Our Story

More Than Selling Houses

For 75 years, Ebby Halliday, REALTORS® has been selling homes in North Texas. Today, we’re a household name, and there’s one big reason why: Ebby’s dream wasn’t just to sell houses, she wanted to positively influence people’s lives. Our company isn’t just about closing deals. That’s only one small part of what makes us who we are. We are so much more than that because from the beginning, Ebby had a vision the size of Texas. She believed that above all else, you must “Improve your life by improving the lives of those around you.”

From Hats to Houses

From the beginning, Ebby had a knack for sales. She launched her North Texas career in 1938 selling hats. What made her so good at it was that she understood intuitively that buyers make decisions based on emotions rather than rational thought. When she entered real estate, she applied that wisdom to selling houses. In the first homes she sold, she put up drapes to showcase the windows, laid down carpet on the floor, added furniture, and had the yards landscaped. She made it feel warm, enticing, inviting. She made it feel real. “Buyers have no idea what they want until they see it,” Ebby said. “We have to give them a picture. Our job is to give them a better idea what the house will look like after they move in.”

Big Fun, Big Growth

That small nugget of wisdom led to some very big growth. By 1958, Ebby Halliday, REALTORS had sales of approximately $12 million, an impressive number, given the median home price at the time was around $24,000. (By the way, $12 million in 1958 dollars is roughly the equivalent of $100 million in 2016 dollars.) Today, we are the largest real estate company in Texas and have 30 offices covering 12,000 square miles of North Texas.

Serving the Client, Serving the Community, Serving the Industry

For 75 years, our company has been built on three principles: service to the client, service to the industry and service to the community. Each year we serve the residential real estate needs of approximately 20,000 individuals and families moving to, from and within North Texas, always with the commitment of providing exemplary service during what can be one of life’s most-exciting, yet often stressful, events. And our commitment as a company to our industry is legendary: Ebby Halliday is the only real estate firm in America to be honored with three National Association of REALTORS® Distinguished Service Awards. Our third principle, service to the community, has created a dynamic company culture whose philanthropic impact on North Texas cannot be overstated. We’re proud to support a plethora of community initiatives across North Texas.

Just the Beginning

Like Ebby, who was never afraid of firsts, never afraid of what was up ahead (so long as she was leading the way), we’re ready for what’s coming next. We’re just getting started.