Definition of "Real estate developer"

Tia Ware real estate agent

Written by

Tia Wareelite badge icon

Southern Homes of the Carolinas

A developer is a person that designs or creates something that could be a concept, structure, product or service. An idea can be turned into something real, tangible and the person that does that is called a developer. The process followed by a person in order to create something can be called “development process” and the person is the developer.

As an example, a developer can be an individual that builds software. You might also find them under specific names such as programmers or software developers more. Web developers deal with web design and web development tasks. Content developers are usually individuals that create content fit to be published in a magazine or uploaded on a website.

Developers in real estate

Real estate development is the act of buying land, creating new buildings and selling the property for a profit. The person that coordinates the process is called a real estate developer. A real estate developer coordinates the whole process from the beginning to the end. From the initial project faze up until a building is created, the whole development process is imagined, initiated, orchestrated, and controlled by the real estate developer.

There is a whole process associated with creating a new building: deciding where to put it, borrowing money for the project, buying land, receiving permission for the building, design, build, finding buyers or tenants to occupy it and manage it. While there are many different counterparts that specialize in each individual step the real estate developers coordinate the whole process. Architects, city planners, inspectors, engineers, contractors, lawyers, surveyors, leasing agents are all coordinated by a real estate developer.

Developers in real estate are also risk-takers that invest a considerable amount of money in an attempt to gain a profit if the building is a success. In order for it to succeed, the real estate developer would have to rent out the building/facility or sell for a profit. This ultimately makes the real estate developer the person in charge, a risk manager, a person engaged in a business that can lead to high returns, but it can also cause severe losses.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Absence of a personal liability such as when a creditor may seize an office building used as security for the obligation but cannot attach any other assets of the debtor. ...

Heated structure needed to raise fowl. ...

A roof having two slopes on each side. The second slope is longer than the first part of the roof and extremely steep. ...

An asset. The term cost is often used when referring to the valuation of acquired property. When it is used in this sense, a cost is an asset. Concepts of cost and expense are often ...

Room containing a toilet and wash basin, but does not include a shower or bath tub. ...

You may have heard the term codicil in a conversation but might have yet to understand it entirely. What’s the codicil definition? “Codicil meaning” refers to a supplement ...

In commerce and business, margin as a general term is defined as by the difference between the amount of money spent on a product and the selling price of it. The margin usually appears as ...

A written, legally enforceable document used to transfer title to real estate, See also quit claim deed; warranty deed. ...

Amount of money that must be charged or invested in the initial stage of a business transaction to demonstrate good faith as well as to help offset some expenses. For example, the customary ...

Popular Real Estate Questions