Guru Ryan Radecki with Highgarden Real Estate

Rick Ripma: 0:00

Welcome to Indy's Real Estate Gurus. I'm Rick Ripma, your hard work and mortgage guy and I've been in real estate and mortgages for over 34 years. But Tim and I believe in custom tailored loans, not a one size fits all approach. We believe there is the right mortgage for you. And we believe we are the team to deliver it.

Ian Arnold: 0:14

And I'm, Ian Arnold, part of Rick's hard working mortgage team. I've been in the financial industry for 15 years helping customers rebuild their credit, get the best possible interest rate, I also have a passion helping you secure your overall real estate dreams. And if you're anything like me, pay your home off even faster.

Rick Ripma: 0:30

And if you have any real estate questions on India's real estate, of course, or you would like information on mortgages give in and Ian or I can't talk either I call 31767 to 1938 31767 to 1938 or you can go online at HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com and today we have Ryan and Ryan, how do you pronounce your last name? redacted, redacted? rudaki? You know, that's what I believe. And I looked, I thought I think that's how it is. But but if I think is that way I was I'm almost always wrong. I've

Ryan Radecki: 1:04

heard a lot worse. Thank you very much. Me

Rick Ripma: 1:06

too. I mean, I got I got a letter one time it was to wick Whitmer. How'd you like that? That's That's pretty impressive. Ryan, what did you you've been in real estate for how long?

Ryan Radecki: 1:23

If you count working for a builder? almost 20 years? All right.

Rick Ripma: 1:26

20 years? Yeah. And so before real estate? Can you tell us about that? What do you do? Where'd you grow up?

Ryan Radecki: 1:32

Sure. I grew up in South Bend, Indiana, oldest of three children, first one to graduate college and my family's proud of that. Didn't know just like a lot of kids today didn't know exactly what I wanted to do. So went to junior college outside of South Bend called Holy Cross. And then what's pretty University got a psych degree there, and jumped into social work for a year, which at the time was paying $18,000 A year and some big money. But looking back where I am today was the best thing that ever happened to me because it taught me a lot of life skills. It taught me $18,000 doesn't go very far. Especially, especially with a young family at the time and so forth and being married. So became a lot of experience worked with mentally ill adults. And just started realize that there was no I had to do more. And so I always had a passion for in high school working hard jobs, worked at UPS, sold, sold. treadmills and paint and so forth at Sears, okay, and we had to sell certain maintenance agreements, they were calling them and then all of a sudden, I did really well at that, and they take you out for dinner and like, wow, this is kind of neat. And so kind of just just kind of passionate, planted the seed for Hey, maybe I'll be alright. And sales. The only thing that always knocked me down from that is that I was a man of two words. Very, very quiet kid, you know, people. I remember holding my mom's hand and people would ask me a question. It'd be one word answer one word answer, you know. And so that's one thing I didn't like about myself. And I just wanted to expand and try that. So. So anyway, actually met my wife in South Bend as well. We worked at the same grocery store in high school, okay. And she had her stuff together. From day one. She's the smartest person I know. And she wasn't, she's a nurse. And she had a solid, solid career. And we were talking one night and just thinking about, well, maybe we should, you know, I just like I'd like to move out of here. I went to Purdue and got out of South Bend and like to see what Indianapolis is all about. So on a whim, I basically went down there, dressed up in a suit, and just started walking into places and like, Hey, are you hiring blah, blah, blah. And I just happened, like the second place, I stopped to walk into a local security alarm system place called setting the alarm. Okay. And there was a six, seven main operation. They walked in, like, Who the heck is this guy? Just casual, you know, like, and hit it off with the boss, the sales rep. He's like, Yeah, you're hired. If you want to start tomorrow, I bam. Okay, so I called my wife all excited. But also nervous can be because I'm like, wait a minute, where am I gonna live? And what am I going to do so? So I ended up getting an apartment off in Casselton I think Castle Creek is name of the place Oh, yeah. First one in there. I had to talk the manager into unasyn Before literally the first person to move in there like a week and a half before certificate of occupancy or whatever. So it's, it's our living down there. Wife, of course, join me and started taking off with this company was you know, in home visits, you'd go out and and bid on jobs, talk about security and so forth. And when I've heard on your show a couple of times fake it till you make it Well, I remember just not knowing anything, but like, I just got to start conversations, whatever. And I'd listen to like, Brian Tracy tapes and in the car like you're So you're the best and walk in there. And next thing I know and start getting signed agreements and, and gaining confidence and, and I've really liked the interaction of just one on one or a couple in front of you versus bigger sub. So did that very for almost five and a half, six years. My one of my bosses at the time challenged me to call on a build our Pulte Homes at the time, which was to gain big time market share. He said, I've struggled for 10 years to get their business or even pick up the phone and challenge you to do it. At first, I was like, oh, yeah, great. This is this, this is gonna be. So I got I went up the ladder got got a hold of the General Manager of polti. And who's the guy to talk to you? His name was Michael MAGAZI. I'll never forget. He's like, okay, so I called at least once a week for probably a year, never picks up, leave message after message. Finally, the following month of the first year, he picks up and I froze. For 20 seconds. I didn't know what to say. Like, he kept saying, Hello, Mike. And I don't know what I said. I just stumbled on Mike told him who I worked for. He goes, Hey, I appreciate the call. I know you've been calling. You know, some changes, we'll let you know. But just stay in touch. I was like, okay. So instead of just letting it go. I said, Well, I'm not going to call them every week to upset him. But let me try it two times a week. And so I did that for the next six months. And finally, he called me and said, Hey, is your offer still stand me up? And again, I frozen my phone again. Absolutely. And I'm in got my boss involved. And anyway, we landed that account. And I was very excited. Long story short, didn't get some of the promises that was made and started to, to think about something else. But as I was doing, so I met a couple of builder reps that worked for polti. And they said, Hey, Ryan, man, you would you'd kill it New Home Sales, you would you would absolutely kill it. I'm like, I don't know. I mean, it's it's sounds like a very daunting and there's no guarantees, right? Right. Like, no, no, there's no, there's no guaranteed income. And like, do you guys have to work every weekend? And he's like, yeah, like, oh, and I'm just like, in the back of my mind, because I'm a big sports fan. And I love college football, for example. And I'm like, how am I have to sacrifice every weekend and so so anyway, after a long deliberation, I finally gained the courage to do it. And basically jumped into working for a production builder. Beazer Homes locally, there on the national level, but, but did very well. And finally just got to the point of being, I guess, burned out, so to speak of working all those weekends and nights out. That decided jump over to full time real estate.

