Alain Guillot

Life, Leadership, and Money Matters

Floor plan of housing

Property Development: Getting Involved In The Process

Property development can be a very lucrative market, and if you want to get involved with it, you’re first going to need to understand the process.

There is a great diversity of property development, from residential to commercial, each of the categories with ups and downs, the trick is to figure out which sector will provide a reliable source of income.

According to the latest U.S. Census report, the U.S. population is aging as millions of baby boomers are going into retirement and the fertility rate is decreasing. A well-planned senior housing development project would provide comfort and stability to this growing population and at the same time, it will provide a stable and reliable source of income for investors.

Like in any business, the success or failure of your investments depends on your understanding of the property development process. So let’s take a look at the ways in which you can improve your understanding process.

Even just learning to understand a floor plan could go a long way to furthering your career in real estate.

Get Involved in Negotiation

Negotiation skills are one of the biggest parts of the real estate development world. If you can present your case to someone who’s impatient and uncompromising, and still come out the other side with a favorable deal that brings in a good profit, you know you’ve got your dreams of real estate development in the bag. 

But this doesn’t happen overnight. You need to learn to communicate and listen in equal measure, as well as persuade and strategize. They may be soft skills, but negotiation skills need a lot of polishing, and it’ll be good to learn on the job. Even just signing up to an internship, or joining an apprenticeship program in the property development sector could go a long way for your career. 

Focus on the Impact

The impact of property development is very important, and being able to understand both the pros and cons of putting up new developments across the globe is a big part of becoming a real estate developer. You want to place ethics at the heart of your company, and learn the ins and outs of how changing certain plots of land will affect the environment in the long run. 


It’s something a developer like Paul Ognibene would recommend, and it’s a good way to set yourself up as a legitimate option in the real estate development sector. If you can prove you understand the facts, and you take into account surrounding communities, any and all clients will be much more likely to work with you. 

It’s All About the Research

As real estate investor and developer Lincoln Frost would recognize “It’s all about the research you do up front that determines whether you win or lose money.” Research, in general, goes the furthest in the property development world. Get to know the real estate markets; read up on their historical data, keep up with them in real time, and even sign up for memberships with well respected realtor publications or websites. 

Most of all, look at your local markets, and focus on your local area, because this is where you could make the most money, but only if you understand what is needed in this market. Really get stuck in here, and take your time going over the numbers again and again – you’re going to need them someday! 

Getting involved in property development takes a lot of time and effort, and you can’t just jump in with a business idea. Take your time to research, and follow some examples.