Guru Kristina Ako with AKO Brokerage and Property Management

Ian Arnold: 0:00

Hey, Rick, we had Christina on today. And wow, the the knowledge and the stories you you get from her is phenomenal.

Rick Ripma: 0:09

Yeah, you know, it's it's interesting because you know, coming from the former USSR, she has a lot of great stories. She has a lot of life experience that most of us don't have because we didn't immigrate from another country. And then she's a chef or she's a she's a cook, who loves to cook. And it's very interesting to listen to somebody who talks about something they just really love.

Ian Arnold: 0:33

Yes, I mean, and this this show, it goes down the rabbit holes. So if you're wanting to listen to something, and I don't care what you're doing, as this one is a phenomenal one to listen to. Just because the way she goes through everything is phenomenal. Yeah, I agree.

Rick Ripma: 0:53

It's she's very interesting. Welcome to India's real estate gurus, your ultimate guide to the dynamic world of real estate in Indiana, and I'm recruited by your hard work and mortgage guy and I've been in real estate and mortgages for over 24 years. And I'm Ian Arnold, a loan officer on brakes hard working mortgage. We're both with advisors Mortgage Group together will empower you with expert advice market trends is assessable stories from Guru realtors and local experts. Whether you're a homeowner, investor or pro Join us as we navigate the thriving indie real estate

Ian Arnold: 1:29

market. Now get ready to unlock the doors of success. One episode at a time.

Rick Ripma: 1:37

Well, today, we've got somebody all the way from Russia. Now you've been here a while. Well, former USSR I better say it correctly, right? Yeah, it's a former USSR.

Kristina Ako: 1:47

I'm Armenian, but I was born in Uzbekistan, which is like 200 miles from Afghanistan. Okay, so that's that south part of former USSR?

Rick Ripma: 1:59

Yeah. Well, the former USSR is huge. 11 time zones?

Kristina Ako: 2:03

Yeah. Even after they separated the wall, the stands still 11 times 11 times.

Rick Ripma: 2:08

Yes. That's, it's, it's amazing. So I really want to hear your story before you got into real estate. Like, where you grew up those type of things. Before we do that, though, why don't you introduce yourself, give give everybody I know, it's Christina. I'm not even gonna try the last name. It's my cup

Kristina Ako: 2:24

Shama. And it's been shortened to the ako. So it's ocho Ocho. So it's easy for and I live in Indianapolis since May 5 1994. So next year will be 30 years. Wow.

Rick Ripma: 2:40

So you're Hoosier I

Kristina Ako: 2:42

am doing that was born on the south side.

Ian Arnold: 2:48

What made you choose Indiana? You

Kristina Ako: 2:52

know, my ex husband's parents live in Indiana. So we came over and join their family.

Ian Arnold: 2:58

Okay, that was about to say I figured how to do something with family, just but it's one of those weird places. Oh, let's just go to Indiana. Not New York, California, Florida.

Kristina Ako: 3:08

Yeah, I actually heard a few times like why would you choose Indiana, but I can tell you that one of the interesting things about immigration that you can create a family not from people that's related to you but blood, you can create your family from the group of friends and you choose and that's what families the most important than Indiana is a family tradition. That's a family state state that

Rick Ripma: 3:38

works it's also I think a pretty state I I've you travel other places and they look different but when you fly into Indiana it's in the summer at least it's green it's it's it can be very pretty. I think I think it's a it's a very pretty

Kristina Ako: 3:53

i A lot of people who moving my client moving from California moving from different states and why would you want to live in Indiana we have an amazing fall long and warm. And Indiana like in Russian there is an expression that heart over beauty beautiful woman is you know, could be flaky. And in here you there was a heart of a beautiful woman like a wedding in Indiana. So it's like only in the morning you could be wearing like really heavy coat and everything and by the afternoon, you could be turning on the sea.

Ian Arnold: 4:33

Yep. Well, it's what is it even today? It's it was like 20 When I came into work today, by the time we leave, it'll be like 54 degrees.

Kristina Ako: 4:40

Really? Yeah. Oh, my brother invited me to go for a walk in the park. So I figured like if I've got to be outside when it's 40 degrees I bet you

Rick Ripma: 4:48

better be warm because it's I'm now cold. I'm cold all the time. I don't know what happened but your holds. Okay.

Kristina Ako: 4:55

We can't we get we're getting wiser good thing.

Rick Ripma: 4:58

Yeah, yes, we hope So yes, yeah, we do. But I want to hear more about growing growing up. Now, how long were you in the former USSR?

Kristina Ako: 5:08

I was born in 1970. So I'll be 54 next year, and I was there till I was 22. Okay, then I lived in Moscow for a couple years, and then emigrated to lovely Indiana pulleys.

