Guru Susan Forrest Dilling Group Real Estate

Rick Ripma: 0:00

Welcome to Indy's Real Estate Gurus. I'm Rick Ripma, your hardworking mortgage guy and I've been in real estate and mortgages for over 34 years, my team 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: 0:15

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 and 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: 0:29

And today we're honored to have Susan Forrest Now Susan is coming all the way from Irvington. Yes. And you're with United real estate,

Susan Forrest: 0:37

I did real estate and I'm on the Dilling Group Real Estate, or the dueling group real estate.

Rick Ripma: 0:43

Okay. And, and so and you're just you just joined that team? Yes, May 1, may 1, so you joined that team. Now, before real estate, I think you said it goes back 40 years. So that's a long time. You must have been one or two. So what was what was it? Like? You know, what, what was your life? Like? Where did you grow up? You know, what was your life like before real estate?

Susan Forrest: 1:07

Before real estate? I grew up 226 And us 31? Okay, just straight up the street

Rick Ripma: 1:14

was that Westfield or Noblesville? Cicero this era, okay.

Susan Forrest: 1:19

And back in the day. While in high school, a high school classmate had just graduated high school and she had gotten her real estate license. I think she was 19 at the time. And of course, I'm thinking at the time. That's kind of interesting. I think that's something that I'd like to do. And then you know, as you know, college happens, life happens. And then 2018. But husband said, do it. I'd hit a dead end job. wasn't going anywhere. Why am I staying here? And he said, do it. And

Rick Ripma: 2:00

you've got it. He was right.

Susan Forrest: 2:01

Yeah. The he just said, Jump and jump out of that plane with a perfectly good parachute and go for it.

Rick Ripma: 2:08

That's awesome. I have it looks nice to have that kind of support. Yes. Yeah, definitely. He must be an impressive man. Yes, yes. Yeah. He's not sitting here anywhere near us, right. Yeah, he is. And he's also he's a retired police officer,

Susan Forrest: 2:24

retired from my MPD. Okay. 27 years.

Rick Ripma: 2:28

Wow. That's a lot. That's a long time doing that. Now. He was a detective.

Susan Forrest: 2:33

He had spent some years as a as a patrolman on the street, then a detective for 11 years. And then he became Sergeant until the end of his career.

Rick Ripma: 2:44

Awesome. Yeah, that's when I was young. I wanted to do that job. It's a hard it is a hard job. But I didn't. I went I actually went into the Air Force and to be a police. I got hurt so I did never made it to that. That point, they had to ruin my knee. And I never wanted to do it again after I found out what you had to do for how much you got paid. Right? I thought that wasn't a really good opportunity for me. I like I like other things, so 2018 You, you looked at it and you go okay, this is it. Doug pushes you. He says Go Go for it. Now you get into real estate. How did you get going? Because that's always a tough thing for people and to get going in real estate.

Susan Forrest: 3:33

I just that's that's a hard question. I started out at Century 21 sheets downtown. And it was what what does everybody do when they first start real estate prospecting? That's 90% that's 90% of your job is prospecting. calling and calling and calling and just driving your sphere nuts. Come on, who wants to buy a house or wants to sell a house? But I was out actually, my very first house I'd gotten under contract was three weeks after I got my license. Wow. That's and I didn't think it was I was expecting the the the the incredible and I want to get one my first week out. While I got it three weeks out. I was helping helping to trap a dog over off of pleasant Ron Parkway in the golf course in Irvington. And very nice ladies like yeah, I want to buy a house. We helped me. Yes.

Ian Arnold: 4:42

No, I won't help. Yes. So

Susan Forrest: 4:45

yeah, and my the very first house ever sold my entire life was 1401 North Audubon.

Rick Ripma: 4:51

Really. Wow. So you were out. So you do dog rescue? Yes. Correct. Yes. And that's, I think near and dear to your heart. Okay, so you rescues her certain type of dog you rescue or do you rescue?

Susan Forrest: 5:04

I work with Chihuahua rescue with Indiana. But we're really small dog Incorporated. Okay, so any small dog any really honestly any small dogs? Okay. My favorite rescue app and march 3 2020. Really? Yeah. Oh my god, I love that dog. Listen to me. I'm going to see the dog. Yes, her name is Piper. She has her own business card.

Rick Ripma: 5:36

Oh, she does? Yes. She sell real estate. Also, she

Susan Forrest: 5:39

helps me that she good. She runs around in the car with me. Okay, she signs I don't take her out when it's super hot or super cold. So she only runs around with me during the in between months and sounds like

Rick Ripma: 5:51

my wife. She only goes out when it's perfect weather Fairweather?

Susan Forrest: 5:56

No, my rescue director called me and said hey, I need you to go up and pick up this dog up in the villages of West clay. Okay, so I'm gonna what kind of dog what are we looking at? a 30 pound cardigan Corgi. Oh, wow. The world's largest Chihuahua. So and she's been with me ever since she was literally eating a $2 million home. She was tearing it down. Wow. tearing it down. She chewing on woodwork furniture floors.

Rick Ripma: 6:31

You guys man men do it anymore.

