The groundbreaking ceremony for a new building signifies the physical start of a construction project. In most cases, however, months or even years have already been spent preparing the land for future growth, as planners and developers work behind the scenes to make the property “shovel ready.” Attempting to market a property that is not shovel ready can be a significant barrier to making a commercial property sale. But what does it mean to have a shovel-ready property, and why is it so important?