Nick Dunlap
Nick Dunlap traces his roots in Fullerton back four generations. He was born at St. Jude Hospital. His family owned and operated apartment buildings, and Dunlap worked at his father’s properties from a young age; his father is a real‑estate syndicator. After attending Troy High School and Fullerton College, Dunlap transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English.
Early career and education
After graduating from UCLA, Dunlap acquired his Salesperson and Broker License. He worked at Dunlap Property Group, where he held roles including property supervisor and vice president. Dunlap later worked for the property firm McKinley before joining Avanath Capital Management in Irvine, where he served as director of property management.
Dunlap later founded Spadra Property Company, a boutique real‑estate management firm serving rental‑housing owners across Southern California. Dunlap has written articles for publications such as Journal of Property Management, Realtor Magazine, Apartment News and Units Magazine. He served as the editor of the Institute of Real Estate Management’s flagship publication Principles of Real Estate Management.
Before establishing Spadra, Dunlap was elected to leadership roles in real estate associations. He served on the board of the Apartment Association of Orange County (AAOC), and ultimately became its president. He was the Director Emeritus of the AAOC and subsequently chaired the California Rental Housing Association’s legislative committee. Dunlap also held volunteer‑board positions with the Fair Housing Council of Orange County and the Institute of Real Estate Management, Orange County.
Licenses, credentials and other roles
Dunlap is a licensed real‑estate broker in California and Texas. He holds the Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management. According to his bio at Dunlap Property Group, he is also a member of the Urban Land Institute, AAOC and Institute of Real Estate Management. He is fluent in Greek and Spanish.
City council and commissions
Dunlap’s first formal roles in government were on local commissions. He served on the Fullerton Planning Commission from 2016 to 2018. He also served on the Orange County Housing and Community Development Commission from 2012–2013 as an appointee of Supervisor Shawn Nelson.
Dunlap was elected to the Fullerton City Council representing District 2 in 2020 and re‑elected in 2024. He served as mayor in 2024.
