Rl stt dvlpmnt, r prprty dvlpmnt, s bsnss prcss, ncmpssng ctvts tht rng frm th rnvtn nd r-ls f xstng bldngs t th prchs f rw lnd nd th sl f dvlpd lnd r prcls t thrs. Rl stt dvlprs r th ppl nd cmpns wh crdnt ll f ths ctvts, cnvrtng ds frm ppr t rl prprty. Rl stt dvlpmnt s dffrnt frm cnstrctn r hsbldng, lthgh mny dvlprs ls mng th cnstrctn prcss r ngg n hsbldng.
Dvlprs by lnd, fnnc rl stt dls, bld r hv bldrs bld prjcts, dvlp prjcts n jnt vntrs, nd crt, mgn, cntrl, nd rchstrt th prcss f dvlpmnt frm bgnnng t nd. Dvlprs slly tk th grtst rsk n th crtn r rnvtn f rl stt nd rcv th grtst rwrds. Typclly, dvlprs prchs trct f lnd, dtrmn th mrktng f th prprty, dvlp th bldng prgrm nd dsgn, btn th ncssry pblc pprvl nd fnncng, bld th strctrs, nd rnt t, mng, nd ltmtly sll t.
Smtms prprty dvlprs wll nly ndrtk prt f th prcss. Fr xmpl, sm dvlprs src prprty nd gt th plns nd prmts pprvd bfr sllng th prprty wth th plns nd prmts t bldr t prmm prc. ltrntvly, dvlpr wh s ls bldr my prchs prprty wth th plns nd prmts n plc s tht thy d nt hv th rsk f flng t btn plnnng pprvl nd cn strt cnstrctn n th dvlpmnt mmdtly. Th fnncl rsks f rl stt dvlpmnt nd rl stt nvstng dffr d t lvrg ffcts.
Dvlprs wrk wth mny dffrnt cntrprts lng ch stp f ths prcss, ncldng rchtcts, cty plnnrs, ngnrs, srvyrs, nspctrs, cntrctrs, lwyrs, lsng gnts, tc. n th Twn nd Cntry Plnnng cntxt n th ntd Kngdm, 'dvlpmnt' s dfnd n th Twn nd Cntry Plnnng ct 1990 s55.