Which Term Is Correct;
Real Estate Development or Property Development?

Real Estate Development Blog

Hello Mr. Dillon

You come across as an expert, so I hope you don't mind my troubling you with the following question, to which I can't find an answer. Is there any difference between the terms 'real estate' and 'property'?

Is it a matter of UK/US preference, or is there more to it, when companies decide to communicate they are in the business of 'real estate development' or 'property development'?

Thank you for your time,

Sincerely

H E

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From the desk of Colm Dillon ...

Author of "Residential Development Made Easy"

Hello H,

Colm here …

Thank you for asking me this question … the difference in the terms is very subtle.

They are both used across the industry and are interchangeable. Some countries prefer one as opposed to the other.

I prefer to use ‘property development’ because it is shorter than the other and it is used more often in Australia.

To be more definitive, I should say that real estate applies more specifically to land, which has dimensions and size.

I would regard ‘real estate development’ as being the subdivision of a large area of land into smaller lots.

I would regard ‘property development’ as being an area of land on which you intend to construct a building.

Hope this helps you … I love questions like this, because they go the foundation of our communication with one and other.

The real reason this struck a chord with me, is because I have the same ‘type’ of question in relation to “COMPUTERS” and their associated products … these guys are all so EXPERT that they cannot speak the language of the NORMAL person.

YEH, YOU'RE RIGHT, I NEVER GET THE SIMPLE ANSWER I WANT.

All the best,

Colm Dillon

Residential Development Made Easy