estate Investment and Management Training Course

Duration 10 days 16 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Real Estate Asset Managers, Property Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-RE-019

Before you join: Participants should be comfortable reading basic financial statements, using spreadsheets and interpreting percentages, ratios and annual budgets.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Real estate investors and asset owners must decide which assets to acquire, retain, improve, refinance or sell while controlling income risk, operating costs, capital expenditure and tenant obligations. Property managers must convert investment objectives into leases, budgets, maintenance plans, reporting routines and service standards. Weak underwriting, incomplete due diligence or poor lease administration can erode value long after an acquisition closes.

This course develops practical capability in real estate investment analysis and property management. Participants assess markets, inspect property income, analyse leases, build discounted cash flow models, calculate investment returns, review debt terms and prepare acquisition recommendations. They also establish property operating budgets, rent collection controls, maintenance programmes, tenant communication processes, environmental performance actions and asset-level reporting. Valuation concepts are addressed through income capitalisation, discounted cash flow and sales comparison methods, with attention to RICS Red Book and International Valuation Standards principles.

Teaching combines focused briefings with property cases, spreadsheet-based analysis, lease reviews, group decision sessions and management simulations. Participants apply course tools to a realistic office, retail, industrial or residential asset case, progressively building an investment and management file. They leave with reusable templates for underwriting, due diligence, annual budgeting, lease administration, asset planning and investment committee reporting, plus a completed capstone recommendation for a property asset.

The course suits professionals who already work with property assets, facilities, finance, lending, development, investment, procurement or portfolio reporting. It is particularly relevant to staff responsible for evaluating real estate opportunities or improving the financial and operational performance of occupied and income-producing property.

What you will be able to do

  • Evaluate property markets using demand, supply, comparable evidence and location analysis
  • Build discounted cash flow models for acquisition, hold and disposal decisions
  • Calculate NOI, cap rates, IRR, equity multiple and debt service coverage
  • Review leases for income certainty, operating obligations, break risks and rent reviews
  • Conduct structured property due diligence using legal, technical, financial and environmental checklists
  • Prepare annual operating budgets and capital expenditure plans for managed assets
  • Design property management controls for rent collection, maintenance, tenants and contractor performance
  • Present an investment committee recommendation supported by underwriting, risk analysis and asset plans

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Produce defensible acquisition and disposal recommendations using recognised investment measures
  • Read leases with greater confidence when identifying income and liability risks
  • Build property budgets that distinguish recoverable costs, landlord costs and capital expenditure
  • Discuss valuation assumptions, debt terms and market evidence with advisers and lenders
  • Create an asset management plan linking rent, occupancy, maintenance and value actions

For your organisation

  • More consistent underwriting assumptions across acquisition and capital approval decisions
  • Earlier identification of lease, title, condition and environmental due diligence risks
  • Improved control of arrears, service charges, maintenance spending and contractor performance
  • Clearer asset plans linking operating actions to income preservation and value growth
  • Better investment committee papers with traceable calculations, risks and decision options

Course modules

16 modules over 10 days

Participants can explain how investment, asset management and property management decisions affect property value.

  • Real estate value chain from acquisition through operation and disposal
  • Investor objectives, return hurdles, risk appetite and holding periods
  • Roles of owners, asset managers, property managers and advisers
  • Income-producing, owner-occupied, development and distressed property investment strategies
  • Asset classes: office, retail, industrial, residential and mixed-use properties
  • Separating investment management decisions from day-to-day property operations

Participants can assess market and location evidence for a property investment decision.

  • Demand drivers measured through employment, population, income and business activity
  • Supply pipeline analysis using permits, completions, vacancies and absorption
  • Location scoring against access, visibility, amenities, zoning and competition
  • Comparable market evidence selected by asset type, quality and geography
  • Rental growth assumptions tested against market cycles and lease expiry profiles
  • PESTLE analysis applied to local property demand and regulatory conditions

Participants can construct and interpret a property income statement and net operating income.

  • Potential gross income derived from units, areas, rents and occupancy
  • Vacancy and credit loss allowances supported by tenant and market evidence
  • Operating expenses classified as recoverable, non-recoverable, fixed and variable
  • Net operating income calculated before financing, depreciation and income tax
  • Service charge recoveries reconciled against lease clauses and operating budgets
  • Income statement variances traced to rent, occupancy, costs and timing

Participants can identify lease provisions that affect income security, costs and asset value.