Rick Ripma: 5:24

And why? What was the motivating factor to leave? And come to and not not to Indiana, specifically, but leave Russia? Your former USSR? You're in Moscow. So

Kristina Ako: 5:36

yeah, you know, there was a time in my life. And then I look, and you go back a couple of years later. And very quickly, you realize the difference of how people are, how attitude towards you is, and how different it is from the life overseas. And you choose Not, not everyone who immigrates decides to live in United States. It's a wonderful country, I love it. But some people went back because for them, this is not what they want. Right. And the most important part about America is that you have freedom to choose Correct. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 6:28

So what what was the difference in the perception you had of the US? And then the reality of the US when you got here?

Kristina Ako: 6:37

I met a gentleman who's African American gentleman on the plane when I was flying from New York, because there was Moscow, New York, New York, Indianapolis, and I was met him on the way to Indianapolis. And he, I he asked me where I'm from. I said, Yeah, I'm just immigrating here immigrating here for good, not for travel. Because you know, there is a difference between when you went, there was tourism, and there was an immigration. And I had a conversation with him, the English that I had, at the moment. And he the difference that I felt like we all had that, no matter what we always blamed our country for that we blame the government for that. And this guy when I was sitting there, and I said, What do you love about America? I love America. It's my country is like, and I and I think, you know, nobody from my circle of friends. I love Russia. I love former USSR, everybody was blaming it, versus here. It wasn't acceptance, and it was like, okay, and I get to think about it later. How many people that I've met, and the clients and the clients turn into friends that really love America, love the country, love with all day, Democratic or Republican, vaccinated? not vaccinated? Black, white, gay, not gay. I mean, they love it. And they accept it. And that's the most important part for me. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 8:16

No, I think it's, it's an important part. I think. As you know, born and raised here, it's we don't get to see the the differences of what the perception is and what the realities are of our country, just and what it's like to come over. But let's get on. So you came to the US, you come to Indiana? How long was it before you decided that you were going to be a real estate agent?

Kristina Ako: 8:42

We had a conversation with one of my friends at that time, and her brother was successful dentist and we're sitting there having tea and we were talking about like, what would be the good thing for Christina to do in this country? And he said, you know, all beautiful women here selling something, go sell something, go sell jewelry is also loose, they go sell cars, yeah, something just go go sell something. And I'm like, Okay. And I went and got into real estate course. And I mean, at that time, it was like, really difficult time because I weren't at the like, I had the job right away, like I came may 5, and may 11. I already had a job selling souvenirs, that Claypool course in Embassy Suites downtown, okay. And, you know, my English was so so at the time and then, you know, people opening up and closing up those lack of boxes, jewelry boxes, and somebody said, oh, you know, like a casket. I had no idea what the casket is. even tell you how many of this and I said, Oh, it open schools and I'm like a guest. casket. I'm like, yeah, like a casket. But I mean, like, I sold a lot. So I mean, I kind of like get into it from the perspective. You know, it's fun. Sales is fun, right? Direct, you never know who you're gonna meet. And it's kind of like interesting because every person have like a sort of little key that you can, you can find a key. And then once you find that, then you already go and it might be not a good fit, or might be is and most of the time it is. So that's kind of how when then I went to the, because I couldn't pass the real estate exam at the time. I went to car sales, okay. And I was I worked at the Tom woods for three years. And then I worked for join Reinbold BMW for six years. And after that, I kind of jumped into the real estate already having a like a solid customer base. And, you know, one of the best compliments I ever heard for me, it's like, I don't care what you sell. I just want to deal with you. So it's kind of like that. The emphasis was right. Yes. Go sell sell something. Yes. establish a relationship. Yeah.

Ian Arnold: 11:09

So you mentioned you kind of pass the test at the start? Was it a language barrier that kept you? I just know different terminologies?

Kristina Ako: 11:18

Yeah, I would say it was not a language barrier. But it was understood a few. It's like, when you learning another language, you can be like, you read the article, and you look up every word in a dictionary to see what's the, what's the point of the article. And it's like long and grueling process. But at some point, you, you you reading and you looking at that. And then some point you you get to that point that you reading an article, you do not understand a lot of words, but you get the gist of it, you get the meaning. So that's it's kind of like when you when you have enough of, and then you understand at that time, I didn't have it. So this was what in this country you called experience. Yep. Even if you don't know it, but it's kind of like,