Rick Ripma: 7:48

Yeah, I was a new home sales also. Okay. And I know that that it seems like in from New Home Sales, you either become a real estate agent or you get in the mortgage business. You learn so much about both of them, that you do one of the two, it seems like that's, that's that's an amazing story. Yeah. And so then you then you, then you moved over to Real Estate and moving into into real estate, which is kind of funny, because you said Well, wait a minute, new home sales, there's no guarantees. It's 100%. Commission. It's even, I mean, real estate's even more 100% Commission, right. I mean, if it can be sure.

Ryan Radecki: 8:26

Yeah, I mean, I've looked back, it's 20 years now, and I have a guaranteed paycheck. And so it's part of my DNA, though, now to risk taker, I love to gamble, and your gamble on yourself every day in this business? I mean, there's no, which is part of that part of the draw, I think, what kind of gets you going? Or at least how did you get going? Well, made a lot of great relationships working for that builder. You know, you treat people right, and they, they typically will be loyal to you. And so, took a lot of notes remembered a lot of names, there was hundreds of people, I've come in contact with that I wish I would have stayed in contact, right. But there was plenty that I did and at any kind of panned out. So as soon as I flipped over to this side of the fence, I reached out to a lot of those people and they just, I just start started zooming started doing some online leads as well, but just just having a foundation of good relationships up front. Besides because most of my family and friends were still up in South Bend, so didn't have a huge spear yet at the time.

Ian Arnold: 9:26

So I gotta ask so you said since you were a quiet one guest art, how did you break out of the mold to be able to like literally walk into companies be like, hey, look, are you hiring just off the whim? Yeah.

Ryan Radecki: 9:40

I think part of it. Part of it stemmed that. I just didn't want to. I wanted to be something different. I was tired of being a quiet guy in the sense that I remember my success working in high school at Sears is I've had to have good conversations and wow, it's That's so bad to talk to someone and talk, you know? And so it's like, why can't I be that person, you know, I can to try to expand myself. And so I just naturally gain the confidence with that. And then when I jumped over the builder side, I remember my first meeting with three other, there were three other people in my hiring class. And one of the guys there, he literally talked for 45 minutes about himself. And then we I said, maybe, I don't know, a couple paragraphs, whatever, and we got done. He's like, I heard him talking. This other guy's like, this guy's never gonna make it. He's, he's he, you know. And in the back of my mind, I was like, Okay, we'll say that she was gonna make it, he made it, but he's not doing this business anymore. So, and I really did well, beating him, and sales wise, when it came to volume, and so forth. So it's always that one person that's going to fuel you, I guess, I guess I'll be thankful.

Rick Ripma: 10:57

You know, it is interesting, though, because people, people think that a salesperson is that gift of gab person. And I, I've been in sales a long time you've been in sales a long time. I don't notice that. That's really what not that not a gift of gab person can't succeed. But I find that the person who is a little more reserved, actually does a lot better, because they're better at leading a conversation and directing it not leading directing a conversation, as opposed to just talking like that guy talked 45 minutes about himself right. Now, I don't know about you, but when I go and talk to somebody, and if they're gonna just sit there and talk about themselves the whole time, right? Not all that interested in working with them? Are you

Ryan Radecki: 11:45

zoning out? Yeah, no, I agree. I mean, I have found that people really adore different slides. And if you if you stand out in a way that you truly care, that you they know you're listening, they know you're focused on on what they want and need. And just to hear them out. It's hard to find those type of people in any type of business now, so. So yeah, I'm still not one of those people to talk about myself for 45 minutes. But But I, I believe listening in truly advising based on what you hear back can can really, you know, expand on the fact that you stand out that way, because so many so many salespeople, at least I come in contact with with different fields as I try to hire out. It's never fails. There's always one that that's all. It's all about them. They didn't hear what I said. And so, yeah, I think people want to be listened to,

Rick Ripma: 12:44

I think, and I think that's why somebody who's quieter actually can be much more successful than the person who talks all the time. Because I my, my life was similar to yours. I actually got into bartending, because to get out of my shell, and I knew I needed to just like you did, you knew we, you know, we knew we needed to do something. So I got into i bartended for a while. And it got me out of my shell. And it was safe because I was behind the bar. You know what, like waiting tables, it just felt safe to me. So yeah, I get what you're saying. It's exactly I see. That's exactly what I did. And it works. I want to tell that because I think it matters to people who might be listening who may be thinking about getting into sales, and they think, oh, maybe I'm not, maybe I'm not cut out for it. It isn't the I don't think it's the typical, the typical idea that most people have of a salesperson.

