What are the basics of developing a greenfield site on the developer side?
I assume you start with a concept, through identifying demand based on word of mouth or some software that provides a geographic picture of rents in an area for certain industries. Warehousing, retail, office, residential, etc. Then you go out for first round of funding (get a loan based on the fed interest rate?). With that you go and get a site study and buy land based on the civil engineers recommendations and zoning change projections. Then you get more funding. You go back to the civil for a basic design of your concept including everything you’ll need to present to the zoning board. You hash that out for a while and then you get zoning board approval. You get more funding. You contract the design team to finish up their construction documents while you get more funding. Then you go out for construction bids and get a GC onboard. Construction then funding then problems then funding then punch list. All the meanwhile you’re looking for tenants and trying to figure out how you’re going to repay these loans. 

What did I miss?
[{"id": "j0g2zbt", "text": "Where you mention first round of funding- at that step you most likely tie up the land, instead of buying outright, and you most likely aren\u2019t getting funding for that portion of the process.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "j0g5gxi", "text": "Im a greenfield developer. \n\nTo find a site its either you find a site and you figure out thr highest and best use.\n\nAlternatively, you find an area and then look for the site.\n\nSo you might get an email from an agent saying checkout this block for sale. You then figure it would make a great child care using a feaso which tells you the price you need to buy it at or you figure this area needs a childcare lets try and make or fund a site. Amalgamation, demolition, etc. Might also be options.\n\nYou normally know from your banker what you can pay and may make up the rest with secondary financiers.\n\nAs the other commenter mentioned its handy to lock up the land through say options which will enable you to then tidy up finances.\n\nYou can of course put an offer subject to finance and a deposit and then go and sort finance.\n\nA lot of the demand etc. Reseaech is in the feaso stage and most of the time youre in an area you know and have a good idea of.\n\nIm Austtalian but usually youre funding a fair bit up front. Feel free to ask me anything else.", "replies": [{"id": "j0jn8iu", "text": "How much time do you have to make the decision of go/ no go on an opportunity? Do you feel rushed to do a full analysis in the time it takes before someone else jumps on an opportunity?", "replies": [{"id": "j0n6ooo", "text": "Sometimes. But thats the way it is. If its a deal thats on the market usually the agent will ask offers to be in by a date which gives you ample time to get in an initial offer.\n\nId say feasibilities is my strongest ability as a developer, maybe with relationship building. You need to use your strengths. I tend to buy well using my strengths that makes the rest easy. Others buy maybe a bit high but as they are builders or designers they adjust and make it profitable.\n\nWhen its off market it could be you want to be quick to make sure you get it first or you could take it slow. Depends on the sitiation.\n\nI am doing one now that I should really follow up the owner. Its a small property next to our 700 lot development. We are the only buyer its worth much to. I know the lady and her mum. Mum just got moved to care so not jumping too hard. But I dont have any other pressures.\n\nThe other most recent off market was a property I bought heard of it from a friend talked to the owners they had a few super low balls ie $4m when it was worth $6m+. I was pretty quick to offer $5.5m and they took it. I knew they wanted to drop it quick. They retired, inherited it, this was free money to people in their 70s. Son was looking to buy a home moved to the big city (no doubt theyd give him some). Maybe I could have squeezed more but happy to do the deal. I helped the son with where Id buy when he moves and gave him some advice. So he was also pushing his parents to go.\n\nSimilar happened on another I did recently. Agent called me and said got this townhouse site about to go to market but the guy will accept an offer of x if you are keen it seems like a no brainer. I did a feaso, yeah no brainer. Went back the next day. Signed the contract that day while my wife was in labour!\n\nKind of depends in the townhouse one. I know personally maybe 15 builders in that market I know agents I know sales prices like the back of my hand (have 550 lots in that area and another 200 closeby), I go to lunch with the largest civil contractor, etc. so I was very confident on my numbers. Just a few calls to confirm.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "j0j6wsx", "text": "I would engage a GC/ builder much earlier in the process. Especially with todays construction costs and interest rates. The architect and builder can help guide the design to make the project feasible.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]