How Long Does It Take to Develop Real Estate?

July 7, 2025 | Kristi Kandel

ASK:

How long does it really take to go from idea to ribbon-cutting in real estate development?

ANSWER:

At Local Real Estate Developer (LRED), we tell local developers the truth: real estate development is a marathon, not a sprint, but it’s absolutely doable alongside family, a W-2, and everything else on your plate.

In most U.S. tertiary markets, a small-to-mid-sized project runs 12–24 months from concept to completion of phase I. The exact timeline flexes with:

• How quickly you tie up the dirt 
• Local permitting, speed, and meeting calendars 
• Financing and equity partner lead times 
• Weather windows & contractor availability 

Inside our Development Operating System (Dev-OS), you map every phase from site selection, due diligence, funding, design, entitlements, to construction so nothing slips through the cracks (or surprises your lender).

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Plan on 12–24 months for small-town projects; urban infill or heavy infrastructure deals may run longer.
   
• Entitlements and financing are the critical path—pad extra time for reviews and lender underwriting.
   
• Dev-OS breaks the process into daily/weekly tasks you can knock out after 5 p.m. without quitting your day job.
   
• Mentorship provides real-time feedback and course corrections, helping you maintain momentum and sanity.
   

PEOPLE ALSO ASK:

How long does real estate development take in [City]?

• LRED shows you how to identify project timelines and seasonal constraints during due diligence so you can forecast accurately for any city or county.

What can speed up a development timeline?

• Pre-application meetings, complete submittals, lining up partners before you have a deal, and an engaged GC all tighten the schedule. LRED’s Dev-OS walks you through each phase.

Can I develop property part-time?

• Yes. Many LRED members juggle W-2 jobs by using Dev-OS dashboards, evening work blocks, and local GCs who manage day-to-day site activity.

Unlock more tools, templates & case studies—get free access to the Developer Vault.

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