“I spend a fair amount of time working on financial analyses for real estate investments. Essentially estimating upfront capital, taxes, renovation costs, resale value, and assessing whether each opportunity is actually viable.
Over time, I kept improving an Excel template to support these calculations. For shorter projects (apartment refurbishments with 3 to 6 months of construction and 6 to 10 months from acquisition to resale), the analysis usually stopped there. I simplified the calculations, didn’t look at NPV or IRR, and rarely tested scenarios involving construction delays, budget overruns, or fluctuations in resale prices.
About a month ago, I upgraded to a paid Claude plan and started using it directly within Excel.
With just two or three prompts, that same Excel model turned into something completely different. Multi-variable scenarios, sensitivity analysis, and automatic validation of assumptions. Work I used to avoid because it would take hours to build.
What surprised me the most, beyond the quality, was how easy it was. I don’t have a background in programming or financial analysis, yet I was able to reach a level of analysis that would previously require someone dedicated to financial modelling, or many hours of manual work.
This aligns with the public news we’ve been seeing from the financial services and consulting sectors. In the UK alone, the Big 4 cut around 2,800 roles between 2023 and 2024. In the US, PwC reduced 3,300 positions between September 2024 and May 2025. KPMG cut 4% of its audit workforce. Although it’s rarely stated explicitly, I believe automation and AI are a central part of this shift.”
João Grilo via LinkedIn
