Meet “The Riding Realtor”: Randy Akins on Harleys, Real Estate, and Serving Wise County, Texas
A motorcycle can tell you a lot about a person.
For some people, it represents speed. For others, it represents adventure. For Randy Akins, better known as The Riding Realtor, it represents freedom, reflection, and a chance to slow down enough to appreciate the road.
Randy does not simply pose beside his motorcycle for marketing photos. He incorporates riding into his real estate business. He rides to closings, carries his drone in his saddlebags, and uses the motorcycle to reach properties throughout the country roads of North Texas. For him, riding also provides time to clear his head, pray, reflect, and take in the scenery.
That combination of motorcycles and real estate made Randy a natural guest for the Between Two Doors podcast.
But as our conversation unfolded, I discovered that Randy’s story is about much more than Harleys and houses. It is a story about military service, keeping your word, helping families, embracing country living, and finding ways to serve people through every season of life.
From Nashville to the United States Air Force
Randy grew up outside Nashville, Tennessee. After high school, college was not immediately available to him, so he chose another path: the United States Air Force.
He viewed military service as an opportunity to gain experience, mature, and create a foundation for his future. After serving, Randy returned to Nashville and worked in bartending and restaurant management before eventually moving into sales.
His professional journey later took him through Alabama and into the Dallas–Fort Worth area. In 2020, Randy and his family moved to Paradise, Texas, in Wise County, where they embraced country living.
As a fellow veteran, I connected with Randy’s description of what military service gave him. It was not merely job training. It taught him to be punctual, respect other people’s time, follow through on commitments, and become a man of his word.
Randy put it plainly: when he says he is going to be somewhere, he intends to be there.
Those qualities matter in every profession, but they are especially important in real estate. Buyers and sellers need an agent who communicates, arrives prepared, follows through, and remains dependable when a transaction becomes complicated.
Real Estate as a Tool for Helping People
Randy did not enter real estate because he wanted to become a stereotypical salesperson.
A friend once told him that he could “sell ice cubes to an Eskimo.” Randy never liked the expression because it focused on convincing people to buy something rather than helping them make a good decision.
His philosophy is different:
“Real estate is a tool that can be used to help people achieve their dreams.”
Those dreams may include buying a first home, selling a longtime property, relocating to a new community, downsizing, purchasing land, or creating a completely different lifestyle.
Randy sees real estate as an extension of the service he learned in the military and hospitality industries.
That service-first mindset is one of the reasons Randy’s story stood out to me.
The best real estate professionals do more than open doors and write contracts. They listen carefully, identify what the client is actually trying to accomplish, anticipate obstacles, and help the family move forward with confidence.
The Realtor for Properties That Are Out of the Ordinary
Randy has worked with a wide variety of real estate transactions, including residential homes, commercial properties, raw land, farm and ranch properties, and leases.
Although he does not define himself by one narrow niche, Randy has developed experience with properties that may be more difficult to market or finance.
He described them as properties that are not necessarily distressed, but simply “out of the ordinary.”
Two recent examples included acreage properties with two separate dwellings. One property had approximately seven and a half acres, while the other had nearly 22 acres. A property with two homes does not appeal to every buyer, so the potential buyer pool can be smaller. Both properties still sold within several months.
These transactions require more than placing a sign in the yard.
The agent must understand the property’s unique value, identify the right audience, explain its potential, coordinate with the appropriate professionals, and remain patient enough to find the buyer whose needs match the opportunity.
That is where Randy’s broad background becomes an advantage. He is comfortable learning, asking questions, and working through transactions that do not fit neatly into a standard three-bedroom, two-bath template.
Why Randy Chose Paradise and Wise County
Randy describes Paradise as a close-knit, family-oriented community surrounded by farms, horses, cattle, open land, and the type of country roads he loves to ride.
He and his family moved there because they wanted country living without completely disconnecting from the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
Randy’s service area extends beyond Paradise into Wise County and surrounding communities. During our conversation, he discussed areas such as Alvord, Springtown, Parker County, Jack County, Denton County, and Runaway Bay.
Each community offers something different. Some buyers are looking for acreage or agricultural property. Others want proximity to Fort Worth. Some are drawn to the lake lifestyle around Runaway Bay.
That variety makes the region appealing to buyers who want more room, a slower pace, or a stronger connection to the outdoors.
It also means buyers need to define their goals before they begin looking.
