This year’s Annual Light Up Riverside event on November 28th is sponsored by Matt & Ben RE/MAX. Happening in tandem with national Shop the Neighbourhood day, Riverside’s free community event will feature tree lighting, performance by The Beach Chorale, hearty stews and other treats to warm you up! It will be a great occasion to meet friends and neighbours, and take us gently into the holiday season:) A big THANK YOU to Matt and Ben for their continued support of this fun-filled event!
Now you’ll surely have seen Matt & Ben on neighbourhood billboards or working out in the community in suits and ties to find their clients the perfect property. But, we were interested in finding out more about this charming duo. We interviewed them and were surprised about their eclectic background and interests. In fact, it was in the the nightlife industry that these two first met.
What are some of your hobbies/ stuff that you love to do?
Matt – I am a former DJ and nightclub owner who still dabbles. When I play for a crowd I specialize in house music. I used to own many nightclubs but my flagship club was called Industry located at King/Strachan and was regarding as one of the best nightclubs in the world. In my spare time I’m an avid golfer, skier and recreational cyclist. I have a very close relationship with a large network of friends and family.
Ben –I am a family man with 2 great kids: Ben Jr and Addyson. Spending time with my awesome family, playing hockey and relaxing at the cottage are some of my favourite hobbies. I am also really involved in different charitable initiatives including Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Big Brothers, and Good Shepherd Hostel.
What do you love about the East-End and in particular Riverside – what makes this area so unique?
Matt – Firstly I love my loft at Carlaw and Dundas which was initially why I moved to the area from downtown more specifically ‘the village’ (Carlton/Church). I love the mixture of both creative people and professionals that all seem to have a fairly open minded outlook on life. I also feel the age range in the neighbourhood is a good match for myself now being 41 years old. Obviously the restaurants along Queen St E are second to none with my favourite spots being Prohibition, Lucky Chinese, Bonjour Brioche, Lady Marmalade, The Roy and Ascari. Of course there are many more that I love but these are the ones that I have been to over and over.
Ben – One of the special characteristics is how close Riverside is to downtown, and yet it still maintains a unique small town character – the people around here are really friendly and there is an authentic community feel with a cosmopolitan flair.
When did you first come to Riverside – and what sold you on the area?
Matt – RE/MAX Hallmark realized that they needed to have some presence here and started to look for a building to purchase. While the deal on the building we occupy at 785 Queen St E was still conditional, our president invited me to check out the new building and ask me where I would like my new office to be built. I was thrilled because I live only a few blocks away and approximately 50% of our business is done in the neighbourhood.
Ben – I have actually been living close to Riverside since 2006. I fully got to know this great neighbourhood when we opened up the new RE/MAX Office in the spring of 2012.
What is a fun fact that people may not know about?
Matt – The elephant in the room is that I had a very successful Dj career both in Toronto and around the world. Many of my clients are surprised to later find out that they have been working with DJ Matt C. For those of you who don’t know, I had a very popular radio show on CFNY 102.1 live to air from the Phoenix in the early 90’s. I also had a show on Energy 108 as well as a TV show called Dance Nation on CHCH TV 11 that I hosted. Moreover, I spun seven nights a week from 1989 to 2001. It was an amazing time in my life and was a perfect precursor for my current career. It’s how I met my business partner Ben as well as hundreds of our clients.
Ben – I’ve been working in real estate for over 10 years, but Matt and I have been business partners for over 20 years. Before switching into real estate we were nightclub owners and event promoters.
What is your favourite part about the work that you do?
Matt – I enjoy all aspects of the real estate industry – and I have a love of architecture, interior design and inventory of homes. I also enjoy the act of generating new clients through interesting marketing initiatives but the single thing that gets me most excited about real estate is generating multiple offers for my sellers or competing in multiple offers with my buyers. It’s a very high stress emotional part of the business that I feel my experience is a major asset to my clients.
Ben – I love people and I love finding them their dream home. It’s a very rewarding business! Our clients are fantastic and I love making new friends through the work that I do. In fact, we would love for people to join us for the tree lighting ceremony at Light up Riverside on Nov 28th.
Matt & Ben are proud sponsors of Light Up the Riverside
