Sign up to get updates from us
Josh started his real estate career in 1991, working for his uncle in the home remodeling business. Over the years, honing his skills in that trade, he and his wife have flipped dozens of homes while helping others find and sell properties all around Indianapolis. Through the years, Josh secured his insurance license and worked in corporate insurance, additionally, for four years he was a mortgage lender. Combining the knowledge from all three industries has given him and his clients an advantage when buying and selling homes. He resides with his wife, Laura, and their five children in Indianapolis while Josh services all of Marion County and the surrounding suburbs.
To Contact Josh Latham
Call or text 317-989-7465
Email--josh.latham@indyhomepros.com
https://josh-latham.remax.com/
Contact Hard Working Mortgage Guys
https://hardworkingmortgageguy.com/
Rick Ripma Call or Text 317-218-9800
Email--rripma@advisorsmortgage.com
Ian Arnold Call or Text 317-660-8788
Email--iarnold@advisorsmortgage.com
Rick Ripma:
Welcome to Indy's Real Estate Gurus. I'm Rick Ripma, your hardworking mortgage guy and I've been in real estate and mortgages for over 34 years I've helped over 5200 folks finance their homes. My team and I believe in custom tailored loans, not the one size fits all approach. We believe there is a right mortgage for you, and we believe we are the team to deliver it.
Ian Arnold:
And I'm Ian Arnold pirate Rick's hard work and mortgage team. I've been in the financial industry for 15 years help customers rebuild their credit to get the best possible interest rate, and I have a passion in helping you secure your overall real estate dreams.
Rick Ripma:
And if you have any questions on Indy's real estate market, or the mortgage market,please go to HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com Or you can call 317-672-1938.That's 317-672-1938. And today,in
Ian Arnold:
Yes, I'm here
Rick Ripma:
we have a great guest drove all the way up from the south side of Indianapolis.That is a bit of a drive frankly, it's a long drive,
Ian Arnold:
especially in the465 where you gotta go 70 To be on the speed limit.
Rick Ripma:
That's makes it quicker. The dirty so thanks for joining us. Thank
Josh Latham:
you. Thanks for having me
Rick Ripma:
the Palazzo oh,
Ian Arnold:
let's say his name.Oh goodness. No, no.
Rick Ripma:
Well, how'd you forget that?
Ian Arnold:
I didn't forget you skipped over me. Oh, goodness.All right, but it's Josh Latham from Remax right. That's
Josh Latham:
right. Also, ReMax advanced.
Rick Ripma:
And from the end,you spent some time in Carmel,but now you're down and beautiful green green. Great.Well, actually, frankly, right.
Josh Latham:
Greenwood Franklin township area was in Carmel for about four or five years, they kicked me out. So found a place down on the south side where you know, people talk my language,and that's looked a little bit more like me.
Rick Ripma:
Yeah. Then and, you know, I'm kind of, you know, you can tell I was from Carmel do I have no hair?
Josh Latham:
gray, gray or bald?I'll take gray. So
Rick Ripma:
I'll take either.Yeah. What again, do walking?Yeah, that's right. I have no choice. So what did you before real estate? What was your life?Like? Why did you do Where'd you grow up? Yeah, type of things.
Josh Latham:
So I grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, which is a eastern suburb of Cleveland,much like Carmel. I'd say great schools, whatnot. I eventually ended up down in the Evansville,Indiana, Henderson Kentucky area. So I actually finished out my high school career down in Henderson. But that kind of led me up to enter Annapolis through some work projects. But at the age of 12 and 13, I started to work for my uncle. There's a backstory to this, and he owns a construction company. So during the summers, and during my high school in college, I would work for him doing kitchen remodels,home additions, horrific jobs,like digging footers. And I mean, it was just such terrible work. But I kind of carried that throughout my career. And I became a commercial insurance broker lived in Chicago for a little while work downtown and you know, had a suit. And then I realized I was one of 7 million people doing the same thing. And I was like, this is terrible,terrible, terrible. So I moved back down to Indianapolis area,and had a short stint outside of insurance with mortgages. So I was on ello for about two and a half years. And then started to help some of my clients agents build out inspection responses,because I knew about houses and how to build them. And I'm like,you know, I'd sit across the table from somebody and they're thumbing their way through how would I do this? And how do you do that, and I just kind of hit me and just, man, if this person can do this, surely to God, I can do this. I didn't, I didn't cut it as an LFO. The great thing about being an LFO is you really got to cut your teeth on the finances part of it. So I had the contract law from insurance, which is great really helped me through contract negotiations and understanding,you know, the verbiage and whatnot. And then having been an LFO, and I'm kind of a math guy to I really got a strong foothold of what it takes to finance a house and some of the pitfalls and what to look for.And it's just snowballed. And that's where I am today.
Ian Arnold:
So did you start with REMAX? And if so, How'd you even get there?
Josh Latham:
Yeah. So I actually started out with Keller Williams because when I was at ello, most of my clientele were out of an office on the west side of town.So I started out with their program, did that for about a year and then moved to Carmel and ran into a really nice agent over there. And I joined his team with Berkshire Hathaway.And I was with Berkshire for a couple years and then REMAX advanced came knocking on my door and They told me something about leads. I was like, what's the lead? Guys get leads in real estate. Where do I sign up? And they're like we have all the leads, you can get them. No way.So I've been there just overwhelmed six years with REMAX advanced and I love it. I love it.