Susan Forrest: 6:32

She Well, she's she's mild mannered girl who needs a little bit of a direction. And Mom was a nurse down it. You Riley? Dad does has his own business. And he's doing that at 90 hours a week. And they just really didn't have time for her. And she's a dog who needs right? She needs She needs time. She needs somebody who's not afraid to be alpha dog. And now she's fine. That's good. Yeah, my good dog.

Rick Ripma: 7:08

My wife's a huge animal lover. She has four cats. And a bird. And Rick. Yes. And I don't know if Doug feels the same way. But I'm I mean, when we had kids, I was below the kids now. I'm below the kids in the animals. I think the animals are on top. Is it that way and your house? No, no, no, no, that's, that's the way my wife is. It's kind of crazy. Oh,

Ian Arnold: 7:34

should we ask the husband first?

Susan Forrest: 7:36

Yeah. probably know what I'm saying. What I'm thankful for is I bring these these foster dogs home and I don't tell him in advance and the look I get, and he wants to kill me. But what I like is, is it's usually done the next day who's sitting with him when he's having coffee before work. And he's definitely is is involved with working with these animals. We had one come in. What year was that? Sam Jackson. We had one he says chocolate brown Chihuahua. looked exactly like jewels. From Pulp Fiction. Oh, really? Okay. Just that that mean? Look, the kid the dog was just missing. The Jheri curl leg.

Rick Ripma: 8:30

Did you get that fork?

Susan Forrest: 8:31

No. Now, Sam, he lives now. 10 minutes from us. Okay, off of Thomson over on the southeast side. Oh, he was a little stinker. The gentleman we had picked him up from on the surrender. He hates people hates everyone hates especially hates women hates this. Hey, Ted's got him home. Next morning, Doug's got a dog in one arm and coffee in the other hand, and he thought was just happy as a clam.

Rick Ripma: 9:03

Well, because it didn't hate everybody. No, he doesn't. He's really didn't have a good life or something.

Susan Forrest: 9:08

Something? Well, if you would have seen where we picked him up at

Rick Ripma: 9:12

just never know. Well, we should probably get more into real estate. Yeah,

Susan Forrest: 9:16

I can seem talking dogs. Yeah. Well, you know,

Rick Ripma: 9:19

it's like I said, my wife's an animal lover. So she can talk about animals all the time. Specifically birds were my family's really into birds. So So you you got going in real estate. And now you're on a team. So it's always interesting to me. It seems like a team is a very valuable thing to be on. Yes. Especially when you're new. Yeah, correct.

Susan Forrest: 9:41

Yeah. Speaking from my point of view, when I moved over to United about month number 10 of my career, at that point, United really was only taking people who had proven, proven track records and What I lost, leaving my old brokerage and moving over to United was I need I need that collaborative. Right. And I ever since I'd gotten there had been seeking that collaborative and finally, have found my people. Yeah, with the dealing group. It's really about finding your people. Once you find your people, that's really where the success starts. Because customer service, as in anything starts internally. And then it translates out to your clients, right.

Rick Ripma: 10:35

And being happy at work and having a good group to work with. Yes, a huge difference. Plus, I'm sure they have great experience, and you have great experience. So I think that always helps to buy, you know, we all need I've been in the business a long time I still, it still helps to have somebody to bounce things off of. And I agree there. as many things as I've seen, there are times something comes up. It's like, Man, I don't think I've ever seen this before.

Susan Forrest: 11:01

Every transaction I've done has been different. Yeah, every single one.

Rick Ripma: 11:05

It's fun. It's part of the fun of the industry. Yes. It's part of the difficulty of the industry. Yes, yeah. So it's just, I don't know, I think I know, it's really important to have a team to be on. And I think it's the difference between like, when you had that person you knew that went into real estate at 19. Back then they didn't have teams, it was really, I think it was much harder back then for a real estate agent to get started. Because you were on your own. Now you have some support. And it really does seem to help all the agents I've talked to always unfair. Most of the agents I talked to, they they credit a mentor in their team. For really Yes, get going,

Susan Forrest: 11:42

Oh, I've had I probably have three different mentors. I had a mentor for contracts, and mentor for just okay, how do I approach dealing with this client, and other mentor, we bounce technology back and forth with each other. I spent all of lockdown with one of my friends, Joe. Also on the dealing team. Just throwing technology back and forth to each other. What better time? What are you going to do? sit and watch some Marathe a Downton Abbey marathon? Yeah. Or I'm going to sit there and start bouncing technology back and forth, and start really refining and honing my skills on the technology. Yeah. And there's a lot of technology. Oh, my word. Yes. Yeah. And I'm not afraid of it.

Rick Ripma: 12:27

Yeah, I think that's the biggest problem for most people that are afraid of it. So they I know, my my wife, I've had to get her over the fact you know, it's like, you just got to do it. You're not gonna break anything. Just do it. Yeah, right. Just don't if it says, Are you sure you want to delete this your delete the don't do that. Right. But other than that, there's not much you can really damage you just have to do it. So what technology? Are you really into at this year are really, you know, do you feel like is a big piece of what you're doing?

Susan Forrest: 13:00

The chat? The AI? Okay, I'm starting to learn that. I want to get through that. Understand it. Figure out how I'm going to be able to use it best in my business.

