Phil Dunphy is much more than a real estate agent on Modern Family. He's a friend of the community and truly wants everyone to find their dream home. It's what separates him from the likes of Gil Thorpe. Phil has had various professions over the years before settling down and having a family but it became obvious that real estate was in his blood.
Phil has seen it all when it comes to selling and buying properties. And as a man who has been in the profession for over 20 years, he himself has had his own ups and downs that didn't always end in his favor.
Best: He Stayed True To His Word
There was nothing more devastating to the Dunphys when the family that bought the house next door was a group of people they didn't normally associate themselves with. The man of the house owned a weed distillery and they were planning on putting a couch on their front yard.
As much as Phil wanted to sell the house to another family, he made an oath when he became a realtor to respect each offer as they come. He had no choice but to give the house to the highest bidder and that was unfortunately to a family he disagreed with. He was very professional.
Worst: When He Didn't Sell A House All Month
In one episode, Phil is having a bad month at work. He didn't sell one house and every offer that came his way fell through. He felt like a failure. However, he decided to change his outlook and focus on having one more really good day at work the following day.
He went to Cam's football game for a bit of fun, but sadly for him, the next day was the beginning of a new month. As he said, he found out there was "literally no tomorrow."
Best: The SCARB
"Strangers on a Treadmill" was the first time viewers heard about the Southern California Annual Realtors Banquet (SCARB). Phil typically hosted the event and referred to it as "the show." He also advises: If you're a realtor in Southern California, you want to be at the SCARB.
Hosting the SCARB was a big deal in his career because it proved how much those in real estate respected and admired him; he also put on a fantastic show. Phil found it hard to top himself year after year.
Worst: He Tried Selling A House He Didn't Understand
In "The Day Alex Left for College," Phil decided to bring Luke with him to sell an "unsellable" house. Phil was feeling a little distant from Luke and wanted the two to embark on an adventure together like the good old days.
Unfortunately, Phil's plan flopped because he didn't understand the layout of the house well enough to sell it. He even asked Luke to take clients on a tour of the home and he did an even worse job. Luke had zero knowledge or passion about selling that house. Overall, this was not one of Phil's finest moments.
Best: He Did The Impossible And Found Pepper His Dream House
Pepper Saltzman is one of the funniest side characters on the show. As Mitchell and Cam's friend, he pops up every now and again to throw shade and bring the drama. But when he was looking for a new house, he went to Phil instead of the Tucker-Pritchetts.
Phil took him to so many showings that it was wasting his time. Pepper could not be sold and it was driving Phil up the wall. Eventually, he found Pepper his dream home, and even convinced him to buy it. As it turned out, Pepper was having so much fun hanging out with Phil that he didn't want it to end. So, not only did Phil gain a friend in Pepper but he sold a home.
Worst: He Let His Personal Feelings Get In The Way Of His Job
In "The Cover-Up," Phil met a gorgeous woman in a coffee shop who gave him her number because she was actively looking for a house. Phil was immediately taken by her and tried covering up her stunning good looks from his wife. The more time he spent with her, the more he lied to Claire.
His trail of white lies came to an end when she found the perfect house right down the street from where Phil lived. Phil tried to deter her from looking at the house but it came off as racist. By the end of the episode, Phil let his personal feelings for the client get in the way of the job, which is a no-no.
Best: He Found A Niche Market With Divorcées
Phil has such pure intentions that they can be perceived wrongly by others. After finding a niche market in selling homes to new divorcées, it became clear that the women were attached to Phil.
It all came to a head when he couldn't keep them all straight and ran into a few of them at the grocery store. However, before meeting his fate, Phil really did make these women feel safe and comfortable while buying a home for their new future. He was their friend instead of a realtor.
Worst: He Accidentally Locked Himself In Someone's House
In "A Stereotypical Day," Phil was cleaning up after a showing and accidentally locked himself in a closet for 18 hours! He didn't have his phone on him or any means of escaping. He had no choice but to wait it out in the closet until someone found him in there.
Instead of forming some sort of plan, he destroyed the family's pantry. He wrote on the wall, went to the bathroom in a bucket, and low-key lost his mine in seclusion. The family eventually came home and found him in a weird state of shock.
Best: He's So Good At His Job That He Teaches It!
Phil loves real estate so much that he began teaching an introductory course at Luke's community college. It all started when Phil went to visit Luke on campus and stumbled upon the class. He sat in to listen to the lecture and wasn't thrilled by what he heard. He ended up taking over the course and do it with flying colors. All the students loved Phil and it proved how much he loved real estate.
Worst: His Insomnia
In "Red Alert," Phil was suffering from insomnia and it started affecting his career. He and Luke had the opportunity to shoot a video for an amazing property but Phil wasn't coherent enough to do the job. He was so groggy and tired that none of it made sense. This was exactly professional of Phil. Only he knew how bad he felt; he should have canceled the shoot or rescheduled it after more sleep.