THE REAL DEALS
Jim Duncan , Half-a-Century as The Century Man
Century 21 Judge Fite, Licensed in 1966
M
42
ention Jim Duncan’s name and most
people think of commercial real
estate.
But when he discusses his career land-
marks, Duncan doesn’t mention multi-
million dollar commercial deals. The real
estate accomplishments in which he takes
the most pride have been the ones where
he found a home for somebody that need-
ed one, or sold a property for someone
that really needed to sell.
Duncan has sold everything that
comes on land during his 52-year-long
career.“People around here have been
very good to me and business has been
good for me,” Duncan said. “I just try to
give back to the community.”
Like his father, C.T. Duncan before
him, Duncan has been active in
Weatherford Noon Lions Club throughout
his career, as well as a member of the
Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Club.
“We lived across from the Posse
Grounds,” he said. “Daddy was always
over there riding in the grand entries. We
used to go for play days, and ride calves,
and have family night... I started helping
with the Lions Club when I was probably
eight years old, pulling around Coca-
Colas and helping Daddy.”
What made Duncan decide to go into
real estate in the first place?
“Well, I wanted to make a living,”
Duncan said. “I was in college at Texas
Tech and I called Daddy early in my
junior year, to see if he thought the two of
us could make a living selling real estate
in Parker County. He said, ‘Well I think
we can.’ My momma told me several
years later that when I asked that ques-
tion, she was standing there with daddy
and tears just came into his eyes. I got
back here and went to work for him after I
spent some time in basic training in 1968.
I’ve been selling real estate ever since.”
There were times when Duncan did
have some doubts.
“I was in summer camp one year (The
Reserves) and I called home to see how
things were going with the business,”
Duncan said. “I talked to Daddy and he
said, ‘Well, interest rates have gone up
to 8.5 percent on 20-year-loans, with 30
percent down payments. You might as
well go full-time in the Army.’ I said oh,
Dad, it can’t be that bad. Back then the
loan was the main source of your mort-
gage money. One bank out of Fort Worth
would make FHA loans over here and
conventional loans. I came on back and
we made it through. We did a little devel-
opment work on a subdivision around
the county. Been fortunate. Folks in town
have been good to us.”
Duncan obtained his real estate
license in 1966.
He aced the exam, of course, and by
the beginning of 1967, Jim Duncan was
selling real estate — lots of it.
Then Duncan married his college
sweetheart, Susan. “We’ve been married
almost 52 years,” Duncan said. “We’ve
had a good run at it.”
Duncan had a big advantage of learn-
ing the business from his father. The elder
Duncan knew everyone in Parker County
(of course Parker County didn’t have as
many to know in those days, but still) and
was highly regarded.
“He was a gentlemen’s gentleman,”
Duncan said. “Daddy didn’t want to be
president of any of the organizations, but
he was one of the 10 charter members
to form the board of realtors here in
Weatherford and I was one of them.
Three of us are still alive— Bobby Dalton,
Charles Foster and me.”
The elder Duncan believed in giving
back to his community. He worked tire-
lessly as a member of the Lions Club, was
a founding member of the Weatherford
Industrial Foundation and served as a
lieutenant in the Parker County Sheriff’s
Posse. Jim Duncan followed closely in his
father’s footsteps. He rapidly amassed a
loyal client base, mostly from other young
businessmen and women who were
pleased to work with one of their peers.
Drew Springer was one of them.
“I’ve known Jim Duncan since junior
high school,” Springer said. “As a profes-
sional in the real estate business, he’s
always been someone that I’ve looked up
to. There have been houses that I couldn’t
buy that he’s managed to sell to me. He
sold houses for me that I couldn’t sell.
He sold houses for me that other realtors
tried to sell for me and they couldn’t, then
Jim stepped in and sold for me. Jim is
someone that I always wanted to be more
like and I can’t say that about very many
people.”
Duncan bought the Century 21
Weatherford franchise in 1984 and sold to
Judge Fite in 2003.
What Duncan finds to be the most
intriguing aspect of real estate today is the
change in people.
“It’s an education for a baby boomer
to interact with the Millennial,” Duncan
said with a winning grin. “Hopefully,
they’ll have patience with us, but rely on
us for sound advice and suggestions.”
Duncan is at the point in his career
that he could do a lot of his work from his
home, but most days he can be found in
his office in the C21 Judge Fite building.
“I have an office at my house,” he
said. “But I’d rather come down here
and be with the people. I love mentoring
young agents. I don’t make any money
from them, I just love to help them and
watch their careers take off.”
What does Duncan consider his most
important real estate transaction, ever?
“One of the most meaningful real
estate sales I handled happened 35 years
ago,” Duncan said. “It was an older
couple, both of them working in a restau-
rant in Weatherford. But, keep in mind
Weatherford was a lot smaller back then,
and I think she helped cooked and he
was a dishwasher, and [they]