MattCorley PROOF
MattCorley
is Flying High in Real Estate
“You have to get a hold of the fear and conquer that.”
Standingattheedgeofamountain, windpressinghardagainst aluminumwings,MattCorley knowsexactlywhatcomesnext.You don’tguess.Youdon’trush.Youcommit. Afternearly30yearsofhanggliding, Matthaslearnedthatsuccess(whetherin theairorinrealestate)canalmostbe predicted.Why?Itcomesdownto preparation,focus,andthecourageto movewhenthemomentisright.
Hangglidingisunforgiving.
“Yougetbutterfliesinyourstomach beforeyoulaunchandyouhavetobe veryfocused,”saysMatt.“Whenyoudo yourpre-flightinspection,youcan’t forgetthings.IonlyflywhenIdon’thave tothinkaboutmuchelse.”
Thereisnoautopilot,nomarginfor distraction,andnoroomforshortcuts. “Yourbrainistryingtokeepyoualive,” Mattexplains.“Youhavetogetaholdof thefearandconquerthat.”Everypreflightcheckmatters.Everydecision carriesweight.Thatsamediscipline definesMatt’sapproachtorealestatein Boulder,wheremarketshiftsarefast, stakesarehigh,andtimingcanmakeall thedifferencebetweenasmoothlanding andamissedopportunity.
Wisconsin Roots
OriginallyfromWisconsin,Mattgrewup surroundedbydesign,structure,and problem-solving.Hisfatherwasan architectwholaterpurchaseda constructioncompanyinSanAntonio,
promptingamajormovewhenMattwas 15.AfterstudyingattheUniversityof Texas,Mattheadedwestin1989,drawn byskiing,adventure,andthewide-open promiseofColorado.Boulderbecame homeandthefoundationforeverything thatfollowed.
Beforeenteringrealestate,Matt spent32yearsbuildingandrunning asuccessfullandscapingbusinessin Boulder,atonepointmanaging27 employees.Ittaughthimleapsand boundsaboutowningabusinessand beinganentrepreneur,especiallywith problemsolving,understandingpeople’s perspectives,andrelatingtopeoplewith allsortsofpersonalities.
Withhisbackground,heunderstands propertiesfromthegroundupwith grading,drainage,plantscience, constructionflow,andlong-term maintenance.“Alotofagentsdon’thavea backgroundinconstruction,”hesays.“I seethesethingsfromthestart.I’mvery thoroughaboutwherewe’regoingto haveissues.”ThatinsightallowsMattto guideclientswithclaritylongbefore inspectionsuncoverproblems.
Taking Flight
In2011,Mattmadeadeliberateshiftinto realestate.Itwasn’tthecakewalkhe expected.“Ilearnedquicklythatacareer changeinyour40scanbereallyrugged,” headmits.Successrequiredperseverance, persistence,andamindsetshift,buthe leanedintoit.“Yousayyou
PROOF PROOF
canorsayyoucan’t,eitherwayyou’re right.”Thatbeliefbecamethebackingof hisbusiness.Mattembracedoptimism, seeingopportunitiesinsteadofobstacles andtacklingchallengeswithease.
ClientsnoticeadifferenceinMatt.He valuesrelationshipsovertransactions andrespectspeople’stime.“Mostofthe timewhenIcallpeople,wedon’teven talkaboutrealestate,”hesays.“It’sjust
stayingintouch.”Heavoidspressure tactics,believingtrustisbuiltthrough consistency(noturgency).Pop-bysaren’t hisstyle.“Showingupunannounced? That’sjustrude,”headdsplainly
Theparallelsbetweenrealestateandhang glidingarestriking.Overtheyears,Matthas loggedbetween1,500and1,800flights, reachingaltitudesofupto17,000feet.
“Whenyoulaunch,thegroundactslikea potofboilingwater,”heexplains.“Thehot airrises,youcircleinthethermals,and that’showyougainaltitude.”Heprefers thisrawformofflighttoairplanes.“Iwas tiredofthenoise,”hecomments.Hang glidingisjustyouandthewind.“Thisisthe truestformofflight,”hesays.“It’salotof fun,thoughalittleunnervingsometimes,” headmits.
Today,MattfocusesonBoulder-area propertiesrangingfrom$1millionto $4million,whilegivingeveryclientthe samelevelofattentionandcare.Oneof hisfavoritesuccessstoriescamefroma quietpocketlistingthatsoldaftera chanceencounteratthecountryclub. Thelesson?Inrealestate,successisn’t alwaysaboutexposure—it’sabout connections.
Mattgoesaboveandbeyondforhis clients.“Iamoneofthemostresponsive realestateagentsoutthere,”hesmiles. Hetakescallswithouthesitation, respondstotextswithprecision,and answersemailspromptly
OutsideInterests
Athome,Mattandhiswife,Wendy,are slowlyremodelingtheirFrankLloyd Wright–inspiredhomefromthe1970s.
“Rightnow,myliferevolvesaroundreal estateandtherenovationofourhome. That’sreallyallIthinkaboutthesedays,” helaughs.
Youcouldsayitrunsinthisfamily His latefather(nicknamed“theFrankLloyd Wrightguy”)wasknownforcorrecting structuralchallengescommontoWrightstylehomes,andMattapproachesthe renovationwithbothrespectand realism.“Itendtotakeonprojects thinkingthey’llbesimple,”hesayswitha laugh.“Theyusuallyendupbeingmore complicatedthanyouthink.”Still,he wouldn’thaveitanyotherway.
“Whenhe’snotworking,Matthasa varietyofinterests.Youcanfindhim
hanggliding,golfing,cookingcreative mealswithWendyandtheirdaughter, Avery,pheasanthuntinginNebraska,or volunteeringwithBoulderCommunity FoodShare.He’salsoadjustingtolife witha1-year-oldEnglishcockerspaniel whokeepsthingslivelyontheground.”
Mattdidn’tenterrealestatetobuildan empire.“Ijustwanttohelppeopleinreal estateandnothavetomanage25 employees,”hesays. Forhim,realestate (justlikeflight)isabouttrustandstaying focusedwhenitmattersmost.Sometimes youcircle.Sometimesyouclimb.And whenthemomentisright,youcommit andsoarlikeneverbefore.
I want to take a moment to honor the love of my life, my amazing wife Wendy. She truly saved my life during a medical emergency, and I can’t express how much she means to me. Wendy, you are my everything, and I love you with all my heart.
— Matt