Ian Arnold: 12:13

just takes time, a

Kristina Ako: 12:17

few things from, you know, even unpleasant things that you went through, like negative emotions, but you went through it. And you will know, in the future, how you would behave, because you already had that experience. And you can predict certain things and say, a lot of times, like when people ask for my advice, I say, okay, it could be like multiple choice in America. That's another difference in education. I started substitute teaching after transfer. So I mean, I see the difference, because in Europe, you have a My in private schools over here, you have a two that you give you have a question, they give you a blank piece of paper, and you have to write the answer here. Even if you don't know the answer, A, B, C, D, there is always a multiple choice, you can have a chance to get it right. So when people asked me for my advice, I said, okay, it could be 1234 scenarios. It's easier. Or you can have a blank piece of paper, write your own. Yep,

Ian Arnold: 13:21

no, I mean, I fully understand that. I mean, my son right now is doing vocab words. And there are certain words, and I'm like, they do definition. And they had put it in a paragraph. And I'm like, Look, now I want you to tell me an example. Because like you said, you can't just write down the definition not that's not using as an example. So making them to overthink. So I think that's huge. He's eight, eight, this

Kristina Ako: 13:45

is the this is the time that the kids actually are learning and striving for success. But you are good parents.

Rick Ripma: 13:55

I did something right. Was wife's a good parent? Yeah.

Kristina Ako: 14:00

All right. My daughter's 28. And she's getting married next year. And I thank you. And she is a woman we were talking about Indiana and you know, pretty stage. She moved to Asheville, North Carolina. And she's like that mountains. She's like, Mom, I drive around. I can't believe I leave here. So it's really it's hard to predict from the completely different perspective and love to come. She's got two big dogs. anytime she travels. I go babysit the dogs.

Ian Arnold: 14:30

So did she have the real estate bug? Or she

Kristina Ako: 14:34

said, Mom, I love what you do. You got hookups everywhere, but I just wanted she went into that computer business and I was doing extremely well. I mean, already makes more money than me. I mean in that, but it's a good world right now for technology. I mean, I understand all the pluses and minuses of it like yeah, we are that everybody says the computers are taking over they already have Just in case if you're wondering, you go somewhere, everybody knows nobody's looking. I know everybody, like if it wouldn't be for all these devices, we would be sitting there and looking at the chat and having conversation without every 15 seconds putting there is a text message. Is the sound. Okay? Is the video fine? So that kind of thing. So we have an opportunity to really dive in into something and see if this conversation will get us somewhere. Yeah,

Rick Ripma: 15:28

I think it's a lot better to have the conversation. I put my phone away a lot now. Because I, I think it's much better just to look somebody that I talked to them and actually hear what they have to say, you

Kristina Ako: 15:41

know, I was listening to podcasts of the lady who actually does a brain research. And she said, you know, previously, when we talking about philosophy, we sit there and we talk and we kind of like dive into it. And we get into the depth, we don't know what, but now everybody is all like surfing surfing on the surface, you know, and having, Hey, how are you and being this and not being able to, as soon as something happens, oh, it's not that I'm going to describe it to you how to explain it to your son. And this. Now I'm going to turn around this, like, oh, look, my daughter went to this, and this is how their system was and I will be showing it to you on through the pixels, you're not gonna be looking at me, you're not gonna like the what kind of imagination experiences I had, you would be looking at something that somebody else already created. Put it out there for everyone to see. So where's the, you know, that personality, that thing that we all striving for? To be like, each of us is very different. Yeah.

Ian Arnold: 16:48

So I want you to meet more different people. And I want them to talk to you face to face. So if they're wanting to get a hold of you to whether to buy sell real estate, what's the best way they can get hold of you?

Kristina Ako: 17:02

There is my mobile number, I reply to texts. And the probably the most the easiest way it would be from time to time, it's kind of like started the blog about 10 years ago. 2012. So with the 1311. And I started doing cooking parties just get together because you know, you know, I don't sell anything via the email, I just don't think any monthly letter, you can spread over your bread and butter. You know, food is like my attorney says, like, I love to cook. And everybody's Christina, why don't you open your own restaurant. And she says, food is a primary need. You never want to stand between the guy and his primary need. Okay? At the restaurant, but we are, you know, get together a few times a year, it's kind of like kind of on the whim. And I've done it in builders models in the I rented the space, I've done the commercial kitchen. And we just get together think of a country think of a cuisine and we just cook it. So instead of spending money on Z 57 or z 54, automatic, whatever, that clogs your inbox. And yeah, just buy the groceries we get together and I have to see I get to see my clients, I get to see my friends, most of them are and we get to do something together. The idea came to me when there was a first conflict between the Russia and Ukraine and they were so many people that lived here for 20 years. So they raised kids here that kids are friends. And now the conflict there. And they are then not in a good state. And they're both my clients just like Republican Democrats. I mean, what just because he's, he's a Republican, I'm not gonna invite Him in. Now, I don't care. I mean, politics is not something that I think should be in our everyday basis, everyday basis how people we are, and food as a primary need. So I bought got Ukrainians and got Russians been peeling potatoes been peeling carrots, we making one Borge at the end of the evening, we found out that there are more things down to the conference, to the country where you do not longer live. And you have a lot of things in common, but politics to to to be together to not be in a state of conflict. So,

Ian Arnold: 19:46

since we're talking about food and everything, what is your favorite home? Home country dish?