Ryan Radecki: 13:32

I agree. I mean, one of the beauties of our industry is that many personalities can succeed. Yes, it's not just that the loudest guy in the room or the guy that doesn't say anything, and there's many different many different profiles that people can succeed in this business. You just have to have the confidence that you're gonna be able to do it and learn from it.

Ian Arnold: 13:50

Well, I want you to be able to talk to people and work on this and improve talking more and more so how would somebody get in contact with you where they're looking to buy or sell?

Ryan Radecki: 14:00

Definitely my cell phone 31775258263177525826 texting or phone? I do I still pick up the phone Believe it or not, but I'll text you within a minute or faster to Well, yeah,

Rick Ripma: 14:16

awesome. So so your are you with what what company are you actually are you with?

Ryan Radecki: 14:23

Highgarden real estate Highgarden real estate and your group is ridicu real ticker redacting really, which is a really big group of two people

Rick Ripma: 14:30

do people but you've been together and while yes,

Ryan Radecki: 14:34

yeah, Angela line is my team member actually worked with or met her in the in new home construction business, and went after her shortly after being a year, year, year and a half into this business to work with me. When I first started getting hired, they're like, Hey, you're gonna take off you're gonna need some help. And so I'm very selective on people I work with or represent my brand and Angela has always been a perfect representation of When I want to be

Rick Ripma: 15:01

awesome, so are you still I know you are a little bit you find the right right person. Yeah,

Ryan Radecki: 15:07

yeah, absolutely always looking to grow. Tons of people came to me about hey, you need to have 10 and buyer's agents and blah blah blah and I'm the one of the weird people that still like to show homes and still like to meet sellers and I know a lot of people it's it's it's not like that but for me, I still genuinely love it so, so yeah, I want to grow but not to the point where I'm not in the day in and day grind.

Rick Ripma: 15:31

Right? You want to do the thing you'd like to do, which is meet with people for sure. Yeah, it's got Are you kind of amazed that that's what you're like, since you work so quiet. Yeah,

Ryan Radecki: 15:39

I think I've I think I'm just catching up from all day. Quietness back.

Rick Ripma: 15:44

It's kind of amazing. And to get a hold of her I go to HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com Or you can call 317-672-1938. That's 31767 to 1938. And thanks for joining in these real estate gurus. The gurus we interview share valuable insights they reveal their strengths, personalities and how the work for you. Well, we hardworking mortgage guys secure your best mortgage real estate gurus work hard to they avoid problems the amateurs don't see. They listen. And they find that unrealized opportunities if you're buying or selling a home or real estate guru is a valuable asset. If you've been thinking of buying or selling a home, keep listening and definitely call one of India's real estate gurus.

Ian Arnold: 16:24

All right, so we're gonna take a sidestep off real estate, we're gonna get to know you a little bit more. Sure. So I got to take away your phone for 24 hours. So you can't work so only your coworking work for you. Okay. All right. But what do we catch you doing for fun?

Ryan Radecki: 16:38

Well, when the weather's nice, like today, you'll find me on the golf course. Probably yelling at my clubs. But I love to play golf clubs. Yeah. Love to spend time with my family. As I mentioned earlier, I'm a big sports fan. So you know, college football, golf, NFL, you name it. I've always had a passion for sports. So that's that's pretty much that's pretty much where you're fine, man.

Ian Arnold: 17:05

Yep, so does your wife because I love sports too. So as soon as I get home usually sports are on Yeah, I don't care if it right now. Right now is a lot of what is the tiddlywinks? Yeah, totally. of preseason. No. What is it? The I can't draw on a blank? No. The new game. All these old people are playing pickleball pickleball. Pickleball is all over ESPN now. Yeah. Yeah. So NBA no summer, nobody really watches baseball. So. But does your wife be like, are you done? Can we watch something else?

Ryan Radecki: 17:40

She's definitely got better. early in our marriage. Yeah, it's a little confrontational. Like, oh, is this all you're gonna do? And, but she gives me a lot of space. And you know, but we, you know, we it's within reason, and we like spending time together. So it just works out and our kids are, are older now. They're, you know, 21 and 24. So, so it's not the same as taking them to ball games and stuff like that. And as they used to. So what teams Well, of course being from South Bend, no big Notre Dame fan.

Rick Ripma: 18:10

We were happy this weekend. Yes. The big blowout.

Ryan Radecki: 18:14

I'm one of the baby. I quickly found moving down here you either love Renard or hate and art and so yeah, growing up two blocks away from our stadium here in the band play every every week kind of gets to go on so NFL I'm a big Cleveland fan Browns fan. I'm sorry. Yeah, no it's it's painful. This it'd been a Cleveland sports fan is painful. But you know, Colts are gonna have some pain here shortly here too. But, and then, you know just about anything. Really got in the PGA this year watching misfits I like to play golf so it's been fun to watch a lot of those guys just kill it.

Ian Arnold: 18:52

So where do you play it mostly around here?

