Michael and Cindy Stockhaus with Better Homes and Gardens Gold Key

Rick Ripma: 0:01

Well, today we have Cindy and Michael stock house, which is a perfect name for real estate agents, right? It's awesome. So we always we would like to start with what did you do before real estate? And since there's two of you will kind of get city what you know what did you do? What was your life like before real estate? How'd that go?

Cindy Stockhaus: 0:23

So before real estate I actually did a lot of things before real estate but the main ones I was a bartender for a while, and then I did portrait photography for a long time. And then did that and till we got married and did real estate once my son was two years old. I decided, of course one of those things that most realtors say, I'm going to make my own schedule and that type of thing. So I've been doing real estate for 23 years now, when you

Rick Ripma: 0:49

make your own schedule in real estate, that means you work all the time every day, 24 hours a day, I made my schedule. I work always I always work always, forever. And how about you, Michael?

Michael Stockhaus: 0:59

So I've done a lot of things too. When we first met I was a golf professional, which goes along with growing up in Florida, I guess. And then I after that I became a general manager for AMC theaters and was employed there until one day we decided we wanted to go in business together. Being Today's Valentine's Day, this is our 30th year together. So gratulations so So you figure we've been working together for the last 12 years. We've been married for almost 30 years. So yeah. Wow. When you say yeah,

Rick Ripma: 1:31

I know. It's 60 years apart. I'm 60 years the total time. Yeah, my, my wife and I've been married 39 years, I think almost 14 Amazing. You lose, you lose track. You know, you can't remember it's it's a lot. Now. You both grew up in Florida.

Cindy Stockhaus: 1:49

So yeah, I'm originally born and raised in Florida. 40 years Central Florida.

Rick Ripma: 1:53

And you grew up in New Jersey and then moved to Florida.

Michael Stockhaus: 1:56

Got shanghaied to Florida. Yes, yes. My parents retired and took me with them. Oh, is that what happened? They retired. So So I graduated from school near what's the villages in Florida? Okay, and went in the Gulf and the rest is kind of history.

Rick Ripma: 2:10

Okay. And then you two met on a on a blind date? Or I remember reading something about that. Can you tell us about that? Yeah. So

Cindy Stockhaus: 2:18

I was I was a portrait photographer Olin mills. You guys. I remember all the mills. Yeah. And so I had photographed this nice older couple. And we were cutting up and I'm always joking around with people. And they said, we know the nicest young man we can set you up with we'd like you to meet him. I'm like, No, thank you. I'm good. And they finally talked me into it. So I said, well give him this free eight by 10 gift certificate, and have him come in to be photographed. And I thought to save place. You know, if he's a serial killer, maybe I'll figure and so he came in to be photographed. So our very first time we met is in portraits. I was taking his pictures. So he asked me out when we had wine afterwards. And the rest is history. Yeah. Yeah. How much

Michael Stockhaus: 3:03

money I spent in pictures that day.

Rick Ripma: 3:06

She's a heck of a salesperson. So So then how did you guys get into real estate?

Cindy Stockhaus: 3:17

So I had a very good friend of mine who owned a, she was a broker owner in Florida. And she had always told me, Cindy, you should do real estate, you'd be great at it. Then when my son was two, I just wanted to do something to spend more time with him again. And so I called Dorothy and I got my real estate license and started doing it from then. And then when we moved, it was a corporate move for us to Indiana. And we had several choices of places we they gave us but I fell in love with Indiana when we got here. And so once we were here, he was so corporate, but then he always loved real estate. He always did the back office, he was always into it, you know, with marketing and things. And we just decided that we wanted him to do it full time to be able to spend more time with our kids. So that's kind of how it happened.

Michael Stockhaus: 4:05

Yeah, that's exactly how it happened.

Rick Ripma: 4:08

Did you both do it full time here in Indy, but you were you were you had been doing it full time in Florida. Correct? Yeah. Okay. Are you still licensed in Florida? No,

Cindy Stockhaus: 4:17

I kind of wish I had kept my license in Florida. But I have a lot of good agents that I can refer people to there. And so it was just easier to do that than to keep to license and

Rick Ripma: 4:29

they know, the area and everything else. Right. Yeah, that is helpful, I think to an expert, you know, because you were there. But the markets changed, hasn't it? Correct. So it could be totally different than what you remember. That's

Cindy Stockhaus: 4:41

exactly right. And I want to make sure I'm getting them the best service and so yeah, I know it's great Realtors down there all over Florida. Plus, you

Rick Ripma: 4:49

guys would have to travel down there all the time. If you had got a license, that would be terrible.

Cindy Stockhaus: 4:53

Terrible. I still go down there to see my family all the time and he decides not to because my family's there. So Oh,

Michael Stockhaus: 5:02

there's a reason why we moved to Indiana.

