From Setbacks to Revelution: Pamela Bardhi’s Bold Rebuild Through Real Estate

I heard Pam Bardhi speak at the investor conference and she brought the house down. She is a very vivacious, enthusiastic, funny person. And I went up to her and I said, you have to come speak at my conference. She, she said, okay. And she has 18 month twins at home that she left from Boston. So everyone, welcome. Pam Bardhi, come on up.

Pamela Bardhi: Okay, we’re still gonna break down the house.

Beth Azor: Yeah.

So let’s talk about pizza for a second. Tell people about your relationship with pizza

Pamela Bardhi: That’s the secret to my heart, you know?

Beth Azor: I know. Tell, tell them about your relationship with pizza.

Pamela Bardhi: Yes. So she just mentioned pizza, which is like my one true love and always will be.

Beth Azor: Besides your babies.

Pamela Bardhi: Besides my babies, yes, of course, besides my babies. Yeah. I mean I went from delivering pizzas to a, nine figure real estate career. So that’s my relationship with pizza.

Beth Azor: Figure. Can we give her a round of applause? Figures.

Accessory dwelling units are what ADU stand for

So we’re going to talk very quickly about ADUs. but then we’re going to pivot because she’s made a lot of changes since we met. and we really want to talk about what she’s doing now, which is mind blowing. But can you for just a second? Because you know, we talked last year. we had a speaker from California, Niti Coward, she spoke about ADU and it blew. right. We were all like, what? So just talk about ADUs for two minutes.

Pamela Bardhi: You got it. So accessory dwelling units is what ADU stand for. And really they were spearheaded primarily in California. So they can be attached or detached. And I call it a way to unlock wealth in your backyard and in your own property. which is, it’s a big, big key right now. And so I’ve been working with some incredible partners that have launched ADU loans across the country. which has been tremendous.

But essentially there’s attached and detached units. So attached means you finish your basement, your attic, the other way around. I just, that I just pointed. and then you’ve also. Detached is basically another house in your backyard. So a lot of states, I mean, given the housing crisis. like we can’t just keep building and building and building. New construction, as many of you know, to build new takes years between you.

By the time you get through permitting, by the time that you do your site work, by the time you actually build it. and then by the time you actually fill it, it’s like a whole new thing. I mean, one house can take what, two years? At least one single family House. So we’ve got to maximize our property value with what’s existing on our properties.

And so accessory dwelling units are sort of sweeping the nation now. so I live in Boston, Massachusetts. And in Boston, Massachusetts, literally just dropped. It was like as of a month ago, actually February 6, 2025. We can legally put in accessory dwelling units as of Right. In single family zone neighborhoods, which is.

Beth Azor: A big, amazing deal. Amazing. And with a baby boomer, it’s retiring. If you wanted to put something for your in laws right in the backyard or not and get rent o. And you’ve been doing it, and you’ve been doing the adus.

Pamela Bardhi: Absolutely. And I love the modular approach to those, just because it streamlines things so.

Beth Azor: Much faster than regular consumers and modular meaning shipping containers.

Pamela Bardhi: Shipping containers and panelized systems. But yes, prefab, essentially, is really the goal.

Richard Branson has been in development and construction for 11 years

Beth Azor: Okay, so we’ll move on. because I know we want to get to what you’re passionate about, developing communities, sustainable communities. So talk about your baby.

Pamela Bardhi: So I’ve been in development and construction for about 11 years at this point. I owned two restaurants before that. I’ve been in business since I was about 10 years old at my family’s restaurant. So I’ve always been a hustler, really. I mean, they can’t tell that that’s been. That’s been my gym. And so getting into development, it was kind of like a surprise thing in my world. because I was just in so much depth from my restaurants.

I was like, holy crap ‘n get out of this. And then, you know, I’m looking at these real estate developers thinking that they’re drug dealers. because I’m like, how do you guys do what you do? You do whatever you want at any time you want. because as an immigrant, your success is determined by how hard you’re physically working. And when you grow up in survival mode. as I did it, that’s ingrained in you. It’s in your programming, it’s in your DNA, and it’s hard to break from that.