Rick Ripma: 13:11

Yeah, I'm, I'm really into chat. SgPT Yeah, I think it's phenomenal. Some of the things it's been able to do for me, is incredible. If you just you just have to give it enough instruction to get what you want.

Susan Forrest: 13:28

One of my teammates, Bill, he, he had it write a whole poem. And I can't remember what it was about. But he had it right a whole time. This is crazy technology.

Rick Ripma: 13:40

Yes, it is. And you can tell it to write it like Walt Whitman. Or you can we had somebody didn't would they didn't get us their bio. So I just for fun. I have that right, a bio As Mark Twain.

Ian Arnold: 13:54

It was funny. That's good. Because then we started reading it and everything else. It was funny.

Susan Forrest: 14:01

That's great. Oh, my god, that's amazing.

Rick Ripma: 14:04

Yeah, the things that can do are just

Susan Forrest: 14:06

crazy. And I've only just started sticking my toe in the water with it really understanding it, because you know, there's all those naysayers of here's how great this technology is. But at the same time, I'm also coming from the legal background, where it came from, and I'm looking at also how it can be abused. So it's just,

Rick Ripma: 14:33

yes, there are some things there but and they have tried to put stops in there for that. I know. But you know, there's always going to,

Susan Forrest: 14:41

there's always going to be somebody that's going to be able to work around what

Rick Ripma: 14:45

what we have to do is just use it the way it's intended to be. Yes. And like for me, I have it right. I'll have it write things and then I'll go in and correct it and I'll change some of what it says so I did it, but it's always I don't know for me It's easier to rewrite something than fresh write something. I'm sure there's other people that are great at just writing it. But I, I can do it, read it that I go through it. I can change what I want change. And I think that's really helpful.

Susan Forrest: 15:14

Yeah, I so I'm really looking forward to diving in and getting a deep dive into it and really understanding that technology better. It's, it's phenomenal.

Ian Arnold: 15:23

All right, so I want people to be able to get in contact with you. Yeah, what is the best way they get in contact with you? If they're looking to buy or sell or even have just questions about real estate?

Susan Forrest: 15:33

You can reach me at 317-679-9447. That's my direct mobile. Call me anytime. Just not between midnight and 6pm or 6am.

Rick Ripma: 15:45

Your voicemails always available? Yeah, it is.

Susan Forrest: 15:48

Although it's I've had friends of mine out other real estate friends in other states. You know, Susan, I don't know why you're always available. Don't you ever give yourself a time off? Now? Because I have to be there. Right. If you have to ask me the one thing. The one thing I think a lot of agents kind of lose. Be available. Yeah. Pick up the darn phone.

Rick Ripma: 16:16

Yeah, you can pick it up or at least call back in a timely fashion. Yes. You know, but I don't think anybody thinks that. When they call you at 3am in the morning that they're expecting you to pick it up. Or that they're expecting you to call back in 15 minutes, right? You know, for me, I my phone goes off at nine o'clock. And it doesn't come back on till eight o'clock. Now. It doesn't mean I won't check it. But it doesn't. It doesn't inform me that anything came in, right? Because I've watched my kids especially, they get no sleep because they leave their phone right next to their head. And every time they went off, they would jump up and answer this thing. And you know, it's like a chain. Yeah. And I didn't want to do that. So I I agree. 100% You got to be available. But you also have to have some bounds. You gotta have

Susan Forrest: 17:06

some boundaries a lot. I I won't do calls after 1011 o'clock at night. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 17:12

Yeah. I'm sure in an emergency situation where you have a client, you know, you're working on a closing and there's an issue, whatever, inspection, whatever it is, then you know, you're available. Right? But even then, what can you actually do? At 11? o'clock at night? Yeah.

Susan Forrest: 17:29

I don't disagree with him. Who else

Rick Ripma: 17:30

is available? Yeah, you can't, you can't really do

Ian Arnold: 17:34

anything. Waffle House is always open. That and that's right.

Susan Forrest: 17:39

To coffee is always fun. And I can always set up searches. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 17:46

See, see, I've tried to help you out and have some time off. This guy over here. He's trying to make your work more. I don't mind. All right. That's just the thing. I'm saying no

Ian Arnold: 17:57

more she works, the more pet she can take care of. That's true.

Susan Forrest: 18:01

And love what I do. And if

Rick Ripma: 18:03

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

Ian Arnold: 18:44

Alright, so we're gonna take a little sidestep, I know we've done this a little bit taking sides, several Alpha real estate, but I want to get to know you more. Okay, say I do take away your phone. You cannot work for 24 hours. You just told you how important I know. I know what we're gonna do. One of our team members are going to help her out during this time. So what would I do in that 24 hour what we do in that 24 hour for fun?

Susan Forrest: 19:05

Probably get on my bike. If I could get on a plane. I'd fly somewhere. I'm a travel junkie. Oh, are

Rick Ripma: 19:13

you? Yeah.

Ian Arnold: 19:14

So where's your favorite place to travel?

Susan Forrest: 19:17

I lived in Ireland.

Rick Ripma: 19:18

Oh, you did? I've lived overseas. How awesome is that? How long did you live there?