Ian Arnold: 5:05

So let me ask you this, Michael. So she's been she was doing real estate, and then you, you got the itching to jump into it. Was it hard to do? And then let's be honest, working with a spouse all the time is not always the best. So as always our learning curve,

Michael Stockhaus: 5:19

no, she's the boss, there's no problem. Um, you know, it was harder than I thought in the beginning to get going. Um, you know, I think I've heard this before everybody thinks that real estate, you make your own schedule. It's easy. No, it's not. It's a commitment. It took us probably when I got in the business a good three or four months to really get going. And it worked out really well. And I was her buyer's agent for years and, and I enjoy it. I love doing it today. It's really, really fun to get out and meet people and actually help them find a home.

Rick Ripma: 5:55

So how do you? How did you get going cuz you guys came here from Florida. So I got to thank you were, you didn't know a lot of people when you when you started your real estate here in Indiana. And real estate is a tough business to get going in. For the vast majority people. In fact, three to four months is very fast. So what did you do? What was your process? How did you get going?

Michael Stockhaus: 6:19

Well, so when we first got here, he was still working corporate. So I was able to really get my feet underneath me and figure out, get my bearings, that type of thing. But real estate, it is about past clients sphere, that type of thing. But also we have coaches, so our coaches have us on the phone. So you just literally get on the phone and start working. I mean, you just start making calls, knocking on doors, those types of things. And then once you do start getting a sphere and you start getting past clients, that's word of mouth referral, and when you do a good job for them, you're gonna get more business. So we just went from there. And then when he first got in the business, it was kind of crazy. The market wasn't great, but it was good. It was okay, it was starting to come up. And he's always been about marketing. Michael's always been real good with that. And getting in on things when they first are starting with internet leads, internet ads, those types of things. And so he's always been a little bit ahead of the curve. And that really propelled us up as well. Plus, we work constantly. So

Rick Ripma: 7:35

yeah, well, that's what I heard. What I heard is we worked. Yeah, you worked. And you have to work now, it just amazes me how many people get in, and they they think that it's just going to fall in their lap. And it doesn't work that way. You have to put a lot of effort forward. That's why I love that question. I like to hear what people actually did to get going. So what is your marketing? Now? What what do you think the latest are the best area right now to market. And

Michael Stockhaus: 8:02

so I still think talking to people and talking to a lot of people is the best way to market. We're 60 days into our new brokerage. And that's what we've had to do. We've had to call everybody and say, Hey, this is where we're at right now. This is what we're doing. You know, this is what we've started. And I think that's absolutely the best marketing in the world. You can advertise online, and it's necessary. But I think especially with COVID, accelerated, we lost the art of conversation. And I think it is so important to actually pick up the phone and talk to somebody. And then when then you get the word of mouth going on.

Cindy Stockhaus: 8:38

I agree and I think old school is you get back down to the roots of knocking on people's doors. When you have a listing go tell the neighbors when you have an open house invite them, you know, personally, making calls, those types of things. That's where it is really market yourself and your listings. Yeah,

Ian Arnold: 8:55

I would fully agree. I mean, there's, look, I understand the younger generation, and I'm part of that likes to text likes to email, but guess what? Sometimes, how many times have you texted your wife or something and been like, Hey, you're saying something and she miss reads it? Right. Yeah. So I mean, especially when you're talking to clients and stuff. I think phone calls best because you may not be able to see them but you can you can read their voice. Alright. Do they sound concern? Why was there hesitation? Why was this? So I think the lie as you said, communication has to get better, even though a lot of people rather just text. Yeah,

Cindy Stockhaus: 9:31

that's the truth. And we have clients, our younger generation, I mean, my kids are you know that. And I'll ask them in the beginning, how do you prefer to communicate? And if they'd rather communicate by text, mostly, that's what we'll do. But we're, I'm still going to call them I'm still going to leave them a voicemail. And then they call me back they actually I think crave that more than they think they do. So if they're busy and we text that's great, but eventually I'm gonna call you like I'm going to so Get a

Rick Ripma: 10:00

text can't be a book. Right? Some things we have to communicate. Right. Take a little more than. Yes. Exactly.

Cindy Stockhaus: 10:09

Or an emoji. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 10:11

Or Yeah. Yeah, yeah, it's hard. And I don't know if you guys are like this, but I am. I don't really completely understand texting. I do a lot of it right. But I still don't completely understand it. And I don't always completely understand I don't. If somebody if somebody abbreviates things, I don't have time to have no idea what in the world they're talking, right. I

Cindy Stockhaus: 10:32

know. It's like, you gotta take a class. Yeah. And I'll do I submit that you'll text me something with a burger. And I'll think okay, I've no idea what that is at the Google it. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 10:42

Yeah. Well, yeah, that's, that's the beauty and google anything. I think it's interesting that that, you know, it hasn't changed. The number one thing you can do for marketing is you get on the phone and you talk to people. That's exactly what you meet people. And you, you have to build. That's how you build your business, right? It's how we've always built businesses. That's exactly

Cindy Stockhaus: 11:08

right. It even when you're shopping, or you're eating dinner, or you're doing stuff during the day, I always usually have my nametag on. And people want to talk about real estate. I mean, that's what everybody does. And they see that and they'll say, Oh, hey, how's the market? Or, you know, just, you know, questions, and you have to talk to people every day, my coach, I have a certain amount of people I have to talk to every day. And you know, if I don't, then she's gonna yell at me.

