Real estate development is a multi-step process that can be complicated, lengthy and risky. It can take years to bring a project from the initial planning stage through construction to final completion, and there are plenty of obstacles that can pop up along the way. Yet development projects also can be highly profitable investment opportunities. By definition, development projects provide the opportunity to deliver a product that does not currently exist into a market, often providing the fresh new supply to satisfy pent up market demand. When executed well, this aspect of a development project can translate into a runaway success story, something that simply isn’t nearly as possible with an existing asset. Investors can more confidently assess some of the risks associated with construction by better understanding the “life cycle” of a development project.