  • Lease term, break options, renewals and expiry schedules analysed
  • Rent review mechanisms: fixed uplift, indexation, market review and turnover rent
  • Repairing obligations allocated through full repairing and insuring leases
  • Service charge clauses tested for recoverability, caps and exclusions
  • Tenant covenants assessed using financial strength, guarantees and deposits
  • Lease abstracts prepared for critical dates, obligations and income events

Participants can calculate core return measures and interpret their decision uses.

  • Capitalisation rates derived from net operating income and market price
  • Gross rent multiplier limitations compared with income-based investment measures
  • Cash-on-cash return calculated from annual equity distributions
  • Equity multiple measures total cash returned against invested equity
  • Internal rate of return tested against timing and reinvestment assumptions
  • Debt service coverage ratio assessed against lender underwriting requirements

Participants can build a discounted cash flow model for a property investment case.

  • Annual cash flow forecast built from rents, costs, capital expenditure
  • Reversionary value estimated using exit NOI and terminal capitalisation rate
  • Discount rates selected for asset risk, liquidity and investor return targets
  • Present value calculations applied to periodic cash flows and sale proceeds
  • Sensitivity tables test rent growth, vacancy, exit yield and costs
  • Model audit checks formulas, dates, signs, units and assumption sources

Participants can explain and apply principal valuation approaches using appropriate evidence.

  • Income capitalisation approach applied to stabilised net operating income
  • Discounted cash flow valuation used for uneven income and capital expenditure
  • Sales comparison approach adjusted for location, condition, size and tenure
  • Replacement cost method considered for specialised owner-occupied properties
  • RICS Red Book principles for basis, assumptions and valuation reporting
  • International Valuation Standards concepts of market value and investment value

Participants can plan and coordinate due diligence for a proposed property acquisition.

  • Due diligence workplan assigns legal, financial, technical and environmental reviews
  • Title review identifies ownership, easements, restrictions and encumbrances
  • Lease audit reconciles tenant schedules, deposits, arrears and incentives
  • Building condition survey prioritises defects, compliance gaps and lifecycle costs
  • Environmental screening examines contamination, flood exposure and hazardous materials
  • Findings register records severity, owner, remedy, cost and decision impact

Participants can assess how debt terms and capital structure affect investment returns.

  • Loan-to-value ratio calculated against appraised value and lender limits
  • Amortisation schedules separate interest expense, principal repayment and balances
  • Fixed and floating rate debt compared under changing interest scenarios
  • Covenant testing covers debt service coverage and loan-to-value thresholds
  • Refinancing risk assessed against maturity dates, values and credit conditions
  • Equity and debt returns compared under alternative capital structures

Participants can prepare a decision-ready acquisition case and negotiate key commercial terms.

  • Letter of intent terms cover price, exclusivity, conditions and timetable
  • Purchase price allocation distinguishes land, building, equipment and transaction costs
  • Investment committee paper states thesis, returns, risks and approval request
  • Scenario analysis compares base, downside and upside investment cases
  • Risk register assigns mitigations for market, tenant, legal and condition risks
  • Negotiation priorities rank price, warranties, deposits, timing and conditions

Participants can prepare an annual operating budget and control property performance against it.

  • Annual budget integrates rental income, service charges, utilities and repairs
  • Budget phasing aligns cash requirements with lease dates and seasonal costs
  • Capital expenditure plan distinguishes replacement, compliance and value-add projects
  • Variance analysis separates price, volume, timing and scope drivers
  • Monthly management accounts reconcile budget, actual, forecast and explanations
  • Approval authorities establish spending limits, evidence requirements and escalation routes

Participants can establish disciplined rent collection and arrears management processes.

  • Rent roll reconciled to leases, invoices, receipts and tenant accounts
  • Billing calendar schedules rent, service charges, taxes and indexation dates
  • Arrears ageing report prioritises balances by amount, age and tenant risk
  • Collection workflow documents reminders, payment plans, notices and escalation
  • Security deposits and guarantees tracked against lease obligations and expiry
  • Write-off decisions supported by evidence, approvals and recovery prospects

Participants can plan maintenance and contractor controls that protect asset condition and income.

  • Planned preventive maintenance schedules assets, tasks, frequencies and responsibilities
  • Reactive maintenance triage classifies safety, business continuity and tenant impact
  • Asset register records condition, age, replacement cost and service history
  • Contractor scope documents service levels, response times, pricing and penalties
  • Permit-to-work controls manage high-risk maintenance activities and contractor access
  • Condition assessments inform lifecycle plans, reserves and capital expenditure priorities

Participants can manage tenant engagement, retention and occupancy actions using structured information.