Ian Arnold:
So sorry. So what do you think separates REMAX from the other places?
Josh Latham:
REMAX the brand in particular, I think is just global. It's so big. It's funny,I have a sister that lives in Austria and she'll send me pictures every once a while the REMAX banner that she sees over there. My parents travel the country, they're retired, travel the world, they're retired and they'll send me pictures of REMAX stuff everywhere and, you know, going out of the country myself, I'll see it and it's just so recognizable and then sitting down with people and listing presentations. It's inevitable probably every two out of 10 people I talked to,you know, my grandparents bought a house through a REMAX agent.And so it's so widely known.It's easy to remember, people always ask me what is REMAX mean? The balloon, so I have a lot of clout going in right away. As far as REMAX advanced because there are different REMAX is obviously its leadership for me, I wouldn't be where I am today without our leader, our broker owner. And that's why I'm there.
Rick Ripma:
How important would you say that is we think it's really important to have mentors and have a tremendous leader. So if somebody's out there looking,maybe they're in an office, they don't feel like they're getting the leadership or maybe they're new is, you know, how important is it to them? And why why your office if you were interested in growing?
Josh Latham:
Yeah, that's a good question. Actually. I just met today with our head of recruiting. I do some quasi second tier recruiting along with her she kind of finds the the, the individuals and and I help kind of quashed them throughout the process. And I'm one of our our mentors as well.I didn't have that one. I started with Keller Williams.And I think that's why my career really didn't get off to a good start. Nothing against Keller Williams, I just I think it's really kind of office independent, much like there's different REMAX is, they all have different setups from ground level up. And ours is ours is I think, pretty robust,not only with the technology that's offered from our broker owner, but couple that with REMAX. But we have mentorship programs that sees you through the first five deals, one of which has to be listing, the other four can be by side. And we got to have a footprint have a map of what set out for each individual to follow. And we we don't just take on brand new agents, either we take seasoned agents that just want to kind of and that's what I was, I had been in the business for, I don't know two and a half years,I can say with seasons season,but I've been in the business long enough. But getting on board of the programs that we have in place has really just propelled me and one of the reasons was a mentor.
Rick Ripma:
Yeah, I think that helps immensely. And also now that process, nobody knows, I shouldn't say nobody wants to some people do want to reinvent the wheel, but I don't ever I don't find that the best way I find the best way is to find the wheel that's already made. After you figure that out, you use it and it's working, then you can kind of change it a little bit to your own self
Josh Latham:
mold that clay yourself. When I was an ELO. It was a friend of mine who work for a brokerage. And he literally said the first few months your life are you going to be sitting on the lounge couch in my office just listening to me. And I remember at the time when this is ridiculous. I mean, I've been in sales since 19. You know, you couldn't teach me anything about sales. And it wasn't about that.It's about the processes and the product. And I'll tell you what,it was invaluable to me to sit there just listen to that guy.So one of the things that I strive for when I'm mentoring is you're going to be live on my hip, let's go you're gonna go through my day and and follow me through the whole process. It's been great for me, and hopefully for our agents. So
Rick Ripma:
well, how do you mentor somebody? So if Yeah, if you had a new person that was starting and you were mentoring them, what would you what are the some of the things you have them do? Or you know, how do you guide them? Yeah.
Josh Latham:
So it's kind of tricky in that it's really gonna be based on their experience level. I'll take I'll take an example. Right now mentoring a younger guy just out of college,never been in sales. He was actually like an assistant coach in basketball. And we have we almost have like a 10 step program, but they have to go through weekly, the reports back to me, meet him at least once.If not twice a week we go through a lead or lead system or CRM. So we have some pretty finite steps that we try to follow. But in today's day and age, it's kind of hard because a lot of agents don't have the affordability to jump into this,this career just like I'm ready to go. So some of them are kind of weaning themselves off of part time jobs, maybe I'm gonna work at home still. So I'm with kids or whatever. So we kind of tailor our programs to fit. And let's take this agent, for example. He's kind of on a normally projected course. And then you of course, have some that fall away. But we have others that are just my, my claim to fame in my office as I mentored are, I think is our number one or number two seller and out of about 100 agents.Wow. And he's never been in sales. He came from a large district distribution company,as a manager. But he said, I want to do this, as I've always thought about it, this is what I want to do. And I think in his first year, he sold almost 70.Homes. Wow, that's incredible in our businesses, just It's unheard of. I mean, I've never even scratched 70 homes. It's just me. But it's just him too.You don't have five kids. So
Rick Ripma:
without selling for you.
Josh Latham:
My taxes think
Ian Arnold:
so Oh, he has the motive to do out and do seven or you have five kids, you should have the mode should
Josh Latham:
I have the means with them? That helped me out?But yeah, it's funny, because I think that goes back to how much time can you devote? How much time do you are you willing to devote? I think for me, at my age, I'm almost 50 I've gotten to a comfortable balance of hey,I want to do about 40 to 48transactions a year. Because my wife and I, we also flip homes on the side. So we do that and we travel a lot to kids play sports. And you just kind of wean yourself off of, hey, I have to have 15 active transactions going at all time.I think 10 or 11 is about that Max where you're like holy crap,I need like assistance and but that's one of the things that REMAX advanced those for me they afford me a full time marketing team. I've a transaction coordinator. Like they pick up the little pieces that me as a salesman, typically wouldn't be good at. And that's kind of what we tell to when I when I talk recruiting is we do the behind the scenes, the behind the scenes stuff that typical person doesn't really excel at. So, so if you
Ian Arnold:
guys ever go out to dinner you make him pay since you trained him so well. I mean,I'm telling you.
