Shortly after getting married in 2011, Josh Mccraw and his wife bought their first home. It was a foreclosure property, allowing them to get a great deal on a home when the real estate market was struggling. Over the next few years, Josh and his wife bought and sold several more homes with their REALTOR®, Tim Grubbs. 

Meanwhile, Josh was working as the Media Director at Elevate Life Church. His work was fulfilling, but his income was capped. There wasn’t much room for upward mobility in the nonprofit world, and Josh wanted to achieve more financial flexibility for his growing family. 

By 2015, Josh had two young children. Tim Grubbs suggested he give real estate a shot, and so he decided the time was right to go for it. 

“Working at a nonprofit, there wasn't a way to bring more money in. It was capped. I got into real estate because I wanted to make more money. There's nothing sexy or inspiring about it,” Josh says frankly.

While Josh began his real estate career in search of more income, it soon transpired into something much more meaningful. 

“What I discovered is that every deal is different. Everyone has their struggles, and I was able to see that there is a way to really help people in this industry. One of my core values is kindness, and I was able to bring that into this work,” Josh continues.

Josh continued working at Elevate Life Church for two years while building his real estate business. By the second year, his income in real estate far exceeded his income from his nonprofit work. He decided it was time to engage with real estate fully.

“If I was making six figures in real estate in just half my time, what could I do if I spent all my time doing it? I realized I could provide for my family more and get some time back to be home with my wife and kids,” Josh explains. “By the time the two-year mark came, we were pregnant with our fourth child. I put my notice in and went into real estate full-time.”

Josh has built his real estate business on the values he honed while working for the church. His relationship with God and his family sit at the top of his values. He approaches every day and every interaction with kindness, generosity, excellence, and honor. 

“My core values were shaped during my time working at Elevate Life Church, and each core value carries over to what I do in real estate,” he says.

Josh closed $28 million in 2021, $16 million in 2022, and is tracking to once again eclipse $20 million in 2023. 

“Number one, I care more about my clients as people than I do making a sale. I don't pressure anyone. I don't bring paperwork to appointments. I try to understand what the client needs, and then we go from there,” Josh explains. “And I do my best to make the home buying/selling process fun for my clients.”

One of the big wins for Josh in 2022 was work/life balance. He spent about half the time working as he did the prior year while still running a successful business. With five kids under the age of ten, that was a victory with tangible benefits.

“At this point, I'm focused on being there for my family, spending time with them, and being more selective about who I work with client-wise,” Josh says. “With five kids, I'm never going to regret spending more time with them.”

Josh and his wife, Mandi, have children ranging from two to ten: Everett (10), Emerson (8), Eli (6), Edison (4), and Emilia (2). They enjoy playing outdoors, swimming in the pool, and attending church (they still attend Elevate Life Church in Frisco). 

“The legacy I want to leave is being generous, kind, and honorable,” Josh closes. “And I want to leave a legacy for my kids, something they have ownership in, something for them when I'm gone — whether that's a real estate portfolio or a nonprofit we start.”