While Mike McCabe found great success as a Realtor in the Denver luxury market over the past thirteen years, he realized his passion wasn’t selling luxury homes but renovating them. “Five years ago, I finally found my passion. Renovating homes is hard and stressful, and I am always leveraged financially, but I love it! I love the visionary side, I love the process, I love the guys who work on my jobs, and I even love showing up and doing mindless jobs like cleaning and pushing a broom, which I do a lot, since I obsess about cleaning. What I am doing now is a dream job to me. I still have a lot of learning to do, but it has been unreal to create these products.”

 

Mike started in real estate in 2010, a year before he was to graduate from college. He wanted to be a news reporter or a real estate agent, and after completing an internship as a reporter and “hating every day on the job,” he knew what he was meant to do. Mike left college and got his real estate license. When he started selling, he wanted to be in the luxury market, but didn’t know any wealthy people. In 2010, there were a lot of high-end homes that were listed on Craigslist for rent, so Mike started cold calling. After a few years of building, he became one of Denver’s top luxury rental agents. Once the market began to improve, those rentals became sale listings and in 2018, Mike decided to start flipping homes with his wife.

 

Mike shares: “As we did our first few homes, it seemed like the right move to grow into higher-end properties. As my business stands today, we only flip homes that are in the luxury market. We love these types of properties because they are unique. You don’t just use one design style. Each home requires a different design and finishes to complement that style of home or that area. I love taking a tired property and bringing life back into it. It’s also incredibly rewarding to see the end result. In every job, you reach a point of no return where the house is torn up, and getting from that point to a finished product always amazes me.”

 

Since 2019, Mike has been with Compass, and appreciates the way their marketing platform provides the homes he sells the proper exposure. Even more than that, he is grateful for the support from the Compass community and the agents he works with. After thirteen years in the industry, Mike shares that taking risks has gotten him where he is today. “Risk is the opportunity! Take risks, then work like hell. Do not worry about the chatter around you. Too many people shrink at the opinions of others. I have had so many people tell me what I am doing is wrong. Quitting college early, starting in real estate in 2010 when the market was flatlined, flipping homes in a seller’s market, buying an insane 16,000 square foot party mansion to renovate with all of the economic instability going on. There will always be headlines or voices of why your move is wrong, but if you think it’s right, then do it.”

 

Although as a child, Mike shares he was a bit lazy and always took the path of least resistance, he met a man when he was 20 who taught him how to dream big and work hard. “When I turned 20, everything started to click. I went on a church mission and met a man named Dan Fugal. Dan mentored me and changed my life more than anyone. He taught me to dream big and have big goals. No matter what you are doing at that moment, be the best at it. I never knew the concept of excelling and dreaming up a bigger life for myself until I met him. He shaped the way I think today.”

 

Mike works closely with Les, his wife of fifteen years, and they have three kids Ashlyn, Kendall and Deacon. They enjoy watching and coaching their kids’ sports, as well as skiing and snowboarding, golfing, playing pickleball, and going to the gym. They also love to teach their kids about the business and have them come to their properties to help out. “Gotta make those kids work!”

 

For Mike, success means doing what you want to do and not listening to anyone else. “Take those crazy risks if they feel good to you, then follow through. If I had listened to anyone during any part of my career, I would not be who I am. Follow your gut, then look down and work like hell.”