So I had to learn a lot and relearn a lot of things in my world. And so getting into real estate development, I was like, you know what? I’m gonna flip a couple houses a year. get myself out of debt and kind of rock roll from there. Then I fell in love with real estate. Then I had a very successful career. I ended up being one of the youngest general contractors in the state of Massachusetts to get the unrestricted license. which was awesome. And all these amazing things.

That were happening. I made it to Forbes in Time magazine by the time I was 27, like net seven figures. And this is not to boast, but to tell you that when I actually got there. it was like, okay, this is cool. Now what’s next? Like, I felt empty, I’m not gonna lie. I was like, wow, I have been so intrinsically money motivated my entire life. And I just realized it at that point. I was like, you know, as I had this little God tab that was like, hey, Pam, doing great things for yourself?

What are you doing for the world with all these gifts and talents that I’ve given you? And I was like. And I couldn’t even answer that question. I was like, wow. Everything I’m doing, it was basically for profit. I mean, I loved it, right? But, like, what was I really doing for the world, right? And that, to me was the big question. so I was like soul searching for a few years. I launched my podcast, Underdog as a way to kind of like get these reflections in.

Beth Azor: Great podcast, great podcast. Say it again.

Pamela Bardhi: the Underdog podcast.

Beth Azor: The Underdog podcast. It’s like in the top 1% or something, right?

Pamela Bardhi: Top.

Beth Azor: You guys listen to this podcast. She interviews amazing people.

Pamela Bardhi: Thank you so much. Beth, you’ve been on it and that was so much fun. We’re in 106 countries now too. That’s crazy’crazy. And so, so basically I soul searching for a few years and I’m like, you know what? How am I going to contribute to this housing crisis? Like, how? What are some things that I can do? And being a GC in construction, you know, that things take centuries. so, when, you know, I started looking at tiny homes and shipping containers and prefab. and all these different outlets to see how can we speed up construction.

Because this is a big problem. That’s what causes change orders, which causes variable costs in your pro formas. and like, can make things go nuts on your pro formas. Whereas with modular, I don’t want to say it’s fully fixed, but it kind of is. Once you get your pricing, you’re kind of locked in. unless there’s something that happens to in the site work portion, right? So all of these things I was thinking about and I was like, oh my gosh.

And then, you know, I have a huge thing with spirituality and wellness and all these things. Those were all things that contributed to my success, was my faith in all these different things. And so I’m thinking about it, I’m like, okay, well, how are we Going to build for the future. Wellness is a really big thing right now. You know, everyone is into biohacking and all these different things. Cold plunges, which I still will never do. I have a bet with, I have a bet with my CEO.

I’m like, hell no. then when I was like Sir Richard Branson’s island actually I did once and it’s only because he challenged me. He’s like, you’re gonna get in that cold plunge. And I was like, I’m not gonna say no to you. And I ran out in two seconds. But like it’s just one of these things that everyone’s getting into wellness, right? Not just physical. but mental, spiritual, all these different things.

And getting into the science of epigenetics, which I don’t know if you guys know Dr. Bruce Lipton and Dr. Joe Dispenza. but it literally our physical environment changes our DNA structure. So me now knowing that as a real estate developer, I was like, oh my God, I’ve had the code the whole time. I am a real estate developer now. How do I take this and make sure that every single person in the places that I build now is affected? How can I create more community?

How can I use sustainable building materials to create that environment? Put in things like alkaline water systems at the meter so you have the purest water form. Put in air filters that give you the, the purest air. I mean all the. And then also design wise bioic design. which is really designed to connect basically your property to be in connection with nature. Right? All of these things that elevate us. And I’m like, why is no real estate developer doing this?

Beth Azor: Isn’t it because it, well, is it a myth that it costs 10 times? It’s a myth. Okay, that.

Pamela Bardhi: Well, they think so and so. So right now I have the 45 minutes south of Boston is like my blueprint project I like to call. And it was so crazy because let me just tell you guys. when you say your mission out loud, right? So this is what happened with me then I decided I was like, you know what?

