Getting to know the Foster's 

Although you may know us in other contexts, or we may not have been in touch for a while, we are connecting with you to share a little bit about ourselves as well as some things that you might not have known. If you know more about what motivates us, then you will know that we are real estate agents that don’t expect your business but only the opportunity to “apply for the job.”

We have been working as a team since the beginning of our marriage, and it has been an amazing experience. Jon has been in real estate for 15 years, and couldn’t be happier. His previous career in construction has become a valuable asset working with buyers and sellers to understand and evaluate the condition of homes, come up with remodeling ideas and come up with repair solutions.  Leslie has a background as a former loan processor which has been very helpful in talking with buyers about loan options, budgeting and monthly payment scenarios.

Leslie discovered her interest in real estate when she realized she and Jon made a perfect team. Jon is very savvy in the business and negotiating aspect of the transaction, and Leslie has a knack for the social end and community involvement.

It seemed to fall into place naturally and despite some rough moments, we blossomed into a wonderful team. 

Shortly after we started working together we had to face the turn in the economy. Remember 2008?  In trying to figure out what would work best for us during that time, we had to take some pretty serious risks. We decided to leave our brokers and go into business for ourselves working in REO’s(bank owned homes). 

It took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears…and credit card debt to get started.

We knew in that moment that the decisions we made would cause us to either boom or bust, and many people around us thought we were crazy to take such risks. We were determined, though, to thrive even though the conditions were far less than desirable. 

After months of working hard to develop relationships with the banks we know had distressed homes to sell we finally were given chances to work with some big names (at the time) such as Wachovia, Indymac and World Savings, all of which are no longer in business.  Over course of about 4 years we sold nearly 400 homes with these banks and a few other smaller institutions.  While we were grateful to be able to survive in the worst economic times of our lifetime, we were getting burned out and needed to re organize our business and lifestyle.  As the economy started to recover this bank business slowed down and allowed us to focus on staring a family.  

That need was solidified when we found out we were expecting our beautiful little boy, Grant, and again when he was joined by his sister, Nora. Starting our family changed our outlook on life completely, and we knew that we were a strong enough team to be a success in the business world, and also as parents. 

Real estate was our true passion, so we had to find a way to continue to do what we love, but in a healthy manner for ourselves and for our children. 

We ended up finding that balance, and feel so grateful to have a business that can revolve around our family and community. 

Our balance has been achieved by giving each other the freedom and support to capitalize on our individual strengths, which combine perfectly since we are both best at different, but crucial aspects of real estate transactions. 

Leslie is best at building quality relationships and stays involved with the community in many ways. One of the groups that she is involved with is the Castro Valley Mom’s Group which is a group that organizes play dates and activities for local moms. She has done a great job with helping to coordinate fun activities for parents and kids in our community. Leslie has a passion for people and that passion has contributed greatly to our ability to serve clients in the best manner possible.

While Jon also spends time in community involvement, his greatest strengths lie in his business sense and ability to negotiate. We recently had a client whose appraisal came in very low—to the tune of $10,000. 

Jon knew that this would be devastating for our client and was determined to try to make the deal work for them. 

Many people would take the appraiser’s report as the final answer, but not Jon. He requested the appraisal report and studied it carefully, and found that there were significant errors in the report. Armed with the facts, he was able to get a re-appraisal that came in right on point. We always will go the extra mile for each and every client! 

Through our tough experiences in the business world we have gained the ability to put ourselves in other people’s shoes.

 We know from experience what it feels like to work hard, and the stresses that can be present not only in real estate transactions, but also in everyday life.

We do our very best to understand, and actually feel where our clients are coming from, and then handle the situation accordingly. Our goal is always to provide people with service that is as stress free as possible, and give them the outcome that they desire. We believe our actions speak louder than words, and the proof lies in our high referral rate.

Outside of real estate, we cherish the moments that we spend with our children as a family. We get outdoors as much as possible. Grant loves to be out on the water in the boat and Nora loves to be outside swinging in her swing while Grant runs all around her singing and making her laugh uncontrollably. We also have season passes to the zoo, and can’t get enough of the smiles and excitement that our kids show each time we enjoy some of nature’s most beautiful creations. 

Our entire life has changed since Grant and Nora we are so grateful that we get to enjoy such beautiful children.

We hope that you were able to get some insight about us. We have both the business and life experience necessary to truly understand your needs, and with that understanding, focus on helping you to achieve whatever real estate goals you have set in your life. If you work with us, it’s important that you know us as people. We believe it’s important to feel comfortable doing business with agents who understand they are in business. 

Please know we are the type of real estate agents who are always working to find the right solution for you.

Please pick a real estate agent who is the right fit for you and we would never be upset if you choose someone else for your needs. Choosing another agent will not risk our friendship. 

When you or someone you know is in need of a real estate agent, we ask that you give us the opportunity to demonstrate our services and interview for the job.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about us. We greatly appreciate it and hope that we can earn your business should you ever need a real estate agent.

With gratitude,