Josh Latham:
It's funny, because now it's funny, because now he has no time for me. I had somebody all day Have you seen in my like, no, like a long lost son and like, the prodigal son will come home one day, maybe.But yeah, he's doing real well for himself. He's just he's really blowing up. And we love to see people like that. We're very, very team oriented. And I think that's one of the things that I really, I really like about our team. Having been to other brokerages, I'm not gonna say they're divided, they're certainly not divisive. But you know, it's a natural habitat and tendency for realtors to kind of be like, Oh, that guy's looking at my business and that guy, you know, this is my neighborhood.Not have that in our business in within REMAX. And that's one of the things that we strive for when we recruit people is you know, my broker owner plays sports he coaches sports now with his kids, I kind of do the same thing. A lot of our our agents were have some kind of team capacity, you know, whether it work or previous license, you know, high school sports, but it's rarely if ever, I've ever come across somebody that just didn't have the time to help because they always want to go full and let's go anything we can do as a team.
Ian Arnold:
I mean, that's the nice thing about having so many companies that you can work for each printout personality is gonna be different. What you need is based off of you now somebody else personality might be completely different and those other companies might work great for him. No, you found the perfect place for you. So that's phenomenal. I would not
Josh Latham:
fit in to know I'm not gonna say most of them a lot of real estate brokerages. I just, it just wouldn't be a good fit for me. I may bring the morale down I don't know. I have no idea. I just don't want to find out you know, I've got such a sweet spot and my business does great because of REMAX but my wife, she has the wrong colleague crew. She has three sisters, two of which are also agents. And one of them is one of the top agents in the state for her brokerage and her her business model is completely opposite of mine completely opposite and I don't want her business model and I guarantee she doesn't want my business which is two totally different people love her brokerage and I always said you know if REMAX can be for some unknown reason I would go to her brokerage but I still feel like I'd probably struggle there because I would lack what I have where I am now.
Ian Arnold:
So if somebody is wanting to either buy or sell a home with you or possibly have you as a mentor, what's the best way they can reach you?
Josh Latham:
Best way my my cell phone 31798974653179897465 I always say text me. You can email me at Josh dot Latham at Indy home proz.com as well. Look me up I'm all on social media.You won't see much promotion on me on social media that's again that's one of my flaws. I just don't follow that path.Honestly, if I wasn't a realtor,I probably wouldn't even have Facebook. I go on Instagram to watch like car videos but but those are probably the easiest ways you know, even my own website. You can Google me that's one good thing about REMAX we kind of tailor our programs to help people on the social media aspect of it but you can google Josh Latham realtor, right there you can follow links pretty easy. So how you spell Latham la th am perfect.
Rick Ripma:
And to get a hold of Ian or I got a HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com Or you can call 317-672-1938.That's 31767 to 1938. And thank you for listening to indys real estate gurus, the gurus we interview share valuable insights they reveal their strengths, personalities and how they work for you. Well, we hardworking mortgage guys secure your best mortgage real estate gurus work hard to, they avoid problems the amateurs just don't see they listen and they find unrealized opportunities. If you're buying or selling a home,a real estate guru is a valuable asset. If you're even thinking of buying or selling a home,keep listening and definitely call one of India's real estate gurus.
Ian Arnold:
Alright, so let's take a sidestep. Let's say that I take away your phone, and you cannot work for 24 hours. After you get done in the fetal position crying, what do we catch you out there doing for fun?
Josh Latham:
Working on my house, I love to take up projects at home. Like I said,my wife and I, we typically have a flip going. We may take a month or two off, but I would probably be fixing something.Yesterday when I listen call,I'll probably be doing some work at this client's house before we listed she just doesn't have the capability to do so. So powerwashing decks, painting them doing some drywall work.We'll always have a project going on at home. But my wife and I also travel a ton. So you say that about the phone. Sunday we leave for Mexico, and I guarantee I'm leaving my phone in the in the bedroom and just not turning it on.
Rick Ripma:
Really? Yeah. Now, a lot of agents would love to know how you're able to do that.
Josh Latham:
So you're ready. So one of my superhuman strengths or abilities. No stress on it.Don't worry. Wow, that is awesome. You would think that with all this gray hair, I was about to say that. That's because of kids.
Rick Ripma:
Yes. Hair?
Ian Arnold:
No, but it's all gray hair. Yeah.
Josh Latham:
Yeah. So I just I don't It's I think it comes from my dad, I just I just have this ability to not I think it's one of the things I relate to my clients to is being able to get through transactions and just being that voice of reason and calm. And I don't I was bigger thing is a world for me to stress about than missing a call or you know, I put safeguards in place when I go on vacation,obviously, but I put it in capable hands. I'm pretty good at delegating. Yeah, pretty good.
Rick Ripma:
To have somebody to give to have take care of it.You can and I think I'm just guessing that most people's issue is they don't feel anybody can do it as good as that.Totally. And so they would just get
Josh Latham:
over the realtor curse. Yeah. And that's one things I talk about as a mentor.You need to get out of your own head and think you're the only one that can do it. It really I mean, that's, you know, eight what, 8 billion people in this world you don't think someone else can do your real estate work? Right? Come on, man. This is a brilliant brain surgery.
