Today we’d like to introduce you to Saurabh Singhal.
Hi Saurabh, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
## From Zero Connections to Top Producer — Building My Real Estate Career From Scratch
My real estate journey in Dallas didn’t begin with a large network, family connections, or a ready-made sphere of influence. It began with a suitcase, 20 years of international business experience, and the confidence that I could build something from scratch.
I moved from India to the Dallas area in July 2023 with the goal of beginning a completely new chapter in my professional life. Real estate was a new industry for me, but entrepreneurship, business development, negotiation, and working with people were not.
I completed the licensing requirements, took my exams, and within just 10 days, I was a licensed Texas Realtor.
**Getting the license, however, turned out to be the easy part.**
I entered Dallas real estate in July 2023, just as the industry was moving into one of its most challenging periods in years. Higher mortgage rates and affordability pressures reduced transaction activity, while thousands of established agents were competing for the same business. I was starting with something even more challenging—no local sphere of influence, no existing client base, and no previous real estate sales experience in the U.S.
I literally had to start from zero.
Fortunately, one thing I have never been afraid of is talking to people. I am naturally confident, outspoken, and curious about others. I can walk into a room knowing nobody and leave having made several connections. That personality became one of my biggest assets.
I started conversations with strangers everywhere I could. Some remained acquaintances, some became friends, some introduced me to others, and eventually many became clients or referral sources.
I learned an important lesson very early: **your sphere of influence doesn’t have to be something you inherit—you can build it.**
### Twenty Years of Business Experience, But Starting Again
Although I was new to real estate, I wasn’t new to business.
Before becoming a Realtor, I had approximately 20 years of business experience, including international exposure in India and Australia. Those years taught me how to negotiate, understand people, manage relationships, evaluate opportunities, solve problems, and remain composed when things don’t go according to plan.
But real estate still humbled me.
**I had zero sales during my first year.**
For someone who had already spent two decades in business, that wasn’t easy to accept. There were certainly moments when I questioned whether I had chosen the right path.
But quitting wasn’t an option.
Instead, I treated that first year as an investment in myself. I studied contracts and neighborhoods. I attended trainings. I toured communities and new developments. I met builders, lenders, title professionals, inspectors and other Realtors. I listened to experienced agents and tried to understand not only how transactions worked, but how successful real estate businesses were actually built.
Every unsuccessful lead taught me something. Every showing gave me more market knowledge. Every conversation expanded my network.
The scoreboard might have shown zero sales, but behind the scenes, the foundation was being built.
### Finding the Right Environment to Grow
During my journey, I changed brokerages three times.
Some people might look at that as instability. I see it very differently.
At every stage of my career, I was searching for the environment, mentorship, systems, exposure and training that could take me to the next level. I had the opportunity to learn from some exceptional people in the industry, and I deliberately took something valuable from every brokerage and every mentor.
Eventually, all those pieces began coming together.
The same person who had **zero sales in his first year went on to become a Top Producer at his brokerage.**
That recognition meant much more to me than an award or sales volume. It validated the idea that someone could arrive in a new country without an established local network, start an entirely new profession, struggle through the beginning, and still build something meaningful through persistence and relationships.
### When Clients Trust You Before Your Résumé Says They Should
One of the most meaningful milestones in my journey came when a group of investors approached me regarding the sale of a land parcel valued at approximately **$3.6 million**.
It was a significant opportunity—and significantly larger than anything I had handled before.
I didn’t pretend otherwise.
They knew I hadn’t previously sold a property of that ticket size. Yet after our discussions, they trusted me with the opportunity because they believed in my preparation, business judgment, communication skills and commitment to representing their interests.
That experience reinforced one of my strongest beliefs:
**Experience is important, but preparation, integrity, business acumen and the ability to earn someone’s trust can sometimes open doors before your résumé says you are ready for them.**
### Building More Than a Real Estate Business
Today, my work extends across residential buyers and sellers, new construction, landlords and real estate investors. I have developed particular familiarity with the rapidly growing North Dallas markets, including Frisco, Prosper, Plano, McKinney, Allen and surrounding communities.
My business background also influences the way I approach real estate.
