I’ve Been Ducked: Discovering Duck Duck Jeep

True story.

After lunch with the amazing Ron Hemig a commercial real estate legend in the Tahoe-Truckee area known for helping investors, entrepreneurs, and business owners find their ideal properties—I returned to my Jeep to find a small yellow rubber duck sitting proudly on the hood… duck duck jeep!

At first, I thought it was a promotion. Then I scanned the parking lot for other vehicles with ducks on the hood. Nothing. Next, I looked for a child who might have dropped their toy. Still no luck. Finally, I picked it up, half-expecting to see a hidden camera crew. The next morning as I waited for my coffee to brew I Google’d “ducks on Jeeps” and quickly discovered this is a Jeep thing!

That’s when I discovered the Duck Duck Jeep tradition, also known as Jeep Ducking. Started in 2020 by Allison Parliament, it began as a small act of kindness—leaving a duck with a note on a Jeep—and has since grown into a global movement that celebrates connection, community, and positivity.

The Jeep community is, dare I say, cool. When I moved to California in 2021 after twenty-two years in NYC, friends naturally asked what car I planned to buy. My answer? “Well, my sixteen-year-old self always dreamed of a red Wrangler with a tan interior—so maybe it’s finally time for a Jeep.” And that’s exactly what I did. Not long after, I discovered the Jeep Wave—a subtle two-finger greeting shared among Jeep drivers, a tradition believed to date back to WWII. Simple as it is, that small wave of recognition still makes my day every single time.

Like the Jeep Wave, Duck Duck Jeep has no strict rules. Some owners keep their ducks, proudly displaying them on their dashboard “duck ponds.” Others continue the tradition, passing along that small but joyful gesture to another Jeep owner. When I got home, I shared the story with my dad, who promptly sent me a bag of rubber ducks to keep the kindness going.

And that’s where the connection to real estate comes in.

In real estate, just like in the Jeep community, it’s the little gestures of recognition that matter most. A thoughtful note. A warm introduction to a neighborhood. A heads-up about a pocket listing. A well-timed check-in. Buying or selling a home isn’t just about market data—it’s about community, kindness, and those moments that make people feel seen.

I’ll always keep my first duck as a reminder of that feeling. And just as I’ll keep paying it forward with ducks, I’m committed to paying it forward in real estate—one connection, one conversation, one client at a time.

For more information about the Duck Duck Jeep trend, visit Wikipedia and discover a very informative article all about duck duck jeep.