Susan Forrest: 19:22

I was for two months. Okay company I was working for at the time. They had a program once a year, they would send employees over for a month or two and live in work in a country in a different country where they had different offices.

Ian Arnold: 19:38

So how many people volunteered for that? I can see a lot of people raising their hand going Yeah, send me send me send me

Susan Forrest: 19:44

you it was very competitive. The company I worked for was RCI timeshare. Okay, yeah. Oh, they probably get between 20 and 40 people applying every year. The first time I applied I didn't get it. I was an alternate. But yeah, you got to do a whole presentation. It's it's a big sell of yourself to be able to do this and you go over and you're actually doing what you do here in the States and in another country. So the one thing I learned when I was living in Ireland for that time, is that the Brits, they will spend five bucks to save 75 pounds they will fight you over every little penny.

Rick Ripma: 20:32

Okay. Oh, yeah. It is funny. However, culture is a little different. Yeah. Especially in negotiating and things. Yeah,

Susan Forrest: 20:38

negotiation is very different over there. Yeah. So it was fun living in

Rick Ripma: 20:44

Washington that Netflix, I think, was Netflix or might have been Amazon, but they had a show. And it was a guy took a tour around Ireland and all the different things that they have there. And it is a beautiful country. Oh, it's gorgeous. It is stunningly beautiful.

Susan Forrest: 20:58

And some of the most polite people you will ever meet in your entire life long as

Rick Ripma: 21:03

you're not trying to sell them something.

Susan Forrest: 21:07

Well, you know, real estate, there's kind of interesting. RCI located one of their businesses there. And a couple of friends of mine that I've had since then we're also purchasing houses, right about that time I was visiting. They pay their property taxes up front at the time of the build of the home.

Rick Ripma: 21:27

Really? Yes. For the whole for a year for how long?

Susan Forrest: 21:32

Permanently? All of it at that time. This was 2006. Wow,

Rick Ripma: 21:38

do you? Do they?

Susan Forrest: 21:42

And I pay cash for the houses. No, they still finance them. But it's just it's how they do that it's just a little bit different. And when you buy a house, you buy a shell. So think of a house that has a white wall and kitchen and a white wall bathroom. There's there's no fixtures in it. You buy the shell. This is if you're buying a new build. If you're doing a Moute new build, wow, you're buying a shell. And then you install what you want.

Rick Ripma: 22:14

Well, that is good in some ways, and not so good. And others,

Susan Forrest: 22:17

right. Right now that was as of 2006. But it was really rather interesting how they were doing that.

Ian Arnold: 22:25

Yeah, the builders must love that. You know what those people know, I want this one. I changed my mind. I want this. It's just like, Alright, here's here's the walls. Have a nice day.

Susan Forrest: 22:35

Yeah. Then you hire out your contractors to install the kitchen. And the bathroom fixtures.

Rick Ripma: 22:42

Yeah, I don't know. It's up to us to the ROI, I guess. But it just seems to be it's it's part of why I think our housing market is so good compared to most of the world. Yeah. Because we have financing we finished that. I mean, there's just so many things that we do. I mean, I can't imagine some I can't imagine somebody wanting to buy a new bill. If it's not done. It's it's I guess it works culturally

Susan Forrest: 23:06

how they do it? Well, you know, have you ever looked at how homes are bought and sold in San Pakistan? No, it's a graduated ownership. So let's say seller owns 100% of the home, you put a 10% downpayment on it, and then it's almost similar to like a land contract, similar to it's a flavor of it. But as the buyer pays the seller, payments, you own more of the house. So it's doing this the whole time. And repairs are made on that same prorated basis. Wow. So if the seller owns 80% of the house, and you own as the buyer 20% of the house, guess how the repairs are made sellers doing paying for 80% of that repair, you're paying for 20% of that repair. And as you own more and more and more. And this is why homes are owned for longer there. Yeah. Whereas for here, that's not how it happens.

Rick Ripma: 24:12

No, that that's tough as a seller. Yeah. And you're financing that for him.

Susan Forrest: 24:18

Yeah, you're doing a sell finance. Wow. That's crazy. I couldn't imagine if somebody passed away the whole probate issue.

Rick Ripma: 24:27

Oh, yeah. That'd have to be they must have. They must be

Susan Forrest: 24:31

to meet if you're just applying our rule of law to that situation at a nightmare.

Rick Ripma: 24:39

That would be that would be tough. That's a nightmare. Yeah. I can see where that would be a problem.

Ian Arnold: 24:47

All right. So I know Rick has a very important question. Oh, you're gonna let me say it. I'm gonna let you. I'm gonna let you do it. I'll give my favorite

Rick Ripma: 24:55

question. That's why he's letting me do it. Okay, so what is your what would you say your superpower superpowers are

Susan Forrest: 25:01

tenacity and empathy.

Rick Ripma: 25:07

You know, it's tenacity, I think is because I tend to be the same way when I used to sell cars. And when I sold cars, they called me a bulldog. Because once I got something I just didn't let go. Yeah. And I think that's really important. I think it's important for your buyers and your sellers when you're working with them. It just seems like like a how do you see that benefiting? Because I see a bunch of ways that benefit somebody with your with the tenacity.

