aspiring developer

[bleedgreen]

i've been checking out UP pretty much every day for the last month and it's made me realize that i'd like to become a developer. (think donald trump but with better hair ) i've always been interested in real estate and i've read more books about it than is probably healthy, but i have no work/investment experience in real estate

pretty much what i'm looking for is any advice on how to get started...should i go to grad school? should i find a job and work for a local developer? should i buy a small piece of property and do the whole trial by fire thing?

i'm only 24 so i'm pretty flexible

i know this is a pretty broad question but any advice would be appreciated

[Charlotte_native]

i've been checking out UP pretty much every day for the last month and it's made me realize that i'd like to become a developer. (think donald trump but with better hair ) i've always been interested in real estate and i've read more books about it than is probably healthy, but i have no work/investment experience in real estate

pretty much what i'm looking for is any advice on how to get started...should i go to grad school? should i find a job and work for a local developer? should i buy a small piece of property and do the whole trial by fire thing?

i'm only 24 so i'm pretty flexible

i know this is a pretty broad question but any advice would be appreciated

I work on occation for developers and have consulted on projects large and small. The folks I have dealt with come from a huge variety of backgrounds. Honestly the most important thing I have seen that ties them all together is money. I've worked for brilliant folks who do great work and, hmmmm...well idiots that happen to have plenty of cash and even they seem to do well with good backing in their companies.

Suggestion, study everything from land planning, architecture, history (social, especially of your area), and real estate. Get a job with someone who already does it.

DON'T do the trial by fire thing unless you can afford to make mistakes and possibly lose money. It ain't all that easy!!

[terra firma]

i've been checking out UP pretty much every day for the last month and it's made me realize that i'd like to become a developer. (think donald trump but with better hair ) i've always been interested in real estate and i've read more books about it than is probably healthy, but i have no work/investment experience in real estate

pretty much what i'm looking for is any advice on how to get started...should i go to grad school? should i find a job and work for a local developer? should i buy a small piece of property and do the whole trial by fire thing?

i'm only 24 so i'm pretty flexible

i know this is a pretty broad question but any advice would be appreciated

The most critical thing is to KNOW the market that you're about to play in. The best way to do that is to pick a part of the industry (industrial, or office or retail or residential) pick the one that interests you most and learn it by checking local websites, papers etc. Get to know what kind of rates your market area brings to that product type.

Best thing you could do is get a job or an internship at a local commercial brokerage firm in your neighborhood and spend a couple years doing brokerage work. That's how you learn the market.

Getting construction pricing and manging the process is easy. Learning the market pricing and what product types are in demand is what takes the most time.

Good luck.