Do they need space for horses or livestock? Are they comfortable maintaining acreage? Do they want multiple dwellings for extended family? How far are they willing to commute? Do they want lake access, a workshop, a pool, or room for future construction?
The clearer the goal, the easier it becomes for the Realtor and mortgage professional to build the right plan.
A 37-Year Marriage Built on “I Will”
One of the most meaningful moments in our conversation had nothing to do with motorcycles or real estate.
Randy and Vicki dated for approximately six weeks before getting married. Nearly 37 years later, I asked him what had helped their marriage endure.
His answer centered on commitment, humility, and the willingness to place the relationship ahead of personal pride.
Randy said that every relationship needs a hero—the person willing to say:
- I am sorry.
- I was wrong.
- I should have handled that differently.
His most memorable advice was this:
“Before you say, ‘I do,’ you really need to think about, ‘I will.’”
“I do” may be spoken during a ceremony. “I will” is the decision to remain committed when marriage becomes difficult.
For Randy, marriage is not merely a ceremony. It is a covenant.
That same commitment can be seen in the way he approaches military service, business, family, and community.
The Mission Behind Chosen Ones
The most powerful part of our interview came when Randy shared the work he and Vicki have done through Chosen Ones.
Their involvement began with their own journey through foster care and adoption. As they went through the process, they recognized that foster and adoptive families often needed more than encouragement. They needed practical help.
Chosen Ones grew into a resource for families, offering items such as:
- Beds
- Clothing and shoes
- Food and formula
- Baby supplies
- Car seats
- Household necessities
- Emotional and practical support
Families can obtain these resources without charge. Randy explained that many children enter foster care with very few belongings, sometimes carrying clothing that no longer fits in a simple plastic bag. Chosen Ones helps families meet immediate needs with dignity.
The organization also expanded its community-care efforts to serve pregnant mothers and mothers with children under 36 months. Randy estimated that the organization had served approximately 40,000 children during the previous year.
Vicki’s next dream is to convert an old ice-cream truck into a mobile snack truck.
The idea grew from the reality that some children lose access to regular meals when school is out. Randy shared the story of two boys who offered to help unload bags of food in exchange for a bag because they had not eaten during the weekend.
The mobile truck would take food directly into underserved communities and place it into the hands of children who need it.
That story changed the direction of our conversation.
I thought I knew Randy. Our families had known one another for years. But the podcast gave me the opportunity to learn about an extraordinary part of his life that I had never heard before.
That is one of the reasons I love hosting Between Two Doors. Real estate may bring us together, but the conversation allows us to discover the person beyond the business card.
Why “The Riding Realtor” Works
Near the end of our conversation, Randy explained why he adopted the name The Riding Realtor.
People may not immediately remember the name Randy Akins. But they remember the Realtor who rides a motorcycle to closings, carries a drone in his saddlebag, and understands the country roads surrounding Wise County.
The name works because it is memorable—but more importantly, it is authentic.
It reflects who Randy actually is.
Randy closed the conversation with a promise that summarizes his approach:
“I served our country with honor, and I’ll serve families exceptionally.”
Listen to the Full Conversation
Listen to or watch the complete episode of Between Two Doors:
To learn more about the work of Chosen Ones:
Connect With Randy Akins
At the time of recording, Randy shared the following contact information:
Randy Akins — The Riding Realtor
Phone: 817-800-3917
Facebook: Search for “Randy Akins Real Estate Group” and “The Riding Realtor”
Brokerage at the time of recording: United Real EstatePublication note: Confirm Randy’s current brokerage, Facebook-page spelling, contact information, and official links before publishing.
Need a Mortgage Plan?
Finding the right property is only one part of the homebuying journey. The financing strategy should reflect the property, the buyer’s goals, and the realities of the transaction—especially when acreage, multiple dwellings, rural property, or another unusual feature is involved.
For mortgage guidance or a personalized preapproval plan, contact:
Nate Carver
Mortgage Loan Officer, ProLending Mortgage
Host of Between Two Doors
Phone: 972-832-5761
Email: nate@prolendingmortgage.com
Website: www.NateCarver.com
NMLS #2004738
Equal Housing Opportunityverified Facebook links
Randy’s current brokerage information
The transcript uses an automated spelling variation for Randy’s Facebook page, so confirm whether the official title is Randy Akins Real Estate Group before publishing.
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