Kristina Ako: 19:54

Um, I stopped eating meat in 2017 So I have felt like I can tell you about home country dish before that it's, you know, I actually had a lamb. And I can tell you like the one right now, because I mean, once you stop eating meat, you discover a lot of other things that about the beans and greens and all the other things with the fruit that you can experiment. And you have. So this previously would be harsh llama. It's kind of like layers of lamb, and onions, and potatoes. And, you know, in the weather, like the meat and potatoes, a lot of finances a lot of spices, you can't eat some a cast iron, and it cooks without any water. So it's kind of all in its own juices. So that's, that would be that. And right now we'll be saying My favorite is Eggplant Caviar. It's a dish that vegetable dish, it's best if you have everything cut and prepared because it prepared on a very high flame. And very quickly, you have to mix it, you know. So you have different vegetables and the eggplant sedans. And it turns out, it's great. Hot. My American boyfriend for some reason wants it. And ma everyone else who I know from Russia, they prefer it as a cold appetizer.

Ian Arnold: 21:30

Okay, so something you may not know, Rick actually doesn't eat meat either. He stopped it years ago. Yeah. Stop years ago. So any recipes you have send them to him and his wife.

Kristina Ako: 21:45

To my cooking party, I have like last time I hit 75 People Wow, we had we had this time I kind of like made it without any theme. It was a musical one. I have a lady friend that I help to kind of get acquainted in the United States. She emigrated. She's Ukrainian, but she lived 34 years in Cuba. So she speaks fluent Spanish, and Russian and Ukrainian, you know, learning English, learning how to drive. So those are the challenges and her family that they have. But she's a great piano player. Absolutely hearing. And I found that one of my friends, she had a wonderful instrument and a wonderful kitchen in the same area. So that's that where we had it when she got fantastic house in Zionsville. And this is a you know, obviously to accommodate 75 people. And she was adamant about that. I'm not gonna use a disposable dishes. I haven't to serve to serve everyone. So we had a musical party. And that's why we you know, we had a great time. Awesome.

Rick Ripma: 22:56

Yeah. So, since we didn't get the phone number, your phone number, if anybody would like to get a hold of you call or text is 317-441-8752. Yeah, that's my mobile. That's your mobile 317-441-8752. Correct. All right. If you want to get ahold of me, and I got a HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com Or even give us call it 317-672-1938 31767 to 1938. All

Ian Arnold: 23:25

right. So we are basically got into what you do for fun, because it sounds like cooking, cooking is where it's at for you.

Kristina Ako: 23:31

It's kind of like everybody has to express themselves through art. Somebody paints somebody shows somebody.

Rick Ripma: 23:39

All right. So I see and he's a ballet. Yeah.

Kristina Ako: 23:43

I didn't come on. You look good. And

Ian Arnold: 23:47

don't tell my wife. All right. So we'll get into the question that week. And I'm actually really curious on this one. What was your first car?

Kristina Ako: 23:55

My first car was Eagle Premier. Oh, really? It had that it had a seat belt that going in and I have been stuck with this with the dead better so many times. And I was pregnant at the time and it was just such a pain. But we had two of them. Yeah, Eagle Premier.

Rick Ripma: 24:15

I'm sorry, because they were not very good cars.

Kristina Ako: 24:19

You have to buy American because, you know you come to America. You have to buy America. I

Rick Ripma: 24:27

was in the car business too. And I ran to a Jeep Eagle store. Yeah, we sold the eagle Premier. Yeah, it was not a very good

Ian Arnold: 24:33

car. Yeah, he didn't say that. When he sold them though. He was like this is the greatest car ever.

Kristina Ako: 24:38

I kind of like figured out that you know when I was at the Tom Wood and it was three lions that was sold Nissan Subaru, Volkswagen and you know, kind of, you know from the community. You know, you somebody knows that you work in a car business and they would come and do you would do you would expand your you You sell cars. And I had not an easy trajectory in that department. But I mean, you you in that perspective that you look at it and it's your income, whatever you sell this is actually one of the things between the car business and real estate it you have to learn a lot of patience because the car business boom you sold you get paid on here you sold you get paid sometimes in six months. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 25:29

Yeah, it's that's a hard transition, I felt the same thing. When I switched. I went to New home sales. And it's the same thing. It takes seven, you know, five months to build a house, right? So it took a long time.

