If you’re using a mix of WhatsApp, spreadsheets, and emails, then managing property development projects can be frustrating and prone to error. If you’re like most of the property developers I talk to, you’re looking for real estate development software because of the following problems:
- Costly rework often leads to loss of business and profit due to misaligned expectations of customers and workers.
- The inability to manage multiple worksites and subcontractors causes project delays, postponements, or cancellations.
- You're handling more work without seeing higher profits because workers lack the tools to report and document tasks, leaving project managers unable to bill for them.
I also know it’s challenging to find real estate development software that’s got everything you need without overwhelming you with a raft of functions you may not need.
So we'll take a look at 6 software options to manage your next project. That includes real estate development software for small businesses, general contractors in large construction projects, and large-scale facility management teams. If you're in a hurry, feel free to jump to the shortlist below.
What is the best real estate development software?
6 best real estate development software tools 2024 shortlist:
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Buildbite - Best for small and medium-sized real estate development companies looking for a cost-effective solution.
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Buildertrend - Best for construction companies seeking sales management features.
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Admicom - Best for large construction companies seeking resource management features
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Fieldwire - Best for mid to large-sized field monitoring projects
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Procore - Best for corporate construction companies managing large commercial projects
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Letsbuild - Best for large-scale facility management teams and companies
1. Buildbite - Best for real estate development software for small businesses
We built Buildbite as an easy-to-use real estate development software for SMEs that don't want to spend too much on a system, but need it to work seamlessly. If you run a small to medium-sized construction business or practice specialized trades such as electricians, plumbers, demolitionists, painters, and scaffolders; Buildbite is for you.
It unites your on-site teams, office staff, suppliers, and clients in one easy-to-use app so that projects move forward without sifting through the endless stream of messages fearing you might miss something that could end up costing you time and money.
Additionally, Buildbite stands out for its mobile-first design, which makes it easy to manage everything directly from your smartphone or tablet. It is a cost-effective option, requires no extra hardware, and is completely free for 30 days– you don't need a credit card.
Let me give you a high-level overview of how Buildbite helps you manage real estate development projects effortlessly.
How Buildbite works
When you log in to Buildbite for the first time, you’ll see a page where you can add a new project or check projects you’ve been invited to; either as a subcontractor, project manager, or client.
To start a new planning-, construction- or remodeling project, click “Add new project” and give the project a name, and a project ID– for invoicing purposes, and assign the project to the owner/company.
PS: Assigning the project to the owner/company allows Buildbite to use the owner’s project capacity plan. More so, you can set role-based permissions that will stay between company projects. That way, you don’t mix things up.
After creating the new project, organize the phases of the project, each with its own set of tasks. For example, if you add a new Cabin Construction project, you can break it into different phases, from Planning & Design to Foundation and Infrastructure, and Roofing. The Foundation and Infrastructure phase would then have tasks like “site preparation” and “foundation construction”.
Once you've organized the tasks, assign people to them. You can contact people directly from your phone book, by their phone number, or email address and they'll receive a text message inviting them to join the task, all within the app. That way, they can start tracking time on their task and access instructions.
More so, on the task creation page, you can set the estimated time for each task, add documents and media– which is good for documenting the before and after view, and choose if the task should be visible to workers and/or clients.
Once this is done, you can track time for yourself and selected users. You can also follow up, and report progress from project team members directly to your client in real-time. That way, workers get clear instructions and can track daily tasks, reducing costly mistakes caused by unclear instructions, while clients stay informed about the progress.
Team members can easily upload images and videos, leaving comments for project managers. Workers can coordinate tasks internally through the in-app work chat. When it’s time to update clients or seek approvals, the customer chat and approval feature is readily available.
Once a task is completed, it's sent to the project manager for internal approval. If everything looks good, the project manager can easily forward it to the customer for final approval.
Finally, generating professional work reports for billing and record purposes is easy with Buildbite. To create a new report, select a project on the sidebar, click reports in the footnotes, select “Create new report” or click the plus button. That would give you the option to generate and download any of the following report types:
- Working time: A summary of working hours by a worker.
- Project reports: To generate billing and analytical reports for a specific project and tasks.
- Final reports: To generate the final report of the selected project.
And that’s a high-level look at how Buildbite works as real estate development software for SMEs. You can start your free 30-day trial today (it takes most businesses a few minutes to set up).
But if you want to learn more, we also cover these property development software benefits below:
Reduce customer disputes with real-time communication.
It's common for customers to be uncertain about their needs in the early stages of a project.
However, the challenge arises when client decisions and change requests get lost in the flood of daily emails, calls, and WhatsApp messages. And as more projects come in, you’d find yourself with even less time and afraid you might miss something that could end up leading to consistent disputes, costly rework, and wasted time.
Buildbite solves this problem for builders by providing an easy-to-use platform to manage scattered communication. With Buildbite, you can invite clients to join a project in real-time. That way:
- Customers receive real-time project updates, including timelines and milestone progress, through text, images, and videos. Instead of waiting for an end-of-day report via WhatsApp or email that might go unread, they stay informed instantly.
