As the first ‘social realtor’ in the Seattle area, Matthew Chapman attributes his success to “my family of cheerleaders: my parents, my mother-in-law, my brothers, and my wife, who have all helped me get here today and continue to encourage me to go further.” A broker with Windermere Real Estate / East, Inc., in Bellevue, Matthew’s social enterprise firm is Chapman Homes. 

Growing up in Kirkland, Matthew comes from a family steeped in real estate. Both brothers followed their father into the mortgage business, and his mother-in-law has had a 30-year career as a realtor. Yet he began his own career working in youth ministries and then worked as a life coach in a nonprofit helping individuals discover their gifts and develop their passions. During this time Matthew learned to appreciate the importance of locale. “My work with the non-profit was very neighborhood centric. I helped people become more rooted, good students of the places where they lived, and integrated into the life of their neighborhoods. I saw how much better society could be when everyone cared about where they lived, as well as their own homes,” he explains.

Sadly, the nonprofit’s funding limited Matthew’s development. But a ‘lightbulb’ moment arose during a conversation with a friend in San Diego who had a similar heart for place and recommended a new career in real estate. “An important premise for me is the role neighborhood plays in our lives,” Matthew says, “and Seattle has over 50 neighborhoods, with more on the Eastside. What better way to see them grow than through helping people find the right homes in the right places? It was time for a change, and at the same time, it was the continuation of the dream with which I started out.” 

Thus, eight years ago, Matthew began his career in real estate with the mentorship of his mother-in-law, Linnea Jones, an Associate Broker at the Windermere Kirkland-Northeast office. He was inspired by the idea of social real estate as practiced by 2roofs in Bellingham, Whatcom County’s social enterprise in real estate where 10% of every fee goes into their giving fund which supports local nonprofits, advocates for low-income housing, and shares stories of hope. 

Matthew set out to bring this concept to the Seattle area. “I partner with nonprofits here and when somebody buys or sells a home with me, I donate on their behalf to one of those nonprofits," he explains. "After the sale, I'll send a hardcover book with pictures of the home that tells the story of the lives the sale helped to empower." Stressing that the social aspect is not the only reason to hire him, Matthew adds, “People come to me because I am an expert in the neighborhoods in which I work, and I deliver an excellent and personal service as a realtor. But the social aspect differentiates me and creates a talking point about my clients’ homes that makes them proud, and that they can share.” 

As the end of the year approaches, around Thanksgiving Matthew organizes an event in which he makes a significant donation. “I select some of my nonprofits and put together a video of their work. I promote it on social media and my website so that the public learns more about their work, and I invite people to vote on which nonprofit should receive funds,” he says. "Last year, I put up $25,000. We had a ton of people participate. The winner received $15,000, the runner-up $5,000, and the others $1,000 each for participating. I have been doing this for five or six years now.” 

Reflecting on his roots and love of the neighborhoods in which he works, Matthew explains his journey: “I live in Columbia City in South Seattle, my office is in Bellevue, and I grew up in Kirkland. My business is split equally between Seattle and the Eastside. My kids go to school in Bellevue, so we live in the two worlds, on both sides of the lake.” 

Married for 25 years, Matthew and his wife share two sons, ages 17 and 13, both competitive in sports. “They both play basketball on their local sports teams,” Matthew says, “and as a family we talk about what success is. I give the same advice my family gave to me, that all you can do is try your best. It’s about values, not being the biggest or the richest.” His perfect day is focusing on his sons. “I love going to the gym and playing basketball with them. I help coach my son's basketball team. We love to travel and enjoy skiing, hiking, being outdoors and, especially, being on the water. We have E-foils, powered surfboards so we can be on the lake anytime without a boat.” 

Consistent with the values he learned through his family, Matthew’s ambition is to grow his business, but not necessarily to build a large team. “I have more of the subcontracting mindset,” he explains, “so I work with a wide variety of people, including stagers and photographers, people who show the homes, and social media and admin managers.” 

Proud of his social contributions, at the same time Matthew understands what matters to be successful in real estate. “People often find themselves in intense situations. To give them the best advice, I always stay calm, cool, and collected," he concludes, “but what might surprise people about me is that to get the best deal, I am a rather fierce negotiator!”