Kristina Ako: 25:40

The cars it's always leasing. It's like always in the pipeline, the longer you stick to it, and you talk to the clients. I mean, I'm with you just you continue. Yes, monitoring that relationship for any note that you write your rights, even if it's printed from the dealership, damn happy anniversary, and whatever, like, obviously, but you have an opportunity to handwrite something personal, something that you discovered about these people and something that you remembered, and they would remember to. Yep,

Rick Ripma: 26:12

you know, I like the car business. I like mortgages a lot better. There's a lot of things that I didn't like about the car business. But I All in all, I enjoyed it. But I love cars. That's why you got all this car stuff around because I love cars. So I have all this car stuff.

Kristina Ako: 26:27

What do you think about the electric cars?

Rick Ripma: 26:30

I am, I would have an electric car. Except number one, they don't go far enough. And even though I just drive back and forth to work, if I want to go and drive somewhere, I don't want to have to worry about getting getting electric, you know, getting getting a charge. And I've heard some real big horror stories of pulling up to a charging station and there's no place to charge. And I guess they're not all regulated. So you can pull up and they're charging you ridiculous fees. That might but I love the power and the speed of an electric car. And I love and I don't know why they do this. They put all these beautiful computers and everything in electric car, huge screens, but they don't in a gas powered car. And I don't understand why there's no reason in my mind that they can't have that in any car. So I would have one and I will once they get to the point where they have enough, you can go far enough or you can charge quicker or something like that. My other issue with an electric car is we don't have enough electricity as it is. Right? California has rolling brownouts and we already have electrical shortages. If everybody ends up with electric cars, how are we going to charge them all?

Kristina Ako: 27:51

You forgot about disposing those expensive batteries. And

Rick Ripma: 27:55

it's really bad to make the batteries too.

Kristina Ako: 27:59

I mean, fewer marks with a set. I love cars, too. I mean, I'm more prone to German engineering, I went to Europe couple times pick up a BMW there on the European delivery after COVID They stopped it. I wanted to do their time. And from the electric standpoint, I would say last time I saw someone I was sitting in the car with other people and the driver was got Tesla is that oh, it's this computer doesn't work. I have to get out, lock the car, unlock the car. Got it. And then the and I'm like, man, it's the first time that I see that you work actually for your automobile, not your automobile is for you. And I'm not that for me this if I don't understand computers, there isn't there was a client that I had about like a seven series BMW and he had like this one this has got 700 Plus functions. And this is a drive and this is just a way that I can just turn it on I just tried it. I want to just the button that turns it all off. I just want to drive the car I want to hear the sound of the engine and this is for me why I would I drove electric car for like three months. Yeah. I mean, it's great. But there's no sound of the

Rick Ripma: 29:15

ancient Yeah, that's the other thing I don't like about

Kristina Ako: 29:17

him. It's like you want to have it's like you know you have that pedal and the feedback even if you liked the stick shift and there was another thing of a balance you have to think of but you doing something you participating in the drive, because with the self driving cars, I love when someone else is driving and I have an opportunity to do something on my phone or read the book. But if you behind the wheel, that's the thing that you do not like it's freedom You Don't Have you have you do not have a freedom if tomorrow you want to go to Chicago and back. You don't have that freedom. It's your car.

Rick Ripma: 29:56

Yeah, that was one of the things that drive me crazy. You know, the self driving cars you hit on, I love to drive. But I can't wait till they have good solid self driving cars, which I don't think is that far off now that they have AI, I think I think we're gonna get self driving cars, because we had to take my parents cars keys away, right? And I know that's what happens as you get older, I want to be able to get in the car, I don't care and say, take me here and it drives me there, that'll be a beautiful,

Kristina Ako: 30:26

it's gonna be the same like Alexa, Alexa, play this and it will be fine. Except

Rick Ripma: 30:31

for I can't remember her name.

Ian Arnold: 30:36

No, I mean, I love electric cars. I mean, I even drive a hybrid myself and

Rick Ripma: 30:40

my wife has a Hybrid Hybrid is different. I have a hybrid and a heartbeat, I don't have a hybrid,

Ian Arnold: 30:44

but I will say it's at the infancy of it. I mean, I think up until Tesla's the, you can only go roughly 80 to 100 miles. Now Tesla changed it and they got higher. So now other companies are trying to beat them. But it's still at the it's basically at the infancy stage. I mean, you give it another 2030 years to see where we could be, would be a game changer. But it's a big difference. Like you said, though, when you're talking about the sound, because even even now, even your BMW, your newer Mercedes, they all have auto shutoff. And if you pull up to a stop sign, and it automatically shuts off, everybody thinks their car stalled, if they're not used to it. And sometimes like, we also have cars and Rick did, I did. And you'd have to tell people look, it has an auto so you can turn this on and off. If not, they're like some happened to the car. It's just you gotta get accustomed to some of the newer stuff.