  • Tenant communication plan schedules notices, meetings, updates and issue escalation
  • Retention analysis identifies expiry risk, satisfaction concerns and renewal options
  • Vacancy marketing brief defines target occupiers, terms, incentives and channels
  • Lease renewal negotiations assess market rent, incentives and break alternatives
  • Move-in and move-out procedures document condition, meters, keys and obligations
  • Tenant mix analysis balances income resilience, footfall and concentration risk

Participants can create an asset plan linking value objectives, operating actions and sustainability priorities.

  • Asset business plan sets income, occupancy, cost and value targets
  • Hold-sell-refurbish analysis compares projected returns and strategic fit
  • Value-add initiatives assess rent uplift, cost, timing and execution risk
  • Energy performance data tracked through consumption, intensity and utility costs
  • GRESB reporting concepts connect property data with investor sustainability requests
  • Climate risk screening considers flood, heat, insurance and adaptation costs

Participants can build, review and present a complete investment and property management plan for a selected asset.

  • Investment thesis defines target asset, strategy, return and holding period
  • Market evidence supports rental, vacancy, growth and exit assumptions
  • Underwriting model presents cash flows, valuation, financing and sensitivities
  • Due diligence findings identify material risks, costs and closing conditions
  • Asset management plan sets leasing, maintenance, budget and ESG actions
  • Investment committee presentation recommends acquire, hold, improve or dispose
  • Peer review challenges assumptions, calculations, evidence and risk mitigations

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Property investment underwriting model
  2. Acquisition due diligence checklist
  3. Lease abstract template
  4. Annual property operating budget
  5. Asset management business plan
  6. Investment committee paper template

Who should attend

  • Real Estate Asset Managers — need stronger investment and operating decision methods
  • Property Managers — need to connect daily management actions to asset value
  • Investment Analysts — need practical underwriting and property cash flow skills
  • Corporate Real Estate Managers — need to assess occupied property costs and options
  • Bank Credit Officers — need to evaluate property-backed lending proposals
  • Facilities and Estate Managers — need structured plans for income-producing assets

Skills and tools covered

Property underwritingLease analysisInvestment appraisalAsset management planningOperating budget controlDue diligence review

Tools and standards

RICS Red Book, International Valuation Standards, PESTLE analysis, GRESB

How the course runs

Training methodology

The instructor uses short technical briefings followed by property cases, spreadsheet analysis, lease review tasks and group decision sessions. Participants test assumptions for a realistic asset, compare investment options and respond to tenant, maintenance, financing and market events. Simulations focus on investment committee decisions, annual budget reviews and property performance meetings. Each participant develops application actions for their own asset class, portfolio or role, while the instructor provides structured feedback on calculations, assumptions and reporting.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should be comfortable reading basic financial statements, using spreadsheets and interpreting percentages, ratios and annual budgets. Experience in property, facilities, finance, lending, development, procurement or portfolio administration is useful and helps participants apply the material to their own work. The course assumes no prior experience of formal valuation, discounted cash flow modelling or investment committee papers. Advanced Excel functions, professional valuation credentials, legal training and prior use of specialist real estate software are not required.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should be comfortable with basic spreadsheet work, percentages and annual budgets. Prior property experience is useful, but formal valuation or advanced financial modelling experience is not required.

Bring a laptop with spreadsheet software if attending in person, plus any non-confidential property budgets, rent rolls or asset questions you wish to use for application planning. Course cases and templates are provided.

It suits asset managers, property managers, investment analysts, corporate real estate staff, lenders and facilities professionals. Participants benefit most when they have responsibility for property income, costs, investment proposals or portfolio reporting.

This course combines investment appraisal with the management controls that protect property income and value after acquisition. It teaches valuation concepts but does not train participants to act as qualified valuers, lawyers or building surveyors.

Participants can apply the underwriting model to investment proposals, use the due diligence checklist during acquisitions and improve rent, budget and maintenance reporting for existing assets. The asset plan format can be adapted for individual properties or portfolios.

Training runs from 08:30 to 16:30 each day, providing about 6.5 contact hours daily. The first part builds market, lease, financial and due diligence skills; the later part focuses on operations, asset plans and the final capstone presentation.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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