Beginning a New Half Century: Real Estate Pioneer Gloria Foster celebrates 50 years of real estate service as Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation celebrates its centennial
RISMEDIA, July 18, 2006—For most people, celebrating 50 years in their craft would beckon change or retirement. But Gloria Foster isn’t most people. Foster, a Millbrae resident and Realtor® with the Burlingame office of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, is celebrating 50 years in the real estate business this year – and has no intentions of slowing down.
Foster’s anniversary comes at a special time for Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation. The real estate company, founded in 1906 after the devastating San Francisco earthquake, celebrates its 100-year anniversary this year.
It was 1956 when Foster decided to embark on her real estate career, something that few women at the time dared to do. In an industry driven by men, Foster became one of the Peninsula’s first female Realtors and authorities on real estate, developing a loyal and prestigious clientele base and inspiring a new wave of women real estate professionals to follow her.
While most people with her level of experience are easing into retirement, Foster is forging full steam ahead in her career, showing just how much passion she has for her job. “I love this business,” said Foster, “and couldn’t imagine retiring now. I have so much passion for real estate and have made so many friends throughout the years. I look forward to the next chapter of my career and am excited to see where it takes me.”
“Gloria is the consummate real estate professional,” said Avram Goldman, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage San Francisco Bay Area president and chief operating officer. “She is a highly experienced and successful sales associate and her longevity is a result of her incredible passion and dedication to her clients. We are fortunate to have Gloria as part of our Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage family.”
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Burlingame Manager Leigh Whitten says that Fosters’ enthusiasm for her job is contagious. “Gloria is an inspiration to us all,” said Whitten. “She has a wealth of experience and expertise in the real estate industry. As one of the first woman Realtors in the Bay Area, she blazed a way for those to follow in her footsteps. Myself and many others wouldn’t be working in real estate today if it weren’t for women like Gloria. We’re proud to have her as a member of our Burlingame
team and we look forward to watching her grow in the next faze of her career.”
In this next half century of her career, Foster will be focusing her attention on the development of the Gloria Foster Team, which she established two years ago with her young cousin, Julie Connolly, a former high-tech sales veteran. Together, the two represent more than 60 years of service and fostering relationships. According to Foster, the partnership is a perfect fit. “Julie’s background in sales helped her easily make the transition into real estate,” said Foster, “and as an experienced real estate professional, I’ve been teaching her all of the tools of the trade. It’s an exciting time for our team as we begin our next half century of providing exceptional real estate service to our clients and friends.”
A third generation San Franciscan, Foster was born in the city’s Richmond District and attended local George Washington High School. Her mother was a native San Franciscan and her father was the founder of grocery company QFI Markets, now Ralphs Grocery Company, which grew to a chain of 14 stores along the Peninsula region. Growing up in this environment sparked Foster’s interest in real estate.
Foster’s interest was fueled in 1945, while as a young bride, she and her husband, Allen, purchased their first home built by Chris McKeon on 43rd Avenue in San Francisco’s Sunset District (in an area then called Sand Dunes). At the time, the junior five bungalows were being sold to returning war veterans for $6,000. In 1947, after the creation of GI financing, the homes doubled in price, selling for $12,000. This dramatic increase in sales price over such a short period of time stirred Foster.
In 1950, Henry Dolger began to develop the first phase of Westlake in Daly City and Foster took notice. Soon after, Foster, her husband and their young son, Robert, decided to move to Dolger’s Daly City development and were among the first of 500 families to purchase a home for the price of $12,500 in Westlake.
In 1956, when her son was eight years old, Foster decided to apply to Art Colvin Realty, one of the top selling offices, and although the company had some initial hesitations about Foster joining their all-male team, she soon did and never looked back. Within one year of working at the firm, Foster became the number one producing agent in her office. As a woman working in a man’s business, Foster found success in being able to relate to the young wives, mothers and neighbors around her, who soon became her clients and friends. Foster attributes a lot of this success to the fact that she was easily able to relate to the young wives and neighbors around her, who soon became her clients and friends.
In 1963, when many of her clients were moving to a new area of more than 200 homes being developed in Mills Estates above Sebastian Drive, her interest was again roused and she and her family purchased a new home for $38,000 overlooking the San Francisco Airport. By 1973, she relocated to the Peninsula working for Bergman Associates in San Mateo and from there on, it was an upward move never leaving the area. In 1975, she became assistant manager at Saxe Realty in San Mateo. She later joined Fox and Carskadon and then Cornish and Carey in Burlingame. Most of the offices Foster joined during that time were start-up offices, giving her the opportunity to help the offices grow. She also joined Carrick and English and McGuire Realty during their beginnings in Burlingame.
In 2004, after being widowed for four years, Foster joined Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Burlingame and formed a partnership with her cousin.
Although Foster has received many prestigious accolades throughout her decorated real estate career, one of her most noteworthy achievements was being named Honorary Member for Life by the California Association of Realtors – a prestigious honor given to a select few individuals every year. In order to be named an Honorary Member for Life, a Realtor must have at least 30 years of experience in the real estate industry. On a personal note, Foster’s biggest success is her son, Robert, who followed in his mother’s footsteps to become a successful real estate professional. He is now the vice president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Los Angeles. Real estate clearly runs in the Foster family.
Although she has experienced many years of changes in both real estate and the local communities she serves, Foster says her love and passion for the business is as strong as ever.
For more information about the Gloria Foster Team, contact Foster at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Burlingame located at 400 Primrose Road, by phone at 650.455.1770 or via e-mail at Gloria.foster@cbnorcal.com. Connolly can be reached at 650.814.0576 or via e-mail at Julie.connolly@cbnorcal.com. |
