Real estate is all the immovable property, including the land and other structures built over them. In medieval Europe, the three Estates (nobility, clergy and the commoners) held land in differing proportions. Land as a repository of value gained the denotation of estate in time, and hence 'real estate' denotes any 'real' property of value related with land. Many religions, including Christianity, hold that, being created by God, all lands belong to Him, and religious institutions around the world hold significant real estate. Different sovereigns have decreed that all lands belong to them that do not belong to anyone else, and that land held by anyone is with the permission of the sovereign only. Even today the principle holds - all land not owned by anyone is national property, and sometimes even personal property may be claimed as sovereign property (for example a piece of land may be claimed for its strategic advantage, for newly discovered underground wealth - either minerals or treasure trove, for developmental purposes, or as penalty). As the amount of useful land is limited but the demands on it from a rising population and needs of development are unlimited, the premium on land is always high. Today, real estate is one of the largest businesses in the world.

Land that does not serve any purpose is of no value, like the wastes of Siberia or Sahara. Nevertheless they play an important role in the eco-system. A large part of the land available is claimed for cultivation or forestry, or by governments. Therefore the amount of land remaining for developmental activities remains very minute. Most land needs to be developed before they can be claimed for any use. This too requires massive investment. The rising needs of the populations, including roads and highways, schools, offices, residential buildings, commercial institutions, markets and other things, require much planning and investment. Today, the real estate world has many players all of whom provide valuable services to carry development forward, from valuations professionals to brokerages, from land developers to property managers, from architects to promoters and builders.

This section of the web directory purports to provide you with links to valuable resources in the field of real estate.