John Chen Hillsborough has built a career spanning real estate, finance, technology, hospitality, and private investing, guided by patience and consistency. Raised in the Bay Area, he is a Hillsborough native whose personal and professional roots remain closely connected to Northern California and its long-term growth.
John Chen owns Value Growth Properties in Hillsborough, where he develops and provides consulting services for real estate projects and capital financing throughout the Bay Area. His work reflects more than two decades of experience building operating platforms and working through multiple market cycles.
He grew up with a strong connection to local communities and developed an early appreciation for discipline and accountability. These influences helped shape an approach focused on steady execution, relationship building, and thoughtful decision-making rather than short-term gains.
John attended Menlo School in Atherton and graduated in 1990, then earned a degree in Economics from UC Berkeley in 1994. His education strengthened his understanding of capital, incentives, and risk, which later became central to his work as an investor and operator.
He chose not to pursue a traditional corporate role after college. Instead, he gravitated toward environments where results were earned daily and leadership was visible, a mindset that influenced many of his career decisions.
John Chen of Hillsborough entered the real estate brokerage industry in 1999, as the internet began reshaping consumer finance. He founded Infoloan, also known as the Mortgage Superstore, along with Infohome, a mortgage and real estate services firm that combines technology with disciplined execution.
He built systems designed to scale responsibly while maintaining quality. Over time, he hired and trained more than 300 licensed agents and facilitated over $7 billion in closed transactions from 1999 through the present, with offices in Silicon Valley and Taiwan.
John expanded into technology beyond finance in 2003 by co-founding ImportNow.com, an international online marketplace connecting buyers and suppliers across national borders. He served as co-founder and CEO during a period of rapid growth and increasing visibility.
The company was featured on CNNfn and covered by FORTUNE, USA Today, and Yahoo Internet Life Magazine. These experiences reinforced the importance of trust, operational credibility, and execution in digital businesses.
John Chen continues to lead Value Growth Properties while investing actively in startups in the US and Asia. He often advises founders on go-to-market strategy, capital discipline, and organizational structure, drawing on experience across industries.
John Chen of Hillsborough remains committed to community involvement and personal discipline. He volunteers and donates to organizations including Mercury Soul, Menlo School, the Challenged Athletes Foundation, and CuriOdyssey, serves on the Menlo School Alumni Board, and placed third at the Masters Powerlifting Nationals in Reno in May of 2025.