Ian Arnold: 11:34

So let's go into this. So just really quick, how long have you been in the business? 23 years, 23 years? And you still have a coach? I do? And how does this coach help you? And now let's elaborate a little more. How does the coach help you throughout your process? Wow.

Cindy Stockhaus: 11:49

So a good coach. And she is, she's been doing this for 30 years, probably. But she keeps me on track, she makes sure that I have my goal set and both long term and short term. And then she keeps me on track. She's always wonderful advice, especially with us open in the brokerage, different things that we need to think about. As we're doing that, she's always role playing with me as well, to make sure that I am knowing the questions to ask and those types of things. She's just super smart. So it just mainly, it keeps me on track. And also she's in Chicago. So the other thing that I love about it is real estate, always when there's changes, of course it ebbs and flows. And it, the changes start on the coasts, and then they move the way into us in the middle of the country. So she's always keeping me on what's going on. So I can let my clients know, if there's a change in the market happening good or bad. She's gonna say, okay, sending my West Coast people, my East Coast people, this has started happening, and I can kind of forward that to my clients. I

Rick Ripma: 12:58

think that's one of the beauties of having a coach is that they talked to so many people that they can really, they can take the best of what everybody does and get in and train you in that. That's

Cindy Stockhaus: 13:10

exactly right. Because she coaches clients all over the country. And so I'm really have my finger on the pulse of what real estate's doing everywhere. Yeah. Which helps us here.

Rick Ripma: 13:19

Plus, if you're really good at making phone calls, and you say, Well, yeah, this is what I do. And this really works well. She's gonna pick that up, and she's going to tell her client, and, you know, Texas, yeah, this this is really working for some of my client. Try this. And it really does. It makes a big difference. You learn a lot by having a coach. Oh,

Cindy Stockhaus: 13:37

it's the truth. Yeah. And she does. She gives me tips. You know, this person's doing this. This is what he said. These are the materials that he's using as far as marketing. It's wonderful. Yeah,

Ian Arnold: 13:47

yeah, the thing that I really think it's vital, or vital is one of those, especially younger agents that are like, Oh, I can do it. Yeah. But you need to coach, you need somebody to sit there and mentor you. And that's the reason I was asking how long you've been in there, and you've been in there 23 years, and yet you still have a coach, because things are constantly changing. And you never know what so let's, who's your coach Michael?

Michael Stockhaus: 14:12

No, I'm the boss. I've got a coach too. I've got a management coach. And she spends a lot of time working with me on recruiting and working with the brokerage numbers. And also she's coaching people across the entire country in Canada. So again, I'm in the know of what's coming down the pipeline because it does normally move in from the coast and there's normally a two to three week delay so we have time to prepare for it. And I think one of the other benefits of coaching is it gets you thinking bigger. And I mean it's sometimes you just see the little world you're around it opens up your horizons and you think bigger and your goals become bigger. What you want becomes bigger. You talked about going to Florida, why don't want to go to Florida, I want to go to California I want to go to Hawaii, what do I have to do on a daily basis to get myself there and on the weekly coaching calls. That's what we discussed. And it just keeps you growing and growing. You're never too old to learn.

Rick Ripma: 15:07

Yeah, I agree with that. Everybody.

Michael Stockhaus: 15:09

Everybody looked at you when when that got said?

Rick Ripma: 15:12

Well, that's because I'm a learner. I'm sure that's exactly what it

Ian Arnold: 15:16

was. Well, here, if you wanted to learn, let's do this. So somebody is wanting to get in contact with you to find out what they have question about real estate buying, selling or anything like that? How can they learn the best way to contact you? That

Cindy Stockhaus: 15:28

is a wonderful question. Thank you for asking. So we are Better Homes and Gardens real estate Gold Key, my number, the number to reach us is 317-517-8407. And I'm answering that call most most of the time is

Rick Ripma: 15:45

that a call in text both call or text and the number is what I can't remember, I'm all

Cindy Stockhaus: 15:52

about learning wants to learn my stop 317-517-8407 Perfect.

Rick Ripma: 16:00

And to get a hold of her I got a HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com. Or you can give us a call at 317-672-1938 31767 to 1938. And that is just a call that does not allow text written answer text.

Ian Arnold: 16:16

So that's the reason why we do that. All right, so

Rick Ripma: 16:19

I can answer I just can't read.

Ian Arnold: 16:23

All right, so we're gonna take a sidestep. So let's get know more about you guys. So if I have to take away your phones for 24 hours, you cannot work whatsoever. What do we catch you guys doing for fun?

