4 Property Development Business Success Stories [2024]
Property development involves the acquisition of land or existing buildings, followed by improvement of the property, and finally selling or leasing the improved property for a profit.
Developers take substantial risks in acquiring the property, securing financing, obtaining permits, designing the project, and overseeing the construction.
Property development can be highly profitable, offering significant returns on investment.
Property developers add value by transforming raw land or outdated buildings into modern and functional spaces like residential, retail, industrial, and commercial real estate.
In this list, you'll find real-world property development business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a property development business that makes money.
1. Machinery Partner ($4.8M/year)
Ciaran, the founder of Machinery Partner, came up with the idea after realizing the large service gap between machinery dealers and customers in the heavy equipment industry. He saw an opportunity to digitize the industry and started reaching out to end-users to recruit more dealers, boosting revenue by 47% in just 18 months. Inspired by active Facebook groups and the trust-building power of content, Ciaran launched Machinery Partner and has since sold nearly half a million dollars worth of machinery per month, with plans to raise financing for rapid growth.
How much money it makes: $4.8M/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
How many people on the team: 6
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Machinery Partner's founder Ciaran made almost $500k in machinery sales last month targeting small to medium-sized contracting businesses in the US and aims to become the go-to digital dealership for heavy equipment, with its standout quality being accessible remotely, delivered directly from manufacturers.
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2. Casa Mia Coliving ($2.4M/year)
Eugenio and Ahmed, co-founders of Casa Mia Coliving, came up with the idea for their business after experiencing challenges with finding suitable accommodations while working in different countries. They saw the potential for coliving and decided to create a sustainable and modern coliving company in Singapore. Through their innovative approach and effective marketing strategies, Casa Mia Coliving has reached an annual revenue of $2.5 million and aims to double their business this year while launching in a second city.
How much money it makes: $2.4M/year
How many people on the team: 7
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Casa Mia Coliving, a sustainable and modern co-living and property management company in Singapore offering affordable accommodation, has an annualized revenue of $2.5M with 150 bedrooms across popular neighborhoods, attracting young professionals and boasting a 10x LTV/CAC ratio, all while focusing on unit economics and profitable growth.
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3. Livit ($600K/year)
Lavinia and her business partner Michael Bodekaer, tired of the traditional 9-to-5 grind, set up Livit in Bali as a co-living community for founders. By evolving it into a support ecosystem over six years, they've inspired and empowered 750+ entrepreneurs, scaling multiple startups to 100+ team members and generating $50K monthly.
How much money it makes: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 24
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Livit International, a support ecosystem and service provider for startups and scale-ups in Bali, has enabled 750+ entrepreneurs to build disruptive businesses with a global impact through its coworking spaces, innovation and event spaces, HR and Strategic Business Partner services, tech and non-tech recruitment, remote work education, and business support services.
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4. Send me South ($18K/year)
Marcia Solis launched Send me South in 2012 after realizing there was a need for legal services to assist expats looking to relocate to Costa Rica. The idea stemmed from her associate's frustrating experience navigating the country's immigration process, leading them to offer personalized services to guide clients through residency applications. While Send me South is not a profitable enough venture to make a living, its success lies in its commitment to providing top-notch service and a seamless relocation experience for clients from around the world.
How much money it makes: $18K/year
How many people on the team: 0
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Send Me South helps people relocate to Costa Rica by providing customized services for residency and property purchasing, with clients from all over the world, counting the United States of America, Canada, England, Jordan, UAE, Belgium, and Spain.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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