Odds of Getting In
It's no coincidence that a lot of the wealthiest real estate developers are in China. The amount of urban development that needs doing there has created lucrative opportunities for industrious capitalists like Wang Jianlin ($24.2B) or Lee Shau-kee ($24.8B). These are fellas who took the regular method of land development by the horns, pouncing on the potential they saw in all sorts of developments.
That doesn't mean that's what you have to do―in fact, if every real estate developer tried to outdo those guys, the world would be one big, overdeveloped city-planet. The first step in a successful real estate development career is to recognize an opportunity. Don't overthink this one. Step two is to be patient. If you're already in the real estate business, maybe work on selling some existing properties while you get your ducks in a row for the development project.
If you're going the more conventional route of getting a job at an existing development firm, you'll just have to come off like a confident young whippersnapper with loads of potential. You'll probably start in a more limited area like finance or project management, but if you prove that you know your target markets, how to reach them, and how to keep things under budget, you can move up the ladder in no time.