Ryan Radecki: 18:56

I like to play all over I don't I'm not just a standard core scam and bear slide is probably my favorite up in Cicero. But trophy club in Lebanon. You know Eagle Creek is a public horse but as two different courses out there just about all over I even go down south quite a bit. Even living on the north side. So there's a beautiful thing about any there's so many nice golf courses, so many different opportunities to never get bored if you like golf. So

Rick Ripma: 19:22

I'm not a sports fan. But my wife was a huge Notre Dame fan else. Okay, so she watched the Notre Dame game yeah, I went for a bike ride. I understand that all kinds of other stuff. But she we had the opposite problem of you and your wife. My wife's a sports fan and I'm not so she always wants to sit watch the sports. Like I want to go do something. So I go do something she's watching her sports. That's kind of weird.

Ryan Radecki: 19:48

That's like that. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 19:50

So what what is your would you say your superpower superpowers are?

Ryan Radecki: 19:57

I would say one of my old Boss is working for the builder, he used to call me a chameleon. Because I, I can adapt to many different personalities. You know, the engineering guy that wants to look at, you know, the floor plan 50 different ways 500 different times, like, I can dive into that and, and do that I think the people that are in sales, like, like me that like, hey, the easiest sale, no book, just what do I need to sign? Yeah, right. So I can move as fast or as slow as you want. But, but that would be one, listening is always been a big skill. And hopefully my wife's not listening. She will disagree, based on our conversations, but but listening, for whatever reason is been a quality that I have possessed well, when I'm focused on doing so. And when I want the client, I'm with the client. I see being on the other side of the fence working for the builder, I used to watch agents come in and out of my model that were truly engaged with their clients and those that weren't. And I think that helped me take off earlier to have like, okay, if I'm going to be truly working with someone, I need to be truly will be working with someone and just along for the ride. So

Ian Arnold: 21:05

I think you're missing one though. resilience to call somebody every week. Yeah, for 52 weeks. Right? I mean, we've been been in the business where you got to call people. That's a tough thing to do, especially when you get answering machine after answering machine after engine machine, but you keep it up.

Ryan Radecki: 21:22

True. And that'll be a story I can tell for a long, long time. And it's it was ended well. It's it's tough to cold call. I mean, we in this business. No, I haven't really met anybody. It's like doing cartwheels about cold calling. But looking back, I mean, it just gained a discipline and, and persistence to achieve something you wanted to achieve. And I really want it for whatever reason to impress the heck out of my boss that we got the account.

Rick Ripma: 21:51

Yeah, when he couldn't

Ryan Radecki: 21:54

begin but so yeah, it's that was that was a great memory.

Rick Ripma: 21:57

Yeah. So persistence is what you said.

Ian Arnold: 22:00

Assistance is that's probably what I meant. Yeah.

Ryan Radecki: 22:03

Persistence beats resistance. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 22:06

Yeah, I know and it but it's a hard like you said it's hard to do. It's hard to call that week after week after week. Even though there is going to voicemail. See, for me, it's easy. If I think it's gonna go to voicemail. It's an easy call I make we make a lot of calls. So it's just an easy call. Yeah, go into voicemail. And like you said, and they pick up you don't know what to do.

Ryan Radecki: 22:26

Um, back then we didn't have texting I remember was the Nextel phone. So we had to push to talk stuff, but I mean, yeah, just. I'm sure he had to leave a few times. But yeah, I'm glad he picked up on time. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 22:38

Well, he picked up Friday, because I saw He saw you kept calling and calling and calling. Yeah. I think it makes a difference. Yeah, I'm

Ian Arnold: 22:45

surprised he didn't go after 52 calls. You just want to come work here. I need to call her like you

Rick Ripma: 22:51

didn't go to work at polti. Yeah.

Ryan Radecki: 22:54

Well, they actually didn't have a spot for me at the time. So the main manager called Beezer, and talked to the visa manager than Oh, really said, hey, you need to talk to this guy. Because I really wanted to work for polti After talking to the reps, but they didn't at the time, they were completely full. But I think I think it was Stacey Gillan that reached out to someone a visa. And that got me into the interview room. Elisa,

Rick Ripma: 23:20

I'm just shocked because I was when I was in. I mean, I was with the Estridge companies. And I spent many years on the you know, in the model, but then I was I was vice president sales when I left. And I mean, if you found a good person, it didn't matter. You figured it out. Right. That's That's what surprised them. Empathy is a great builder. Yeah. You know, they're, they're a they're a force for sure.

Ryan Radecki: 23:46

For sure. But it worked at home when I was working in Vizio. Did you really? Yeah. Yeah, it did. It did. And, you know, looking back, I wouldn't change the thing.

Rick Ripma: 23:56

Yeah. Awesome. Yeah. It's just really important. So what's what's something that you're very proud of in your business right now?

Ryan Radecki: 24:06

I would have to say that, that I've made it, you know, looking back I, like, wow. When I was working for the builder, I'm like, you know, this is awesome. I'm doing really well. I'm making good money. I'd like to, I'm curious on what these real estate agents do. Because they just come and go, they're, you know, they're not sitting at a desk like me, they're not working 12 hours a day, in my mind. Come to find out that's a whole different story. But But, but not only when I say make it just being a reputable name now in the real estate world and, and looking at sales numbers and so forth, just hanging in there. I'll never, never going to be the best. But at the same time, I'm in the conversation, which to me is very proud of I mean, especially not growing up here. And being from South Bend, I think. I think that's a great, a great accomplishment.

