The legacy of Ebby Halliday began in 1945, when this bold woman parlayed her wisdom, generosity, business acumen, and endurance into what is today the No. 1 residential real estate brokerage in Texas. This year, Ebby Halliday Companies celebrates its 75th anniversary serving the real estate needs of North Texans and those relocating to the Metroplex.
I will never forget the first time I met Ebby Halliday: she was in my living room, accompanying an agent who we were interviewing to list our home. I was so excited to meet the grand dame herself. She was all I had heard she was — gracious, humorous, witty and smart — and more. Later, I had the privilege of spending a day with Ebby Halliday when she was 96 for an article I wrote for D Magazine. As long as I live, I will never forget the stories she told of her upbringing (it was not idyllic) her work ethic (incredible but to her just natural) her ideals (do something good for someone else each day) and the love of her, though she found him later in life at age 54, Maurice Acers.
“Long life is a privilege not everyone – or every company – gets to enjoy,” says Ebby Halliday Companies President & CEO Chris Kelly. “During this anniversary year, we acknowledge this fact with a spirit of gratitude.”
The legacy of Ebby Halliday, who founded Ebby Halliday Realtors in 1945 as a one-woman, one-office firm, is carried out daily in North Texas through 2,000-plus agents and staff across three real estate brands and affiliated mortgage, insurance, and title companies. It is now amplified by the Ebby Halliday Companies’ affiliation with HomeServices of America, the country’s No. 1 residential real estate company.
“2020 will be a memorable year for our company as we look back with pride and move forward in anticipation,” Kelly says. “While we celebrate 75 years of success, we can’t wait to see what the next 75 years will bring.”
2020 Will Bring Focus on Technology
Acquired by HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, in 2018, the widely admired company has in the past year implemented a concerted effort to modernize homeownership services and ensure that homeownership is available to everyone buying or selling a home in North Texas. Since the acquisition, the Ebby Halliday Companies’ expanded leadership team has focused intensely on ensuring its agents and clients benefit from the latest technology and tools. Among the company’s primary business objectives in 2020 is furthering access to homeownership opportunities for historically marginalized communities.
“Ebby Halliday Companies clients benefit from knowledgeable, respected agents and a team of professionals dedicated to making buying or selling a home one convenient experience,” Kelly says. “While our skilled agents help you navigate the market, our family of affiliated core-services companies handles your mortgage, insurance and title needs with the utmost care.”
The Ebby Halliday Companies have grown over the years through strategic acquisitions, including real estate brands Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate and Williams Trew, as well as strategically located offices to serve the growing North Texas region. Today, the company takes pride in providing home buyers and sellers an exceptional experience through Ebby Halliday Realtors, Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, Williams Trew, and affiliated core-services companies Prosperity Mortgage, Home Team Insurance, and Texas Premier Title.
New State-of-the-Art Websites Coming
With a focus on the future, each of the company’s real estate brands will soon rollout state-of-the-art websites that offer a consumer experience unlike any other, Kelly says. The mobile-optimized sites will feature responsive search and massive image galleries.
“The Ebby Halliday Companies have long been a technology innovator and our new sites, as well as numerous other forward-thinking initiatives, are a testament to our commitment to our clients and agents,” Kelly says. “Our employees love coming to work every day to innovate the real estate experience for our valued clients and agents. For 75 years now, our clients, agents, and employees have been the reason for our success, and we intend to honor their loyalty by making the Ebby Halliday Companies stronger and better than ever. Our future as one company is indeed, very, very bright.”
For more information about the Ebby Halliday Companies brokerage, mortgage, insurance, and title services, visit ebby.com, daveperrymiller.com, and williamstrew.com.
