Cassia Foster

Thanks for coming to my page! I’m Cassia, pronounced KAY-sha, and I promise that I will understand if you initially get my name wrong. I am a queer realtor and homeowner based out of Providence, Rhode Island. In addition to my excitement for my buyer and seller clients, I love to represent tenants. Through my lived  experience and acquired knowledge, I provide my clients with the information and the assistance to make big life changes a lot less daunting.   

I live with six of my closest friends and family, I am a mom, I am a wife, and I am a big nerd. I am queer and disabled and proud of both of those things. I was homeschooled as a kid, and it gave me a life-long love of learning and the skills to work and grow on my own.

Helping people is the driving force behind everything I do in my life. I am deeply involved in local community work, and you'll often find me connecting people to local resources and collecting/distributing items to community organizations.

Before working in real estate, I worked in the nonprofit sector for years. My most recent pre-real-estate job was working in group homes with teens in DCYF care. When I was doing that work, I met many families who were struggling with housing. In some cases, the only thing keeping a family separated was their inability to secure safe housing. This only deepened my conviction that housing is fundamental and foundational, and that people need safe and stable housing in order to be their best selves and pursue better lives.

I decided to join Better Living Real Estate because they care deeply about being ethical, giving back to the community, and really helping their clients. I needed to work with people who care as much about helping others as I do, and I found that with Better Living. The people in this company are extremely kind and knowledgeable, and there is always someone who has the answer to any question you may have.

I am completely devoted to each and every one of my clients, whether I am helping someone sell their multi-million dollar second home, or whether I am helping someone find and rent their first apartment. I am here to provide you with the exact level of assistance you want and to advocate for you as much as you need me to.

I have specific knowledge, experience, and/or interest in the following areas:

Tenants rights
One of the things I have heard most since becoming a realtor is, “wait, you can represent tenants?” In fact, I love to represent tenants!

It can be hard to search for a place to rent, especially in today’s market. Additionally, the process of searching for a place and working towards signing a lease with a landlord can be overwhelming for a tenant, especially one who is preparing for an upcoming move. I have the tools and the training to make the process as easy for my clients as possible.

Rhode Island affords a lot of protections and rights to tenants, especially since April of 2021 when the Fair Housing Practices Act was updated to protect against section 8-based discrimination. Many people, both tenants and landlords, are not aware of the changes to the law and still believe that it is legal to refuse to rent to people with section 8. 

It can be hard for an unrepresented tenant to assert their rights when being discriminated against by a potential landlord. I am more than happy to do that for you, and to ensure that all parties are aware of the rights given to you under the law.

Providence
I moved to Providence in 2010 and fell in love with the city immediately. Providence is full of beautiful places, interesting opportunities and events, breathtaking public artwork everywhere you go, and gorgeous architecture. Since moving here, I have made a point to explore and spend time in every single neighborhood. I adore the entire city, from Broad St. to Blackstone Boulevard and everywhere in between.

My passion for this city, combined with as my experiences as both a renter and a homeowner here, means that I have a lot of knowledge and resources to share with anyone who is looking to move to Providence.

DCYF requirements for foster homes
As a licensed foster parent, I've been through the home inspection and licensing process myself. There are a lot of different regulations and standards, and looking at a lengthy set of requirements can be very overwhelming to new foster parents.

If you are a foster parent, or hoping to be one in the future, I can help you to find and create a home that will meet all of DCYF's standards.

LGBTQ+ rights and issues
If you're anxious about working with someone because you're worried that they won't use the right pronouns, they won't understand why you use a name that's different from your legal name, or you're worried that you'll end up with someone who is quietly judging you for being LGBTQ+, you will be safe with me. I'm queer, and I have experienced some of those anxieties too.

I will respect every aspect of your identity, and will make sure that everyone involved in the transaction treats you with the respect that you deserve.