I've spent 11 years in Dallas real estate, but what sets me apart isn't the years, it's what I did with them. I didn't just sell homes for other people. I bought a house and DIY-flipped it while living in it (not recommended for the faint of heart, highly recommended for your education). I bought a duplex, house-hacked it, and still own it as a rental today. I found a wholesale deal, flipped it with a GC, and sold it.
And right now, I'm living in Lake Highlands in a home I chose strategically, for the schools, the neighborhood trajectory, and yes, the move-up potential I've already mapped out.