My father, Mike Dunphy, is the owner and realtor behind Mike Dunphy Sells Real Estate, and he's been doing it for 56 years! There's a history behind his experience in real estate, and it didn't start all on his own. His father, Tom Dunphy, was the founder. You can hear stories, but there's something about seeing a family member in pictures that you never got to meet. My pop-pop passed away in 1983. It was a year before my dad met my mom.
My pop opened up the company Tom Dunphy Sells Real Estate in the early 1960s. He started the real estate company as a part-time gig but then turned it into his full-time job. When he passed away, my dad and his brother took over the company. Two years later, they decided to sell it.
My dad took a brief move into the mortgage business because he had a non-compete clause in the sale of the real estate company. A non-compete clause means they couldn't be in the real estate business for three years following the sale of the company.
The picture below is a picture of my uncle Tommy on the far left. My mom-mom is in the middle, and my dad is on the right. Look at the mustache.
Below is a picture of my pop-pop and my mom-mom at the Holiday Inn. I miss my mom-mom. She passed away in 2011. I was a sophomore in high school at the time. Growing up, my sisters and I used to go over to my mom-moms house every weekend with my dad and bring her over a McDonald's breakfast.
There's something about McDonald's when you're little. It feels like you've won the lottery when you get to talk your parents into getting a happy meal. My mom-mom was the sweetest old lady. She was so comforting to be around, so soft-spoken. My sisters would tell me how my mom-mom would make a swoop motion down my nose and tell me she was going skiing because of the curve in my nose. I miss her.
Side Story: My senior year at Penn State, I always felt like my mom-mom was with me. One day, when I was studying in the library, I was experiencing a bad anxiety attack. Almost instantly, I found a dime next to my foot. My family and I believe that when you find dimes randomly, it is a sign from heaven that an angel is with you. I swore I smelled her perfume go past me too. My anxiety was immediately gone. I called my mom crying. It is something that I will never forget. I knew she was with me then, and I know she always will be.
In 1984, my dad Mike opened up American Real Estate Academy, where he is still the real estate director. He teaches courses required to obtain both your real estate license and your real estate broker's license. The academy is still up and running. My dad teaches real estate on the weekends. He is the most hardworking man I know. He gets up around 4-5 A.M. every day. He is always working.
My parents met at the American Real Estate Academy in 1984! My mom was one of his students. My dad always mentions that when he saw my mom for the first time, he brought one of his friends into the conference room and acted as if he needed him for something while my mom was re-taking a test. Little did she know that he was telling his friend, See that girl right there, that's Mrs. Dunphy. I haven't even met her yet. They got married in 1987, and the rest was history.
My dad opened up a real estate company again in 1989 as Dunphy Sells Real Estate, and In 2003, he bought a Weichert franchise and opened up three franchise offices. When the real estate market crashed in 2008, my parents lost a lot of their investments. From 2008 through 2011 were the worst times in the real estate business for him. He had a hard time justifying his lifelong work then.
Not only was his business as a whole doing poorly, but he had lost almost a million dollars in houses renovated that was mid-flip when the real estate market crashed in 2008. It was a year after our house burnt down in 2007 when we lost everything. It was a hard time for my family. My dad had to close down five offices except one.
In 2010, my dad decided to open up again as Mike Dunphy Sells Real Estate. Since then, he has been doing business as is. He has been working hard at it every day. He says that he used to work 80-hour weeks.
My dad expresses his devotion to selling real estate. He mentions that he has always liked meeting all different types of people, having flexible schedules, and having the limitless ability to make money.
My father still has lawyers call him up now and then to ask him questions about real estate. He can tell you everything you'd need to know about real estate.
My sister, Angelique Dunphy, has followed our dad's footsteps and has been a realtor for Mike Dunphy Sells Real Estate since 2006 - 15 years!
"My dad taught us how to work young at the age of 14. We'd get up early on Saturday mornings and have to hand deliver flyers (of houses for sale) all around the neighborhoods close to the office near Juniata, Frankford, etcetera," says Angelique.
Angie explains that she started by answering phones and helping out with the American Real Estate Academy on the weekends. After only having one office left, Angie decided to attend real estate school and got her license. From there, she started to work in the office and did a lot of conveyancing. The office work eventually led her to start selling houses.
"When the real estate market crashed, I had two small children. So, I needed something. I decided to go to nursing school to make sure I had a certain income for my family. I was a bartender on the weekends. I was working three jobs at that point," says Angelique.
Angelique says that she enjoys working, that it keeps her busy. She currently sells real estate in the midst of being a nurse and a mom to four children. Angelique has made solid relationships and learned a lot about what it takes to find a great home.
She says that she owes it to her dad, that she'll always retain what he has taught her. Angelique plans on taking over someday when my dad retires. That means that she'll have to obtain her broker's license.
Angelique is excited about the future and strongly encourages anyone planning on selling or buying a home to look into Mike Dunphy Sells Real Estate. For more information, check out their website.
Angelique's contact information:
Cell: 215-906-9019
Email: angdunphy@gmail.com
Mike Dunphy's contact information:
Cell: 215-840-8399
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