I'm an engineer by profession and I got started in real estate investing about 1.5 years ago.

We both have engineering degrees and spent almost 20 years trying to work our way up the corporate ladder because we thought that was what being successful was about. 

I spent six years in the United States and have a degree in Mechanical Engineering.  

I'm an electrical engineer and have worked for some of the big biomedical companies for almost 20 years.  

@Terry Burger , For a "regular" house on a "regular" lot your looking about 7 bucks a foot +/-    For this type of situation I would consult with the municipality, my engineer and my plumber on the EXACT parcel of land I was looking to develop.  

Had an interesting discussing at the Orange County BP Meetup (everyone should come) with an engineer that deals with solar projects.

I am a licensed PE in CA.

Development is a very complex business that involves real estate, construction, engineering, design, finance, etc.

Now that the easy part is over (yes, that was the easy part) you will need to research SEO or Search Engine Optimization.

@Mike Mitchell Techniques such as direct mail, craigslist ads, networking with realtors, pay-per-click, search engine optimization, and bandit signs (check your local area to see if they are legal).