Real estate development is a process that involves the purchase of raw land, rezoning, construction and renovation of buildings, and sale or lease of the finished product to end users.

Sales and marketing firms work with developers to sell the buildings and units they create. These firms earn a commission for creating all marketing material and using their sales agents to sell the inventory of completed units.

Lenders play a major role in the industry as virtually all properties and developments use leverage (debt) to finance their business. Lenders can include banks, credit unions, private lenders, and government institutions.

There are a variety of real estate professionals who work in the industry and help make it function. The most common examples (other than the ones listed above) are accountants, lawyers, interior designers, stagers, general contractors, construction workers, and tradespeople.