Build a property's annual operating budget from the deal folder with Claude and save the budget as a Deal Budget Builder skill
PLOT Daily demonstrated a 2027 operating budget for a Denver apartment property built in Claude from a deal folder of about 15 files: rent roll, operating statement, debt summary, investment summary, market comps, and staffing roster. Claude first asked questions that locked the budget logic, including bottom-up numbers, actuals wherever available, renewals from market comps, and how to handle an ownership directive. Claude then produced a four-tab Excel workbook with a 2027 budget that cites the basis for every line, a capex plan, hard actuals and flags, and a directive reconciliation. The team turned the process into a Deal Budget Builder skill with an instruction file, a QC checklist, the Denver budget as a worked example, and a blank Excel template.
At a glance
- Tools used
- ClaudeClaude SkillsExcel
- Category
- Investing & underwriting
- Audience
- investor
- Difficulty
- No-code setup
- Source
- How to Build a Property Operating Budget with AI
The Collective (PLOT Daily / AI for CRE Collective) · Article · Jul 7, 2026 - First step
- Gather one property's rent roll, operating statement, debt summary, investment summary, market comps, and staffing roster in one folder, and ask Claude to draft the budget prompt and ask its questions before attaching the files.
Compliance note: Benchmarks pulled online for undocumented items are estimates; label each benchmark and have the asset manager or owner approve the budget before the budget goes to lenders or investors.
Suggested prompt
Written by this directory, inspired by the source. Replace the [bracketed] parts.
Act as the asset manager for [property name]. I need a full [year] operating budget in Excel built from the attached deal folder. Before building, draft the prompt and ask me your clarifying questions. Use these rules unless I change them: 1. Build every line bottom-up from the source documents, and use actuals wherever they exist. 2. Known [year] figures override generic escalation assumptions. 3. Estimate lease renewals and rollovers from the market comps. 4. If a figure conflicts with the ownership directive of [directive], adjust to hit the target, flag the change, and keep the bottom-up figure visible next to the adjusted figure. Output four tabs: [year] Budget (prior budget, reforecast, new figure, variance, and a notes column citing the basis for each line), Capex Plan, Hard Actuals and Flags, and Directive Reconciliation. Confirm every file is present before you start, and label any industry benchmark you use as a benchmark.