Consulting and Business Development Center Launches the Housing Development Podcast, a Practical Guide to Building Wealth Through Housing
The UW CBDC Housing Development Podcast is a 10-episode series that walks aspiring developers through every step of a first housing project, with support from Bank of America.
Many people have the skills, the work ethic and sometimes even a piece of land they have held onto for years, but have never been shown a clear path into housing development. A new podcast from the Consulting and Business Development Center (CBDC) at the University of Washington Foster School of Business is designed to change that.
The UW CBDC Housing Development Podcast is a 10-episode series that explains how housing development works in practice: what it is, how people get started, where the risks are, and what a realistic first step looks like. Produced with support from Bank of America, the series focuses on practical guidance rather than theory, and is built for Black, BIPOC and underrepresented entrepreneurs who want to build wealth through housing.
The series is hosted by Mo Malakoutian, Executive Director at the Consulting & Business Development Center, and David Blum, a teaching associate in Urban Design and Planning at the University of Washington and founding member of Signature Development Partners. Together they talk with developers, lenders, an architect and a city land use director who work on housing projects across the Puget Sound region every day.
Guests include Jaebadiah S. Gardner, founder and CEO of GardnerGlobal; Jan Hromada, founding president of LEVArchitecture; Sam Sadeghi, co-founder of RebLX Partners; Nick Wilson, Chief Revenue Officer of Legacy Group Capital; Toni Pratt, land use director for the City of Bellevue; India Clark, founding member and lead developer of Attainable Housing Solutions; and Super Bowl champion Cliff Avril, owner of CA Family Properties.
The conversations tackle the questions first-time developers ask most: Do you need to own land or have a lot of money to start? How do you know if a deal will pencil? Where does the financing come from? How long does permitting take, and what slows it down? And what should you do in your first 90 days?
The advice is designed to be used, whether that means building an accessory dwelling unit in your backyard, turning a family property into a duplex or townhomes, or partnering with others on a first project.
The series is available as a video podcast on YouTube. Watch the UW CBDC Housing Development Podcast below.
Watch the Housing Development Podcast Trailer
Get an introduction to the series in this 90-second trailer.
The 10-Episode Series
Explore the complete Housing Development Podcast series below. Each episode offers practical insights to help aspiring developers take the next step toward their first housing project.
Episode 1: Why Housing Can Be a Path to Wealth? Is Development For Me?
Housing has built wealth in America for generations, and demand for new homes exists in every city. David Blum explains what housing development is, the common myths about who can do it, and why tradespeople, small business owners and homeowners with large lots are well positioned to start.
Episode 2: What Should Your First Project Be?
Jaebadiah S. Gardner shares how he started with a foreclosed duplex. He explains why a first project should be small, why you do not need to own land to begin, and how relationships open doors to off-market opportunities.
Episode 3: Finding a Good Site
A build-to-sell developer and a build-to-hold developer compare how they choose sites. They cover neighborhood research, zoning, back-of-napkin math and the most expensive first-project mistake: overpaying for land.
Episode 4: Zoning & What You Can Build
Licensed architect Jan Hromada explains zoning in plain language, how to look up what your property allows, and why Washington’s new rules on accessory dwelling units make single-family lots a practical place to start.
Episode 5: Does the Deal Work?
Sam Sadeghi walks through how to test whether a project pencils, the difference between building to sell and building to rent, and what it takes to be a landlord while your portfolio grows.
Episode 6: Where the Money Comes From?
Nick Wilson explains the main sources of development financing, how construction loans work, what lenders look for, and how first-time developers can work around limited cash or experience.
Episode 7: Permitting, Timeline, & What Slows Things Down
Toni Pratt of the City of Bellevue shares what a realistic permitting timeline looks like, the most common reasons applications stall, and how a strong design team and pre-application meetings keep projects moving.
Episode 8: Building, Managing Risk & Finishing Strong
India Clark covers the risks that show up once construction starts, from site conditions to contractor problems, and how experienced developers track budgets and keep projects on schedule.
Episode 9: Two Paths to Affordable Housing
Cliff Avril talks about moving from the NFL into housing development, the partnerships behind an affordable housing project, and why newcomers should start small and find a mentor.
Episode 10: Your First 90 Days
India Clark returns to close the series with a practical plan for your first 90 days: securing a site, talking to the city, building your team and approaching lenders, often for a modest upfront cost.
Learn More About the Consulting and Business Development Center
The Consulting and Business Development Center supports underrepresented business owners through consulting, workforce training and access to networks.
Learn more about the Consulting and Business Development Center.