I don’t naturally look at a property simply as four walls, bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage. I think about value, negotiation, risk, location, future development, marketability, potential appreciation, cash flow and how that property fits into the client’s broader financial objectives.
But when people ask what has contributed most to my progress, my answer isn’t advertising, social media, technology or even sales skills.
**It’s people.**
Over the last few years, I have been fortunate to build an incredible network of clients, fellow Realtors, lenders, title professionals, builders, inspectors, contractors, vendors, mentors, friends and community connections.
Their referrals, advice, encouragement and trust have been indispensable.
Real estate is often portrayed as an individual business because one Realtor’s name appears on the sign. My experience has taught me exactly the opposite. Behind every successful Realtor is an ecosystem of people who help solve problems, share knowledge, make introductions and step up when a client needs something.
That network has probably been the single biggest contributor to my growth.
### Relationships First, Technology Alongside Them
I am also fascinated by where the real estate industry is heading.
Artificial intelligence and technology are rapidly changing how properties are marketed, how leads are generated, how markets are analyzed and how Realtors operate their businesses. Coming from a business background, I naturally look for ways to use technology, automation and data to become more efficient and provide clients with better information.
But I don’t believe technology can replace the most important part of this profession.
**Trust.**
Buying a first home, selling a family’s biggest asset or investing millions of dollars involves emotions, uncertainty and risk. Technology can provide information, but people still want someone they trust sitting on their side of the table.
That’s the part of real estate I value most.
### The Journey Is Still Beginning
My ambitions today are much larger than when I received my real estate license in July 2023.
I want to continue growing my residential and investment business, expand further into commercial real estate, explore opportunities around property management and real estate investing, and continue studying how AI can transform the way Realtors operate and serve their clients.
But I never want growth to come at the expense of relationships.
One of the greatest lessons from my journey has been that **networking isn’t collecting business cards or adding contacts to a phone. It’s about creating relationships before you need them.**
It’s about showing up. Helping people. Staying connected. Keeping your word. Being willing to ask questions. Being equally willing to help someone when there is nothing immediately in it for you.
I arrived in Dallas in July 2023 with **no real estate clients, no established sphere of influence, no U.S. real estate sales experience and no guarantee that this career would work.**
What I did have was 20 years of business experience, confidence, curiosity, persistence and the willingness to walk up to a stranger and say hello.
Those conversations became relationships.
Those relationships became a network.
And that network gradually became a business.
**I didn’t inherit a network. I built one.
I didn’t start with real estate experience. I learned it.
I didn’t start with sales. I earned them.**
From zero sales in my first year to becoming a Top Producer, the journey has already exceeded what I could have imagined when I first arrived.
But I don’t look at becoming a Top Producer as the destination.
**For me, it is simply proof that the journey has begun
Outside of business, giving back to the community has always been important to me. I have been a voluntary blood donor for many years and have also participated in the Eradicate Hunger program. I believe being a responsible member of society means contributing more than taxes or professional services—it means giving your time, resources and support whenever you have an opportunity to make a difference.
Whether in business or in the community, I try to follow the same principle: relationships matter, trust has to be earned, and success carries a responsibility to give something back.
As a family man, I love spending time with my wife and parents. We go for walks, swim, Play Pickleball, and party with friends.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was not at all a smooth road. I didn’t know anyone in the entire country and had no experience with the US Real Estate market. The work, terms, roads, contracts, process, trends, loans, people – everything was different from where I came from. Understanding everything was challenging, and I ran the business in parallel.
A lot of Realtors who started their career with me could get sales as they had some Sphere of Influence or they knew the market. For me it was totally new. For 20 years, I gathered experience in retail, and now I am on the road and exploring new opportunities every day.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My real estate business is built around a simple philosophy: **I don’t want to just sell properties; I want to help people make better real estate decisions.**
I work across the Dallas-Fort Worth market, with a strong focus on North DFW communities such as Frisco, Prosper, McKinney, Plano, Allen and surrounding growth corridors. I represent homebuyers, sellers, investors and landlords, and I have developed particular experience with new construction and helping clients evaluate real estate from both a lifestyle and investment perspective.
