When Deanna Foerman first entered the real estate industry in 2017, she imagined working part-time alongside her role as a teacher. But her business soon took off, compelling her to make the hard choice between two careers she loves. In the end, Deanna chose real estate, the career that allowed her to use the best of her abilities, leverage her prior experience, and serve in a meaningful way.

Deanna is a native Floridian. Born at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, she moved to Clay County as a toddler and has lived here since. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing and Management from the University of North Florida and spent the next 18 years working in the financial industry, primarily in relationship management and fund management for proprietary and non-proprietary mutual fund companies.

After 18 years in a corporate role, Deanna took a new direction in the early 2010s, leaving her finance career behind to become an elementary school teacher.

“My kids were younger at the time, and my daughter was still at the elementary school where I taught while my son was at the junior high school next door. I was familiar with the school, the schedule worked well, and that’s not something I had in a corporate job,” Deanna shares.

When selling her own home a few years later, Deanna became interested in real estate. She was told that she had what it took to become a successful REALTOR®, so she pursued this new venture. She was licensed in August 2017, intending to continue teaching while selling real estate.

“Because I am local and native to the area and know a lot of people, I hit the ground running when I started real estate,” Deanna explains. I thought I'd be doing it part-time and teaching school full-time, but I produced $5 million my first year while teaching full-time. I knew I had to make a decision on what I was going to do because I couldn't continue with both.”

Ultimately, Deanna chose real estate, going full-time after the 2018 school year closed.

Real estate has proved to be the perfect place for Deanna to leverage her prior experience and skills.

“Real estate incorporated everything I loved about my corporate job. I was an Assistant Vice President with Merrill Lynch, managed teams, and managed relationships with outside mutual fund companies. All the parts I loved about that work — the relationships, being part of a team, mentoring people — I got in real estate,” Deanna explains.

Deanna also draws on her teaching experience as a REALTOR®. Being a teacher requires strong communication skills and the patience to guide students through their learning process. Deanna continues to use these skills in real estate, educating her buyers and sellers about the process and encouraging them along the way.

“I still get to teach. Now, I teach big people instead of little people,” Deanna jokes.

Today, Deanna is an individual agent with Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty. She closed an impressive 40 transactions for $16.2 million in 2023.

“I believe that my clients like working with me because of the relationship we build,” Deanna says. “They know I've got their back and that I'm very committed to what I do. I love my people and I love on them, and that’s where my business comes from — my sphere of influence.”

When she is not working, Deanna enjoys volunteering, staying active, and, most importantly, spending time with her family and friends. She also gives her time and attention to two Clay County elementary schools, Spring Park Elementary and Lake Asbury Elementary, where she is a business partner and sits on the School Advisory Committee.

Deanna and her husband, Dale, work side-by-side in real estate (Dale is licensed and helps on the back end of the business). Deanna also has two children, Hunter (23) and Hanna (21), three adult stepchildren, and three dogs. Whether she’s working or not, Deanna puts relationships first.

“Becoming a real estate agent has put me in the position where I am able to help others as a daily opportunity. I get to work with people that I genuinely love and care for, and I get to meet new people and build new relationships. I love this work. I work really hard, but it often doesn’t feel like work. I'm just doing what I love to do.”