Susan Forrest: 25:34

Well, it's tenacity, mental strength. Being willing to work through the hard problems, the hard questions, negotiation. I just I don't like giving up and I don't like to lose.

Rick Ripma: 25:51

Yeah. You know, it wasn't that long ago, and sometimes it take 1012 offers before you got to house. Right, right. That takes tenacity on both of the buyers in this in the real estate agent or the seller in the real estate, a seller not so much buyer in the real estate agents, right? So it has to be a big deal because you don't giving up ends it for everybody. And so and then there's always the process isn't a quick process to buy, buy a home and sell a home so I can see where that's a that's a huge deal. Well, I

Susan Forrest: 26:20

like to go back to I I'm still trying to find the interview that Bodie Miller gave years ago a couple of years ago, okay. It was right, I think right after he retired from skiing. He said what separates a World Cup athlete from a weekend warrior is mental toughness is paraphrasing basically what that whole interview is about. And that to me is what gets a person to the next level and success. Whether it be in your personal goals, or in your professional goals is just being tough. And getting there.

Rick Ripma: 27:01

Yeah, being tough and having the tenacity to stay. Because that's really part of it is you probably the same kind of the same thing. You decide you're going to do something, you just do it.

Susan Forrest: 27:12

Right. Because the day I got my license, I decided then I was going to be in this business five years from now. And I yeah, I made it.

Rick Ripma: 27:23

And for those who don't know, that is 90% of the people drop out in the first three years. Yeah. So that is the big accomplishment. Not only have you been in there five years, you're you're doing a phenomenal job. Thank you. So it's not just that you made it you're you're doing great. And and I'm a we consider you a guru, or we wouldn't be here. So we know your we know your numbers, you know, we see your reviews is very obvious. You're a phenomenal real estate agent.

Ian Arnold: 27:53

So I do have a question. Sure. What do you think we we see a lot of real estate agents come in and then we talk to customers, and they have their pre mindset set on what they think a real estate agent does. So what do you think the misconceptions about what some people see? Realtors do?

Susan Forrest: 28:13

Or oh, one that just happened recently? Wow, what you do look so easy. I think I'll go get my real estate license. And what they're not seen as as buyer's or seller's is what really goes on. Behind the curtain. The man behind the curtain Wizard of Oz thing. Yeah, they just don't see it. But they're so caught up in their own personal situation. They don't see everything that we do.

Rick Ripma: 28:40

Yeah, I think that is somewhat of a compliment. If I take it as a complete compliment, because it's kind of like watching a Olympic skater. And you watch them and you go, Well, I can do that. They make it look so easy. And then you can't even stand up on the skates. Yeah. So to me, it's like when somebody tells me I had a good friend get it wasn't a friend at the time, but it became a Good Friday. When I was with the builder. He bought bought a house with me and he said I want to know if you can do it. Anybody can sell houses to come on board. And because they don't see all the things and I think it's TV especially for real estate agents, these these HG TV shows and things like that. Make it look completely different than what it actually is.

Susan Forrest: 29:32

Right? It's HGTV is a blessing and a curse. Yeah, it is definitely a blessing and a curse as it made all of our presentations of our homes better. Yes, absolutely. When we go to list a home, do our homes look better. I think it's pushed all of us agents to do better on our listing presentations. But I think it's created some unrealistic expectations on with buyers

Rick Ripma: 29:58

and buyers. And also on people who are looking at it thinking, I want to be a real estate agent. This looks easy. Look at that you do this, you don't do much. And you make all this money, and you drive nice cars. And that's not the way it is. It's very difficult.

Susan Forrest: 30:13

Spend a lot of hours driving around not getting paid. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 30:16

And it's, and it's not what they see on TV. Is the cherry.

Susan Forrest: 30:23

Yes. They see the result. Yes. And not the journey. Yes, I agree.

Rick Ripma: 30:28

It's kind of like watching somebody or seeing somebody who's successful. just phenomenally successful. They go, Oh, yeah, he's an overnight success. That's easily more easily said than done. Yeah. You talk to the person. It's 20 years of of overnight success. Yeah. It takes a lot of hard work. I mean, you're an exception that you sold a home and the first three weeks are you that contract? Yeah. Got an undercut? Most people don't do that.

Ian Arnold: 30:54

Most I think the average is right around six months of what we've heard.

Susan Forrest: 30:58

And I had eight closed by the time I moved over to United in May of 19.

Rick Ripma: 31:04

Yeah, see, that's phenomenal. So So and of course at

Susan Forrest: 31:07

that time I'm sitting here. No, no, that can't be right. No, this is everybody does it this way.

Rick Ripma: 31:18

They don't know. No, they don't. So what is if somebody would like to buy or sell a home and they want to work with you? What's the best way Susan to get a hold of you?

Susan Forrest: 31:27

My at my phone? 317-679-9447. Text me, call me or email me at Susan at Dylan group realestate.com

Rick Ripma: 31:39

and billing as di ll ing. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yeah, because that one could be a tricky one. Yeah. Not for us. But for some people we know.

Ian Arnold: 31:52

I just want to make sure it was spelled correctly for all my say no.