Rick Ripma:
People who are who are like you're the guy you mentored? Right, right? Yeah,obviously,
Josh Latham:
he can do it.Right? In a heartbeat. Right?Yeah.
Rick Ripma:
And you teach people how to do it. So you have to know people who know how to do it, because you've taught them?
Josh Latham:
Yeah, yeah. And,you know, that's no good thing about it. Anyone listening about getting into real estate or even becoming an ELO? I mean, you surely go on vacation. Yeah. And you don't want to pick up your phone. You have to have to lean on somebody to help you out. And I think that's the beauty of being on a really good team. You have two or three really strong sidekicks and you don't have to worry about things right. And I do at home too. You know, my wife is my sidekick. diggin it,life becomes a lot better and easier and slower when you can just go, I can give that stuff away.
Ian Arnold:
See what people don't know is Rick goes on vacation 51 weeks. And he just,he just tells me to do it all.And then I get one week vacation.
Rick Ripma:
Wait a second. I'm the hard work and mortgage guy.
Ian Arnold:
No, no, you just say you aren't.
Rick Ripma:
So I wish I could do. Actually, I could never do51 There's no way I'm bored to tears when you Yes. Why can't retire?
Josh Latham:
We talking about that, too. You know, we, our 11year old when he gets into college, we're going to, we're going to say flee Indiana,hopefully, Indiana. But I won't stop working. I don't know, I wouldn't know what's to do.Right.
Rick Ripma:
And the beauty right now is if you set up your TIF,you know, you're going to do that you set up your team, and you have somebody here in place,you can probably do everything.Not here, not here and still and still be
Josh Latham:
booming here. And we have I think one or two agents that do that they live in Florida now. And they have a team of two or three that still live on the south side of Indianapolis and then all that business flows through them.Yeah,
Rick Ripma:
I think that's I mean, it's really a great career, because you can retire that way. But you're still working.
Josh Latham:
And you are creating a business. There's no difference. There's no difference between doing that and having a storefront and you have employees running in your storefront. You can go to Florida wherever you want.
Ian Arnold:
And not to mention what technology nowadays,everything's electronically signed, everything. You I mean,Rick, and I joke about us all the time is, we don't see people anymore. We'll just do everything online. Call us on the phone. Every once in a while we get somebody comes in our office, but it's very rare. You will never know where I'm at.
Josh Latham:
Yeah, that's right.They almost look at you like you're a freak. If you're like,hey, can we meet up? Yeah, yeah.Why would you want to do that?Yeah.
Rick Ripma:
Some people have to,but for the most part, that's not theirs. Now, you kind of took my my favorite question away already. But I'm going to find out, you know, I always ask what is your superpower superpower? So we know one of them. At first and not being able to worry is a huge superpower. Yeah, that is huge.So I'm sure people like to know how you how you do that. But are there any other superpowers that you think you have that that really helped you in your career?
Josh Latham:
Um, I think just creating an instant bond with most people that that I deal with. And gaining trust, it took me a long time to be able to figure out how to do that, you know, in our business. I know you know, this being a chameleon is one thing, but being the chameleon that they want to keep coming back to is another. And I think that my life experience,this is something you can't really, you know, this take the kid that I'm mentoring, now.He's a kid, he's 26. But he's good. You know, it's hard to,it's hard to teach stuff that we have gone through in life experiences, and you I've made so many mistakes in sales of selling funny, and that's right,that as a mentor, that's what I tell people is you're gonna fall flat on your face. But it's how you react that makes such a world of difference. And I think my superpower is being over to overcome these obstacles, not worry about failure again, and just keep doing it. I got 11year old son that plays football and it's every day I have these little lessons about falling down and getting back up. And I hope that I can relate that to two mentees, I guess you'd say in this business, because it's our business. I think being alone is even harder, quite frankly. It is not an easy process. But once you find your footing, it's a fantastic career to be on either side. Either side. Yeah,
Rick Ripma:
I think they're both very similar. But yeah, it's I see because I, I failed as a real estate agent. I tried it when I was really young. And I didn't have any I didn't have anybody who really mentored me and kind of took me under their wing and I went to the wrong place. But I was buying what I really was doing is buying my I was buying rental property. So I was just buying rental property.And that's what I was doing.They said hey, you need to be a real estate agent. I don't think other than to myself I ever sold a house. But I did sell
Josh Latham:
your best client I was
Rick Ripma:
but but I also was a terrible landlord. I'm way too.I think it's I think it's a curse of a salesperson and that is we tend to see or want to see the best in everybody. If you're a good care, and you know, it's all about relationships, right?So I'm kind of opposite to you.I see it and I was like I just it just wasn't it just wasn't for me, but I can see I mean if it's the right thing, and both of them are great career so it's just find the one that works best for you.
Josh Latham:
I agree. Totally agree.
Rick Ripma:
I love it.
Ian Arnold:
But it's nice. When you said yes you're gonna you're gonna fail. But let's be honest,is that's when you learn the most is as soon as you make that mistake. You learn from it.Guess what you Don't do ever do again. That mistake. No, no,unless you're certain people out there in the world but
Rick Ripma:
sometimes I do. I hate to admit it.
Josh Latham:
They're from Kentucky.
Rick Ripma:
You can say that you live there.
Josh Latham:
I went to university Kentucky to see Did you really? Oh yeah. Well, I wanted to I wanted to partner myself with a winning basketball program so well, so I went there.
