Michael “M.D.” Duffy has been a real estate agent with Prudential Network Realty in Ponte Vedra Beach since September 2002.
WHAT DOES HE DO?
So far, Duffy hasn’t locked himself into any specialty. He has listed and sold commercial, residential and land. “It has been a wonderful experience. I’m open. I met a person who was interested in buying a church and I helped him and then I met another person who was interested in getting a lot, so I helped him too. It’s been very interesting.”
AREA HE WORKS?
When he started in real estate, he lived on the Northside and was concentrating on that area. But now he and his wife are moving to The Legends at Saint Johns in the World Golf Village so he will be concentrating on the St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach areas.
WHY DID THEY CHOOSE TO MOVE TO THE LEGENDS?
His wife recently retired from BellSouth and wanted to have a resort lifestyle as her retirement present, so she visited the Legends and fell in love. They should be moving in their condominium soon. When he and his wife went there to look at the condominiums, they met Karen Palmer, the site agent there at the time. “She’s one of the reasons why I came to Prudential. She and her partner were so beautiful and so friendly when I visited the model. They were so warm and friendly that I told my wife, this is the company I want to work for.”
WHY SELL IN ST. AUGUSTINE?
“It’s wonderful. It’s growing and exploding. It’s the best place you can be. I read an article that said St. Augustine is the number one tourist stop in the Southeast.”
HOW DID HE
GET INTO REAL ESTATE?
“I have always been interested in real estate and people that I had ministered to had many problems in real estate. My knowledge was very limited, so I decided to go to school and learn about it. From there I learned all about how to be a good Realtor and how to help people in much more effective ways.”
WHY USE THE NICKNAME MD?
“In our office we have three Michaels, so I use ‘M.D.’ because it’s easier to remember.”
DOCTOR OF LOVE?
When you meet Duffy, he will tell you he is a doctor of love. What he means by that is that he loves what he is doing. “A lot of people ask me if I am a medical doctor and I tell them no, I am a doctor of love, a spiritual doctor.”
BEFORE REAL ESTATE?
For over 20 years, Duffy has been a minister and a substitute teacher in Jacksonville. He taught various subjects including history and math to elementary, middle and high school students. “I met a broad base of people and that was wonderful.”
MINISTER?
Duffy has been a minister for New Foundation International Ministries since 1980. “I am an evangelist. I am licensed and ordained in the New Foundation International Ministries. It is a local organization, but I travel all over the country teaching and ministering. When I was not traveling, I was a substitute teacher.”
TRADEMARK?
Whenever you see Duffy, you will notice his hat. He always has it on and says it is his trademark. “Our teacher in real estate class said we have to have something that makes us stand out. My hat is my trademark.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“I like the flexibility. I can still be a minister and choose when to work, where to work and for whom to work. I like the diversity. You meet all different people from all walks of life. I like the spontaneity, things come up, just like a jack-in-the-box. It’s stimulating. And finally, I get to help people make wise decisions, to solve their problems and make their dreams come true.”
ADVICE TO NEW REALTORS?
“They need to have faith and patience. Be persistent and don’t give up. This job is not for the thin-skinned. Be flexible.”
HOMETOWN
Jacksonville.
WHAT DOES HE LIKE
TO DO WHEN NOT WORKING?
He enjoys gardening, reading the bible, exercising including biking and walking, reading, and going to the beach.
FAMILY
He has been married to Pam for 15 years. They have two children.
COLLEGE
He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from University of Florida. After college he worked for the Urban League and then owned several different businesses in Ponte Vedra Beach including a mail delivery business and an advertisement business.
FAVORITES
He cites the Bible as his favorite book and “It’s a Great Life” as his favorite movie. When dining out, he enjoys Piccadilly. “I like the desserts.” His favorite place to visit is the beach and when relaxing at home, he enjoys tuning into “American Idol.”
— by Michele Newbern Gillis