Rick Ripma: 24:57

It is a great accomplishment and it's It's a, it's a big deal in real estate just to get past, like five years, right? And so, you know, as soon as you said that they're going Yeah, yeah, you've you've made the password 90% of the people have failed, probably more than that 95% have failed. They couldn't make it. So that's a huge, huge deal. And not only have you made it, you're doing phenomenally well. Yes, they know. So for, you know, we know, we look at numbers before we have people on your guru, you know, in our minds, you're, you're you're one of the top people. So it's a, it's phenomenal. Yeah, thank you for that.

Ian Arnold: 25:37

So I do like to ask you somewhat hinted at it. So when you were talking about that, the hours you put in? So what is some of the misconceptions that customers don't that have over real estate agents?

Ryan Radecki: 25:51

Well, I think most people think that we show them houses, then go home and do nothing, and then show up at the closing. Which is definitely not the case. And most people I come in contact with, that's not the case. But I think a lot of people as a whole they watch HGTV, for example. Or just don't realize that not only do we do a lot of work behind the scenes, but the stresses that we have to you know, inherit, so to speak with our to keep everything afloat. A lot of people will give me feedback that man you stay calm all the time, you know, you never show emotion as in like, I was so mad and but yet you are great sounding board and so. So just absorbing like, hey, a bad appraisal just came in or this inspection is terrible, you know, just absorbing that and being being an advocate, that is a calming influence that will truly educate. On my Hey, maybe, you know, you probably shouldn't walk away because of a GFCI issue. Yeah. Right. Yes. Even though your inspectors scare the heck out of you about it. It just, you know, I think we and we, we don't just we don't sit in an office all day. But it's hard. You know, it's hard to not turn it off to I mean, I sometimes I'll get text at 11 o'clock at night now. I used to respond to those throughout after time, you know, like, you know, what, it's not good for anyone to respond to a text after, you know, by midnight. So what I do to get back at people now I text him at 530. When I say good morning, how are you? Know, but I just haven't balanced and, you know, so I think the good agents truly hustle. And they're, they're truly looking out for their client. They're not just sitting, you know, sitting by the phone waiting for the phone rang. So just respecting that. Yeah,

Rick Ripma: 27:33

there's a lot of work there. There's a lot of work behind the scenes, it's like, you know, sending in a model, you see the agents walk in, and it does appear that they're just out showing houses. Right. Right. But that's such a little piece of the of the business. Yes. That there's so much more to it. And it's not it's a I think customers have a big misunderstanding of what happened. Not all of them. I think a lot of them appreciate it. But there's a lot that just don't they just don't get it. And then and that HGTV has made people want to become real estate agents, who, because I think that's what it's like, it's not, it's not that way.

Ryan Radecki: 28:09

Sure. Yeah. It's not just by making money. I mean, surely everyone that does this job has to normally support a family or themselves, but, but if you truly love your job, you know, you like helping people you like educating and when I you know, when I was in college, my first major was education. I switched to psychology, and I use both now, it's funny that it turned out to, you know, being a realtor, you're educating your clients and, and the psychology of keeping people balanced. It's not the end of the world uncertain things are Yeah, you should be excited. We just, we just want over 20 offers. Yeah. So it's, it's funny how things kind of pan out? Yes, it is.

Ian Arnold: 28:49

So I want you to help all these people that need either your education or your psychology. So what's the best way they can get in touch with you?

Ryan Radecki: 28:58

Definitely my cell phone 317-752-5826 It's 317-752-5826. And you

Rick Ripma: 29:07

can get a hold of either Ian or I at HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com. Or you can give us a call at 317-672-1938. That's 317-672-1938.

Ian Arnold: 29:20

And now we'll get into the question that week. And the question the week is sponsored by Hey, Rick and the hard working mortgage guys where we believe in helping supporting you and your realtor by sending constant updates in loan process. We don't like to live in a black hole so we don't allow you to live in a black hole. All right. So here's a tough question for you. What was your first car?

Ryan Radecki: 29:39

My first car was a 1984 Honda Civic had a black bra, it was gold. And it ran like a champ to the point where I basically ran out on my dime. We drove it through high school. I remember just getting the first drive when you get out of your driver Hawk side yard just to go out Gotta go get gas or whatever but in college we don't my first risky trip I guess you'd say was driving down with a bunch of friends to Daytona Beach and the other buddy that had a car that we were taking both our cars were just not the greatest and we didn't know any better so so anyway we started driving and we're going to Kentucky getting to Tennessee and all of a sudden my my car starts overheating and we have to happen to have a mechanic so called No at all in the backseat. It's like oh, okay, pull over we'll take a look at it. So he does and messes with under the hood for a little bit and then slams the hood down and then next thing you know, he's like, Oh, no, I think I just broke the fan. And like broke the fan. What do you mean? He goes let's start drive and see what happens but I think I think I broke the fan. So I'm like, okay, like okay, whatever. So we drive we keep driving we get we actually get there no issues. We start coming back from Florida. drove through big time rainstorm, clears up next day and all smokes coming out again. I'm like, Oh, no. Are we gonna make it? I mean, we're still like 334 miles away. We pull into a gas station and they actually look at it. He goes yeah, your fans broke. So here's he's like, so here's what you got to do. You can drive it but you can't you got to you got to just as soon as you pull into anywhere you got to shut off the car. So we're basically pulling in the gas stations like slammed on her brakes before the pump just shut the car otherwise there's there's actual flames coming out. Oh, since the fan would cool the engine you know only air woods so So yeah, we're people were looking at us like who are these guys that are pulling in 80 miles an hour and slamming. So anyway, the car finally made it back but it was long story short, it was great car.

