When Julene Foster set foot in real estate at the Mount, there were no cellphones, internet, websites or social media platforms. There weren’t even open homes!
“I began selling homes with Eves Coxhead & Associates – that was EVES’ brand name at the time – in their Maunganui Rd office in 1979. I started with just a radio-telephone and a very large listing book!”
Oysters and chips
This month the 81-year-old renewed her real estate licence and doesn’t plan on retiring. “I can’t find the retirement date on the calendar,” joked the businesswoman.
Entering the workforce 46 years ago, when it was dominated by men, Julene said: “Well, you sort of had to make it clear that you weren’t there to mother them or clean up the dishes or anything”. But she did have an agreement with one male colleague. “Every Friday I’d tidy up his listing book for him and he’d shout me oysters and chips for lunch. I’m a great fan of oysters and chips!”
The EVES team celebrating a decade in business in Tauranga in 1973, with Julene Foster the fourth female from the left in the second row.
In 1979, at which point Julene, aged 36, was married to Bill Foster and had “three beautiful girls” in their teens – the question was – why go into real estate? “I’d always had an interest in real estate because my father was a bricklayer and Bill was a qualified builder.”
600th resident
Foster, who had lived at the Mount since 1959 before her and Bill built a new house in Pāpāmoa and moved there in 1973, said: “The landscape has changed dramatically!”
“When we moved to Pāpāmoa I was the 600th resident – now there’s about 29,000 residents!” Back then she had no immediate neighbours whatsoever.
What kept her in real estate? “I’ve just always had a passion for it. I enjoy meeting people and helping them to achieve their goals. I’ve formed great friendships and relationships along the way.” This had also enabled her success. “Some properties, you know, I’ve sold four or five times over.”
Ginny Grass and Paul Coltart with Julene Foster at the First National Real Estate Conference in Wel-lington in early-1980s. Photo / Supplied
She’d also dealt with couples in her early days only to go on to make sales with their children and grandchildren. “I’ve sold houses to people from multiple generations and all walks of life.”
Turning 82 in August – The Sun reminded Foster that many people her age start to put their feet up. “A lot of people I’ve worked with have retired. But I love it,” said Julene. “I’ve been a widow for 24 years, so real estate’s my life. I go to work every day to do what I love.”
One of the longest-serving real estate agents in Tauranga, Julene continues to meet new people and cherishes her old connections.
Five cycles
Are some houses harder to sell than others? “Yes, definitely, and a lot of it is to do with the location…you know years ago we used to write the deal up on the bonnet of the car and shake hands. Things are very different now!”
Rex Hadley, president of Waikato/Bay of Plenty district of the REINZ, hands Julene Foster her Associate Real Estate Licence in 1986. Photo / Supplied
Julene said she’d been through five real estate cycles with one of those during New Zealand’s carless days in 1979-1980. “We had to nominate our carless day and of course it was always your carless day when you needed to write up your deals, so I’d have to bike down to the office, get out the old trusty typewriter with the blue carbon copy paper and type up an agreement then pedal back to meet the buyer to sign up.”
Before technology
Moreover, no internet, no cellphones and no open homes meant no marketing and no advertising, said Julene. So how did agents list and sell houses? “We knocked on people’s doors; that’s how we did it.” The only other way – apart from relying on ‘For Sale’ signs – was constant in-person networking. “I was secretary and then treasurer of the intermediate school committee. I served on the board of governors at Mount College. I was secretary then treasurer of the swimming club, and I used to run school holiday programmes for youth.
“I’d run discos every Saturday night at the intermediate, raising funds for building the school’s swimming pool. I’d hire a disc jockey and the kids would pay $2 to get in, and we would twist the night away.”
By forming many relationships, Julene said: “People would ask me to list their house – or they’d say: ‘We want to buy a new place, what have you got on your books?’”
Julene Foster has been selling house in the Mount-Pāpāmoa area for an impressive 46 years and isn’t keen on retiring just yet. Photo / Brydie Thompson
Open homes didn’t begin until the 1980s, said Julene. “The first I did was for three hours on a Sunday afternoon!” Compare this to 30 minutes each, today, she said. Does the freshly-baked bread trick work? “It can do…depends how hungry the buyers are.”
Julene was one of roughly 23 real estate agents in the Mount-Pāpāmoa in the 1980s. Today the number is much larger. “In early days you had a very good comradeship with all the agents in town because there so few of us. On a Friday night we’d go to the EVES’ office on Cameron Rd, have drinks and nibbles with the solicitors, then head to Harrington’s nightclub and twist the night away to Chubby Checker! These days everyone does their own thing.”
Good soul
In the 1980s Julene studied for an associate licence, then opened her own real estate agency in the early-1990s. “I had Mount Realty First National for about 12 years then sold it on the passing of my husband. Prior to that, I’d managed offices for Max Eves, and Richard Cashmore for First National, and also Professionals.”
Julene Foster, third from left in front row, surrounded by her EVES Mount office colleagues today. Photo / Supplied
EVES chief executive officer Heath Young said Julene is highly valued at EVES for her extensive knowledge of property in the Bay of Plenty, and her warm personality. “I think she is one of those good souls, with good energy who’s sharp as a tack. She’s great company and loves talking about the good old days, and she’s a very active and well-regarded team member in our EVES Mount office.”