Kristina Ako: 31:42

It's the same thing with the riously differential man, they have all this dynamic stability. But you can turn it off if it's really slippery, and you know how to drive it. Because this is kind of like a training will for just in case if you slip just in case if you get on blockers, this is something for you to do. No one can pump your brakes eating times percent, only ABS would. But the only way you can do it. If it's sliding ice, the only way to do it is to downshift. That's how you slow you don't do the brakes, you downshift. And that's you know, it's all about you as a driver, and all about the weather conditions that, you know, they're that you know, I have loved driving in Europe. And I love how here it is not aggressive and everybody driving the lane and 95% of people obey the rules.

Ian Arnold: 32:42

She hasn't been on for 65 How long have you lived here and you have no 465

Kristina Ako: 32:47

I'm just not an aggressive driver used. It took a couple of race courses me the way Ohio and Las Vegas in this. You know, when they put like a then I realized with helmets hair is because there was no way to pull up. I mean, the helmet. There's no way to do the ponytail. And so you have to do this. And helmet hair and it's all squished in here. It's just

Ian Arnold: 33:09

Yeah, Rick has. Rick has that issue.

Rick Ripma: 33:11

I don't have that issue. I haven't had that issue in years, many many years. So let's get back to real estate a little bit. What would you say your superpower or superpowers are as it comes to real estate?

Kristina Ako: 33:26

I think most of my persona is about discovering what this person's real needs are and that typically goes through the conversation not right away. But with time my ability to see things through not that you closing in separate rooms you this transaction and every month the selling side the buying side the agents the title, the mortgage, all of this billions of billions of dollars industries that around real estate, they all happy and they all add the closing table they all think they gotta do deal. So

Rick Ripma: 34:19

yeah, I just the closing is an interesting time. I've done I've been to I don't know how many closings because I went to every closing when I sold new homes. And I've been to just probably 1000s of closings. I've only had one where the the seller and buyer couldn't be in the same room.

Kristina Ako: 34:38

No, that's a good ratio. You know how in the car business, she's talked to 10 people. If you sell two or three, that's great if you sell to seven, you this. So in real estate the when it comes to averages, you know, I've seen people trying to sell you how 100 people that you call, and only three of them that you close that your closing ratio is 3% out of 100. So I think if you aren't in a position that you understand that this is nothing you can do, those are unresolved issues with their way out. That's right. This is not something that you can you know, schmooze over No, no. So close the different rooms. Yeah. All

Ian Arnold: 35:30

right. So I got a question. I'm kind of curious. You may not know the answer. And if you don't, it's okay. But we've had a lot of people that have either moved from Mexico to here to sell real estate, we've had people from the Middle East and everything. But is there a difference in the way real estate is done? Over there, compared to here? Very

Kristina Ako: 35:50

much. So. The couple of things, just from the perspective, I mean, I know our Maria, our title company had like a PowerPoint presentation about all kinds of Notary Public stamps, and everything has to look so legit. And they just like they're not. So a lot of things, how they done. I mean, of course, if you're not gonna grease the wheel, it's gonna help. So anything tried to push the commercial hood stove or something else without bribing the inspector. But that's not how it is here. And so here are none. There is a certain process, there's a procedure, yes, sometimes you can bend the rules a little bit to, to move to move it forward. But you are not in a position that you do not feel unsafe. I mean, you know, many years ago, man, a friend of mine, when I told her that I got into real estate, like in 2005. And she said, You know what I do? First time that I interview a client in Moscow like they weren't because they didn't have a partaker, which is the same as Spanish mortgage. They didn't have it at the time. So all the transactions are cash. And Moscow, the prices like in New York, she said, the first thing I asked is, if they have a piece of paper from, you know, from the doctor that they seen that I'm not kidding, they go through the transaction. So from imagine this conversation here, Hello, how are you then this? I just want to make sure you're not crazy. We started doing the paperwork. That's it's very different. Well,

Rick Ripma: 37:47

thank you. They want to make sure they're rich to

Ian Arnold: 37:51

you can't be crazy. So how did you get going? I mean, I know did you just use your client base off of selling cars? Or did you try to promote yourself? How'd you fully get going?

Kristina Ako: 38:06

I I remember that when I was in the car business. You know, in Indiana, it's forbidden by the end of the law to sell the cars on Sunday. And I remember that every time that I drove by there was people walking around the cars and, you know, talking to people, and that's how I would say, in real estate because I jumped into real estate because the market was like right now. It's like stagnant, it was stagnant. But transaction and transaction I realize that in cars are depreciating assets. Yes, they are. I mean, except sound collected. Right?