Ian Arnold:
I fully agree with you. There you go. Say I'm diehard Kentucky fan. So,
Josh Latham:
Oh, where are you really? There you go. So I was there during the heyday. And then my wife has a daughter that went to IU and I had to go to basketball game. It was like, I think my skin was peeling off my body because I walked in the you know, I use stadium. But
Rick Ripma:
was it the one where they they beat Kentucky when they were number one when there was that was the game?
Josh Latham:
national title game?
Ian Arnold:
Yes. Regular Season,regular season, then we go on to win the title. I'll take that loss.
Josh Latham:
That was their biggest win in 100 years.
Ian Arnold:
Pretty close to it.
Rick Ripma:
Because I do have banners. I'm a national champion. Who's
Josh Latham:
Are you? Yeah, I don't know.
Ian Arnold:
I think two or three. I don't quote me on that.Six less
Josh Latham:
than UK?
Rick Ripma:
I don't know. I don't know. It's more than Purdue. I don't care. I just,
Ian Arnold:
we just pushed off the whole entire State of Indiana. You love Oh, I probably shouldn't say
Rick Ripma:
this. But when I you know, I'm not I'm not a fan of I don't watch sports. i My wife loves it. I don't watch it. She loves college basketball. I don't really care. And but when colts were getting beat by the Patriots every time every year.I just decided I'm gonna root for the Patriots. For a winner.Actually, if you if I was sitting there with you, and you're rooting for Kentucky, I would root for whoever else.
Josh Latham:
Whoever us. That's right.
Rick Ripma:
I didn't really I just don't really care.
Josh Latham:
Well, the fact that you even mentioned you being slightly a fan of the Patriots is a huge issue in Central Indiana.
Rick Ripma:
Yeah, no,
Josh Latham:
we'll let it slide.That's kind
Rick Ripma:
of why I did it. So if somebody wanted to get a hold of you, not about the University of Kentucky, but you can love real estate. Or if they're maybe looking to get into business.
Josh Latham:
31798974659897465Look me up online. Josh Latham,realtor, just google me. All my pertinent information is on there and would love to talk to you about basketball. We're being a realtor.
Rick Ripma:
So you sound like you're not being a realtor. You like basketball?
Josh Latham:
I do. Yeah. So my son, my son is a huge football standout. And then, so we have big aspirations for him. And so by hopefully by the time he's2122, I'll retire and you can just pay my way through life.And
Rick Ripma:
one of my kids would do that. But my youngest is 30.And they haven't done it.
Josh Latham:
Yeah. So good luck.The backup plan is he said,Well, if I don't go the pros,Dan, I'm going to play my saxophone. Well, well, I know you're gonna be live in my basement then.
Ian Arnold:
At least get him through college. Full ride. What happens after that? Who knows?But I think college take
Rick Ripma:
care. Big deal right there. Yeah. All right. And through college.
Josh Latham:
It'll be our first that first out of five, cry tears.
Ian Arnold:
That'd be your favorite then.
Rick Ripma:
And to get a hold of Ian or I, it's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com Or you can call 317-672-1938.That's 317-672-1938.
Ian Arnold:
All right. So now we'll go to the question of the week and the question of the week is sponsored by Hey, Rick and I the hard working mortgage guys, where we believe in helping you and supporting you and your realtor by sending constant updates. Nobody likes to live in a black hole so we do not allow it. If you like the black hole, we are not the company for you. Alright, so here's the question for you. And since you're a car guy I heard what was your first car?
Josh Latham:
A 1985 Mazda GLC sport hatchback for speed totaled it I was about to ask what what what work did you do to it my most fun car ever?Yeah, yeah, I got some some old old lady pull up for me and tore it up and then my dad went out and without my help. Now see,I've been in car guys since I was probably five. I was went to automotive design school. Wow,that was big deal. Like I drove home and it was a huge deal. And my dad went behind my back. And I hope he watches this video and came back with like a 1982 Chevy Monte Carlo. I mean, it was the biggest piece of crap car. And I'll never forget as soon as my dad pulled up in the driveway. I said to myself, the day I can buy my own car. I'm going to buy a car anytime I might want anytime I want. So I've kept that tradition up. And I have had, my goal was to have a car for as many years old I am. So I'm 48 I'm up to about 46 or 47.Now, not extravagant stuff. I know, I never had any really truly extravagant, you know, the items. But I just like that,that and shoes. So I'd go and play sports big sports guy, and my mom would buy me, the crappiest shoes. I remember playing baseball and being in high tops with Velcro on them.And I remember looking down on the Mount, I was probably about11 or 12. I just thought one day I'll be able to buy any shoe I want. So now I buy one. So I have a pension for shoes and cars.
Ian Arnold:
Okay, so who has more shoes, you or your
Josh Latham:
mom? That is not even in the Senate I have. I'm gonna say 50 pairs of shoes.Wow. And I'm not even scratching the surface of what my wife has.Wow, it's not even close.
Ian Arnold:
So when he says he's doing work he's making walk in closets for all the issues.
Josh Latham:
So I used to, I used to deal with myself, hey,every time I closed, I'm gonna go buy a new pair of shoes. And then after about my second or third year, just I had to cut it out because I was like, I don't even want to put these shoes. So we have special areas in our attic for our shoes that my wife has on. Its on godly. But the great thing about my wife is She's a shopper. So everything's a deal. And that is one thing I've gleaned from my wife because I wasn't a deal shopper.I'm an impulse buyer. So I'd see it I'm like I'm buying this right now. I don't care. I got the money and I don't care what the ramifications are. And my wife is like, I'm gonna study that go home reengineer it see if I get about someplace in China build it from parts from Germany, and then I'll put it together and there's my shoe.And that's her so.