Cindy Stockhaus: 16:35

Gosh, so spending time with my kids they're grown when they're around is always a priority. Of course. We are foodies. That's a good thing and a bad thing. So we love finding really cool he's he's got a nose for it like he can find the coolest talkback restaurant that you would never find that has the absolute best food. So that's probably what I would say one thing and reading we're both readers so we read a lot. Yep, and

Michael Stockhaus: 17:05

I think as we've been in the business longer we've realized that sometimes we do have to take a break from our phones and we will shut them off and we will put them aside now we're nervous when we do that. We're absolutely nervous when you put it aside because you never know what's going to happen but there is a time and place that you do need to to take some time so

Cindy Stockhaus: 17:24

travel is good. I love love love to travel I mean all over everywhere this country of course but the world too so we have the thinking big thing we have things on our calendar of where we want to go my daughter and I especially so traveling is huge. Okay,

Ian Arnold: 17:38

so since you brought up the whole food thing oh what's a good hidden gem around here? Somebody will need to try

Cindy Stockhaus: 17:46

Oh my gosh probably on that guys. There's a few so that place downtown that has the soups it's right on the circle. It's like the soup Nazi

Ian Arnold: 17:57

What is the name of Seinfeld reference?

Cindy Stockhaus: 18:00

Right on the circle around the corner from potbelly sandwiches. So good. They have the best soups in there.

Michael Stockhaus: 18:08

I'm going to tell you that I will my hidden gem is always Ruth's Chris there's nothing like a good steak nothing like a good steak. You know and honestly if you go up and down the the downtown just about every place you go has something good and something different I mean, I can walk in any restaurant in the world and find something that I want to eat

Cindy Stockhaus: 18:31

Brown County is a go to for us hard truth. Yes if you haven't been there my gosh the food is amazing they have of course they make you know the liquor in the in the beer and everything there so it's really good place to work

Rick Ripma: 18:45

as hard truth because I we go to Nashville a lot.

Cindy Stockhaus: 18:48

Well, it's so it's they've got two of them. There's one in Franklin as well. Okay, but the one in Nashville a lot more fun. If you type in the distillery it's not downtown. So it's gonna be in. I've never seen it. That's exactly right. It's in the woods. So if you type in hard truth because they you can take a distillery tour while you're there as well. But if you're gonna go especially in the weekend, make a reservation, because it gets really packed where they have live music and it's really cool place. Yeah,

Ian Arnold: 19:14

I will say this. I would agree with you Ruth's Chris. Phenomenal. I mean, you think you've had a steak and then you go there and you have one. Yeah, you you spend you spend your pocket. Don't get me wrong, but you will that taste you'll want to have it all the time. It's so good.

Rick Ripma: 19:30

Yeah, as a vegetarian, I don't eat there. Sounds a personal issue. But I do I this is kind of a offshoot of a different another podcast we did and one of the guys one of the ways he he did he really exploded on social media. And he did coffee shops. He did reviews of coffee shops. And when you were talking about the restaurants I thought man, you guys should do reviews of restaurants. He's really good at finding restaurants and then he had over a million hits of VIP million views on one of his videos. was one of the coffee shops. Oh, wow. And he said, he said, That's how he did. And it's just, you just go in and ask and they say yes. And then you just do a real quick video. He said it's works phenomenally well, anyway, just an idea of you when you were in my places that say yes, yes. He said coffee shops say no. And he's like, I don't understand, because he improves their business people go there, because he has a lot of people following. You know, social media is great. But it's not all about real estate. It's about the other things. And that's what that's I have found that nobody cares really that much about mortgages. What they care about is the other stuff you put on, you know, the, this more stupid things. Everybody likes that.

Cindy Stockhaus: 20:44

Yeah, that's the truth. That's, that's the truth. It's fun stuff.

Rick Ripma: 20:47

Just it's just a bizarre situation. All right, Rick. Yes,

Ian Arnold: 20:50

I'm waiting to hear this.

Rick Ripma: 20:52

I'm gonna let you answer your favorite or asked me if you're gonna let me ask my favorite question. Yeah. Okay. Well, I'll start with Michael. So what is your what would you say your superpower or superpowers are,

Michael Stockhaus: 21:02

I'm extremely patient. I can work through any problem in the world or any situation in the world, because I'm just that patient. And that patient learning that patient in training, when you train people, and when you're coaching and mentoring people, especially newer agents in the business, you just have to have patience, things don't happen as quickly as we want them to. So that would be my superpower.

Rick Ripma: 21:26

So are you bringing on new agents? Is that one of the things that you're you're building a team? Yes,

Michael Stockhaus: 21:31

we're bringing on new agents and bringing on agents and like everything else, we have a certain amount of knowledge in the beer business and certain that matter of experience that we'd like to really pass along and sit and coach and mentor people. And it does, it does take time. And it does take a lot of effort, not on my part because I enjoy doing it. But like you said earlier in the agents part to really work. This business is not easy. It's not for the faint of heart.

