Donna Murphy is the president of Murphy Realty Corp. in Baymeadows, which has been open since July 2001.
WHAT DOES SHE DO?
Murphy and her husband John own the company. She lists and sells property and has two part-time agents in her company. “I run the business entirely. I do the books, pay the bills and manage the office. There isn’t much I don’t do. I do whatever is necessary for the business. John handles the technology and the marketing for the company.”
HER HISTORY?
She started her real estate career with Watson Realty, where she worked for three years.
BEFORE REAL ESTATE?
She was a vice president of finance for 10 years in Massachusetts.
WHY OPEN OWN COMPANY?
“That was my plan from the beginning. My intention when I left my corporate executive career was to own my own company. I didn’t know doing what, but I knew I would do something on my own. I’m from Florida, so my husband and I quit our jobs in Massachusetts and moved back here. My husband said that he thought I would be really good in real estate and that I should try it. I tried it and I loved it.”
LOCATION OF HER OFFICE?
She first opened an office on St. Johns Bluff Road since a friend of hers had office space available. But, since she lives in the Baymeadows area, she decided to find an office there to be closer to home.
SPECIALTY?
Residential sales and a little bit of property management and commercial real estate.
AREA SHE CONCENTRATES ON?
Murphy said she sells all over town but tries to stay on the Southside. “Most of my business comes from referrals from past and current customers. If they have a friend out of my preferred marketing area, I’ll still go.”
HOW DOES HER
PAST EXPERIENCE HELP HER NOW?
“Because my background was so strong in finance and contracts, the transition was easy for me. I don’t treat this as a sales job, I treat it more as a business. When someone decides to buy or sell a home, I treat it as an investment. It is a financial transaction to me rather than selling somebody something. That has worked well for me. Most people appreciate that I’m not convincing them to buy or sell something and that I am trying to help them make a smart investment decision.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“I love getting to meet new people all the time, particularly people who are relocating here. Since I am a native of Jacksonville, I really enjoy helping them to learn about Jacksonville and appreciate what is good and new about our city.”
PET PEEVES?
“My greatest disappointment in joining this industry is the lack of honesty and professionalism. That is really the only thing I don’t like about this industry.”
ADVICE FOR A NEW AGENT?
“Don’t expect to earn a lot of money right away. Be prepared and have reserves because it takes awhile. Put your customer first, always. Make sure you are in a position where the early paychecks don’t count, so that you don’t get sidetracked and worry more about your paycheck than your customers.”
LESSONS LEARNED?
Murphy said she learned to dot her i’s and cross her t’s. “That goes back to agents who are less than above board. I would prefer to be able to work in an industry where your word is worth something. There are some agents that you can do business with that way, but they are few and far between. Documentation is very important.”
PROFESSIONAL INVOLVMENT?
She is a member of the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau and the National Association of Female Executives.
COLLEGE
She has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Florida and a masters in business administration from the University of South Florida.
FAMILY
She has been married to John for 13 years. They have two children: Sean, 12 and Jenna, 10.
PERSONAL SIDE?
When she is not working she enjoys reading, going out to dinner with friends, laying on the beach and playing golf. Movies she saw recently and would recommend are “Collateral,” “Bourne Supremacy,” and “The Notebook.” When traveling, she enjoys visiting any beach in the Bahamas.
- by Michele Newbern Gillis