Market Moves ETX with David McAtee

Good morning — my name is David McAtee, and I'll be straight with you: I've never sold a piece of property in my life. I serve, I don't sell, and around here we celebrate every closing over a ribeye. In this episode, I'm pulling up a chair, pouring a cup of hot black coffee, and telling you the story behind the "ribeye close" — the signature promise that turned into the heart of my brand here in Tyler and East Texas.

I've spent over 40 years at the pit — briskets, ribeyes, steaks — and some folks have gone so far as to call me a pit master (a title I'll humbly downplay). But grilling has always been more than a hobby for me. It's how I bring people together, and it's how I've learned that the best relationships are built over good food and honest conversation. So when we close on your home, we don't just shake hands and part ways. We celebrate, and the ribeye's on me.

In this episode I'll share where the passion for the pit started, why I built celebrating into my real estate business, and what it says about how I treat every buyer and seller — with honesty, with service, and with a straight-talking, relationship-first approach. I don't blow smoke and I don't have a crystal ball, but I'll always put you first.

When you're ready to buy or sell in Tyler and East Texas, give me a call at 903-216-6885 or find me at marketmovesetx.com. Let me serve you — the selling takes care of itself. And when we close, let's celebrate over a ribeye.

Show Notes

Good morning — my name is David McAtee, and I'll be straight with you: I've never sold a piece of property in my life. I serve, I don't sell, and around here we celebrate every closing over a ribeye. In this episode, I'm pulling up a chair, pouring a cup of hot black coffee, and telling you the story behind the "ribeye close" — the signature promise that turned into the heart of my brand here in Tyler and East Texas. I've spent over 40 years at the pit — briskets, ribeyes, steaks — and some folks have gone so far as to call me a pit master (a title I'll humbly downplay). But grilling has always been more than a hobby for me. It's how I bring people together, and it's how I've learned that the best relationships are built over good food and honest conversation. So when we close on your home, we don't just shake hands and part ways. We celebrate, and the ribeye's on me. In this episode I'll share where the passion for the pit started, why I built celebrating into my real estate business, and what it says about how I treat every buyer and seller — with honesty, with service, and with a straight-talking, relationship-first approach. I don't blow smoke and I don't have a crystal ball, but I'll always put you first. When you're ready to buy or sell in Tyler and East Texas, give me a call at 903-216-6885 or find me at marketmovesetx.com. Let me serve you — the selling takes care of itself. And when we close, let's celebrate over a ribeye.

What is Market Moves ETX with David McAtee?

This podcast is for East Texans who want clear, practical insight into real estate - without pressure or hype. Hosted by David McAtee, a real estate agent with Realty ONE Group Rose in Tyler, Texas, the show focuses on helping buyers, sellers, and local residents better understand the East Texas market before making major decisions.

Each episode breaks down real-world topics like buying and selling homes, local market trends, land and acreage considerations, and common mistakes to avoid. Whether you’re planning a move now or just learning for the future, this podcast is designed to give you clarity, context, and confidence - one conversation at a time.

Good morning, my name is David McAtee, and I'll be straight with you: I've never sold a piece of property in my life. I serve, I don't sell, and around here we celebrate every closing over a ribeye. Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and let's talk real estate the honest way.

Now, if you've been around me for more than about five minutes, you've probably heard me mention a ribeye. And you might be wondering why on earth a real estate man keeps talking about a steak. So today I want to tell you where that comes from, because it's not a gimmick, it's who I am.

I've been standing over a pit for more than forty years. Briskets, ribs, steaks, you name it, I've cooked it low and slow and I've cooked it hot and fast. Some folks want to call me a pit master, and I'll humbly tell you I'm pretty darn good around a pit.

But this thing goes back a lot further than my grill does. I grew up in a little town in South Texas called Alice, and some of the best days of my whole life were spent at my grandparents' marina on Lake Corpus Christi. As a six-year-old, that place was heaven to me.

Every single night we'd build a big bonfire at my Papaw's house. The neighbors would grab their chairs and come on over, and we'd have a cookout under the stars. My only real job in the whole world was to fetch my Papaw a beer when he ran out, and I took that job seriously.

That's where I learned what food really is. It's not just something you eat, it's the reason people gather. It's how a neighborhood becomes a family, one campfire and one plate at a time.

So when I got into this business back in early 2020, I started thinking about what a closing really means to somebody. For most folks, buying or selling a home is the biggest financial move they'll ever make, and it's emotional, and it's exhausting. And then you sign the papers and everybody just kind of shakes hands and drives off, and I always thought that felt a little empty.

Because a closing isn't the end of a transaction to me, it's the start of a relationship. You just trusted me with one of the most important decisions of your life, and I don't take that lightly. That deserves more than a handshake in a parking lot.

So I decided that when we close, we celebrate over a ribeye. That's the promise. That's the moment I get to look you in the eye, away from all the paperwork, and just enjoy the fact that we did something good together.

And I'll be honest with you, it fits everything I believe about this work. I serve, I don't sell, and serving somebody doesn't stop the second the ink is dry. A ribeye is my way of saying thank you, and it's my way of saying we're friends now, not just an agent and a client.

Now some of you already know I've got a lot of dreams rolling around in my head. I dream about owning a barbecue joint one day, and I dream about the biggest pet farm there ever was, with a vet right there on staff. The pit and the people and the giving back, that's all the same thread running through everything I do.

Because at the end of the day, I want to be remembered as an honest man who put people first. Not the guy who closed the most deals, but the guy you could trust in the room, the guy who told you the truth even when it wasn't what you wanted to hear. And then the guy who fired up the grill to celebrate with you.

That's the ribeye close. It's not marketing, it's just me carrying that campfire from Lake Corpus Christi all the way into how I do business today. Food brings people together, and I've believed that since I was six years old fetching beers by the water.

So if you're thinking about buying or selling here in East Texas, I'd love to earn a seat at that table with you. Let me serve you, and the selling takes care of itself, and when we get to the closing, you already know what's waiting.

Thanks for spending a little time with me today. I don't blow smoke and I don't have a crystal ball, but I'll always put you first and give you the honest truth. When you're ready to buy or sell in Tyler and East Texas, give me a call at nine zero three, two one six, six eight eight five, or find me at market moves e t x dot com, and when we close, the ribeye's on me.