Rick Ripma: 21:55

And having a mentor, a good mentor. And a good management team makes all the difference in the world. Every agent we've talked to on on in these real estate gurus. Maybe not everyone, but the vast majority of them said the difference in them making it was they got on the right team. They made it they were floundering. They got on the right team. They learned what to do. Right. You know, and they had, they had this mentor and this mentor and this mentor and that made all the difference. That's the truth. Yeah. So Cindy, what about you? What's What would you say your superpower superpowers are? That's

Cindy Stockhaus: 22:27

a great question. Um, I would say, the gift of gab. I love to talk to people. I love to meet people and find out about them and talk to them and just work with them. So I guess it will be my my talkative. I'm expressive. So being expressive is my superpower. I can literally leave the table in the restaurant and go to the restroom, come back, and she will know everything about the people at the table next to us. Amazing.

Rick Ripma: 23:00

Yeah, you know, it's amazing to me, because I don't that's not me at all. Either. Right. Yeah. But it's but it's a it's a great, you know, superpower. It's a great thing to be able to do.

Ian Arnold: 23:10

Well, I love it. Yeah. No, she just loves the whole. And here's my business card.

Rick Ripma: 23:19

And I don't think that's why she doesn't know why.

Cindy Stockhaus: 23:21

I can't help it. It's just natural. And whether people like it or not. That's the way it is. He's used to it now.

Rick Ripma: 23:28

We can help it. Yeah.

Ian Arnold: 23:32

Well, I would agree, though, talking to different type of people in different circumstances is a huge power. I mean, I can talk to people, no matter what type of life you are in just the way my family and everything is. But I've been in sales, military life, and I've seen other people and I tried to train them. And they are so hesitant. And I'm like, like, if you're selling a car lot, customer walks in their lot. They're afraid to go out there and talk to the person who just came to see them. And I'm like, no, no, if you can't do that, how can you do anything else? They're

Cindy Stockhaus: 24:04

there to buy a car robbery.

Rick Ripma: 24:06

They are absolutely

Ian Arnold: 24:08

the same thing. Somebody walks into your office and you can't get up and say hey, how's it going? What? What brings you in? Something's wrong? That's exactly it is a gift to be able to just randomly just turn around. Hey, how are you guys doing? What's going on? So I fully agree with your superpower.

Cindy Stockhaus: 24:23

Oh, thank you. And I think it's a gift learning about people meet new people. It truly is a gift that is Yeah,

Rick Ripma: 24:29

I agree. That's actually why I really liked the podcast because I love hearing people's stories. It's it's the stories that that are so interesting to me like how you guys met that those things are just really interesting. So

Ian Arnold: 24:41

you mentioned hiring people and everything. So let's get into this. What type of what type of characteristics or type of people are how do you look to hire?

Michael Stockhaus: 24:51

Well, we know from coaching that the best type of agents and amiable person and that's what you're really looking for. You're looking someone who's amiable who can get along With people who's not scared to talk to people, and not scared to get out there, and I guess it's almost like a politician press the flesh, you have to be able to be personal and have to be able to talk to people. Otherwise, you're really going to struggle in this business, you can get all the internet leads you want, you can get all these things for to you and for you. But eventually, you do have to talk to somebody, and you have to meet them. And I think that's, that's one of the things that I stress when I when I talk with agents, is I want to make sure that they're really, really ready to go out there and talk with people. And anyone can be the real estate expert for whoever they're talking to. Everybody wants to know what's going on with the market. Everybody wants to talk about real estate. So that's what you have to be willing to do on a daily basis. Yeah,

Rick Ripma: 25:43

in real estate is, it's one of the beauties I think, of real estate is everybody. If you're you're thinking of buying, you're thinking of selling, or you own a home, or you rent, you want to know what's going on in real estate right now.

Cindy Stockhaus: 25:55

That's the truth. It's so personal, like it's one of the most personal things that anyone has in their life. And to add to that, what we're looking for, for me, positivity positive, you I can't have someone who's negative all the time, like in your type personality, I really want positive people. Because culture in our brokerage is huge. And we want people to be just, and not everybody's going to be rah rah rah every day, you know, we totally get that. But on a general basis, a positive person. And honestly, even if someone is not a total people person like you to not want to be a total people person, we can teach you and train you how to be a people person when you need to be because sometimes it's like you're onstage and you need to smile, and you need to talk and and then it starts coming more naturally. So yeah,

Rick Ripma: 26:51

I did it. Like You I started in bartending. Oh, yeah. And as a bartender, you had to you had to learn to talk to people you did. That's exactly the reason I got into it years ago was so I could get out of my shell. Yeah.