Ian Arnold:
So how many shoes come up missing with all the kids?
Josh Latham:
Oh my gosh, a lot.I mean, we will find just like one one shoe in the house where like where it's the other half of this. No clue. It's like, our house is a shoe abyss.
Rick Ripma:
It sounds like it.It's like when you drive down the street. You see one shoe laying on the side of the road.It's like what has probably
Josh Latham:
ours.
Rick Ripma:
I now know. We went on. We went on a trip over the holiday weekend and Memorial Day weekend. And I brought it was a wedding. So I wore my tennis shoes, and I brought nice shoes.My wife brought a bag of shoes.
Josh Latham:
Oh yeah. It's It's It's astounding. You know we're going on vacation and we almost half of one suitcases just makeup and shoes. And I'm like I could fit into you know, a backpack.
Rick Ripma:
Yeah, so crazy. Oh,well. Crazy cars now. Yeah.That's that if you can't tell I'm a car guy too. Yes. I
Josh Latham:
love it. Because I walked in. Yeah,
Rick Ripma:
that's kind of my I love cars. And so it's interesting to me that that first car you had was a great car. And I wanted to point out that you could tell he was a car guy because most people we say so what was your first car?Well, it was a I don't really remember the year but I think it was a you know, 77 Malibu. I think he's like, Well, it was this and it had a four speed.Yeah, this has got this motor.That's a car guy.
Josh Latham:
I can tell you in order every car had engine type,how much it cost? And probably how much? How many miles ahead audit when I bought it and when I sold it. The what was the best car you had? A 95 Nissan 300 ZX two seater. Yeah, yep. So the t top that was a t top. Yep. And I specifically wanted to find one because back then they actually had a four seater and one of the two seater. And one of the reasons it was my favorite was not just the ride, but growing up. One of the big inspirations I had were Nissan commercials.Then they had the slickest commercial for the Z, and it was on the autobahn and it flashes a911 Porsche in front of it on the autobahn. I'm like, I've got other cars. So I had it and it was the first car that really ever tinkered with. And I remember I was going to change the intake the intake plenum on the top and I dropped a a stainless steel clamp into the valve, the valve opening. And I had to have I lived in Columbus,Indiana at the time, actually,I'd have Cummins engineers who broke down and dissected Cummins engines, when they fold it out to come over to my house to get it out without having to remove the whole head and everything.It was awesome. So I had to do it. They took some special tool with a microscope and a camera on the end of it and sneaked away down and found it and pull it out past the valve stem and pull it out. I mean, so that just because I spent so much time and had friends were going on with me I was like I just lost Have this car Love it, love it. But then, you know, if you're like me and like I'm over a car in about four months, I'm like, Alright, I need someone else. So I have lost my ass on so many cars. It's
Rick Ripma:
too cheap. I keep a car for a long time. Yeah, I've had some pretty good cars.
Josh Latham:
In my mind. That's what separates me my dad, my dad, if you put a shoe box on wheels and a little engine and they told him it would cost 100bucks and it lasted three years he'd buy it. But I can tell you this actually to buy my first truck. So right now I'm driving a pickup truck never had one and never will again, I hate it's the worst thing on planet Earth.I hit the big clunky VA, right.And I feel like I'm driving a semi truck and it's terrible.But I fit in in Indiana.
Ian Arnold:
Especially down down the wrong colleagues.
Josh Latham:
Up here, they're like delivering food or my wife drives
Rick Ripma:
a truck. Oh, that she loves trucks. She's got an avalanche. Chevy Avalanche. She loves it. Second one. She says
Josh Latham:
maybe it's my truck. It's just I have a GMC Sierra thing. It's
Rick Ripma:
the same thing,basically. Yeah. Avalanche is a little bit was a little different design. Same car.
Josh Latham:
Well, I came from a Nissan Maxima. Oh, yeah, that's a huge change. So I'm literally seven inches off the ground to you know, two feet off the ground. And it's, I feel like I'm riding on the moon.
Rick Ripma:
Yeah, that does change when you're sitting up higher.
Josh Latham:
It's not like the hyper exotic that I want to buy one day, but you know, yeah.
Rick Ripma:
So what's your what is your dream car that if you could have buy it today? What would you go by?
Josh Latham:
Legitimately I want a used Nissan GTR. Okay, it's feasible. You know, you could probably buy one in the 60s or70s. Yeah, that's my feasible car. If I had limitless power, I'd buy a McLaren P one. So that's it.That's a little more expensive.It's, I mean, they don't make any more than $3 million.Yeah, so yep, that's my that would be my once I retire and get the kids that I keep telling my wife one day. It'll show up.
Rick Ripma:
I'm gonna GTR if you bought it and didn't get rid of it in four months. I bet it'd be worth if you kill the if you hold on to that car. That car's got some investment potential.Agreed.
Josh Latham:
It's, you know, I don't think it would lose money.You know, I frankly, you know,I'm either if I bought it today and sold one year, I probably wouldn't lose a dime on it. And now just what I live to see a year from now without I don't know.