Rick Ripma: 31:55

You turned your Honda into a VW ROG water cooled air cooled motor.

Ryan Radecki: 32:02

I'm sure my dad probably wasn't too happy with me at the time. But

Rick Ripma: 32:05

did they fix the fan? Or did you get rid of the car?

Ryan Radecki: 32:07

We got we ended up getting rid of the car. My dad knew a lot of auto guys work and he worked at Sears two part time he was a firefighter but it worked odd jobs on the side. So he knew a bunch of guys that had cars and some I don't know whatever happened with it. But that was the last How did you break the fans? To this day? I don't know. I wasn't really paying attention. But somehow or another he did you do it?

Ian Arnold: 32:32

I don't care what you say. The car guy got you from there to Florida. Yeah. And then at least you've made it halfway back things already happening. But you still made it all the way back for sure.

Ryan Radecki: 32:43

I know. That's that was a scary time. Right?

Rick Ripma: 32:45

I'll bet the other car make it no problem.

Ryan Radecki: 32:49

Yeah, yes. I can't remember that was a cougar, I think but

Rick Ripma: 32:53

yeah, we will. Yeah, Cougars are much, much, much more for their you know their durability than a Honda. You're sure.

Ryan Radecki: 33:01

You're gonna have a mechanic in his back seats.

Rick Ripma: 33:06

That's, that's a good thing.

Ian Arnold: 33:09

So I want to hear another story. Yeah. So what do you think your most memorable deal was?

Ryan Radecki: 33:13

It was one of my first deals. The buyer and the seller at closing, were actually standing up and shouting at each other. And I remember how embarrassed I was, like how I felt like a failure to for it to get to this level. Because working for a builder, you never really get to see you need to go to closings and you didn't understand like, Okay, wait a minute, I'm part of my job is to work well with others, and to make an enjoyable experience for everyone. And that was a quick learning lesson to to see it get to the point of closing where both the buyer and seller are pretty much one two, punch each other. Yeah. And so I promised myself moving forward that I was never gonna get to that level again, because I was very embarrassed. And I was very disappointed for my for my client that I that happened, whether it was my fault or not, that's besides the point but you just gain a quick responsibility. Like there's a little bit more to do here on the side than just, you know, sign paperwork. So yeah, so yeah, I quickly got me going of okay, we're gonna make this nice and smooth moving forward. And pence to this day. No, no disputes at all. Mostly smiles.

Rick Ripma: 34:21

Yeah, I had a closing that I went to as a lender, and we had to close the buyer in a different room than the seller Yeah,

Ryan Radecki: 34:30

that sometimes will still happen. The very seldom that I've dealt with at least

Rick Ripma: 34:35

what you know it's an emotional right everything it's very emotional to buy a house or sell a house it is so you got all these emotions. And then little things can easily become big things. When I think if the if both people would sit back and relax and look at they'd realize it's not normally that big a deal, but correct. It's hard.

Ryan Radecki: 34:54

Yeah. And I think you know us as agents and working with lenders like yourself, I mean, We all want the same thing. And we all want everyone to be happy. So quickly learning that too. It's not me versus you, or A versus B. And let's, let's all work together and build good relationships and helps you long term too. Because there's plenty of people you come in contact with five years from now, 10 years from now that if you had a good experience, and we're likely accept your offer, right to work with you, right? So

Ian Arnold: 35:23

now I will say this, as when I bought my home, and I wasn't in the industry at the time, I was kind of shocked that when I went to the closing table, and I'm sitting there, I thought it would just be me, my wife and the title people or whatnot. And I knew my loan guy was coming in. And so I figured that'd be it. I didn't realize the seller would be sitting across from me. I was like, I just never thought that. I mean, there was no ill will either way. I mean, he was very nice. And but it was just like something I did not anticipate,

Ryan Radecki: 35:51

right. So it's funny now because I'll be the one I used to, like I said, I was the one that would say two words. And now I'm the one starting up conversation to break the ice because some buyers and sellers are just, it is it's an awkward silence when you first get in there. But the next thing you know, everyone's shaking hands and laughing and and so I'm the one instigate Hey, so you know, just small talk. And it's it's funny looking back that I'd be that guy just looking down at the ground? Like, don't talk to me.

Rick Ripma: 36:18

I'm not here.

Ryan Radecki: 36:21

I'm invisible.

Rick Ripma: 36:22

Yeah, well, you've, you've done a good job of change it. Well, thank you. And, you know, it's, it's obviously it's good for your, your whoever you're with buyer or seller, because you're trying to make it as nice and comfortable. And the reality is most closings are nice and comfortable. And people get along. And and the people are buying are excited. And the people who are selling are excited, even though there's other emotions. And everybody tests. I mean, obviously many of them, were they the seller really like goes overboard. Here's this and here's this, and this is how this works. And this is how this works. Where do you find that most of the time? It's a pretty affordable.

Ryan Radecki: 37:00

Yeah, most sellers are, you know, there's sellers that have stacks of every warranty book and my wife's that type of person. But I would come to the closing with, oh, yeah, here's a piece of paper from about a year ago, I just found that. So it's it's nice that sellers care. And, you know, it's like the transfer of good times that they've had most, most look back. And there it is, it's very emotional for some, some people have grown, their kids have grown up their family member passed away, whatever. And so most sellers want to keep the energy going to the next buyer and and, you know, good karma comes around and goes around, I believe in. And most sellers, I think believe that.

