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Guestimate: How would you estimate the number of commercial properties in a given city?

brainstorming questions case question estimate estimation estimation market sizing guess-estimates market estimation Market sizing
Recent activity on Apr 26, 2019
2 Answers
2.4 k Views
Anonymous A asked on Mar 30, 2019

Would you approach this question from the population or the land size point of view? Or is there a better angle to approach the question

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Best answer
Serhat
Expert
replied on Apr 26, 2019
BCG | Kellogg MBA |82% Success rate| 450+ case interview| 5+ year consulting | 30+ projects in ~10 countries

I would use the population although it will be very sensitive to many assumptions.
It looks very difficult to make meaningful assumptions in terms of land size.

Cheers
Serhat

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Anonymous replied on Apr 04, 2019

This is an uncommon question, to be honest.
There are a lot of assumptions involved with both the methods you suggest.

Two points from my side:

  1. Using population as sizing driver is extremely dangerous, not only in this case; if you had to choose one of the two, go for the second one (trying to extrapolate as a driver an area that you know well and that is COMPARABLE)
  2. Try to remember by heart some key numbers that could help you in situations like this one (e.g., # of commercial properties in your target Country, # companies in your target Country by size - small/medium/big): worst case scenario, you can use them to cross-check the values you come up with
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