5 minute read
THE NEW ‘SHERIFF’
THE NEW ‘SHERIFF’
Canadian curler Matt Dunstone skips into the mortgage arena
BY LISA GORDON
When he spoke with Canadian Mortgage Broker, Matt Dunstone and his Dunstone’s crew, representing the Highland Curling Club in Regina, Sask., had started the tournament 5 and 0. He had just played that morning and had another match that evening. In between games, he took time to chat with the magazine and “send out a couple of mortgage commitments.”
If you’re a curling fan, you probably know the name Matt Dunstone. The 26-year-old skip continues to climb the world curling rankings. He is a two-time Canadian junior champion and has brought home two World junior bronze medals. He represented Canada at the third leg of the 2018-19 Curling World Cup, where the team won the event.
But although you may have heard his name in a curling context, you may not know that Dunstone is also making inroads in the mortgage industry.
The ‘Sheriff’ – his nickname in the curling community – is determined to earn similar stripes in mortgage finance. As he continues to work at his craft on the ice, he feels very fortunate to earn a living doing two things he really enjoys.
Dunstone’s mortgage industry journey can be traced to 2018, when the Canadian curler packed up his belongings and left his home province of Manitoba to settle in Kamloops, B.C., with his girlfriend, fellow curler Erin Pincott. Two years later, Dunstone decided to purchase his first home.
“A friend of mine and teammate, Braeden Moskowy, was a mortgage broker and he helped me,” recalls Dunstone, who added that he’s always had a passion for real estate and wanted to learn more.
“One of my characteristics is that I like to help people and help make their dreams come true,” he said about his second career as a mortgage broker.
Dunstone feels the industry is the perfect fit for him because he needs a flexible schedule and work that can be done from afar.
“I am on the road two to three weeks a month out of province, and curling season runs from September to May. I needed something sustainable that I could do from anywhere,” he said. The skip also acknowledged that it is difficult to earn a living as a professional curler and having a second career is common in the industry.
Previously, Dunstone had strung together part-time jobs here and there for six to seven years. When curling slowed down due to COVID-19 restrictions, he found he had a little extra time on his hands to pursue other interests.
“I was able to start school in November of 2020 and got my licence by the middle of June 2021,” he recalled. “I already had an idea of which brokerage I wanted to work with, and I work with great people at DLC Integra Mortgage.”
Dunstone mostly assists first-time homebuyers. He feels he can relate well due to his own age and recent experience buying his first home. He said that doing media interviews at curling events has helped him to communicate with buyers. “I am very comfortable talking to people I have just met, thanks to all the opportunities I have had to do television and other interviews. So, I feel very confident speaking with new homebuyers.”
Dunstone with the trophy he received after defeating Brad Gushue and winning the 2019 Masters event.
Dunstone said he wants to build long-term relationships with his clients and hopes they will look to him when, or if, they purchase another home. But Dunstone doesn’t only advocate for young homebuyers. He is a passionate promoter of talented younger curlers, helping them get more recognition to enable them to have a better chance at making it a career.
“Development of younger players is a bit of an issue,” he said.
He has coached at junior travelling camps and helped create – and is one of the event chairs for – the inaugural SGI Canada Best of the West Under-30 Curling Championship. The event is scheduled to run from April 22 to 24, 2022 at the Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon. What started as a conversation in December 2020 between Dunstone and some fellow curlers will become reality as television teams and corporate sponsors have been secured.
There will be 24 teams representing Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan at the three-day tournament. The trio of organizers, including Dunstone, Dustin Mikush and Rylan Kleiter, hopes to shine the spotlight on young curling stars in Western Canada. Dunstone, who will not play in the championship, hopes the event will become a prestigious annual staple in the curling community.
One thing is certain: Matt Dunstone’s future will be a busy one that revolves around helping others achieve their goals and dreams. Whether he’s curling an epic game or writing a mortgage deal off the ice, he’s no stranger to getting the job done right.
This interview with Matt Dunstone continues our series Brokers off the Clock. In every issue, we ask a mortgage broker to tell us what they like to do when they’re not behind a desk. Be it working with animals, travelling to exotic places or researching your family roots, we want to know how you unwind. Would you like to be profiled in a future edition – or suggest a fellow mortgage broker? Contact info@cmba-achc.ca
