Michael Darby is an Australian-American real estate entrepreneur whose business, “Monument Realty,” has played a key role in the development of Washington, D.C.’s infrastructure during the previous two decades. Since its inception in 1998, the firm has created over 6.5 million square feet of real estate. He has also been on the Board of the DC Building Industry Association and is a cast member of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Potomac” reality program.
Michael Darby's Net Worth
In 2022, Michael Darby’s net worth is estimated to be $20 million. His major source of wealth is his work as a real estate businessman, since he is one of Somalia’s biggest real estate owners. Columbia Center, Half Street, The Odyssey Condominium, and Franklin Square North are just a few of the successful projects he’s worked on. His business, “Monument Realty,” is also known for being the first in the SW Waterfront zone to create new apartments in 2002.
He has also amassed a large wealth from numerous sources of income, including becoming a reality star, yet wants to live a humble lifestyle. He also owns the “Oz” restaurant, which he co-founded with his wife Ashley.
Michael's Early Life
Michael Darby was born in Australia on July 29, 1959 to his parents. Our attempts to learn more about his family were fruitless since no such data is publicly accessible. As a result, his parents’ identities are still unknown. It’s also unclear whether he has siblings or relatives. Nonetheless, as soon as new information becomes available, this area will be updated.
Michael Darby's Education
Michael Darby earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Engineering and Business Development from the University of Melbourne.
Michael Darby's Wife/Girlfriend and Family Life
Michael Darby has been married to Ashley Darby, who is most known for her appearance on “The Real Housewives of Potomac,” for nearly eight years. The pair met at a pub where Ashley worked as a bartender and began seeing each other more frequently after that. They are the proprietors of the Australian bistro “Oz.” On a helicopter trip above the Hudson in New York City, Michael proposed to Ashely, and she said yes. The two chose to marry after four years of dating. Despite being nearly three decades apart in age, they have managed to make their relationship work. They have two children, Dean Michael Darby and Dylan Matthew Darby. Their marriage, on the other hand, has had many ups and downs. The pair recently revealed that they had an open marriage. . This may seem to be an unconventional marriage, and their relationship has been a source of trouble for the Bravo hit reality series. Despite rumors of infidelity, money diggers, separation, and even LGBT allegations, the couple has chosen to give their marriage another chance for the sake of their children.
It was reported that Michael was married to another woman before Ashley, but the circumstances of their relationship are unknown. He was also a father of two kids from a previous marriage.
Michael Darby's Career
Despite the fact that Michael Darby is from Australia, he has spent the most of his professional life in the Washington, D.C. area. He moved on to work for “CarrAmerica,” where he was engaged in large projects, after obtaining significant experience as the vice-president of the firm “Alkridge.” He chose to create Monument Realty in 1998 after accumulating expertise in the real estate sector via these numerous projects as well as his education in this subject. Michael has been instrumental in growing the company from the ground up into a multi-million dollar enterprise. His firm, according to its website, has created over 6.5 million square feet of real estate in the two decades since it was founded, bringing in millions of dollars in income. Presently, the company is known for its knowledge and experience in a number of areas within the real estate industry, including financing, retail leasing, asset management, and construction management.
According to the customers with whom Michael and his firm have collaborated, he is most recognized for being able to provide value even in complex circumstances that would otherwise have been overlooked by other organizations. However, he has thrived in similar situations as well, earning the company and himself millions of dollars over the years. His firm is also notable for being the first to pioneer the concept of developing new flats in the SW Waterfront region in 2002, and many other enterprises have jumped on the bandwagon since then, due to the latest IT boom. The renovation of the Southern Railway Building and the Victor Building are two of his notable undertakings. Furthermore, significant structures such as the Columbia Center, The Odyssey Condominium, and the Half Street have been constructed owing to Michael and his company’s vision and competence.
He also runs a restaurant called “Oz,” which he co-founded with his wife Ashley and is not related to real estate. The restaurant eventually collapsed despite providing the Housewives with numerous fun dinner party experiences as well as a stunning open mic night.
Today, Michael Darby continues to work on his field of profession, accept various media appearances and is one of the stars of “The Real Housewives of Potomac.”
Real Housewives of Potomac Storyline for Michael Darby
Michael Darby joined “The Real Housewives of Potomac” in season 1 in 2016.
Michael Darby hasn’t been able to avoid some scandals despite having a great profession outside of the reality program. According to the Washington Post, Michael was charged with second-degree assault and improper sexual contact in September 2018 by a cameraman on the program who alleged that the entrepreneur grabbed him improperly.
While the charges against him were dropped a month later, he had something to tell about the accusations through Bravo, “The incident, which I described accurately from the beginning, was bumping this cameraman. After the shooting, he made a claim. And by the way, we’ve got to straighten this out. It was not a charge; it was a claim by an individual.” He additionally explained that “the claim had no evidence, and so it was thrown out.”
Within the series, Michael has also been a constant source of controversy. Michael and Ashley often fought about prospective modifications to the restaurant, ranging from removing crocodile and emu off the menu to the implementation of events like the foregoing open mic night. The downfall of the business provided a new degree of tranquility to Ashley and Michael’s marriage. The real housewife walked out of Michael’s residence long before she was diagnosed with postpartum depression. In February 2017, she moved into her own apartment in Arlington, Virginia and was able to take a vacation from his mood swings and the mounting pressures of running a failing business.
After the couple reconciled, more Michael Darby drama emerged, resulting in one of the most memorable scenes in the RHOP series. Candiace and Robyn Dixon gathered to corroborate that Michael had stated he would “suck a sausage” of one of their husbands in the episode “Days of Our Knives.” It didn’t take long for castmates and viewers to figure out that he must be the house husband in question considering his long-term bromance with Robyn’s husband Juan Dixon.
The businessman appeared to be at his rock bottom during the sausage fest remark until the heterosexual cheating allegations arose. Last season, Michael was suspected of cheating on Ashley when a photo of him standing beside a hotel dresser in just his underwear emerged. Notwithstanding “broke bug” Ashley from RHOP’s own propensity to stir the pot, speak her opinion, and unleash her sexually liberated take on life on unsuspecting castmates, it was easy to feel that Michael had grabbed the limelight by the conclusion of their drama. It’s plausible that Ashley and Michael met as two sexually free bisexuals who weren’t interested in monogamy until they married. However, the functioning of whatever marital arrangement they initially chose has not shown to be very beneficial. While Michael has been featured in the media on several occasions, things are starting to look good for the couple, owing to two gorgeous boys and a number of cases that have been dropped.
Michael Darby's Appearance (Height, Hair, Eyes & More)
Height | X ft X in X.X m |
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Weight | — pounds — kg |
Hair Color | Brown |
Eye Color | Blue |
Body Type | Fit |
Sexual Orientation | Straight |
Facts About Michael Darby
Nationality | American |
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Estimate Net Worth | $20 million |
Religion | Christian |
Zodiac Sign | Leo |
Birthplace | Australia |
Birthday | July 29, 1959 |