Ian Arnold:
Speaking of that, so what most people don't realize is in China, the Asian culture,they drive at 18. Well, a lot of times they come over here from and just get their driver's license. So I used to sell high end cars, and I sold a GTR to an Asian kid. He wrecked it and went off the road net, not huge damage. Within the first two months. I see him come back into the dealership and I'm like,Hey, what's up? How's GTR my mom's I gotta get rid of it. Oh my gosh, he ran off the road twice. And it because it just has so much horsepower. It's zero 60 in 2.7 seconds. And like he goes yeah, I gotta change it and so he did take it because now the Carfax show two accidents and run off the road.And
Josh Latham:
so this is gonna be really weird. You didn't sell a Tom Wood Nissan Did you know,okay, because I bought a car and Tom Wood and there was a GTR that said sold sitting in showroom. And I asked who it was and he said, a freshman college student at IU
Ian Arnold:
all the time. Like if you go up to Purdue right now, and are probably not right now because of the loss of pretty empty go there during springtime. Oh, you'll see so many I sold for coast to coast at that time. Oh, and yeah,there was so
Josh Latham:
and here's my mom and dad. Here's your shitty
Ian Arnold:
Alright, so get back on the real estate part. Because we can do this all day. What do you think your most memorable deal was?
Josh Latham:
Oh my gosh, my most memorable deal I probably have a couple but I think one of the biggest ones for me was someone who had purchased a house for 90And five years later was selling it for 250 Wow, a single mom with two kids. And I were walking around the house talking about repairs and I said you know how much money do you think you have to invest in the house prior to closing to where we can do some repairs? And she said I have about $200 And I was like total and she goes yeah total and I said you know this is gonna be life changing for you,don't you and she goes well, I guess I really don't I really never thought about it. So right then in there, I pulled up my calculator on my phone and started going through this stuff and I said you know after you pay your mortgage and you know your commissions and all stuff,you're gonna be walking out here with like, 45 grand and Just waterworks. So it wasn't just the scope of having to do the sale, it's just the reaction to get out. So, but I didn't you know, I didn't do anything other than sell the house, it's just somebody who just doesn't even know what their own value is with their property and how life changing it can be. It's awesome for me to see, I think that's the biggest thing. And I tell my clients, this one deal is like a break me. And it sure as hell isn't gonna make me like, I'd have to sell like a $10 million property where I get, you know,a couple 100,000 in commission.But I've never had a deal make me or break me. I tell people that. But what I really get excitement out of is being able to see these people make the shifts in a timely, easy fashion and make money or get the house they want. It's fun.
Ian Arnold:
Yeah, I mean, we do a lot of first time homebuyers,and especially the first ones that you actually see are hard.Yes. Especially right now. Yeah.But the first ones, especially in their family, they get to see you get to see that motions. But like you said, most people don't realize what they're doing until like, let's say 510 years down the road, they go to sell and they're like, wait, I have this much. Now I can now buy this, or I can do this. I've this. It's It's crazy.
Josh Latham:
It's really awesome. Another one, actually,I'm in the midst of right now.They have two kids and one, one kid has cancer and she has terminal blindness. She's five or six, and she's 90% blind and will be fully. And they really don't have two nickels to rub together. And they are selling in moving into another house.And they're gonna probably recruit, recoup, you know, 3040grand, and they're gonna use that money to take their kid on vacation before she loses her site. Yeah, I mean, stuff like that we use go, I don't care what I make on this deal. It's just gonna be just a part of this, right. And it's amazing to me how people are so overly thankful for your efforts. And I'm just like, how long to do my job. Like, I didn't really do anything, but follow the guidelines of how I got here in life anyway. But it's fun to be,that's probably the most rewarding thing for me. And any deal is two things. One, seeing these people make transitions to life. And most of the time for the better, hopefully, for the better. And then the time that is afforded to me by this career. Because if I had a nine to five job, man, I'd be swinging from a shower on. I couldn't do that. I just couldn't do it.
Rick Ripma:
So what do you see as like the most valuable piece of buying a house? It's a life changing for people, but it changes lives in a lot of ways.Yeah. I guess if we have a first time homebuyer listening,something like that, what would you tell them why they should buy a house? Maybe that's a better
Josh Latham:
question. Yeah. And first time homebuyers, they're,they're an anomaly because I think nowadays you get a lot of people like, why would rent because then you know, it's easy to get out of, you don't have to take care of maintenance and blah, blah, blah. But I've always looked at my house, in any house as a bank, you know,I'm not gonna go live in a bank,but I might as well use my house as a bank, because I'm building on top of that asset that I can recoup or pull from later on in life. And it's funny, because,you know, the big argument with people who like to rent is I don't have to take care of anything. And think about how much cost you have involved with your house and blah, blah, blah.You know, there are safeguards against that, like buying a home warranty, doing annual maintenance, where stuff doesn't fail, but you can also budget for that stuff. But I always tell people, you're paying someone else's mortgage, when you rent, you literally are not putting any dollars in your pocket. If you buy a house for200 grand and your payments,let's say $1,500 and you're worried about having a $5,000air conditioner go out? Well,guess what? You buy a $5,000 air conditioner, with a five year warranty five, five year warranty on it, you don't have to worry about for another 1520years anyway, that $1,500mortgage payment still going in your house knocking on your principal, and at the same time,you bought the house for 205years gonna be worth 220 to 25.So your house is always as bank and that's what I try to tell people you can rent but would it be better to have someone rent that house from you and you make that money or at least you live in it? I personally think it's it's financially unsound to look at a house other than anything as a bank, like you really have to and not as some throwaway asset like a car. I think nowadays you have a lot of people that just sort of like I don't want the trouble. I don't want the maintenance. I'm just going to lease and I don't want to worry about it and the same time I get that part of the car do leasing because it's a depreciating asset house, isn't it? I think that's the biggest thing that get lost on first time homebuyers.