Ian Arnold: 27:03

One of the there's a movie called sing. And it's awesome. Because I told my kids this I go, you'll be nervous to do anything until you first start. And he tells the girl on the stage, because she's so nervous to get just start. As soon as you start. Everything opens up. So for instance, you got somebody nervous to go talk to him, I just say hello. As soon as you say hello, nerves drop, they're gonna say hello. And then the conversation just starts.

Cindy Stockhaus: 27:27

That's exactly good. Why not like that. So every time somebody is

Ian Arnold: 27:31

like talking about that, that vision always pops in my head. So what do you think the two characteristics of people that succeed in real estate,

Cindy Stockhaus: 27:42

oh, my gosh, you have to be self motivated. Because you are your own boss, truly, you are an independent contractor. So you have to get up in the morning, get up early enough to exercise get your morning ready, and you have to show up. Because it is work and you have to treat it like a job. You have to treat it like you are punching in the time clock. So self motivated. Someone who is flexible with their schedule, because it you are going to have to be flexible when be ready when buyers want to buy and sellers want to sell. So those are two probably the big.

Michael Stockhaus: 28:23

I can't answer it any better than that.

Rick Ripma: 28:27

To me, it's it's that that ability to work, okay, get up early, get to work. And work is is critical. And it's It amazes me. And maybe maybe I was like that. I don't remember ever being like that. But maybe I was like that, but I don't I don't understand people who don't they go, they don't work. They kind of treat it as, okay, I'm a real estate agent. But you know, I'm gonna go do this, I'm gonna go do that. And they don't. And during those times, you could actually do real estate, right? Because you're talking to people, but they don't. And they don't know why they aren't making

Cindy Stockhaus: 29:01

it. No, it's the truth. The realtors that I see that, you know, get up around eight Have some coffee, they might be in the office around 10 ish. You know, those are the ones that don't make it and there's a lot that don't make it. And unless you treat it like a job and you have a schedule and you have goals and you get up every day, put your you know, get everything together and you're at your desk no later than eight o'clock. You'll do well, you really well. So when do you guys get up? So he gets up earlier than I do. I get up at six, he gets up at 530 and then do exercise gratitude, write in a journal. Look at my calendar, make sure I have everything that I need. And and then we're at our desk everyday by 730.

Rick Ripma: 29:48

So yeah, I think I think part of that is because I get up at four or earlier just depends. And I but I have a process in the morning. Yeah, and you have a process in the morning. You Yeah, it's amazing. How much have you said, you know? Well, you gotta learn. I spent some of that time learning, because there's nobody bothering me. There's, it's, uh, I don't know what a wonderful time the morning is

Cindy Stockhaus: 30:11

yes. And I have not always been a morning person, being a bartender, you're definitely you're three o'clock in the morning person, but you're not. So you have to adjust. But it's the truth, that quiet time. And that time that you have to get your thoughts together to learn to read, do whatever you're going to do and get your thoughts together for the day is so important. It's vital. It really is.

Ian Arnold: 30:33

I find it because I wake up early, and then I get my kids up and everything. But it's nice that I can go ahead and start working. I can set up through our CRM system, emails or text messages I want to go out, but I don't send them out right, then I put it on, hey, send at nine o'clock or send at 10 o'clock, right? So I'm working guess what's not happening. I don't have phone going off. I don't have processors calling me and underwriters calling me for all this stuff. It's just me time I can quickly work get a lot of stuff done at a lot faster pace than all the phone calls run it

Cindy Stockhaus: 31:03

that is so true. It is your time to really get yourself get your bearings, not only your mindset, because mindset is huge with real estate with anything you do. But you're gonna have ups and downs. He said it's not for the faint of heart. So you have to have the right mindset going in. And that really gives you time to get your mind right and get your mindset going. Right.

Michael Stockhaus: 31:24

I don't know how many mornings she wakes up to Ed my light on the phone, me exercising or Jocko wick lead or some kind of just some motivational speaker, you know, self help, because it really does set my mindset for the day and make it stronger. Yeah,

Ian Arnold: 31:39

really does. All right. So with your calendars and everything I know you look at them every morning, I want more people's phone numbers and their names on there for you to call them or email them. So what's the best way to get in touch with you? That's

Cindy Stockhaus: 31:52

a great question again. So you can text or call the numbers 317-517-8407.

Ian Arnold: 32:01

And that's call

Rick Ripma: 32:02

or text call or text and what was the number again, I still can't remember. That

Cindy Stockhaus: 32:06

is three write this down. 317. everybody that's listening write down 317-517-8407

Rick Ripma: 32:15

All right, it's my goal to remember that I haven't written down somewhere here right here in front of me. We're taking a test later, so I'll be able to remember next time, and to get a hold of me and her I got a HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com. Or you can go to 317 or call 31767 to 1938. It's 31767 to 1938. That's a call no text. All

Ian Arnold: 32:38

right, so I got a good question. And one question of the week we ask every single time so so hard one. So first, we'll start with Michael. And what was your first car in

Michael Stockhaus: 32:49

1974? Opel Manta?

