Dan Elsea

It all began on Fort Street, Detroit in 1929. Rumor has it that Staunton Elsea already had his master plan at work a year before then, but their official records read 1929. A man with a mission, Staunton Elsea steadily grew Elsea Realty and opened up a second office location. Staunton also set the tone for the company’s innovative ways by making Elsea Realty one of the first brokerages to hire women in the 1930’s.

Staunton’s son, Richard “Dick” Elsea entered into the business after serving in the Korean War and attending Michigan State University. Dick had a gift for networking and played an integral role in why Real Estate One is here today. In 1969, Dick negotiated a major deal, merging three well-established firms (Mathers, Stevens and Martin Inc. Realtors, Deremo and Sons Realtors and Gordon Williamson Co.) with Elsea Realty to create the Real Estate One brand.