Ian Arnold:
I think one of the Rick and I like to tell people this when we have them is, look,let's say for five years, you rent your rents at $1,000 a month, you just spent what$60,000 on rent. Now, let's say you did you bought a house and your same exact payment, even if you had expenses and everything and with appreciated, let's say you break even if you sell your house after five years, guess what? You basically lived in a place for five years for free
Josh Latham:
for free.
Ian Arnold:
What are we doing here?
Josh Latham:
That's the best way to look at it. It's like driving a car around for free.Absolutely bought a car. I bought my Nissan Maxima bought a2017 Nissan Maxima. And I sold it a year and a half later, and I put on 29,000 miles on it and Carmex pay me 400 ollars less when I bought a four. Yeah,that's amazing. And I look at that, and I go, Well, hell, I just drove that car for free,right? Same way to your point.
Rick Ripma:
Who cares how much money you dump into it over time? Because if you are still that far ahead of running? Yep.You're still better off than the statistics play it out.Absolutely. A homeowner has gets like $500,000 more on average and, and wealth than a renter.So it does make sense. I think the big one of the biggest mistakes I've made as I I've been in my house 30 something years, I should have moved. I think that's one of the keys is you should move every few years.Yeah, buy your house, fix it up,get the equity moved to the next one. Yeah. And and because the people I see who've made the most are the people who who move and then the other one is live in California because they go up a lot faster. But I didn't want to
Ian Arnold:
Oh, you forgot the one other thing. And also use Josh's your realtor. Oh, yeah.Well, he's
Rick Ripma:
not in California.Oh, he'll
Ian Arnold:
find a person he'll find a way. Oh,
Josh Latham:
my my biggest commission check came from a referral, that it really jumped out to Arizona on a commercial deal. Wow. So that's the only good thing about REMAX for me is I can get on a REMAX referral line. And they basically scrub agents for you and find your fit. And biggest commission check the date. I called the guy talk for 15 minutes, called my client told her she should talk to this guy. And within 15 days,we were under a six and a half million dollar contract. Wow.Through referral.
Unknown:
Oh, Daria.
Josh Latham:
She's hurt. Yeah,it's awesome. So I think you know, being in sales that's coming from insurance to I did large, catastrophic insurance for contractors. But our business was referral and renewal. How do you refer out business and how do you repeat renewal? I think renewals are just people keep coming back to you. And then referral is I'm gonna move to Florida and keep sending my business back through Indiana. Yeah, that's what I love to do. So that's awesome.
Rick Ripma:
So what is the best way to get a hold of you if anybody has any real estate needs or maybe looking to come on a team?
Josh Latham:
Yep. Josh dot Latham at Indie home. proz.com is one but again 9897465 Eriko317. Or you can Google me at Josh Latham realtor.
Rick Ripma:
Or to get a hold of Ian or I. Go to HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com.That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com Or you can call 317-672-1938.That's 317-672-1938. And follow us for more indies real estate gurus.
Ian Arnold:
Josh. Hey, thanks for coming on the show. It's been a pleasure. And I think Rick wants you back because we'll have to talk about cars for a whole show car show.Basketball.
Rick Ripma:
He's a basketball.Yeah, he's a sports.
Josh Latham:
I'll do cars all day all day. I really appreciate your time and really interested in what you guys do here. And my goodness, it was a pleasure.
Rick Ripma:
Thanks for joining us. We
Josh Latham:
really appreciate you so much.
Ian Arnold:
Hey, and reminder if you have any friends, family or coworkers looking to buy, sell,refinance, contact us we'll be more than happy to help you.
Announcer:
Branch NMLS number33041 NMLS number 6645898. You know Arnold NMLS number is195469 equal housing opportunity some restrictions apply.
Broker
Josh started his real estate career in 1991, working for his uncle in the home remodeling business. Over the years, honing his skills in that trade, he and his wife have flipped dozens of homes while helping others find and sell properties all around Indianapolis. Through the years, Josh secured his insurance license and worked in corporate insurance and, additionally, for four years he was a mortgage lender. Combining the knowledge from all three of these industries has put him, and his clients, at an advantage when buying and selling homes. He resides with his wife, Laura, and their five children in Indianapolis while Josh services all of Marion County and the surrounding suburbs.
Call 317-672-1938
Rick Ripma's NMLS# 664589 Ian Arnolds NNMLS# 1995469
Advisors Mortgage Group LLC NMLS# 33041
Missy Shopshire, author of 'Forces at Work,' discusses the importance of coaching and finding purpose in both personal and professional life. She emphasizes the need for continuous growth and the role of a coach in creating space for high achievers …
Meet Cindy Stockhaus, your go-to Real Estate Broker in Beautiful Central Indiana! With over 20 years of experience under her belt, Cindy has earned a reputation as a trusted and ethical expert in the field. Whether you're a B...
Stacy Patlan, a local Realtor with expertise in Real Estate investments. her journey in real estate began in 2014, collaborating with a local wholesaler on administrative tasks. Witnessing the intriguing dynamics of real esta...
Matt was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona and moved to Indiana in 2011 to play football for IU where he was a 4 year starter. After a brief stint with the Steelers after college, he started his own multimedia …