I’m gonna build sustainable communities, and I want to buy farms

I’m gonna build something like this. I have no idea how the hell I’m gonna do it. but I’m gonna figure it out. I got graduated of the last decadeated award for my alma mater at Stonehiille College. So when I went to accept the award last March, my professor who changed my life in creative process. Professor Warren Dallin was in the crowd and I invited him because he was one of the professors that shifted everything for me.

And so I said it in my speech, and I said something, you know, talking to God. God’s like, you got to say it. I’m like, all right, I’m gonna say it. I’mn say it. So I did. And, I was like, I want to build sustainable communities. I want to buy farms, because that’s pretty. You know, it’s got that whole vibe. Like, the nature and everything. So I said that. Right after I gave my speech, my professor comes up to me and he goes. I was about to list my farm, the house I’ve lived in for 53 years, and I just got chills everywhere.

He said. And I was like, what? I was like, oh, God, how am I gonna do this now? I was like, I just said it. It came to life manifested now. So I was like, oh, my God, I’m gonna figure this out. So I literally brought my daughters, who at the time were, like, nine months old. walked. The site is six acres. Crazy enough, did my due diligence. I’m like, so there’s an existing house on there, which was his house for 53 years. M. There’s an attached unit that I’m gonna put an accessory dwelling unit on to create a different income stream.

And then there’s a barn there. So this house is from the 1800s. I’m doing like, a whole, like, Ralph Laurent farmhouse, Renault on that. And then we’re splitting. I can, as of right, I can do this. The whole lot. Like, seven lots. this existing lot and then six other lots. which I found out can be duplex lots. So two units on each one.

So I was like, oh, this is it. Right next to a commuter rail station. you can jump on the train and be in downtown Boston in 30 minutes. And right next to Bridgewater State university. which has 30,000 students. So meaning from a pro forma and location perspective, it was like a slam dunk. And he also had told me he had never fertilized the soil back there.

So I was like, there’s a lot of really cool elements. So essentially, what we’re creating there is 12 townhouses built out of. It’s a hybrid model, so it’s shipping containers. And, the atrium. We’re building a stick build just as we have to connect it all together. but, yeah, solar panels.

Beth Azor: Are you only doing this yourself?

Pamela Bardhi: I ended up. So when I bought this, I was like, I’m putting this under my company name. I invested in it first. And then I’m going toa be opening it up for opportunity.

The project has three pillars: wellness, sustainability, and then renewable energy

Beth Azor: How much was the land?

Pamela Bardhi: 800,000? Yes.

Beth Azor: And how much is it going to cost to do the development?

Pamela Bardhi: We’re looking at probably with infrastructure and everything, around 18 to 20 million. There’s some sustainable. Is that piece how much you’going toa raise initially? Probably anywhere from three to five. So we’re working on fine tuning those numbers. because I have a sustainability consultant that’s coming in now. We’re putting in EV chargers for revenue share stations with solar canopies. We’re doing all kinds of like, really.

So essentially the project has three pillars. and those pillars are the wellness, the sustainability, and then renewable energy. So no developer has ever brought these three together that. That I know of. so I really just underwrote the pro forma as It’s a simple 12 unit townhouse subdivision development.

I was like, if it doesn’t work at those numbers and I’m not doing it, but it did. And I was like, all right, let’s roll. then I’m layering in all these other pieces. So once I take that, that’ll be the blueprint to build more. But yeah, each house will pretty much feature like the design. It’s gonna also have the solar canopies on it. Green walls. They’re called living Green wals.

Beth Azor: Who is the customer that’snna rent it? Someone that works in Boston.

Pamela Bardhi: So these are gonna be for sale. So because it’s the concept one, eventually, I mean, if these sell out before they’re even built, the are you going.

Beth Azor: To pre sell them before you even come up?

Pamela Bardhi: 100%. Yeah. And the goal is to do two model units.

Beth Azor: Okay. How much?

Pamela Bardhi: You know, they’ll be around like 850, 850,000. So.

Beth Azor: And when, when are you gonna start selling?

