Calling on Developers, Builders, or anyone with the answers.

Melody, I'm not an expert, but have completed several subdivisions from planning the sale and have posted information about the planning board, and approval process in a blog a few months ago I welcome you to search my past posts, on land development, cluster developments, pond permits, and subdivision covenants and restrictions. Not sure it will all be the same in another state, but most should be the same. Steve

Melody, the University of Housing through the National Association of Home Builders offers a 2-day course entitled "House Construction as a Selling Tool" that addressess this. You can contact the local Home Builders Association in your area or email me for some upcoming times and locations for that course and others that may interest you. Steve

I do not have any experience in this but I would start with the town planning board and zoning boards. They would give you the requirements of what is needed for approval.

Melody,

1.  Find a piece of land to buy

2.  Do feasability on property (including zoning, engineering, land plan inluding submission and approval of subdivision site plans and to city/county, marketability and environmental, etc.)

3.  Purchase property

4.  Clear for roads and prep for underground utilities, dig ponds for drainage - work land plan from engineered drawing

5.  Run underground utilities and crush and run the roads

6.  Set curb in place and then pour asphalt on roads

7. Go back through county for final approval and apply for building permits for homes

8. Build models and build entrance and landscape

8.  Build and sell......

I made it sound really easy....one day I'll write a real post (in many parts of the actual process.) There are actually a lot of really stressful moments and lot of cursing but it is rewarding....it is yours and you make or break it by with your decisions. 

My job is to land acquire for builders as well as work with them through this process through and including naming the roads, feasability studies, etc. all the way through selling the lots and/or the homes depending on our development marketing plan. 

Melody- No help, but I was wondering the same, so thanks for asking the question so I could see the answers too. ;)

Mel...

Julie hit it right on the head. First, go zoning and planning for a quick briefing. Then determine the lot yield based on have acreage requirements. Subtract for street, greenspace and detention ponds.  Make sure you have a long enough diligence period to do you drawings, soil tests, envioronmental studies, surveys etc. and take everything to the county or municipality's planning and zoning department. Make sure your contract to purchase is subject to rezoning if necessary.

Oh, and you can hire a contractor that is experiences to do the roads and utilities, that's a turnkey operation.

Mel - Julie and Richard have it summed up pretty well.  We're in the middle of our second development project and it is a cart load of work, but the reward of seeing what you've built makes it worth it.