Interested in Residential Land Development? From Due Diligence to Bond Release?

Question

Anyone interested in the practical side of residential subdivision development?

I've spent 36 years in residential land development, including more than 25 years managing subdivision development for national homebuilders. Over that time, I've been involved in delivering thousands of finished residential lots.

I started my career working for a large heavy civil contractor, spending more than a decade in the field building sites before transitioning into land development management.

That background has given me the opportunity to understand the development process from both the contractor's and the homebuilder's perspectives.

My experience covers the entire process of taking raw land through feasibility, entitlements, engineering, site construction, infrastructure development, and ultimately finished residential lot delivery.

Lately, I've been thinking about sharing some of what I've learned over the years, particularly the things that can make or break a development budget.

Things like earthwork balance, grading, unforeseen site conditions, utility conflicts, constructability, and recognizing potential problems before they become expensive ones.

I'm curious whether there are builders, developers, or land investors here who would find this kind of practical information useful.

And if so, what aspects of residential land development would you be most interested in learning more about?

I'd be happy to share what I've learned, and I always welcome questions, comments, and different perspectives. There's always something to learn from others in this business.

Thanks for your time, and have a great day... wherever you are!

Best,

Chad

Mark Andales · Answer

Hey Chad! One topic I'd be interested in hearing more about is how much a property's actual lot yield can change between the initial land evaluation and the completed engineering plans.

I've been doing quite a bit of preliminary parcel research lately, and something I find interesting is the difference between what a property appears to support on paper and what can realistically be developed.

For example, a parcel might initially look suitable for a certain number of residential lots based on acreage and zoning. But once you account for stormwater facilities, road requirements, utility infrastructure, and the actual site layout, the number of usable lots could turn out to be quite different.

I'd be interested in hearing about a project where something like that happened and how it affected the original acquisition numbers.

I think a real example from someone who's been on the construction and development sides would be valuable. Appreciate you offering to share your experience!

Anitha Bala · Answer

Hello Chad:

I would be interested in connecting and chatting about your experiences since I am just starting to explore the options available.

LMK

thanks

anitha

Jamie Hora · Answer

Chad, your experience is immeasurable, and contributions from folks like you on here is why I come to this site. I have about 8 years of Land Development experience on the Civil Engineering side. My biggest struggles usually all come back to entitlements. Platting is the biggest one, and then right behind it is the actual web of permits that are needed when working with a new City. Its great having opportunities to work in so many different cities with my clients, but definitely learning curves when working with different jurisdictions.

Looking forward to seeing your contributions & posts on here!

Chad Backstrom · Answer

Hi Anitha,

Thanks for reaching out! I appreciate your interest.

I'm hoping to share some of the practical lessons I've learned over the years, particularly regarding site development, infrastructure construction, budgeting, and the challenges that can arise along the way.

Hopefully, some of those experiences will be useful to you as you explore your options.

Thanks again, and best wishes!

Chad

Anitha Bala · Answer

Hi Chad:

LMK when would be a good ime to connect with you maybe via phone or so?

thanks

Chad Backstrom · Answer

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the thoughtful response!

That's exactly where developers can get themselves into trouble. A property may look very attractive based on its acreage and allowable density, but the actual lot yield can change considerably once you start accounting for roads, stormwater management, grading constraints, utility infrastructure, environmental features, required common areas like open recreational spaces and other development requirements.

And unfortunately, losing lots doesn't necessarily mean a proportional reduction in development costs. In some cases, you're still building essentially the same infrastructure, but spreading those costs across fewer finished lots.

I've encountered plenty of situations over the years where unforeseen conditions or development requirements have significantly affected the original budget assumptions.

I'll put some thought into sharing a real-world example that illustrates how these issues can affect the economics of a project.

Thanks again for your interest!

Chad Backstrom · Answer

Hi Anitha,

Thanks for reaching out! I appreciate your interest.

I'm hoping to share some of the practical lessons I've learned over the years, particularly regarding site development, infrastructure construction, budgeting, and the challenges that can arise along the way.

Hopefully, some of those experiences will be useful to you as you explore your options.

Thanks again, and best wishes!

Chad

Interested in Residential Land Development? From Due Diligence to Bond Release?

Interested in Residential Land Development? From Due Diligence to Bond Release?

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