Pamela Bardhi: Probably in a couple months. I heard from my engineer today and he. So he said that we should be submitting to the town. because we have to still get our infrastructure approf.

Beth Azor: Right.

Pamela Bardhi: Because they tell you the waterline sizes and all that stuff. so yeah, probably April, May, and then hopefully break ground like early summer. and now build two units and then pre sell those and then build out the rest of the ament. Yeah

Beth Azor: And you want to do this in multiple cities.

Pamela Bardhi: That’s the goal.

Beth Azor: Far from Boston or within Massachusetts or the Northeast or.

Pamela Bardhi: So the goal is to do it within, like surrounding Boston markets and then kind of expand. New England expand, then east coast, then go Midwest, then Go all across the country. Because the really unique thing about this one is the renewable energy pieces that we’re bringing in.

Like, I’m talking to a battery energy storage company that’ talking about leasing just a piece of my land. in the back for like 15 grand a month. I mean, it’s not small money, you know, so I’m like, oh, my God, here we go. Incorporating sustainability in a way that actually turns into ROI on pro formas. Because that’s what developers are always telling me. They’re like, oh, Pam, you can’t possibly combine all these things together. It’s not gonna work. And I was like, okay, cool.

Beth Azor: So are there lenders that are interested in lending on this?

Pamela Bardhi: Yes, yes. So we already have a debt partner. Paul Shaughnessy over at, at Renovo Financial. So they’re in all 50 states, which is fantastic. So it’s like their new construction product that they have. they’re the ones who actually helped me fund the house. And so they did 100% of the construction loan and all of that. So.

Beth Azor: Amazing.

Pamela Bardhi: Yeah.

You were on Forbes and Time magazine as a trailblazer in real estate

Beth Azor: Okay, I want to go back a little bit. Can I go back a little?

Pamela Bardhi: You can go wherever you want to go.

Beth Azor: Say that you were. You were on Forbes. Why were you on Forbes?

Pamela Bardhi: In Forbes. So Forbes and Time magazine. I was wr. ###ognized. As a trailblazer in the real estate industry. Right?

Beth Azor: Yes. And what was your net worth?

Pamela Bardhi: Or at that time is probably about 10 million.

Beth Azor: And how old were you?

Pamela Bardhi: 27.

Beth Azor: And how’d you get there?

Pamela Bardhi: Amazing. Mentors and people that believed in me, to be honest. That’s really.

Beth Azor: You were doing, but you were buying.

Pamela Bardhi: Oh, what I was doing in real estate. Yeah. So I was doing development. I so had my development company, my construction company, and my brokerage and so. Which I still have today. but now we’ve rebranded into the Revolution Group as opposed to the Mosche Group.

So Revolution is the book of revelations crossed with revolution. So it’s all about creation and humanity and, ah, all of that. our whole mission is revolutionizing real estate in America. every division has its own way of getting there.

Beth Azor: What’s your net worth now?

Pamela Bardhi: Probably a little close to double. Close to double where I was at.

Beth Azor: Raise your hand if your net worth is a million dollars. because we’re going to talk about money in here. Okay. Raise your hand if your net worth is 2 million. Raise your hand if your net network is over 5 million. So next year. Every year, we need to have higher net worths. and we need to be working about on this and we need to be listening from our women’s speakers. on how we dip our toe in we’re not going to increase our net worth.

And I love my friends at Family wealth. but we’re just not going to do it by investing in the stock market. If we haven’t learned that from our speakers all day today. then you’re in the wrong room. This is how we’re going to grow our wealth and our net worth.

Pamela Bardhi: Amen.

Beth Azor: I love you. Your goals I can’t even comprehend. Half, half the time she’s talking to me. I’m like, what are Last night I must ask her 30 questions. And thank you from the bottom of my heart from being here.

Pamela Bardhi: So that’s it for today’s episode of Underdog. Catch us next week. Always dropping on Thursdays. And remember, if you’re interested in real estate or want to learn how to create more money and magic in your life. check out meetwithpmela.com and let’s chat. Sending you so, so much love.