How common are delays in real estate crowdfunding, and how do investors plan for them?

Delays are common: across Europe they affect an estimated 20 to 50% of real estate crowdfunding projects, and in France around 30% of projects were delayed in 2024.
Before investing, treat a delay as a likely scenario, not an exception: ask what your return would be if repayment comes 12 months late, and check the security behind the loan (a first-charge mortgage is repaid before subordinated lenders if the developer defaults). Projects with no clear exit strategy or repayment event deserve extra caution.
After investing, track the project's milestones against the original timeline and read every update from the platform.
A delay does not always mean a loss, but it lowers the return per year and keeps your money locked in for longer. Capital is at risk: crowdfunding investments are not covered by deposit guarantee schemes, can lose part or all of their value, and may be hard to sell before the end of their term.