Leigh Fox

Real Estate Broker
RE/MAX One
360-931-3640
www.JacksonFoxTeam.com

How long have you worked in Real Estate?
I have been in Real Estate for two years. I decided to get into the industry after 15 years as a Customer Service Agent with a major airline. After leaving the airline industry, I tried my hand at being a stay-at-home mom, which I quickly found out that I wasn’t very good at it! I missed people, helping people, plus my work ethic had me feeling like every day was an episode out of the movie “Ground Hog’s Day.” I started thinking about a job where I could work with people in a way that was true to me and my values, a job where my work ethic would help me and my family benefit, and yet, still be available for my children.

What is one tip you have for someone looking to buy or sell a home?
I think it is imperative to interview real estate professionals. As agents, we love referrals, but just because someone recommends them doesn’t mean they will be a good fit for you. Buying AND selling a home is a very large life decision and you should have someone in your corner that you work well with, that meets your needs, and can help guide you in the right directions.

What is the most unusual thing you’ve encountered while working in real estate?
During one transaction, we were hours away from closing, only to find out that the sellers had stopped paying on their mortgage 18 months before and the bank had not started the foreclosure process yet. We were the buyer’s agent and it was devastating to have to tell your clients that there is an $11,000 shortage that needed to be paid for the home to close. The listing agent, myself and business partner, payed the deficit out of our commissions because there just wasn’t any wiggle room to have it come from somewhere else. Our buyers did not have the luxury of just going and finding another house. It taught me that even if you ask the right questions, you might not always get the truth and most importantly, even a smaller (very small) commission check is nothing compared to the happiness brought to someone else, in the form of a new home.

What is the most challenging/gratifying aspect of what you do?
One of the most challenging aspects of what I do is getting a person to trust the process. Not every offer/counter offer is accepted, not every home is going to appraise, and not every inspection is going to be simple. It is a very emotional process. The most gratifying aspect is knowing what you have done for someone. I love seeing someone happy and pleased about a process.

What do you see in the future for real estate sales/prices?
I see a lot of people getting back on the horse again and trusting enough to return to home ownership. There are some amazing programs out there for people wanting to own their own home. Plus with rent as high as it is, home ownership might just make more sense! I also see a big push of people who don’t want to have to do a lot of work once they get into a home. New construction is a great option and is booming in the area, but pricing can be rather high. For anyone thinking of selling, if you haven’t already done a lot of those upgrades, it might be hard to get a buyer willing to do it themselves. A show on HGTV takes much longer in real life, when you have a real job, real bills, and real problems come up that you didn’t know were lurking under that bathroom floor.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working? Hobbies, volunteering, family, fun?
Not working? I am always working! I try to walk often, even if I know that I have a packed day ahead of me, I try to take a walk to clear my mind. I love yoga and a year ago, I started taking Barre classes, which has been amazing. But, if I just don’t have the energy to get in the car one more time that day to try to make it to a class, then I love to play card games with my kids. My 12 year old son and I love strategy card or board games and my 8 yr old daughter consistently beats me at UNO! However, the winter is all about snowshoeing for me. This past Christmas, my husband gifted me a pair of brand new snowshoes and of course, we barely had any snow, but I will be ready for this year, so who’s going with me?

What do you like about living in this area?
I love everything about living in this area. I grew up in NE Pennsylvania, graduated high school in the Olympia area, and transferred quite a bit with the airlines. Clark County has been the place that I decided to raise a family and become an active member of my community because it still offers a “small town” feel. The cost of living makes it so we, as a family, are still able to have a quality of life and it is just absolutely gorgeous here. I have to mention the weather because I feel like we are really lucky to have such a temperate climate. It is always 10 degrees warmer than Olympia, very little humidity, rain is rain (you don’t have to shovel rain), and we still get some crazy gorge weather, just to keep things interesting. But the best part of living in Clark County is all the great activities. Farmer’s markets, boating, skiing, hiking, biking, outdoor festivals, fishing, shopping….Plus you get the amazing benefits of a large city, without having to live there!

Anything else you would like our readers to know about you and your company?
In April, I partnered up with a fellow agent and friend, Lynnette Jackson. We worked for Lennar Homes, a corporate home builder which didn’t allow us to do outside sales. It was a great experience, but we both felt like we could do more. We thought it would be great if we could create a team where we both worked with clients, together. In other words, two for the price of one. We created the Jackson Fox Home Team and joined a new RE/MAX office on the eastside, started by Tracy Owens, Re/Max One. We are committed to giving our clients the benefit of having two agents, so someone is always available. It is important for us to be hands on with every facet of our business. A big part of our success comes from being a part of a great brokerage. We are so grateful for the Re/Max One team created by Tracy Owens and her mentorship has been invaluable.
It is really awesome when you finally feel like to you can use all things you are great at, to help others achieve something big, like a new home. I love what I do and I think it shows!