Rick Ripma: 38:52

Yeah, collectible. Cars are different homes

Kristina Ako: 38:54

are not like that. It's real estate. This is something you invest in, you would hope and most of the cases to get your money back while son right. And we've been in fluctuating market. And it's not like it was during the COVID times. But that's what I think in many cases, help us to go through with it because I'm so busy. It was just extremely busy. During that time. I'm glad that we were considered valuable enough that we're allowed to travel. Because, I mean, the way we were like really doing doing stuff and making it happen. And one of the things we were talking about the closing during that time I realized that even if you making money, but you're not getting that emotional part of because it was all one, it was remote. It was completely remote. So you do not have that plan that says do because for people who are extroverts. It's an important part of what They do. I mean, download signs. Yeah, of course. But the personal attachment, the agenda for the years to come, you know, the you see the kids being born, you see the kids go to college. I mean, it's, it could generate professional. I know when somebody's like home real estate. It's such, like a real estate is like life. I mean, it's somebody's always getting married, somebody's always getting a divorce. Somebody's parents are dying, somebody's having a baby. And I mean, like cooking party, I get to see all of this circle of life. And each that people move away, you know, you know, you you lose friends, you know, to the grave. I mean, what do you do you continue?

Ian Arnold: 40:44

No, I think it's, to be honest with you, we've done 150 of these shows, I think, your story of how you bring people in to just cook for him. And you guys cook together and everything. It's, it's phenomenal. I've never heard of another person doing that. I've heard of, oh, we give out pies, or we do this, but not, hey, I might have 70 people over, let's get together. Let's all cook. So yeah,

Kristina Ako: 41:09

I think it's fun event you guys should come.

Ian Arnold: 41:13

So now I know you probably have some good stories. So I want to hear a good one. What do you consider one of your most memorable deals or transactions.

Kristina Ako: 41:23

I had a gentleman immigrating. And he asked his friend who lives here, to put a deposit on the house that you choose over video, internet. So we were showing that. At that time, he had a problem of getting here, these as money transfers all of this. And we had an agent on the on the other side of the transaction that every time that I asked for extension, they gave it to us and in there six months, six months extension, and this is existing home that I knew. And then after the deal was closed, like you know, between us girls, after that we went because it was really difficult transaction. And I knew the agent really well. She said you would not believe because I mean, the reason we while we were struggling to get the stump, actually, the lady who was selling the house had no idea where her husband is because he left with the cleaning lady some way in the city and she had no idea. Wow. So she could not go through the transaction. So within the six months, at least somehow, through the attorneys, and this they found, and that was kind of like kind of like it worked out for both

Ian Arnold: 42:51

sides. Yeah. Yeah. You don't see a six month wait gap workout for both sides. That is crazy. That

Rick Ripma: 42:57

was unusual. But things do tend to workout. I don't know why, but they do tend to work out. And

Kristina Ako: 43:04

some call it Providence, some believe in God or universe. But most of the things if you do the proper way and you go, you follow only your own path. You don't look who makes pies, or do you don't do what I did. You just do what you do.

Rick Ripma: 43:22

All right, I'm not gonna have a cooking thing because I can't cook. I can't eat I'm No, I can't. Can you clean dishes? Yeah, that I can do. I can clean that I can do

Ian Arnold: 43:36

Honohan let's call his wife to find out how to play

Rick Ripma: 43:39

I said I can.

Kristina Ako: 43:41

It's like everyone who comes to my cooking party is not everybody loves to cook. But everyone comes with the understanding that this is an expense that I do in my event and everybody tries to help.

Rick Ripma: 43:55

Which is good. It also makes it good. When you're helping out. There's more camaraderie. You get to know each other better.

Kristina Ako: 44:02

Yeah. And you accomplish something together. Yes. I mean, in that case, it was more of a instant gratification because that's a dish. You make it you ate it. Boom. You got it. I mean, maybe some years later, you remember it fondly,

Ian Arnold: 44:17

right? You ever ran out of food?

Kristina Ako: 44:20

No, no, I have. This is one of the things that growing up in the environment where everything is scars. So I have a tendency to over prepare and over then and then at the time when there's so much food is like okay, you're taking it home and then tomorrow, this person is going to eat lunch and think good thoughts about me because some dishes like borscht it's better for the second day with all the flavors of together. There's a lot of

Ian Arnold: 44:47

food that's better the second day. I would disagree with that statement, but there's a lot there's a few like Chili Chili is good and better. The

Rick Ripma: 44:55

second day most of the time. Pizza Pizza, the bread and cheese. Yeah, but I oven cook it, I don't microwave it. Don't microwave it. It makes it soggy. That's my cooking.