Susan Forrest: 31:56

Now you want it. You talked about my superpower. Yes. Okay, tenacity. What got me there? Well, what got me there was back in 1998 1999, a couple days ago, a few nights ago. my then husband took me to a UFC event. Okay, fundraiser. All right. My first sport is horses. And so I got to go watch. I got to meet Joe Montana. Oh, really? His wife rode metal classes. And so I got to watch open jumping in some hunters. My first love. And I met a young lady who was out fundraising to buy a bobsled. A bobsled, a bobsled. Okay. And she, at that point, I was in the process of losing 100 pounds.

Rick Ripma: 33:01

Wow. Yeah, Congratulation. Thank

Susan Forrest: 33:03

you. She said, What are you you're tall enough. And you're strong enough? Why not try out for the team? Why not make a bid for the bot for the women's bobsled team? The 2002 Salt Lake games was the first time the United States was or they were going to allow women to push sleds. Oh, really? Okay. Well, it's a great thing. Something to celebrate. I tried. When you stand next to these German women. They had to four inches and 50 pounds on me. These women were Amazons I tried. I gave it a good shot.

Rick Ripma: 33:54

But I had to be fun. Oh my god. A great experience. Oh yeah.

Susan Forrest: 33:58

I've been down bobsled runs. It's the most amazing experience.

Rick Ripma: 34:04

So we've now established that you're crazy a

Susan Forrest: 34:07

little bit. Yeah,

Rick Ripma: 34:09

because that's just a little bit yeah, so it's

Susan Forrest: 34:14

gonna scare me to death all real estate agents a little crazy.

Rick Ripma: 34:19

I'm not gonna say that but I agree with you

Susan Forrest: 34:22

all realtors a little crazy. No,

Rick Ripma: 34:25

I'm gonna use that line next time.

Susan Forrest: 34:27

But no, I went up and I at the Salt Lake Winter Park, push sleds and trained training to be I was going to be a brakeman because at that point they were only doing two man sleds for the women. And I would have been brakeman we broke the land speed record on the track. Oh, really? First? Wow. 87 miles an hour.

Rick Ripma: 35:00

I'm sorry, I'd be scared to death. That's that that would be. Yeah. That's incredible.

Susan Forrest: 35:06

My second ride down we flipped the sled.

Rick Ripma: 35:10

That would have been fun. Yeah, and I start like,

Susan Forrest: 35:13

it's, it's a little frightening. The nice thing about the two man's floods, you are down more inside the sled. It's unlike the Forman sled where your head is more up above and breaks the plane of the sled. Yeah, I crawled back in and kept doing it.

Rick Ripma: 35:31

Now do they teach you how to when, when it's gonna flip what you got to do to protect yourself.

Susan Forrest: 35:35

You just you stay down as far down inside the slide as possible. Keep make sure that the sled is protecting you as much as possible. But the fun part was, before I even crawled in a sled and even pushed it. They're showing you videos of sled racks. And then you're signing a waiver. So yeah, I mean, what a great experience. Yeah. And training all the years I did doing that. brought me to that's okay. It brought me to real

Rick Ripma: 36:11

well, probably it probably also that it's that tenacity, you know, it probably helped even cement that even more if you're because that's a tough thing.

Susan Forrest: 36:21

Yeah, it's, you're getting up every single day and you're doing even on your rest days, you're doing something towards the big goal. You're never not working towards that goal. So when you were saying, or I'd said, I'm always working, there's always something going on working towards the big goal. Even on my time off, there's always something going on.

Rick Ripma: 36:50

No, I'm the same way. I mean, email, email calls, but I do a lot of things on the computer, you know, editing, editing the shows, you know, doing editing the videos, doing videos, you know, doing all that. And I enjoy it. So it's not really work. I just spent a bunch of time on a program called Canva designing some I love Canva. But yeah, it's phenomenal. Designing some material. Because it's it's it's fun sometimes to have that creative, you know, be relaxing. Yeah. Relaxing. Yeah. And it's amazing. You can sit there and start something. And an hour and a half later, you look up and you go Oh my It's amazing how fast

Ian Arnold: 37:35

Yeah, go. Rick's wife is texting him every night. Are you coming home? And he's like, oh, sorry, I lost track of time.

Susan Forrest: 37:42

The biggest complaint I have is we're sitting at a restaurant and the phone goes off. Yeah, I get the evil eye.

Rick Ripma: 37:52

That's not your fault. The phone went off. No, you can't control that. It's only once

Susan Forrest: 37:56

it's your wants me to turn it off. He wants me to turn it off. We were on vacation last. Last November, right after Thanksgiving. The phone kept going off. It's like, hey, it's how often do you get to go on vacation and secure two contracts while you're on vacation? Right.

Rick Ripma: 38:16

Now we talked to an agent who was in Desert Storm. And he sold like four houses while he was in Desert Storm. Because he had people here to help him out. But he said he paid for the service. So he had his phone

Susan Forrest: 38:31

the whole time. And that's beautiful. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 38:34

I mean, it technology changed

Susan Forrest: 38:37

this business

Rick Ripma: 38:37

changed our world it and some things are not so good. It's not so good that we can never get away from it. Maybe, but it's really nice when you can do something like that. And it's for me, it's like, I mean, I if I if I'm in Florida, and I can answer my phone and take care of something in 10 minutes, why not? Yeah, right. Normally for us, you go on vacation, you make no money, right? Because we're not salaried. We're commissioned right right. Real estate agents are absolutely people are commissioned, so you can answer the phone and make a little money and help somebody out. What's wrong with that?