Rick Ripma: 32:52

Oh, really? An Opal? Yes. Amantha. All those are good. Yes.

Michael Stockhaus: 32:55

It was great. I would do 75 miles an hour if I stood on it. Yeah, they weren't fast. But they look nice. Yes. Yeah. That was my first car. Yeah. Do you?

Rick Ripma: 33:04

Are you a car guy or not? Really? Not. Not really. So it was just a car to you. It was

Michael Stockhaus: 33:09

my dad gave me his car to drive and I was at 16 I was darn happy to have it.

Ian Arnold: 33:15

All right. And Cindy, mine's

Cindy Stockhaus: 33:18

a little bit different. I have five brothers. So trucks are the thing. So I don't even know what your truck it was one of my brothers bought it for me. And it was a one ton truck. Standard shift stick shift didn't have a bed and my feet barely reached. So I would have to like bend down a little bit when I was shifting the gears and scared my brothers to death. I had that for probably six months and I gave it back to him. And I went out and bought myself a Nissan Sentra.

Rick Ripma: 33:50

So big big change from the truck but that truck no bad.

Cindy Stockhaus: 33:54

No bad. Yeah, no, it was a one ton truck with no bed. stick shift. It was huge. And it was just it was crazy. I love driving it. I mean, I really did. I did love driving. It sounds fun

Rick Ripma: 34:05

to me. Yeah. You can tell I'm a car guy. So I like I like cars. I like old trucks. I like all that stuff. I

Cindy Stockhaus: 34:10

like cars too. So goals when he says think big on my dream board which is really important to 69 Mustang Convertible is what I want. You know I would do a 67 but I think the 69 I like the body the best so that's on my dream board. Yep.

Rick Ripma: 34:27

What what motor Are you do you care? What kind of motor? No, I

Cindy Stockhaus: 34:29

let my brothers figure that out. I want I'm more worried about the color. I want it to be powder blue with a white convertible top.

Rick Ripma: 34:36

Really? Yes. I have a friend with that exact car. No. Yeah. Oh no. It's a 69 convertible Mustang. They rebuilt the whole thing. It's the it's the I may not be exactly powder blue. It's the it's one of the blues that they have. It's a light blue. I'm not good with colors.

Cindy Stockhaus: 34:57

My brothers would want you to say what kind of in Unit has Yeah, that's what matters. Yeah. And so I just wonder what color it is.

Ian Arnold: 35:05

Throughout the motor, you have to get Michael, that guy's number here before we leave here, because they got a big anniversary coming up. He's no pressure. Okay. All right. So we all know how real estate really affects the family. So your kids are older now. So how has real estate affected your guys's family?

Cindy Stockhaus: 35:27

So my son is a realtor. He is 20 He's gonna be 25 I can't believe it. He loved it. He loved doing it. I mean, so they when people would ask him, he got his real estate license straight out of high school, 18 years old. And people would say how long have you been doing real estate? And he would say, since I was two, because he was always with me doing stuff and he loved it. So he still loves real estate. My daughter is the flip opposite of that. She wants nothing to do with it. She's going to she's at Indiana state right now going to school. And she's going to I think, go for her law degree. So she's going to finish her criminal criminology and then do that. And she

Michael Stockhaus: 36:09

remember our phone number, we need help.

Cindy Stockhaus: 36:12

She wants nothing to do with real. I said, Well, you know, you could be a real estate attorney. She's like, No, no, no, thank you. Yeah. So

Michael Stockhaus: 36:20

now in saying that with her, when I take a phone call, and she's in the vehicle with me, she goes, you know that you did really good on that phone call. I like what she did. So she knows. She knows everything that we do. And she actually grades us. So that's it's kind of nice to have another coach in the car with you. Around. That's

Ian Arnold: 36:34

helpful. Yes. It is interesting is we have some people that kids jump right into it. Other kids are anti it and will never touch it. Then you have the kids that say they're anti yet. Seven, eight years go by after they get out of college. They come on back because they understand and they start to realize, Wait, a nine to five or a nine to 10 Depends on I mean, lawyers don't have the best hours. Let's be honest. That's the truth. So and then you're like, wait, I can make my own schedule. I still just talked to people. Wait, maybe I should get back into it. Maybe I should do that what my parents did. It's

Cindy Stockhaus: 37:11

the truth. And the crazy thing is she's been around so much so long. We can be having a conversation and Mike will say something to her. I need to ask your mom about 123 Main Street and she'll say, is that the short sale? Or is that is that the one that's whatever? And she'll know, you know, do they have a first ride on that one? And she knows everything about it. So she could do it?

Rick Ripma: 37:32

Well, she's obviously smart enough to I mean, she Yeah, it'd be attorney. She's got she's got the brains, too.

Cindy Stockhaus: 37:37

He's a smart cookie. Yeah,

Rick Ripma: 37:38

you have to. So what I know with the start of this, you're kind of getting up and going. You've been in real estate for a long time. So what are you most excited about in this startup?

