Rental Property Owner & Real Estate Investor Podcast

Every successful real estate development starts long before the first shovel hits the ground. From concept and capital stack to design, construction, and operations—understanding the process is key to building with purpose. In this episode, Steve Achram and Peter Skornia of Cella Building Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan, share a step-by-step guide to sustainable development and walk us through their Wealthy & Sheldon project—an example of how thoughtful design, solid financial modeling, and community collaboration can turn a vision into a high-performing building. We cover: What goes into a bulletproof proforma and capital stack How to conduct site due diligence and align with municipal priorities Using grants and incentives like the Emerging Developer Grant in Grand Rapids The full timeline from concept to construction to operations How sustainability and community equity drive long-term value Lessons learned from the Wealthy & Sheldon mixed-use development Why affordable and attainab