Susan Forrest: 39:13

Hey, I'd like to thank the KLA out and Dubois, Wyoming for letting me use their super uber secure internet connection one year, I wrote it off her got it secured.

Rick Ripma: 39:26

So your camper.

Susan Forrest: 39:29

We can't You can't. Okay, we travel by bike. That's another one motorcycle. No.

Rick Ripma: 39:36

That's good. That's good. I love to bike. That's fine. Yeah, but the horses you said you said your first love is horses. Yeah. So you and it sounds like you write English at sea. Okay, on sea, right. I grew up riding at Woodland springs riding Academy.

Susan Forrest: 39:55

Oh my god. Yeah, we talked about that. Yes, yes. Small world. Yeah,

Rick Ripma: 39:59

and My dad had a horse we had a thoroughbred that was too slow to run, became a jumper. And I was not very good. My older brother was very good. He traveled with their travel squad, but I wasn't very good. But I was enjoyed it until one fell on me and ruined my leg. But other than that, I had a good time. So do you still ride?

Susan Forrest: 40:22

Nope. I kind of gave that up. It's definitely after college. I rode in the Midwest in the end around Central Indiana and then went off to college and wrote NCAA down at IUPUI. Roy, okay. Yeah. And the it just got too expensive. That's expensive. Just got too expensive. Laid out laid low on that, and then then hit into the bobsledding because I'd lost all that weight. I was bored. I needed something to do. Oh, I'll just let's go push a bobsled today.

Rick Ripma: 41:02

You know, that has never come up in my conversation. But you know what, I'm slower and I think I'm gonna go bobsleigh.

Susan Forrest: 41:08

Hey, you know, you only go around once.

Rick Ripma: 41:12

That's true. I'm not doing that in the body.

Susan Forrest: 41:16

Okay, now you can you can go up to Lake Placid or over to the Utah Winter Park and take a ride on a bobsled and Forman.

Rick Ripma: 41:26

I think it looks awesome. It's great. It looks awesome. However, when they and I used to love rollercoasters, okay, but they don't show me a video beforehand. Of all the crashes.

Ian Arnold: 41:39

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, they do that in Driver's Ed. Yeah, they show you all these wrecks and then you learn what not to do. I was young then elevate the head horse carriage then.

Rick Ripma: 41:51

I didn't have that I was young that I wasn't scared then. You know, it's like, that's not going to happen to me. Now. I realize it could happen to me and a bobsleds not where I'm going to do it. Well,

Ian Arnold: 42:01

we haven't got to the question of the week. Usually your first car so I'll ask that here in a second. But Rick's first car was a wagon who was a covered wagon, so Okay, so there wasn't videos of horse wrecks and stuff like that. We

Rick Ripma: 42:16

called it a gremlin.

Ian Arnold: 42:20

But what was your first car?

Susan Forrest: 42:24

A Ford Escort a maroon Ford Escort.

Rick Ripma: 42:28

You were styling.

Susan Forrest: 42:31

I hated that car.

Rick Ripma: 42:32

I understand why. Flawless Maroon?

Susan Forrest: 42:37

Hey, I like red cars. That's signature color. Red, anything red.

Rick Ripma: 42:42

I like red cars.

Susan Forrest: 42:43

I like red cars. Now. i Right now I drive around in a red Mini Cooper that my husband

Rick Ripma: 42:49

hates. Because it's too small.

Ian Arnold: 42:51

No. It's expensive. Oh, yes. It is. It's it's I mean, basically, if you do not know it's a BMW. It is bricked my

Susan Forrest: 43:01

wallet. Yep. Whereas 30 years ago is bought my wife now it's brick my wallet. It's they have got sensors. It's so tricked out on spin sensors. If something's even slightly off, your check engine light goes on.

Ian Arnold: 43:17

But when they're good, they are fun to drive and especially around these roundabouts here in Carmel. They are fun. Sorry, officers. But yes, they are fine. I

Susan Forrest: 43:27

love my Mini Cooper. I

Rick Ripma: 43:31

even though it's expensive. You love it. Yes. Will you buy another one? I'm not allowed to. So you're never getting rid of this one.

Susan Forrest: 43:39

I will never get rid of this one. This one will become a garage queen.

Rick Ripma: 43:42

Yeah, that's all right. I love cars. So if you find a car you love you should try to get

Susan Forrest: 43:48

my husband's car is a he can't give me too much of a problem about my expensive car. What does he drive 2001 Jeep Cherokee with the vintage in line six engine

Rick Ripma: 44:00

32 or 258? For later Oh, the big one.

Susan Forrest: 44:06

It's the good engine. Yeah. It's the one everybody wants. Yeah, that's a good car. Yeah. And he called me from the Interstate at 540. In the morning, July January 7 2022. Yeah, the truck quit. I'm sitting at 65 Just south of the 465 interchange. At what time 540 In

Ian Arnold: 44:28

the morning, so she picks up her phone at 540 in the morning people so if you want to spam him,

Susan Forrest: 44:33

Yes, I will pick it up.

