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:
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.
Buildbite - Best for small and medium-sized real estate development companies looking for a cost-effective solution.
Buildertrend - Best for construction companies seeking sales management features.
Admicom - Best for large construction companies seeking resource management features
Fieldwire - Best for mid to large-sized field monitoring projects
Procore - Best for corporate construction companies managing large commercial projects
Letsbuild - Best for large-scale facility management teams and companies
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.
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:
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:
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:
There are two big benefits here:
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:
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.
“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 has three pricing plans (with no hidden fees):
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
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.
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:
Pricing unavailable on their website
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:
Fieldwire offers per-user pricing based on additional functionality per tier, ranging from $39 to $79 per user per month.
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:
Procore’s pricing is not visible on the page. Based on this review it starts at $375 per month:
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:
Pricing is unavailable on their website.
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.
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:
Looking for more help, download our free resources below to support your work.
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.