Good Neighbor Podcast: Frisco

EP 333: From Fortune 10 to Selling Dallas: How Darwin Built a High-Performance Real Estate Brand

• Sophia Yvette

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What makes Darwin Stevens with Raider Group Selling Dallas a good neighbor?

One decision changed everything: walking away from a Fortune 10 career just weeks before March 2020 reshaped the world. We sit down with Darwin Stevens of Raider Group Selling Dallas to unpack how he turned a high-pressure pivot into a reliable, numbers-driven real estate practice with a 90% listing-to-close rate. The story isn’t luck; it’s systems, clear positioning, and a relentless focus on service that stands up under scrutiny.

Darwin breaks down the myth that “Realtors are overpaid” by opening the books on the invisible work behind the scenes—miles on the odometer, premium marketing, staging, late-night contract edits, and the coordination dance between lenders, inspectors, and title. From there, we explore how his corporate background translates into portfolio thinking for multimillion-dollar listings and complex scenarios, including developments and neighborhoods like Bishop Arts where zoning and demand dynamics shape strategy. He explains why selective client intake protects results, and how coaching serious first-time investors builds stronger pipelines and better deals.

We also talk about vertical integration and speed. Darwin shares that he’s now licensed as a national mortgage loan officer, creating a tighter loop between financing options and on-the-ground transaction strategy. For investors and homeowners alike, that means clearer numbers, fewer handoffs, and more confidence when timing matters. If you’re weighing a listing, hunting your first rental, or managing a portfolio in Dallas, you’ll hear practical advice on pricing, marketing, negotiation, and choosing partners by outcomes—not slogans.

Subscribe for more local stories from operators who measure what matters. If this conversation helped you think differently about value and results in real estate, share the episode with a friend and leave a quick review so others can find the show.

To learn more about Raider Group Selling Dallas go to:
 🌐 https://sellingdallas4all.com/

Raider Group Selling Dallas
📞 +1469-756-3221

SPEAKER_00:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

SPEAKER_01:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a real estate agent? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Darwin Stevens, with Raider Group Selling Dallas. Darwin, how's it going this morning? Darwin?

SPEAKER_02:

You still there?

SPEAKER_01:

Yes.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, okay, we're good. How are you?

SPEAKER_01:

I'm doing well. Now we are so excited to learn all about you and your business. Can you start off by telling our listeners today a little bit more about your company?

SPEAKER_02:

How much time do we have? I'm kidding. Okay, of course. Here we go. So uh I'll just start briefly because I know we got other questions that encompass everything else. Uh I am the CEO of Radar Group, uh, a locally Texas established company for my brand selling Dallas. Um, and yeah, so I'm here with Good Neighbor, really uh excited to be asked to come on this. This is super cool. I'm excited to be able to get my brand out there and reach more people within Texas. Yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_01:

Amazing. Now, how did you originally get into your business?

SPEAKER_02:

Great question. Okay, so I have to touch uh remotely on my prior corporate career and the transition of that. Okay, so I come from a well-established management, sales, marketing successful background. Uh I come from Fortune 10 uh companies, uh whatnot. So obviously the the main goal when you're when you're working in a career is at least for me and many like me, is the American dream, entrepreneurship, right? And it's actually encouraged by a lot of these companies uh to kind of get out and spread your wings. Anyway, long answer short, I got into real estate because I left my corporate career in January 2020. Okay, now obviously I was preparing to leave them to open up my business. So uh 2019, I got my real estate license. Now, when I left the company that I had worked for for four 13, 14 years, long time, okay, long, long time, right? Uh uh all of a sudden. January 2020, then March 2020, what happened? COVID. So all this preparation, all this business plan, the things you do to be successful. Yeah, so I obviously had to fall back on real estate full time, but you know what? It's been a blessing, it's been really great, and we'll get into that. It's been phenomenal. I've uh met some really great people and accomplished some really great things. But yeah, that's how I got into it, pivoted into it quickly.

SPEAKER_01:

Awesome, awesome. Always love a good story with some twists and turns, right?

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, oh my god, yes. So many of them.

SPEAKER_01:

I can relate. Now, what is the most common myth or misconception you come across in the real estate industry?

SPEAKER_02:

Okay, great question. You know, and I think it's just because you know, a lot of people, unless you're in the business, some people only buy one or two homes in their lifetime. So that's not enough to really know what's going on. So I think the misconception, not I think, but I think the biggest thing is going to be that realtors are paid too much on some areas. There's a lot of overhead that comes with this role, multiple trips, multiple gas trips. I mean, some days you drive 100-150 miles, you know, and that's just for one client. So I think the myth that they're overpaid and then the marketing and all the overhead that comes with open houses, all that stuff realtors pay for, you know, staging, things along those lines. I mean, you're running a business. So you've got to, the revenue needs to come back to you because you're investing into your property to ultimately get sold. So the misconception, the biggest one, is overpaid. Unless you're in the role and doing it, the calls we take, you know, the the late night, the contract reviews. I mean, unless you're doing it, you really don't understand it, you know. But if you're in a business kind of corporate line of work, you kind of get a little bit below the surface layer, but that is the worst misconception. Overpaid.

SPEAKER_01:

Wow. Yeah, I wasn't even, I didn't even know that was one of the worst misconceptions about you guys.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, my word. I mean, you see it in the news here and there, and I can only relate, and I'm a little bit more selective with the people that I take, especially at this level. I'm I'm dealing with more portfolio homes and things along those lines, but there are people out there ripping and running like tires cost money, premium gas. I mean, I came out with a brand new Mercedes-Benz. I mean, that's a lot of gas and premium gas. People just don't think about that stuff. So, yeah, that's one of the most worst misconceptions is lack of payment.