Rick Ripma: 44:35

And she probably said you don't like me answering the phone when I'm sleeping. So I'll call you back in a couple hours. I hope you have a good time.

Susan Forrest: 44:42

So now we get the truck hauled over to our our trusty handy dandy people over it's strong. And hey dawg, you need a new engine. Oh no, a whole new engine. And I only needed to put in a turbo in my car.

Ian Arnold: 44:58

Did you tell him he needs to change his Oh Elon his car.

Susan Forrest: 45:01

No, I didn't. But it's that that vehicle.

Rick Ripma: 45:06

It's a it's an older vehicle. Yeah, it was great vehicles is the original engine. Yeah. Those are great vehicles, the original engine and you want to ask your favorite question.

Ian Arnold: 45:15

Yes. So now I'm scared. Oh, nothing to be scared about because you'll enjoy this one. Okay, what do you think your favorite memory of doing a deal was?

Susan Forrest: 45:28

That's not fair. To many.

Ian Arnold: 45:32

We usually hear that from the good agents. Too many.

Susan Forrest: 45:36

I'll just pick one. My North Salem sail couple moving back from Florida. Who left to move to Florida. Now we're coming back for grandkids. A lot of people do that. Oh, I love these people. Absolutely. Dearest dearest friends now. And that was another thing I was told don't be friends with your with your clients. I absolutely love these people. They are dear to my heart. They bought this beautiful home on four plus acres. And it was a VA. Okay, finance, and it's kind of geeky and I apologize. But you know, the the lender called Tidewater. And if we all know what Tidewater is, it's potentially coming in well. The result was it actually ended up appraising for $32,000 more than what they were. What they had purchased. That's all I was like. Yeah, I mean, it's, they're just deer people. Yeah, that's awesome. Deer deer people and he used to own handyman by the hour if you know the company floating around Carmel. Yeah, that was this was kind of his fear of area. Wow. He used to own that.

Rick Ripma: 46:59

I I remember the name, but I don't I don't. I I never used them. But I liked the name handyman by the sounds like a perfect name. Yeah, they're still out there. I

Susan Forrest: 47:11

don't Yeah, he sold the business to one of his one of the guys who used to work for him. But Tim used to be also a co worker down at one America when I worked for them. Oh, really? Oh, but not at the same time. Okay, many, many years before. So, we had a lot of people in common.

Rick Ripma: 47:33

That's always nice. Yes. Yes, it is. So if somebody needed to get a hold of you, they have some real estate needs. What's the best way?

Susan Forrest: 47:40

317-679-9447 or by email? Susan at dilling group realestate.com.

Rick Ripma: 47:52

That's billing as di ll ing. Yes, sir. And to get a hold of the Ian or I go to HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com Or you can call 317-672-1938. That's 317-672-1938. And please follow us for more indies real estate gurus

Ian Arnold: 48:09

or reminder. If you have any friends, family or coworkers looking to buy, sell or refinance. Let us know we're more than happy to help you. Susan, thank you for joining us on our show. It's been a pleasure having you on.

Susan Forrest: 48:18

Well, I was hoping we'd get into talking about the house my home in Irvington.

Rick Ripma: 48:22

We wanted to, but we thought it best to stay away from your home in Irvington.

Susan Forrest: 48:28

It's not a big deal. When I when I found that house. Up to that point. My husband, we'd probably seen 50 houses. My poor realtor. He probably needed a pedicure. And a massage after dealing with my husband. He hated every single house up to that point. We were the morning we found it we're driving up authour Avenue or Alterna Lane in Doug's great big police car. And it makes it look at this is too close to Washington Street. I'm gonna hate it. You hated everything up to that point. gets out of the car walks around the back of the car. This has prospects. I knew we were buying that house. I knew that house was ours at that point. And it's the former home of childhood home of Howard Caldwell. Yeah, of channel six fame.

Rick Ripma: 49:36

Yeah. Who doesn't? If you've been around here a while you know who he is? Yeah.

Susan Forrest: 49:41

I mean, many couple years ago when I was summer of 18. We were out at the National Mini Cooper Road Rally out in Denver. We got a call or a text from one of our neighbors that hey, there's two ladies in your front yard taking a picture of the house. We're Irvington. It's We're in the historical district. You see people, I'm sorry, it's the east side. We had interesting people all the time around there. Didn't think a thing about it. And then two years ago, we met two of Howard's daughters and Jenny and Tracy. And Jenny said, I asked Tracy in your front yard taking a picture of the house. Because they had never been in the house before. They'd never been in the house. And Jenny has since then shared a lot of photos of Howard in his naval uniform in the backyard. A lot of it has not changed back there. So

Rick Ripma: 50:43

that's cool. Yeah, that's really that's really cool. Well, thanks so much for joining. Yeah,

Susan Forrest: 50:48

thank you.

Announcer: 50:49

Brent. NMLS number 33041. Recruitment NMLS number 664589. You know, Arnold's NMLS number is 1995469 equal housing opportunity. Some restrictions apply.