Property developer
Property developers buy land so they can develop new buildings and buy old buildings, such as mills or barns, to convert into homes or offices.
Did you know?
The commercial property industry is a significant part of the UK economy. It is six times larger than the agriculture sector, more than twice the size of the oil industry and larger than each of the banking, leisure, transport and communications sectors.
Facts and Figures
- Starting salary:
Around £22,000
- Senior level salary:
£75,000 and beyond
- Education:
There is no standard route into this profession, but many developers will train as building surveyors. Other people move into property development from disciplines such as architecture and town planning. Still others start out in building trades and move up the ladder, setting up their own business and learning from experience. Degree courses in property development cover issues such as construction technology, law, land surveying, economics, health and safety, refurbishment and building as an investment.
- Skills:
This profession would suit someone with an interest in the development and redevelopment of property, who can communicate well and who can juggle a variety of tasks. You’ll need to be enterprising and willing to take risks - property development often involves speculating with money and putting in huge amounts of work before a development pays off.
- Likely employer type:
Small independent business, medium-sized commercial developers, multinational development and engineering companies. Many developers are self-employed
Meet a property developer
Helpful links
- British Property FederationWorking to promote the interest of all those who own and invest in property in the UK
- Royal Institution of Chartered SurveyorsInformation on property development as well as links to accredited courses
- Association of Building EngineersA professional body for those specialising in the technology of building
- Chartered Institute of BuildingAdvice on all aspects of the building profession and details of training available
- Construction Industry CouncilCareers and learning advice
