How to Write a Condo Development Business Plan: 7 Steps
Condo Development Bundle
How to Write a Business Plan for Condo Development
Follow 7 practical steps to create a Condo Development business plan in 10–15 pages, with a 5-year forecast (2026–2030), breakeven at 31 months (July 2028), and funding needs exceeding $240 million clearly explained in numbers
How to Write a Business Plan for Condo Development in 7 Steps
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Step Name
Plan Section
Key Focus
Main Output/Deliverable
1
Define Project Pipeline and Timeline
Concept
Timeline six projects (15–20 months)
Confirmed project schedule
2
Identify Target Buyer and Sales Strategy
Market
Model 60% commission impact (2026)
Initial sales pricing
3
Map Development and Construction Budgets
Operations
Total $3.485B costs timing
Hard/soft cost breakdown
4
Establish Core Organizational Overhead
Team
Define 45 FTEs and $445k wage bill
Annual fixed budget
5
Determine Capital Requirements and Sources
Financials
Forecast $2.408B gap by June 2028
Funding gap analysis
6
Calculate Project and Portfolio Returns
Financials
Track 3% IRR to 31-month breakeven
Key return metrics
7
Analyze Sensitivity and Contingency Planning
Risks
Stress test against cost overruns
Contingency documentation
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What specific market demand validates the scale and location of all six planned projects?
Demand validation for the six Condo Development projects hinges on confirming strong absorption rates within specific zip codes that support the premium pricing strategy for both homeowner and institutional sales channels; this analysis helps determine if the current development pipeline aligns with long-term viability, which you can explore further in this piece: Is The Condo Development Business Currently Generating Consistent Profits?
Pinpointing Buyer Demand
Define the dual target market: young professionals needing 1-bedroom units and empty-nesters requiring low-maintenance 2-bedroom layouts.
The scale of six projects requires a sustained absorption rate above 85% of available inventory within the first 180 days post-launch.
Analyze local absorption rates across the six planned locations to confirm capacity for simultaneous ground-up development cycles.
If initial pre-sales lag, the pipeline needs immediate adjustment; defintely don't break ground without 40% contract velocity.
Justifying Price Premiums
Justify premium pricing by clearly segmenting assets based on location-specific value drivers.
Harbor View Lofts command a 15% price premium over Park Avenue Flats due to direct water access and superior views.
Institutional buyers require a projected stabilized Net Operating Income (NOI) yield of at least 5.5% to absorb bulk sales at target prices.
Amenities like concierge service and dedicated co-working spaces must translate directly into a $75 per square foot uplift over comparable new construction.
How will we finance the $2408 million minimum cash requirement by June 2028?
Financing the $2,408 million cash requirement by June 2028 defintely hinges on balancing equity commitments against debt draws, specifically structuring the $735 million land acquisition and $275 million construction budgets to protect the target 3% Internal Rate of Return (IRR) from rising interest costs, a critical step detailed in How Can You Effectively Launch Your Condo Development Business?
Structure the Capital Stack
Establish equity commitments covering 40% of the $735 million land acquisition budget first.
Debt financing, likely 60% LTV (Loan-to-Value), should only kick in post-land closing.
Tie construction draws for the $275 million budget strictly to physical milestones, not calendar dates.
We need a clear schedule showing when equity capital must be available versus when debt is drawn down.
Interest Rate Risk Impact
A 100 basis point increase in the floating construction loan rate adds $2.75 million annually to carrying costs.
If financing costs push above 5.5%, the 3% IRR target is mathematically compromised.
We must secure rate caps or forward commitments covering at least 75% of the $275 million construction loan.
This risk management must be baked into the initial equity ask; patience capital pays for certainty.
What is the detailed risk mitigation plan for delays exceeding the 15–20 month construction durations?
Mitigating construction delays exceeding 15–20 months hinges on proactively managing permitting and supply chain visibility while setting aside a dedicated contingency fund, which you can read more about how much it costs to open, start, launch your Condo Development Business?
Identify Critical Delay Points
Map the critical path, focusing first on municipal permitting timelines.
Establish firm, contractual lead times for long-lead materials like structural steel or specialized HVAC units.
Track supplier performance weekly; if a vendor misses a milestone, trigger the pre-approved backup procurement plan.
If local zoning board approvals take longer than six months, the project schedule is defintely at risk.
Establish Contingency Buffers
Set a construction contingency budget of 10% against the total cost estimate.
For a $35 million project, this reserves $3.5 million for unforeseen delays or material price spikes.
For a larger $60 million build, the required buffer jumps to $6 million, protecting margin.
This contingency covers escalation costs, not scope creep; scope changes require separate owner approval.
Does the projected 2712% Return on Equity (ROE) meet investor hurdle rates given the 44-month payback period?
