Land developers typically acquire natural or unimproved land (often referred to as englobo land, raw land, real property with no improvements or infrastructure) and improve it with utility connections, roads, earth grading, covenants, and entitlements. Infrastructure improvement provides a base for further development of built improvements.
Covenants define the context in which future development of built improvements may take place (often in the form of deed restrictions on particular parcels: a sort of "private zoning code" limited only to those properties). Entitlements are secured legal permissions from regulatory bodies (typically in the form of permits, but sometimes in the form of re-zoning or planned unit developments). Once these improvements have been made to the raw land, it is typically subdivided and sold piecemeal at a profit to individuals or building developers.