About Mel Foster Co.

Mel Foster Co. was founded in 1921 when at the age of 21, Mel Foster Sr. opened a one-man one-room real estate operation. The company built its first house on Telegraph Road, Davenport in 1927. The 1927 home was the beginning of thousands to be built in the area. By 1936, there were real estate offices in Moline, Rock Island and Davenport, plus a full service insurance division.

Mel Foster, Sr. was the consummate city planner. He peered ahead to the “federal highway” and invested accordingly. He believed that it was important to provide affordable housing and he believed that industry would locate where housing was readily available. To that end the company successfully negotiated major industrial site purchases in the Quad Cities, including International Harvester, Caterpillar, 3-M, Cordova Nuclear Power Plant and ALCOA. At the same time, the company developed subdivisions believing in offering affordable homes that could be owned by the families who lived and worked there. He advocated for annexation, expanding the boundaries of Davenport, becoming a key contributor to the physical and economic development of the Quad Cities and surrounding areas.

Under the direction of Mel Foster, Jr., the company continued its tradition of leadership, including negotiations for major industrial sites such as John Deere Davenport Works, the development of prime office space, as well as major downtown and suburban developments. A pioneer in regional residential developments, the company has continued innovations with numerous large scale subdivisions. Mel Foster Co. is committed to quality in construction and development of residential housing as well as commercial and industrial.

Mel Foster Co. has grown to more than 375 Sales Associates and 90 employees in 11 offices. The Company has residential sales offices in Davenport, Bettendorf, Eldridge and Clinton, Iowa and in Moline, Rock Island, Geneseo, Kewanee, Galesburg and Sterling, Illinois, as well as a Commercial office in Bettendorf. Mel Foster Co. annually helps over 6,000 home buyers and sellers in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.

In addition to residential sales, the company offers services in Relocation (corporate, nationwide, and international) through our relocation network, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World; Commercial sales; New Home construction; Land Development; Farm Sales; Senior Services; Property Management; Home Warranties; and Home Insurance.

Mel Foster has been and continues to be first in technologies to make the home buying experience easier for its clients. Mel Foster Co. has partnered with RSM McGladrey to assess the company’s current technology needs to poise the company for the future and take Mel Foster Co. to the next level. Bonnie Sparks-Gray, President of Real Estate Brokerage states, “With technology changing as fast as it does, it is imperative that the company stay ahead of what’s current and be able to give our agents and clients the best that technology has to offer. Providing for our agents and clients in this way ensures smooth transactions in a timely manner. An exciting new website will be launched in the next few weeks to make home buying even easier. The Company has also invested in Realtor.com, the most active website in the U.S. for buyers and sellers.”

The professionals at Mel Foster Co. are committed to making the home buying and home selling experience easy, fun and hassle free. Mel Foster agents are well trained through the company’s extensive education programs offered through the company’s real estate school. The agents are knowledgeable advocates, guiding their clients through the home sale and home purchase process. Mel Foster agents believe in doing business with the utmost honesty and integrity providing valued service exceeding expectations every day.

Nancy Carson, Director

Career Development

Mel Foster Co.

563.340.2472

ncarson@melfosterco.com