The best first step on Structured Finance Modeling
It is a one good forst step if you want to learn how to model a structured finance product. With a very easy language and taking you by the hand the author gives you all the basis to learn something that many people consider complicate or very difficult
Cool
This is a good book. It is well-written, gives both the theoretical side and implementation, and gives tips on excel. I am a beginner but it was easy for me to follow. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn excel for i-banking or some other finance job.
Helps Building Cash Flow Model
Teaches how to build up a cash flow model for big companies such as banks and insurance companies. Not useful for small companies, but even for small companies gives some idea for building a cash flow model.
Good Intro to Cash Flow Modeling
Anyone needing to learn how structured finance cash flow models work will benefit from going through this book and building the spreadsheet-based model it describes. It will be faster if you are already good at using Excel for complex modeling or pricing, but there is a fair amount of Excel advice for those who need it. The book models a single pool of mortgages that can be described by weighted average statistics incorporating both prepayment and default scenarios. Great care is taken to make the model flexible in terms of the kinds of mortgages in the pool. On the liability side the model allows for the creation of a single senior class and a sub class with an interest rate swap and a reserve. While very good for learning the cash flow consequences of sequential and pro rata payment waterfalls, this model cannot describe the structures actually issued in the market. The skills learned, however, should allow the reader to build models capable of modeling issued structures.
The writing is clear and the examples are explained well. The flow of cash into and out of the structure is emphasized by clear inputs, cash flow modeling and summary outputs.
Excellent introduction to MBS modeling
Keith's book saved me hours of trial-and-error effort with Excel for modeling structured transactions. This book takes a simple, step-by-step approach to help the reader understand the mechanics of building the cash flow model for Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS).
Once you understand the basics of model creation and cash flow, then it is a matter of refining your skills by revere-engineering more MBS transactions out there. You will find all the basic tools to become proficient in that task by following this book.
(8 reviews)