- Customers can quickly approve or decline project status updates and share their concerns, which are then resolved in a transparent, timely manner. This helps maintain client satisfaction and strengthens the builder-client relationship.
- You can also segment communication into separate groups so that the relevant team members and clients can stay on top of everything and avoid unnecessary information.
There are two big benefits here:
- Your team can quickly discover and resolve client-related issues which improves transparency and customer satisfaction.
- Your days become more peaceful since your reputation is protected against those frantic late evening emails and WhatsApp that often become 3-star public reviews.
Save time when managing multiple projects
Managing multiple construction projects and subcontractors demands an effective project management system. Without it, project managers may be left unaware of task completion statuses, leading to disorganized scheduling, delayed starts, and costly mistakes.
More so, when workers don't report their progress on time, tasks can begin too early or too late, disrupting the entire project timeline and potentially causing delays or cancellations in other projects—resulting in significant financial losses.
With Buildbite, you can track projects and tasks in real-time, deliver on schedule, and stay on budget. Here’s how:
- Save time with instant access: When you invite your team on a project, they don’t have to search through multiple platforms, email threads, or physical documents to find the details they need. Important details like project schedules, documentation, instructions, communication threads, and reports are all available in one place for easy access.
- See your project overview: Buildbite’s timeline view gives you a summary of all ongoing projects, progress, changes, activities, and notifications. You’ll see members who have joined your project, when they started the project, how much time they’ve spent, etc. This allows you to effortlessly track and monitor multiple project tasks in one centralized overview.
- Instant task approvals: Trigger internal and external approval requests with one tap. Workers assigned to tasks can notify Project Managers with task approval requests (incl. any media) that can then be forwarded for customer approval.
- Performance analytics: With Buildbite’s reporting, you can gain insights into task performance, resource utilization, and project progress with time-tracking and project reports, enabling data-driven decision-making that drives continuous improvement.
Prevent cash flow risks with accurate estimates and billing
While keeping customers happy is important, maintaining a profitable business is even better. Many construction business owners we spoke with realized they were working harder than ever—revenues were growing, but profits weren’t following suit. This often happens when there’s a lack of clarity about which tasks each worker completed and when.
Workers may under-report their work due to inadequate reporting tools or fragmented information across different systems, leaving project managers unable to invoice for it. Additionally, change orders may not be tracked or invoiced properly.
Time is money, and every task needs to be accurately tracked. Here’s how Buildbite helps you maintain cash flow and run the business you love.
- Stay within your time limits with automated notifications: Get automated notifications when predefined thresholds, such as time or budget limits, are exceeded.
- Speed up time-to-money: In Buildbite, including your customer in project task updates ensures the customer understands the amount and type of work that’s done. That way, any questions from the customer can be documented and dealt with immediately. This prevents misalignment of expectations that might cause invoicing disputes down the line.
- Minimize the costly rework: Because Buildbite helps you accurately track the granular tasks involved in a project while also receiving real-time approvals on each task, you’re able to respond to questions faster, spot suspected risks, and minimize the impact of rework on your profitability.
Try the best SME real estate development software free for 30 days
“We chose to use Buildbite as the tool to help us improve customer relationships and retention, and we have never looked back". That’s what customers like Thomas Noreila , the CEO of Trähus, say about Buildbite.
Ready to create your first project, download Buildbite and start your free 30-day trial today.
Buildbite pros
- User friendly
- Fast and easy onboarding
- Mobile app
- Real-time data
- Affordable and transparent pricing
Buildbite limitations
- Buildbite focuses on small and medium-sized businesses. It is not intended for large enterprises managing projects in the $500 million to $1 billion range.
Buildbite pricing
Buildbite has three pricing plans (with no hidden fees):
- Basic: Ideal for small construction companies, the Basic plan $85 per month with a maximum of 5 team members or subcontractors per project.
- Standard: Meant for larger projects, the Standard plan is $138 per month for up to 20 team members or subcontractors per month.
- Premium: Large and enterprise organizations benefit from a premium plan at $193 per month for up to 50 team members or subcontractors.
2. Buildertrend - Best for construction companies seeking sales management features
Buildertrend is a construction management software for residential property developers. If you’re a home builder, remodeler, and specialty contractor, Buildertrend helps you simplify project planning, scheduling, budgeting, and collaboration.
A key feature is its powerful sales management tool, which includes a CRM hub for tracking leads, on-the-spot contract drafting with electronic signatures, and automated email campaigns to keep your leads engaged throughout the sales cycle.
Buildertrend key features
- Sales and lead management: Manage sales and lead workflows in addition to construction processes.
- Project management: Track workflow progress and manage tasks in the app.
- Messaging and communication: Communicate in the app with live chat and messages and provide a customer portal.
- Mobile app: Users can access the app on mobile devices.
Buildertrend pros
- User-friendly interface
- Wide range of features
- Mobile app
- Unlimited users
Buildertrend limitations
- Steep learning curve due to numerous features
- Few dedicated in-field features
- Potentially high cost compared to competitors (depends on the number of your users)
Buildertrend pricing
There are three plans: Essential at $499/month, Advanced at $799/month, and Complete at $1099/month. All plans qualify for a first-month discount.
