A
latex unicorn mask hangs on the back wall near the or first-time homebuyer,” Rachel says. At full build-out, there
window of Katherine Bardis-Miry and Rachel Bardis’ will be more than 1,000 homes. So far, 300 are completed.
shared office.
Katherine says Bardis Homes is trying to fill a void in the
“We’re kind of weird,” Katherine laughs.
Sacramento housing market. “A lot of the first-time home-
They are different, at least. The mask, a remnant buyers specifically were underserved with the opportunity
from a Christmas party a few years ago, is an unusual detail to buy a new home,” she says. To differentiate themselves,
in an otherwise normal-looking office that’s a metaphorical they chose to build and market their homes for young profes-
reminder that they, as young women in the construction in- sional adults who want to live near the city’s core and have
dustry, are rare.
a minimal carbon footprint, “kind of a new wave of buyer,”
The cousins, founders of Bardis Homes, based in Sacra- Katherine says.
mento, come from a family of builders — their fathers have
Another kind of homebuyer that sought out Bardis Homes
been developing homes and office complexes for nearly is Fair Oaks EcoHousing. The cohousing community, featur-
half a century. Rachel, the elder of the cousins by 12 years, ing extensive community facilities and a strong green focus,
and Katherine weren’t close growing up because of the hired the company to build its 30 homes, says Marty Maskall,
age gap and they lived in differ-
founder and future resident, based
ent towns (Rachel in Sacramento
on a recommendation from D&S
and Katherine in Pebble Beach),
Development (Katherine’s father-
but the Bardis family network al-
in-law, David Miry, is a cofounder
ways stayed connected. Katherine
of D&S, and her husband, Bay Miry,
moved to Sacramento to attend
also worked for D&S before starting
McGeorge School of Law, and in
his own firm in 2018).
2012, she was in her final year,
“They really believe in our proj-
studying for the bar exam and do-
ect,” Maskall says of Bardis Homes.
ing an internship when Rachel —
“I think they are breaking ground
who by then had already worked
in the things that we need to be do-
in real estate, property manage-
ing ... rather than building typical
ment and homebuilding — asked
suburban sprawl.”
Katherine, “Do you want to prac-
Rachel says they liked the idea
tice law, or do you maybe want to
of neighbors building a neighbor-
Rachel Bardis, cofounder, Bardis Homes
do some development together?”
hood together, but also because it
Katherine’s father, Christo
is a creative way to approach hous-
Bardis, offered them four lots in
ing in the region. “We have a huge
the Pocket Area to develop as Bardis Homes, and despite issue on housing that we all need to take an active role in —
Katherine’s load, she took on the challenge.
developers, builders and everyone in between — to try and
“I don’t know how she survived,” Rachel says.
solve. This is our hometown, so it’s important,” Rachel says.
“I’m still recovering,” Katherine jokes.
“We’re super appreciative of the opportunities that our
Since then, the business partners have worked on mul- families have given us with laying the foundation and paving
tiple development projects, predominantly modern-style the road and giving us the ability to be female builders and
single-family urban infill, including The Good Project and come into that role and continue the building traditions,”
The Savoy in West Sacramento, and their largest project, Katherine says, because “our purpose is not just creating this
The Mill at Broadway in Sacramento.
business for ourselves, but for our families too.” n
The Mill, in an industrial corner of the city south of
Broadway, is on about 30 acres, with homes priced from the Shoka is special sections editor for Comstock’s.
high $200,000s to the $600,000s. “They range from 500 square
feet to 2,000 square feet, so they’re perfect for a single person
“We have a huge issue on
housing that we all need to
take an active role in —
developers, builders and
everyone in between — to try
and solve. This is our hometown,
so it’s important.”
October 2019 | comstocksmag.com
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