What sets me apart is probably the way I approach a transaction. Before becoming a Realtor, I spent approximately 20 years in business with international experience in India and Australia. Because of that background, I naturally look beyond the immediate transaction. I think about negotiation, numbers, risk, future marketability, development around the property, resale potential and the client’s long-term objective.
I also believe strongly in **doing the homework before giving advice**. Whether a client is buying their first home or evaluating a multimillion-dollar investment, I want them to understand not only *what* I recommend, but *why*. Sometimes my job is to help a client buy a property; other times, the best value I can provide is explaining why they should walk away from one.
My personal brand, **“Sab the Realtor,”** reflects how I want people to experience working with me—approachable, straightforward and easy to reach. Real estate can become unnecessarily complicated and intimidating. My role is to simplify the process, communicate openly and negotiate aggressively when my client’s interests require it.
I’m particularly proud that my business has grown primarily through **relationships and trust**. I started in Dallas without an established sphere of influence, so every relationship had to be built from scratch. Today, I have a growing network of clients, investors, Realtors, builders, lenders, inspectors, title professionals and vendors. That network allows me to do much more for a client than simply open doors and write contracts.
Another important part of my brand is embracing **technology and artificial intelligence**. I believe the next generation of real estate professionals will combine technology, data and automation with strong human relationships. I actively explore AI and new technology to improve market research, marketing, communication and the overall client experience. Technology should make a Realtor more informed and efficient—not less personal.
Ultimately, I want people to associate **Sab the Realtor** with three things: **trust, knowledge and relationships.**
A home is often someone’s largest purchase. For an investor, a property may represent years of savings or an important part of a wealth-building strategy. I never want either decision to feel like “just another transaction.”
The part of my brand I’m most proud of isn’t a logo, a sales number or an award. It’s when a client trusts me enough to come back for the next transaction—or introduces me to a family member, friend or business associate.
To me, **a closing ends a transaction, but it should never end the relationship.**
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I believe **your network is your net worth—but only if those relationships are genuine.**
When I came to Dallas, I had virtually no sphere of influence. I didn’t have hundreds of local friends, former clients or family connections to rely on. So networking wasn’t optional for me; I had to learn how to build relationships from scratch.
What worked best for me was surprisingly simple: **talk to people.**
I’m naturally confident and outspoken, so I don’t hesitate to introduce myself to someone I don’t know. But I learned very quickly that good networking isn’t about telling everyone what you do or handing out business cards. It’s about being genuinely interested in the person in front of you. Ask questions, listen, find common ground and, whenever possible, offer value before asking for anything in return.
Some of my best professional relationships started as completely ordinary conversations with strangers.
I also don’t restrict networking to formal business events. I network at community gatherings, social events, professional meetings, open houses and sometimes simply through everyday conversations. You never know where the next meaningful relationship will begin.
When it comes to finding mentors, my advice is **don’t necessarily ask someone, “Will you be my mentor?”** Instead, identify people who are exceptionally good at something you want to learn. Observe them, ask intelligent and specific questions, respect their time and implement what they teach you. When people see that you genuinely value and act on their advice, mentorship often develops naturally.
I have also learned that you don’t need one mentor for everything. Throughout my real estate journey, I have learned different things from different people—contracts from one person, negotiation from another, marketing from someone else, and investment strategy from others. Even changing brokerages gave me exposure to different systems, leadership styles and successful professionals whom I could learn from.
One principle has worked particularly well for me: **don’t enter every relationship asking, “What can this person do for me?” Ask, “How can we create value for each other?”**
And finally, follow up. Meeting someone is not networking; **building the relationship after you meet them is networking.** A message, a phone call, sharing useful information, congratulating someone on an achievement or simply checking in can turn a five-minute introduction into a relationship that lasts for years.
I came to Dallas without an established network. Today, that network of clients, fellow Realtors, mentors, vendors and friends is one of the things I value most about my business.
So if I had to summarize what worked for me, it would be this:
**Be willing to approach strangers. Be curious about people. Give before you ask. Learn from everyone. Follow up. And most importantly, don’t network just to build a business—build relationships, and the business often follows.**
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabtherealtor/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saurabh.singhal.518930
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saurabh-singhal-b2a835294/