Rick Ripma: 37:42

But you know, there can be there's just so many things that can be happening, and there's so much emotion. And I find that most times when people are get that upset where they were arguing in there, you know, when it comes to blood, it's not really about that it's about something else has happened in their lives. It all, all the pressure and everything just kind of blows up right there. Exactly.

Ian Arnold: 38:01

Yeah. But I will say this, the owner, the seller, who gives me all the documents of this is when this done this or this, you know how much relief that gives me as the buyer? Because that's like you took good care

Ryan Radecki: 38:14

of this. Absolutely. So I see a lot of times showing the house that they'll actually put that on the counter before even you know, write an offer or whatever. And I think that's a great idea. Because, you know, working with buyers, I mean, if you feel like the seller truly took care of that home, it's especially if you you're young buyer, first time homebuyer, for example, and your parents are with you and they're trying to talk you out of everything. It's like, oh, yeah, well, here, look at this, the seller has meticulously maintained this property you can tell and and the sellers that do that, really, I was saying getting really good offers. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 38:46

And you, you know, you can kind of tell the house has been well taken care of, for the most part. Not always, but I would guess for the most part, I don't know, I've never shown used homes, I showed new homes, and they all look pretty good.

Ryan Radecki: 39:00

Yeah, that's true. That's coming over real estate, you know, from working for a builder. And that's it was like, oh, wait a minute, the house doesn't look perfect. It's not, you know, the model. It's definitely a different ballgame. So what some people think is clean and not clean. But but most sellers get it.

Rick Ripma: 39:17

Yeah. So did you bring a lot of like a lot of showing the house is that did that learn a lot from new homes?

Ryan Radecki: 39:24

Yeah, I mean, because when you work for a builder, I mean, you're, you're you know, you're there to of course, digest what they're looking for and then talk them into a floor plan that your builder offers. So now being on the real estate side, you're not limited to just that product, which I found intriguing but so I naturally gain those skills working for the builder and like that i nine times out of 10 I like working with a buyer more. I've learned you know, you can't just be one man, one shot man when it comes to that though, and I've learned to be a good Listing Agent and like working with sellers of course. But there's Still nothing better than working like with a first time homebuyer that, you know, doesn't look and brighten the headlights of, hey, I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm leaning to you because I really want to buy a home. And so that's the biggest thrill of still for me is helping that person get from point A to point B and then happy smiles at the end.

Rick Ripma: 40:18

Yeah, that most of us like the first time homebuyers because, you know, most of them are fun to work with, because they, you can really help them. And I think, I think more than anything just feels good. You know, you're, you're, you're helping them, which is good for them. But you're it helps you because you use some of the things that you've learned and you don't know, it just it's a good it's a good feeling to work with the first time homebuyer I believe,

Ryan Radecki: 40:41

yeah, it is. And you can only buy your first home once and I always explain that to everyone I work with. And I always explain to Mike, my ultimate goal here is to make that experience a great one. Because if you fail at or it sucks, you could scar you for life, right? And I don't want to be a part of that conversation. So I really take that personal and, and want to make it great.

Rick Ripma: 41:03

So when you if when you run in, and it happens in real estate all the time, when you run into a roadblock? How do you what's your, your process to overcome the roadblocks that you run into?

Ryan Radecki: 41:16

Well, my, I think, I think the biggest thing is to pause and not instantly jump in, I used to because I responsiveness I feel is important. And I used to just text people back within seconds. And then I thought about it more when it came to like certain tough conversations, like look, I gotta get myself on underneath here to figure this out, be calm, and then realize because they're relying on you to, to, to listen, but also to give good advice. And so if it's just an emotional, like, oh, man, this, this inspection or whatever, it's you so gotta get my head straight first and then jump in. So communicate, hey, I'm with a client, or I just got this, I'm gonna call you at such and such time set good boundaries and expectations that you're gonna follow through and do it. But just thinking processes through and not. Sometimes I'll, I'll talk to other agents too, or call my managing broker or whatever, and just talk through scenarios. We, we think we know it all. But as time goes on with, there's always an instance every year we're like, wow. Let me let me reach out to someone else to see what they would do. And it's, you know, there's a lot of people in this business that want to help each other. I feel like especially the successful ones. And so I don't hesitate to, to reach out to different mentors have had my life.

Rick Ripma: 42:35

Yeah, and I think that one of the things that we believe is really critical after having all the agents that we've had on all these very successful agents, the vast majority of them had mentors, and every single one of them is a mentor. Right? Yeah. And that mentor is critical. Even with the experience and all that you've been through. There's always times when it helps to just talk things out with somebody else who has experience, right, for sure.

Ryan Radecki: 43:04

For sure, it's, yeah, like I said, you think you know, at all a certain point, and then you quickly realize that you know, and so really, it's really becoming, you know, unselfish in the sense of, don't be embarrassed by reaching out to someone if you don't, if you have a different opinion, or just listen to different different opinions on the subject and write, and then be able to communicate that to your client as well. You know, it's okay to not know it, as long as you communicate that, hey, this is the truth and but I'm gonna find out for him. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 43:38

And it's critical that you stay calm. There's enough emotion already. Right? Right. It's critical that you stay calm through it, because like you said, you have, you've had people that they get all upset and they're upset. And later they go, I it really helped that you were so calm and collected that makes a big difference.