SPEAKER_01:

Now we know marketing is the heart of every business. How are you currently marketing your business? And as you're talking about being selective, who are your target clients and or your target audience?

SPEAKER_02:

Great. Okay, no, great question. First of all, I come from a management background, leadership background, a giving back background. So obviously, I'm gonna have a soft spot in my heart for those just starting out, okay, that are serious, first-time investors. So I always have time for them, always have coffee chats with them, and I really like to see their growth. You know, that's the management leader side of me. But to answer your question, uh nowadays, with the uh kind of reputation that I have and the other uh interest that I have from folks like yourself and other major national and international channels, uh, I've really been able to pivot into the multimillion dollar kind of sell status along with working with portfolio homes, meaning multiple homes from CEO clients or clients along those lines. So it's really more of a uh portfolio kind of analysis, a lot of predicting and analyzing. Um, I'm I'm tapped for developments at time. You know, I just uh a development area over here in uh Bishop Arts area, I just had a listing over here, uh, and that's what it's about, you know, getting the word out and you know, it's what it's zoned for and things along those lines. So I'm tapp for like higher-end uh scenarios. And like honestly, I'm I'm seeked out for situations where others just weren't able to perform, right? Now I can't take those all the time, okay, because then I'll be bogged down because that takes a little extra, right? Of me. But uh yeah, my my my Fortune 10 refinement and success and marketing and sales at that level, uh national, uh, with the company, well-respected company, uh World Employer, that really translates well to many people. So yeah, my clients are um seasoned down to the newcomers, right? That really are serious and want to get it going.

SPEAKER_01:

Amazing. Now, have you ever thought of having your own podcast?

SPEAKER_02:

You know what? You know what? Um, I you can I show this? Um let's see, let's see. So it's funny you ask, okay. And uh nobody knows this. Of course, I interact with several high-profile successful people, right? So maybe like one or two people know this, but does that answer your question? Can you see what that says? MPR's podcast startup guide. So yes, I definitely have a background that translates well to many different individuals and a wealth of knowledge that I love to share. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Perfect. So you do have a podcast then? I do not, but you do not have a podcast. You have a podcast book.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, it's a startup. So that means I may be looking to start up something soon. Not as a competitor, but as just like, you know, the real deal, you know, holy field type scenario. So does that answer your question without being too general?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I I think you answered my question. Now, Darwin, please tell the listeners one thing they should remember today about Raider Group selling Dallas.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay, so I'm a real person. I come with real results, 90% listing to close ratio. This is not just saying close, this is actually changing ownership. So that's number one, okay? I'm a sales guy, I'm about numbers, numbers don't lie. No matter how long you've been in business or how sought after you are, your close rate should matter. Anybody who really wants a return should want that. So that means nine out of 10 homes that I list actually change ownership. So that's super important. So I want to leave there. I come with uh VP status, uh nonprofit status. So I have a really high, high uh level of management within uh, I'll say governmental. I don't want to say it like that because I'm not a government employee, but when you start working with like state senators and things along those lines, I mean you're kind of you're governmental. So I'm intertwined there. So I've definitely impressed some great people. Um I I have I've been in Dallas for 26 years. You know, my childhood hometown is Oklahoma City, but I'm definitely I've lived here longer than Oklahoma City, definitely Texan. Um, and I come with a lot of success background without saying it. You know, I'm number one seller in America for a worldwide company uh for the year, top two percent of sales managers. I mean, this is these are not too shabby numbers. So I come with a large-scale business acumen, common sense, and um a reputation. You know, I'm a former chairman of the fifth largest realtors association in America. So I'm a leader's leader. So if you really want to do something with it, uh, I would say you'd want to reach out to me if you've got a development starting, if you've got a listing, multi-million dollar listings that you need to move. I I definitely would say reach out to me, you know. Uh, but I'm partial, but that's just the reality. You know, I'm I'm I'm gonna get I'm gonna get you the results necessary.

SPEAKER_01:

Now, Darwin, speaking of reaching out to you, I'm sure all of our listeners, what they really want to know today is where can they go to learn more about Raider Group Selling Dallas?

SPEAKER_02:

Thank you. Okay, thank you so much. So uh selling Dallas, that's my baby, that's my brand. So I definitely do allow uh serious inquiries. Um, you could check out my website at www.sellingdallasforall.com. That's the number forall.com. I've got a lot more about me uh on there. It's got all kinds of media outlets I've worked with as well, and I'll put your logo up there as well. Uh but yeah, reach out there, contact me there. Um, and you'll also see, oh duh, it just hot off the presses. Um, you're gonna see a link to where I'm recently established as a national mortgage loan officer as well. So this selling Dallas Powerhouse is amazing. So not only can I handle the real estate side of things, but for my investor clients and even people who just want to finance, you know, everyone wants to hold capital, right? You don't want to just keep spending your money. Um, I'm able to get those type of loans done through me directly, okay, as a licensed national mortgage loan officer, not just employed with the bank, i am uh licensed to write loans. So anyway, uh you'll find a link on that website soon. Go to my website, select the contact us uh uh button, and you'll just put in your information, then I'll contact you back, okay? Or you could shoot me a text now. You know, some of the text, we get so many text messages and so many emails. I mean, if I'm not really looking for, which I'm looking for, but if I'm not really looking for it, it could go to spam and I'm not looking for it. So, website. That's it.

SPEAKER_01:

Perfect. Well, Darwin, I really appreciate you being on the show with us today. Um, we wish you and your business the best moving forward.

SPEAKER_02:

Thank you so much, Sophia. It's been great. Um, hopefully I didn't over talk because I've got more to say, but you you're great. You you know you got that whip going, so I stayed in line.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GMP Frisco dot com. That's GMP Frisco dot com or call four six nine two two one nine three four five.