Chris Fanto has been selling homes since 1985. She obtained her education through Ladolce Academy of Real Estate in Penn Hills, now in Monroeville. Her first office with which she affiliated, Century 21, was located on Saltsburg Road in Penn Hills, where she sold forty-four homes during her first year in the business. .. . A rookie record!
Continuing to earn recognition and awards, she helped and exclusively supported Century 21’s newest office in 1988. This is where Chris developed her love and understanding of “new construction.”
In her backyard, Chris Marie Fanto attended night classes at the Realtor’s Association of Pittsburgh and Career Growth Enterprises of Wexford to obtain her broker accreditation. In 1989, Chris was asked to help with what has become the largest builder’s home show in the country , “Windsor Manor” of Marshall Township, behind Thorn Hill Industrial Park. Howard Hanna company was chosen to market the plan, so Chris had to change brokerages in order to continue her knowledge and experience. The site was highly successful, and the builders remember who was “on-site” and put the longest of hours in to “make it happen.” During and after the opening of “Howard Hanna’s new home’s division” in 1989, Chris helped with several other new construction sites, “the Heights of North Park,” “Northpoint Village,” and “Briarcliff.”
Passing the broker’s exam in 1991, Chris was then honored as an associate broker under her current broker. Uncomfortable with decisions being made by Howard Hanna company, Chris Marie Fanto went looking for a management position. After taking all of the needed classes in law, appraisal, agency relationships, continuing education, GRI and passing with good grades, she was offered a position with Northwood Realty, Better Homes and Gardens, in Monroeville. Chris hired, trained, and retained seventeen agents, while remodeling the building. Sales volume increased substantially! However, Northwood chose to close its Forest Hills location and the then manager of the Forest Hills office was given management of the office.
When that merger happened, Chris Fanto headed towards her backyard and her then teenagers, and joined Fox Chapel real estate for a temporary place to hang her hat while looking for a location to call her own.
Hometown Properties, Inc. was thus created.