System and software for providing recommendations to optimize a portfolio of items

1. A method of managing a portfolio of real estate, the method comprising:

storing, in a computer system, a database containing performance measure data regarding performance measures of a plurality of real estate properties;

inputting into the computer system a plurality of performance measure constraints;

generating, by the computer system processor executing instructions stored on a storage device, a set of equations based on said plurality of performance measure constraints, said equations including a plurality of variables, each of said variables corresponding to a respective one of said real estate properties, each of said variables to be assigned a value from a group of values, said group of values including at least two values, one of said two values indicative of a recommendation to take an action with respect to a one of said real estate properties that corresponds to a respective one of said variables, another of said two values indicative of a recommendation to take another action with respect to said one of said real estate properties; and

solving, by the computer system, the set of equations that generate one or more of a plurality of solutions that satisfy said performance measure constraints;

inputting into the computer system an optimization goal;

evaluating, by the computer system, said plurality of solutions that identify at least one of said solutions, said one of said solutions being optimal relative to said optimization goal; and

presenting, by the computer system, said identified solution as a recommended decision relative to taking said actions with respect to said real estate properties;

wherein:

each equation of said set of equations is in a form as indicated below:

M

L

≤

∑

p

=

1

p

⁢

M

p

*

x

p

≤

M

U

where:

M represents a performance measure to which a respective one of the performance measure constraints applies, with

M L representing a lower bound for the performance measure M according to the respective constraint;

M U representing an upper bound for the performance measure M according to the constraint;

M p being a value of the performance measure M with respect to a p'th real estate property;

and

x p representing a variable which indicates whether the p'th real estate property is recommended to be sold or retained;

wherein x p is constrained to be one of two values, said two values being “0” and “1”.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said actions are selling, holding, acquiring, or not acquiring, said real estate properties.

3. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and a storage device in communication with the processor and storing program instructions, that when executed by the processor:

store a database containing performance measure data regarding performance measures of a plurality of real estate properties;

allow a user to input a plurality of performance measure constraints;

generate a set of equations that model the performance measure constraints, said equations including a plurality of variables, each of said variables corresponding to a respective one of said real estate properties, each of said variables to be assigned a value from a group of values, said group of values including at least two values, one of said two values indicative of a recommendation to take an action with respect to a one of said real estate properties that corresponds to a respective one of said variables, another of said two values indicative of a recommendation to take another action with respect to said one of said real estate properties;

solve the set of equations and generate one or more of a plurality of solutions that satisfy said performance measure constraints;

allow the user to input an optimization goal;

evaluate said plurality of solutions that identify a one of said solutions, said one of said solutions being optimal relative to said optimization goal; and

present said identified solution as a recommended decision relative to taking said actions with respect to said items;

wherein each equation of said set of equations is in a form as indicated below:

M

L

≤

∑

p

=

1

p

⁢

M

p

*

x

p

≤

M

U

where:

M represents a performance measure to which a respective one of the performance measure constraints applies, with

M L representing a lower bound for the performance measure M according to the respective constraint;

M U representing an upper bound for the performance measure M according to the constraint;

M p being a value of the performance measure M with respect to a p'th real estate property;

and

x p representing a variable which indicates whether the p'th real estate property is recommended to be sold or retained;

wherein x p is constrained to be one of two values, said two values being “0” and “1”.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said actions are selling, holding, acquiring, or not acquiring, said real estate properties.

5. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein that process data stored in a database, the database containing performance measure data regarding performance measures of a plurality of real estate properties, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising:

computer readable program code means for allowing a user to input a plurality of performance measure constraints;

computer readable program code means for generating a set of equations that model the performance measure constraints, said equations including a plurality of variables, each of said variables corresponding to a respective one of said real estate properties, each of said variables to be assigned a value from a group of values, said group of values including at least two values, one of said two values indicative of a recommendation to take an action with respect to a one of said real estate properties that corresponds to a respective one of said variables, another of said two values indicative of a recommendation to take another action with respect to said one of said real estate properties; and

computer readable program code means for solving the set of equations that generate one or more of a plurality of solutions that satisfy said performance measure constraints;

computer readable program code means for allowing the user to input an optimization computer readable program code means for evaluating said plurality of solutions that identify a one of said solutions, said one of said solutions being optimal relative to said optimization goal; and

computer readable program code means for presenting said identified solution as a recommended decision relative to taking said actions with respect to said real estate properties;

wherein each equation of said set of equations is in a form as indicated below:

M

L

≤

∑

p

=

1

p

⁢

M

p

*

x

p

≤

M

U

where:

M represents a performance measure to which a respective one of the performance measure constraints applies, with

M L representing a lower bound for the performance measure M according to the respective constraint;

M U representing an upper bound for the performance measure M according to the constraint;

M p being a value of the performance measure M with respect to a p'th real estate property;

and

x p representing a variable which indicates whether the p'th real estate property is recommended to be sold or retained;

wherein x p is constrained to be one of two values, said two values being “0” and “1”.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 5 , wherein said actions are selling, holding, acquiring, or not acquiring, said real estate properties.