Ryan Radecki: 43:56

Yeah, I'm never going to try to talk someone into continue on if they're not comfortable. But I'm not gonna I'm also not gonna get the point where I'm gonna add gasoline to the fire when it's already burning. Pretty strong, Ryan, and like you said, emotions run high, big time. Yep. And let people calm down a little bit and think it through. Because such an emotional decision is such a big purchase that you want to make sure you're making an informed decision. And sometimes you just got to relax and sleep on it, whatever. And that's what I'll do.

Rick Ripma: 44:22

minds always educate. Let them educate them. So they understand they understand what it is and understand the consequences. They understand the options, right? And then let them make the decision. Absolutely.

Ian Arnold: 44:34

I'm thinking we should start a TV show, and then just do what not to say. So we just do like, throw gasoline on the fire and just watch everything explode for the drama.

Rick Ripma: 44:45

Oh, that would be good. That's a good idea.

Ian Arnold: 44:48

So you briefly touched about it when you're talking about first time homebuyers. So what does home ownership mean for somebody in the family first buying their first home

Ryan Radecki: 45:00

I think it gives you a meaningful accomplishment. I remember buying my first home and I was, as I mentioned, the first one to graduate my, my family. Just it's a big deal homeownership is you know, you don't have someone above you knocking knocking on the wall, and it's your own. It's your own grass, and it's your it's your own space. And so it's a sense of accomplishment that you're, you're making it in this world. And I've met many people, you never want to stereotype a first time homebuyer, everyone that you think of, you know, a lot of people think of first time homebuyers is 25 years old. And I've met people in their 50s people in their 60s and been shocked like, whoa, I've been renting for 34 years, and I'll cover my mouth, like why. But But then, you know, just being excited for them. But man, they've been working their whole life to get to this point, and then see the excitement with that, too. So. So first, I think, I think it's just an amazing accomplishment for anyone that can achieve it. Because it's, you know, it's, well, most successes you can have in your life is to truly own a home.

Rick Ripma: 46:04

It is one of those things that sometimes people are, they're worrying so much about the whole process that they never do it, and it's not as intimidating as they think it is.

Ryan Radecki: 46:14

Yep, that's where the education information comes into play. And if you're good at your job doing that, then that stress those stresses go away, and then they can enjoy it. I mean, that's the other thing I want. If you're gonna work with me, I want you to enjoy looking at homes and the entire experience, not just the back end. Because why can't it be a good time? You know, looking at homes or, you know, especially a first time I mean, let's make this fun. And, and I don't have a problem with parents, either. I mean, I love, you know, people like, Oh, you're coming to parents. And they're there, you know, and I think the more people on board that want to share and their kids excitement, and as long as they know that you're truly working out, they're looking out for their their children, and not trying to get a quick sale or talk to them in a bad house, then all of a sudden there there can be your best advocates really? Yep. Because most most kids listen their parents,

Ian Arnold: 47:05

I think the online don't know if my new either. I think the only time you ran into an issue with and I hear from quite a few realtors is the last few years where their parents are like, No, you need offer under list. And the realtor is like no, we're just wasting our time if we do this, right. But normally, yes, parents are always right. But let's be honest, the market always changes. So and that's why we asked why you have a realtor.

Ryan Radecki: 47:34

Yeah, I take the approach that I'm here to educate the parents to I'm not there to just, you know, ignore them or talk over them. And so you got to prove it with facts. And I'll bring out you know, I'll bring statistics, I'll work CMAs I'll copy them on emails. And like, look, I got nothing to hide. And here's, here's the reason why. I don't recommend doing that. And some people won't listen, and then it'll play out exactly. I said it was and then they're like, Oh, I guess Ryan isn't full of people always say, You know what, that was a waste of time. Like now they finally get it. And sometimes people just need to see that happen. And so, and then they know that they can trust you and moving forward. And then I'll see a lot of parents just disappear after that. Say, You know what, I know Ryan's gonna take area, you're in great hands. And just let us know when the closing date is. And so that's always a great feeling like they they trust. They trust Me too. And it's all I think that's all very important.

Ian Arnold: 48:28

Yeah. Well, Ryan, let's get you some people to the closing date. What's the best way they can contact you?

Ryan Radecki: 48:34

Definitely my cell phone 317-752-5826 That's 317-752-5826.

Ian Arnold: 48:43

And if somebody was wanting to Google your name really quick, how would they spell your last name?

Ryan Radecki: 48:47

That's R A D. E CK I read Deki.

Rick Ripma: 48:52

And it's Ryan ridicu. That's correct. Right. And to get a hold of ena, I go to HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com. That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com Or give us a call at 317-672-1938. That's 31767 to 1938.

Ian Arnold: 49:07

And reminder, if you have any friends, family, co workers looking to buy, sell, refinance. Contact us. We'll be more than happy to help you. Ryan, thank you for joining us on our show. It's been a pleasure having you on.

Ryan Radecki: 49:18

Thank you guys. I appreciate the opportunity and enjoyed it. Thank

Rick Ripma: 49:22

you. Thanks. And follow us for more indies real estate gurus,

Announcer: 49:25

Brent NMLS number 33041 Recruitment NMLS number 6645 819. Arnold's NMLS number is 1995469 equal housing opportunity some restrictions apply