The projected 2712% Return on Equity (ROE) strongly suggests the hurdle rate is met, especially because the 44-month payback period is aggressive for a real estate development cycle. The key is executing the full project sell-out strategy while realizing planned variable cost improvements over time, which solidifies these returns; you can read more about typical returns in How Much Does The Owner Of Condo Development Usually Make?
Exit Strategy Validation
Full sell-out locks in the projected equity multiple needed for the 2712% ROE.
Project-level profit margins must consistently exceed 25% Net Income to support this equity return profile.
The 44-month timeline assumes efficient permitting and construction timelines, which is tight for ground-up builds.
This model relies on capturing premium pricing in prime locations, not relying on rental income stabilization.
Variable Cost Levers
Sales commission compression drives margin growth: dropping from 60% in 2026 to 40% by 2030.
This 20-point reduction in variable selling costs directly flows to the bottom line, boosting final project profitability.
If the exit timing shifts past 2030, the assumed cost structure might not hold, defintely impacting the final ROE calculation.
Scaling operations requires standardizing procurement to keep hard costs predictable, even as sales terms improve.
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Key Takeaways
The business plan must clearly justify a substantial capital need, peaking at $2408 million by June 2028, to cover initial land acquisition and construction draws.
Achieving portfolio viability requires hitting critical milestones, targeting a breakeven point within 31 months (July 2028) across the six planned projects totaling $3485 million in costs.
Investor expectations demand a financial model that proves the project can deliver an exceptional 2712% Return on Equity (ROE) while maintaining a minimum 3% Internal Rate of Return (IRR).
The seven-step development process mandates rigorous risk mitigation, including establishing contingency budgets to offset potential cost overruns from construction delays exceeding the standard 15–20 month duration.
Step 1
: Define Project Pipeline and Timeline
Pipeline Sequencing
Defining the project sequence dictates capital deployment timing. We must map the six developments, from The Pinnacle to Riverside Residences, starting acquisition on January 15, 2026. This sequencing manages the massive $3,485 million total cost basis across the portfolio. Getting this wrong strains cash flow before sales begin.
This timeline is defintely the backbone for the capital raise. Every project must adhere to the master schedule to ensure the first units are ready for sale when the model predicts, which is July 2028. We need tight control over land closing dates.
Construction Levers
Focus intensely on the construction duration, budgeted between 15 to 20 months per asset. If The Pinnacle closes acquisition in Q1 2026, construction must finish by Q2 2027 to hit the July 2028 sales start window comfortably. This buffer is slim.
The variance between 15 and 20 months directly impacts when we can start recognizing revenue against the $2,408 million funding gap. We should model the worst-case 20-month scenario for all six projects to test liquidity needs through Q3 2028.
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Step 2
: Identify Target Buyer and Sales Strategy
Define Buyer Segments
You must clearly define who pays you and what they value. For this development firm, the market splits between individual homebuyers seeking lifestyle upgrades and investors needing stabilized assets. Your pricing strategy must flex between retail unit sales and bulk liquidation values. If you price too high for retail, you risk absorption risk when sales start in July 2028.
Establishing initial sales prices requires dual targets. Set the retail price per square foot for individual sales, and simultaneously determine the bulk capitalization rate needed to entice institutional buyers for a quick exit. This strategic flexibility is key to maximizing value on every asset, even if the timeline shifts.
Model Variable Expense Shock
Variable costs eat margin fast, especially in real estate sales. The plan calls for modeling a 60% Sales & Brokerage Commissions rate in 2026. Honestly, that number looks like a major drag, or perhaps it represents total acquisition costs before development starts. If 60% of gross revenue is commission, your gross margin is only 40% before covering land or construction costs.
Here’s the quick math: If a project generates $100 million in gross sales revenue, a 60% commission means $60 million is gone. That leaves only $40 million to cover all hard/soft costs ($348.5 million total across all projects) and overhead ($312,000 annually). You must confirm if this 60% applies to the entire portfolio or just initial 2026 acquisition fees. Defintely stress test this number; it’s critical.
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Step 3
: Map Development and Construction Budgets
Mapping Capital Burn
You need a precise map of when cash leaves the bank for physical assets. This step locks down the $3485 million total cost across all planned developments. If you misjudge the timing of these capital outlays, your cash runway shrinks fast. For example, the Cityscape Towers project requires a $60 million construction budget that must be drawn down within the 15–20 month build schedule defined in Step 1. Get this wrong, and you defintely miss your debt covenants.
Hard costs (materials and direct labor) are the bulk of this figure. Soft costs (fees, design, permits) are usually easier to control early on, but they balloon if scope creeps. You must define exactly which portion of the $3485 million total is hard versus soft before you start drawing funds.
Controlling Cost Draws
To manage the total $3485 million spend, closely track the Project Specific Soft Costs, which cover things like permitting and initial design fees. These are often estimated at 25% of the project budget, as noted in Step 7 planning. If your initial estimates for these soft costs prove too low, that shortfall hits your working capital immediately.
