Meet Darby Merriman | Top Producing Realtor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Darby Merriman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darby, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Since my personality is an interesting blend of Type-A and super creative and outgoing, finding balance is always something that I have struggled with both personally and professionally. My number one priority is always my family but at times, my job as a top producing realtor can be very consuming because of the demands of clients schedules outside of the regular work day and the tight deadlines we are sometimes under in this crazy DFW housing market. I am also running a small business in addition to the client services side of what I do which takes more time people realize and requires I do all kind of things that have very little to do with selling houses. I used to be really hard on myself because I felt like I was spinning my wheels and no matter what I did, I would fall short in at least one area of my life when I was excelling in the other which was a total joy zapper. One of the things that has helped me get closer to the elusive balance we all crave is realizing mistakes and failures are part of life and as long as you continue to grow and fail forward, you are making progress and succeeding. I have also realized that I am hardest on myself and although I am understanding and empathetic, the one person I seem to have trouble giving grace to is myself. All of that said, I have realized that I thrive when I give myself a break, take a little time each week to plan out what I can control and utilize my calendar, to do lists and other tools but at the same time knowing things can change at a moment’s notice. I’ve also realized there are ways I can work smarter not harder and that it is okay to ask for help. Having a great support system of friends and family to lean on also helps because I have found is that we all face similar challenges with balance and are all trying to do the best we can.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
As my children hit school age, I made the decision to transition into a career in real estate so I could have a more flexible schedule than I did as an educational meeting and event planner. Never in a million years did I think that what I thought would be a part time job to supplement my family’s income so I had more time to spend with my children and volunteering in my beloved community would put me where I am today – a top producing real estate agent in the DFW market. My love for real estate began at an early age as I watched family members get involved in the business in my hometown of Fayetteville Arkansas. The majority of my business is focused in and around the North Dallas area and the thing I am most proud of is that my business is almost 100% referral based. The fact that nearly every person I have helped buy or sell a home has trusted me to someone they know and care about which means the world to me. I pride myself on providing an excellent customer experience from start to finish and focus on building lasting relationships that go far beyond the closing table. I have been recognized as Carrollton’s Best Realtor four times, a D Magazine as a Best Real Estate Agent, Best of Denton County Listing Agent, a North DFW Real Producer Top 500 Agent and one of Tom Ferry’s America’s Best Real Estate Professionals – all of this is great but every time someone entrusts me to help their loved ones with the biggest purchase of their life means so much more to me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
That’s easy…we would be in historic downtown Carrollton! As a longtime Carrollton resident, I take pride in my city and love the sense of community here. I am also an avid supporter of small business and there are so many great ones in Historic Downtown Carrollton. In a non-COVID world, the perfect day with my BFF would be spent in downtown Carrollton at one of our signature events like TexFest or the Festival at the Switchyard where we could enjoy some live music and good food. We would start our day off by grabbing coffee or a breakfast sandwich at Lemma Coffee Roasters then walk around the square and pop into my favorite little shops like The Little Pink House and Bloom’s Candy Store for some fun gifts or treats. In between the great music and activities happening around the Square, we could grab a patty melt from Sid’s Rainbow Grill and cool off. We would bump into so many great people because the Carrollton community comes out to these events in full force. If it was March and we were at TexFest, I may even be able to talk her into riding the longhorn the city brings in! We would have WAY too many great options for dinner between vendors and restaurants like Amici Signature Italian, Cane Rosso, Babe’s Chicken and 55 Degrees before we popped back out to the square to hear the headliners play. We would wrap our evening at 3 Nations Brewery with a delicious craft beer (my favorite is the Royal Blood) and definitely make plans to do it again next year!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to all of the busy, working moms out there who are doing their best each and every day!

Website: www.darbymerriman.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/darbymerriman
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darbymerriman/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/darbymerriman
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darbymerrimanrealtor
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/darby-merriman-realtor-carrollton
Youtube: www.youtube.com/darbymerriman