Kristina Ako: 45:08

Think about it illegally. The first time I tried pizza and they brought it to me and there was the thread that was like burned. And there was the tomatoes that swimming in some sort of I thought it would maybe Greece but it ended up water. And I'm like, It's not appetizing. Okay. And then I'll eat it and they do it. I mean, this is just amazing. They put happiness in that pasta, how they did something else.

Ian Arnold: 45:35

It is crazy when you actually go somewhere else. And you see how we basically I say Americanized certain foods. So you go over there like you said, the pizza is completely different. I mean, it's not the way that we envisioned when we ordered from Papa John's

Kristina Ako: 45:50

pizza, different pasta different all these drinks that you have over here. You take sprite at 64 grams of sugar over there. It's 10 Why can you bring Italian sprite to Indiana? No, we can. It's only 10 It's only 10 that's in there. But I took a cooking class though because I'm in okay. Like why not? But I always learn and I mean this girl. Like, uh, my name is Elijah. Yeah, you take one on young man, Kara, one salary. I mean, she was hilarious. And she taught me how to do last cooking party, she taught me how to do tiramisu. And with the tiramisu with everyone from scratch, it was really awesome. Yeah, that was. That was it was fantastic.

Ian Arnold: 46:34

All right, so I want your parties to go from 70 people to over 100. So what is the best way somebody get in touch with you about talking about real estate,

Kristina Ako: 46:43

I do have a Facebook page, it's called you never know what's cooking party. So that's a Facebook page. And, you know, you never know what's good, the best way to do it, is just to friend the page. And then when I posted show up,

Rick Ripma: 47:02

that's awesome. You don't need to know how many people are coming. Now

Kristina Ako: 47:06

I typically over prepare. I mean, the lot that you know, I typically have, you can you know when it comes from the child's foot when there is some sort of a scar city, and then you go to the store, and there's nothing on the shelves, but you still have a family to feed. So because of that everybody have connection somewhere. And then you see a butter and there's a okay, there's 20 kilos, 40 pounds, let's have all of it. And then I give so much to your mind. And I give so much to my mom, I give so much. And that's how with everything. So you go to people's homes, and they have everything and abundance, and then some for the guests and case they will come they will have a perfect chocolates and everything else. But you will never see them in the store. So because of that mentality that you have to have extra. I mean, I live to my almost 54 years and have that. What if I will not be enough? What if they will catch me unprepared? So I would prepare with some over because I know that if the food will get cooked, then I know I can send it home with people and they will finish it with the leftovers. And there'll be what I wanted to tell you when I was in India, they have a belief that they cook the food that Gods bless the food. And then they eat it with an hour and a half. And I'm like, Yeah, tried to solve this to my girlfriends. And they prepare the foods for a week for them and for the kids and for the launches. I mean, I mean,

Ian Arnold: 48:40

just when I was in the car business a lot, a couple of the owners were Arabic and I mean different countries. I mean, it's interesting how you can one brother is born here. One brother is born here one brother, I mean, it's weird, but that's another that's not the US so, but like they sit down on the floor, and they eat with their hands, they don't use utensils. They don't they just grab it and they just start eating. And it's like it'd be a cold culture shock from us where we're like, oh, we order our own portion. No, no, it comes out a big family platter here.

Kristina Ako: 49:13

You see a lot of dishes you said Arabic Uzbekistan it's close to the side so a lot of dishes like made with rice and the way the rice imagine this is a plate and this is a rice typically what it does is cook you have this out this 123 And then from here you kind of push it in your mouth because it's all perfectly cooked. It's not like carta is like every race is different and it sticks together. So and then the the hands utensils even though you don't know where they were with your hands. You can wash it. Yep. You know exactly what your hands have been. So you can eat with him. And for him. It's like, we'll be going sushi and how you take the how you take that and you eat with the chopsticks. If it's the same skill, you just learn it. But eating together having that family from the same plate is like, I don't know sleeping with somebody, you have to really trust the person to fall asleep right next to them eating with someone, you have to really have like all of it meal prepared, you're prepared, bless the hands. And you sit together just trust each other enough to reach out with your hands and eat the food. So that's a culture.

Rick Ripma: 50:26

Yeah, it is a culture because I couldn't do it. All the Christina got call 317-441-8752 or you can text that number 317-441-8752 You can learn about cooking or real estate. And to get a hold of Ian or I go to HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com Or give us a call at 317-672-1938 It's 317-672-1938. And follow us for more indies real estate gurus

Ian Arnold: 50:57

and reminder if you have any friends, family, coworkers looking to buy sell, refinance, let us know we'll be more than happy to help you. Christina, thank you for coming on. It's been a pleasure having you on. Absolutely. Pleasure. Thank you. Yeah, we look forward to the recipes here shortly.

Announcer: 51:13

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