3. Admicom - Best for managing the construction lifecycle
Admicom helps large construction companies manage the entire construction process, from project estimation and documentation to project monitoring and employee training. A standout feature is its cost and quantity management tool, which allows companies to easily track expenses and identify areas for potential savings.
Admicom key features:
- Quantity calculation
- Project and order management
- Allocation of purchases and invoicing
- Sales invoicing
- Time tracking
- Inventory management
- Resource management and planning
- Electronic waybills/consignment notes
Admicom Flex pros
- Easy to use app in the field that you can learn to use in five minutes.
- Shorten time-to-money by monitoring orders in real-time and invoicing
- Robust financial management integration
Admicom limitations
- Most user reviews suggest the app can be ineffective due to bugs, but they are outdated reviews.
- No transparent pricing.
Admicom pricing
Pricing unavailable on their website
4. Fieldwire - Best for job site monitoring
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Fieldwire is an all-in-one jobsite management solution designed to seamlessly connect the field with the office, from foreman to project managers and everyone in between. This jobsite management software is trusted on over 1,000,000 projects worldwide, to access and share information, plan and manage work, and track/report progress. That way, it enhances team coordination and significantly boosts productivity, allowing users to save up to one hour per day on more valuable tasks.
Fieldwire key features:
- Task Management
- Scheduling
- Snag List & Inspection
- RFIs & Submittals
- Change Orders
- Document Management
- Specifications & Plan Viewing
- BIM Viewer
- As-Built Drawings
- Reporting & Form Digitization
Fieldwire pros:
- User-friendly interface that’s quick to set up
- Comprehensive feature set for end-to-end project tracking
- Facilitates seamless communication across teams
- Highly effective for managing large-scale projects
Fieldwire limitations:
- Pricing can become steep, especially for small teams managing just a few projects
- Some users report clunkiness in document and drawing management
Fieldwire pricing:
Fieldwire offers per-user pricing based on additional functionality per tier, ranging from $39 to $79 per user per month.
5. Procore - Best for corporate construction companies managing large commercial projects
If you need to manage construction projects with a scope larger than residential buildings and small commercial properties, think commercial complexes, infrastructure projects (e.g., bridges, highways), or large residential developments– Procore might be the best choice for you.
It is a powerful construction management solution with features that account for the scale, resources involved in managing complex construction projects and planning future developments.
Procore key features:
- Preconstruction management
- Project management
- Workforce management
- Financial management
- Construction intelligence/data
Procore pros
- Strong integration capabilities
- Great customer service
Procore limitations
- Extensive onboarding process and users report a steep learning curve
- Free trial limited to certain features (such as estimating)
- It can be expensive (ranging from $4,500 to $6,588 annually)
Procore pricing
Procore’s pricing is not visible on the page. Based on this review it starts at $375 per month:
6. Letsbuild - Best for large-scale facility management teams and companies
LetsBuild is a cloud-based construction project management software designed to provide real-time visibility and control across large-scale civil, commercial, and residential projects. Catering to executives, onsite managers, and foremen, it offers a comprehensive toolset for planning, managing workflow, ensuring quality, and sharing project information.
Letsbuild key features:
Letsbuild has three features:
- LB Aproplan: Streamlines defect management, handovers, and QHSE checklists with automated data input and report generation.
- LB Geniebelt: Enables real-time collaboration and progress tracking, preventing double bookings and missed deadlines.
- LB Maintenance: Facilitates inspection data collection, scheduling, reporting, and compliance management.
Letsbuild pros:
- Comprehensive toolset for end-to-end project management
- Real-time task management and communication
- Powerful features designed for large-scale projects
Letsbuild limitation:
- Can be time-consuming to learn and set up
- May be expensive for smaller businesses
- Most user reviews are outdated, limiting recent feedback
- No transparent pricing
Letsbuild pricing:
Pricing is unavailable on their website.
What is the best software for real estate management?
Since real estate management covers everything from property development to asset management, and investment & financing, there is no one-size-fits-all tool. The best software for real estate management depends on the specific needs of your business, such as property type, portfolio size, and the level of functionality required. If you run a real estate development firm and need a tool to handle client interactions, coordinate with contractors, and oversee multiple developments all in one place, Buildbite is the right software for you.
How to choose the right real estate development software: The 5 key questions
The right real estate development software is one that simplifies how you manage the design, planning, construction, or remodeling of properties. To make the best choice, consider these five key questions:
- Can I remotely collaborate with on-site teams, office staff, subcontractors, and clients without relying on cumbersome emails and messenger apps?
- Does the software allow me to assign, track, and manage tasks efficiently across multiple real estate developments?
- Can I create accurate cost estimates for materials, labor, and other project expenses to stay within budget?
- Is it possible to generate invoices automatically based on completed work, tracked time, or milestones achieved?
- Can I produce detailed financial reports that help assess profitability, identify cost overruns, and make informed decisions?
Looking for more help, download our free resources below to support your work.
Download free real estate development software resources
As you explore your options for real estate development software, having the right resources at your fingertips can make all the difference. To help, we've curated a collection of templates and guides to support your decision-making process.
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