I am a California girl. Born and raised in the Bay Area. My hometown is St. Helena in the beautiful wine country of Napa Valley. I graduated high school, had my daughter, Shayla (my greatest blessing) and moved to the Sacramento area – all in 1982.
A new relationship brought us to Discovery Bay in the Spring of 1988. We rented a house and I continued by work as a driver for FedEx. Shayla, my daughter went to the local elementary school and we settled into our new community.
A favorite weekend activity was riding my bike around town getting to know the neighborhoods and looking at all the open houses for sale. I loved talking to the people and dreaming about what it would be like to own my own home someday and maybe even become a real estate agent myself. The agent who helped us find the rental was a single mom with a successful career. Although I was no longer a single parent, I knew what it took to juggle that life and if she could do it, I knew I could too. But the timing wasn’t right. I put this dream on the back burner.
About 1990, I had made a career change from FedEx Driver to small business office manager. Over the years, I worked for several construction companies. Here I maintained the payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, medical and retirement benefits and tax prep. During this time, I also went to college, earning an associates degree. We made great friends and put down solid roots.
We lived in Discovery Bay until the Summer of 2000, when life changed again. Shayla was headed for college. I was single again. I moved out of and sold the home I’d purchased back in 1991. I rented a house in nearby Brentwood while Shayla went to school in San Diego. I was still working as an office manager and now added weekend auto sales and notary public to the list of jobs. Our goal (mine and Shayla’s) was to get Shayla through college with no debt – and we did! She graduated in 2004.
I met a wonderful man, Gerald, in late 2001 and married him 2003. He encouraged me to follow my dreams and Real Estate was back at the top of my list. I earned my license in Janury 2004. Because of my background in office management/bookkeeping, I decided to start on the mortgage side of real estate. I went to work for a mortgage broker and helped people with home financing.
Then 2008 happened. We’d all seen and felt the market changing in 2006 & 2007 and as much as I loved mortgages, the sales had dried up and I had to pivot. I took a position with Bank of America. I still helped people with mortgages and was able to deepen my knowledge of loans and financing. It was another great time of learning and adjusting. When the bank laid off thousands of employees, I was among them, it felt like a clear sign: it was time to return to real estate full-time and this time to the home resale side.
I’ve been back ever since, building a business I’m proud of and helping clients navigate one of the biggest decisions of their lives. Over the past 21 years, I’ve grown not just in experience but in gratitude – for my clients, for my community, and for the path that brought me here.
Today my daughter is married, lives nearby and a mom herself. Spending time with my grandchildren, now 13 and 10, is one of my greatest joys. Gerald and I love family gatherings, exploring the countryside and finding new and fun places to eat. I love to read, bake and hang out with friends. We support several animal rescues and a local women’s shelter that supports women who have experienced domestic violence and homelessness.
Looking back, my journey into real estate wasn’t straight, but every step taught me something valuable – about perseverance, about loans, about the home purchase process and about the courage to pursue a career that lets me serve others while doing something I truly love.
I approach real estate as an advisor, putting my clients’ interests first. Sometimes that means saying hard things and helping people discover if buying or selling now is the best thing for them. My goal is always to guide people toward decisions that truly benefit them in the long run.
Getting to know my clients deeply is part of how I work. I want to understand their motivations and goals so I can offer the best solutions. I strive to be approachable, friendly and solution-oriented, because there’s always a way forward. My “house hacking” mindset helps me figure out creative paths to get clients into the homes they need, whether that’s structuring a deal differently or seeing possibilities others might overlook.
Throughout the process, I educate and reassure, offering fresh perspectives and calming support. Ultimately, I care about helping people find homes that truly suit them – a place where they’ll feel happy for years to come.
Sincerely,
Leia Hartje