Focus your immediate attention on the timing of the largest single outlay, like the $60 million construction budget for Cityscape Towers. This draw schedule must align perfectly with your capital sources timeline from Step 5. If construction draws are front-loaded, you need more initial equity or debt financing secured earlier than planned.
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Step 4
: Establish Core Organizational Overhead
Setting the Overhead Baseline
You must lock down your core team size before breaking ground on any project. This initial overhead dictates your monthly burn rate before the first dollar of sales comes in from the 2028 closings. For 2026 operations, plan for 45 full-time equivalents (FTEs), which includes paying the CEO $250,000 annually. This headcount must support all pre-development activities, from land acquisition to securing entitlements.
The total annual wage expense for this team is budgeted at $445,000. This figure is your baseline labor cost. If you hire too fast or pay too much, you eat into the capital earmarked for hard costs like the $60 million construction budget for Cityscape Towers. Keep this team lean, especially since revenue doesn't start until Step 1 projects close.
Controlling Fixed Spend
Beyond salaries, you need a strict budget for general administration. We set the annual fixed operating budget at $312,000. This covers rent, insurance, software, and utilities—the things you pay whether a project is active or not. This budget is tight, so you defintely need to prioritize essential software subscriptions over expansive office space right now.
To keep overhead manageable, treat the $445,000 wage pool and the $312,000 fixed budget as a combined $757,000 annual operating expense floor. If you need more personnel, you must cut fixed costs elsewhere, or you risk running out of runway before the 2028 sales start. Every FTE hired must generate value faster than their cost.
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Step 5
: Determine Capital Requirements and Sources
Funding the Build
This step proves you can fund the entire build cycle before collecting a dime. You must map every capital call needed for land acquisition and construction draws. The model shows a critical funding gap of $2408 million needed by June 2028. If you miss this date, construction halts, and the $3485 million total cost timeline collapses. That’s the whole game right there.
Securing Capital
You need firm commitments for that $2.408 billion well before January 2026 when the first land purchase hits. Focus on structuring debt that aligns with construction milestones, not just a lump sum. Since sales only begin in July 2028, your working capital needs to bridge 30+ months of heavy outlay. Defintely secure non-dilutive financing first.
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Step 6
: Calculate Project and Portfolio Returns
Validate Portfolio Returns
You need to prove the capital structure works. Modeling the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Return on Equity (ROE) confirms if the development strategy beats alternative uses of that $2.408 billion capital requirement. We are targeting a 3% IRR, which seems low for development risk, but the 2712% ROE suggests significant leverage is assumed. This calculation is the ultimate test of project viability.
The financial model must tightly map the 31-month timeline to breakeven in July 2028. This links every construction draw, including the $60 million for Cityscape Towers, directly to the projected sales revenue timing. If you miss that date, the entire return profile changes, defintely for the worse.
Track Breakeven Path
To hit that July 2028 breakeven, you must synchronize the timing of your $3485 million total hard and soft costs with unit sales commencement. Check that the 60% Sales & Brokerage Commissions, applied in 2026, are correctly accounted for against the first wave of unit sales starting then. That timing is everything.
Also, verify that the $445,000 annual wage expense and $312,000 fixed operating budget are fully accrued through the 31 months of pre-revenue development. If project delays push sales past Q3 2028, that projected 3% IRR erodes quickly because holding costs keep stacking up against the equity base.
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Step 7
: Analyze Sensitivity and Contingency Planning
Test the Edges
Stress testing finds where the plan breaks when things go wrong. For development, delays are defintely death because capital is drawn before sales revenue arrives. You must know how long you can float costs before running dry. We need to check if the initial 2026 budget absorbs a 3-month construction slip on the first project acquisition, which starts January 15, 2026.
This step ensures your financial model holds up when the largest projects face unexpected scope creep or permitting holdups. If the timeline stretches, your overhead costs ($312,000 annually) keep burning cash while land purchases continue. You need a clear trigger point for when contingency funds run dry.
Model the Overrun
Focus on the 25% Project Specific Soft Costs allocated in 2026. This bucket is your first line of defense against unforeseen site prep issues or permitting delays. If a major cost overrun hits one of the initial projects, check if this contingency covers the difference before touching the main construction draw schedule.
If that buffer doesn't cover the initial shock, you need immediate capital clarification. For example, if a $5 million overrun hits Cityscape Towers early on, verify that the soft cost allocation absorbs that hit without needing to tap the primary $2408 million funding gap reserve prematurely.
The minimum cash required is substantial, peaking at $2408 million by June 2028; this covers the $735 million land acquisition cost and initial construction draws over the first 30 months;
Projects like Harbor View Lofts have a 16-month construction duration, but overall portfolio breakeven takes 31 months (July 2028), with a full payback period projected at 44 months
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