The solid surface of the earth, together with the rights to use it, constitutes land. In real estate, land is the foundation upon which all other improvements rest. It can be owned, leased, subdivided, and taxed.

Land value depends on location, zoning, access, topography, and utility availability. Raw land produces no income until it is entitled and developed or put to productive use such as farming or resource extraction. Holding costs include taxes, interest, and opportunity cost.

Ownership of land typically includes rights to the surface, and sometimes to minerals or air space, subject to regulation. Public land-use controls heavily influence what can be done with private land. For developers, the right piece of land at the right price is the starting point of every project.

Everything built begins with a claim to a specific piece of land.