Cindy Stockhaus: 37:50

Oh my gosh, probably. I for me, I don't know about him. But for me, it was partnering with Better Homes and Gardens real estate, that was incredible. They've been doing homes in the way people live in them, you know, the lifestyle in them for 100 years. And so just the culture with them again, culture is really big for us. So they're one of their taglines or they like to say mottos is be better expect better. And I love that I want to. For our clients, it's an experience, right customer services, everything and communication. But also having those extra tools, those types of things I'm super excited about and giving agents a little something different in the area, because there's not another Better Homes and Gardens real estate and it is a little different. So we're excited about that for me.

Michael Stockhaus: 38:45

Oh the for me, because I'm the I'm the nerd. The back office systems are the best I've ever had the the CRM, the website, the communication, that the system's all talking to one another. It's great. I don't have to flip systems, I don't have to go out and spend more money on something that I want to work better. It's all there that the the social media marketing, it's just it's awesome. It's just I'm so glad we partnered with them. It's just for agents is just an awesome, very robust system.

Rick Ripma: 39:15

So what does your team look like right now?

Cindy Stockhaus: 39:19

So of course, it's him and I, I am the listing agent more or less. And I also have my designation with the Institute for luxury home marketing. So I'm a member of their guild selling homes. Over a million but over 600,000 Really. And then my son and his best friend, both are full time realtors, and they're on our team. They are buyer's agents, they do listings as well, especially my son because he's been around it for so long. But they really like working with buyers and they have their friends who are at that age now. They're all getting married, and so they're really having a good time. So it's the forest and then Michael is the managing broker of our office and so he does all that Back Office recruiting, hiring all paperwork type of stuff. You know,

Rick Ripma: 40:04

he's a nerd.

Michael Stockhaus: 40:07

But you know what, it's fun. I think that's the underlying thing. And it's like this today. This is fun. You're all of this culture through showing up to work, you got to have fun with it. And that's what it's really become for us opening this brokerage. It's so exciting. And every day is just, it's fun to do this.

Cindy Stockhaus: 40:25

We also have a full time assistant, Mercy shout out to Mercy.

Ian Arnold: 40:29

She's not part of the family.

Cindy Stockhaus: 40:30

No, she kind of is. I mean, we love her. But yeah, so that's a must. You know, when you get busy like this, you have to have it. Yes. So how

Rick Ripma: 40:38

much fun is it to have your son working with you?

Cindy Stockhaus: 40:44

Right, it's amazing. To me, I have my husband and my son that I work with 24 hours a day. So there are times for both of us. We're there like, I know, behind my back, we got to give your your mom me, she's getting on my nerves. Like, let's send her to Florida so she can see her brothers. Let's just say, Mom, don't you need to go to Florida. And so and then for me, sometimes you know, you need a right. But honestly, it's amazing. When I when it gets down right down to it, we're really close family. And I tease with stuff like that. But we know each other so well. And so sometimes there's not a lot of communication that needs to happen. It's kind of a well oiled machine. And Kenny to my son's best friend, he grew up in our house on weekends and things. And so it's actually a lot of fun.

Ian Arnold: 41:34

So, the good news is we know who the favorite child is, in real estate.

Cindy Stockhaus: 41:41

I don't know my daughter, she's got Mel, she keeps us all in line. She has been an attorney her whole life. She's a no nonsense kind of gal. So she's kind of the boss when it comes down to Gee, I wonder where she got.

Ian Arnold: 41:58

All right. So when did this last question because I like to hear story so and been in business for over 23 years. I guarantee you have some stories. But what if Would you consider one of your most memorable transactions?

Cindy Stockhaus: 42:13

Gosh, there's been so many I

Michael Stockhaus: 42:15

know there's been so many. And there's so many things that happen I can tell you on numerous transactions when I've left my phone in the house, and I've already locked the lockbox, I am crawling through doggie doors to get my phone so I can so I can go get the key back out or I can go get my phone or I can go get whatever I've left in the house. So there there may be on a RingCentral camera somewhere. A picture of me going through a dog is

Rick Ripma: 42:41

a teachable moment.

Michael Stockhaus: 42:43

never learned mowing down you put it back in your pocket.

Rick Ripma: 42:47

That's it my wife to hear that.

Cindy Stockhaus: 42:51

Really, um, you know, I guess probably one of one of the ones that comes to mind is she actually she's an attorney, client of mine, we were going to see a house and we pull up to the house and you know, the signs in the driveway. The owner walks out meets us and introduce himself. He had a really odd name. But he said, I didn't have a showing today. And we thought, Oh, well I have it on my schedule. He's like, That's okay. You can see the house. And we walk in and it was just the strangest house. It was bigger than anything we had seen before. But it had all these just odd things. Like it was just weird. So then we leave, and we get out she goes you know, I don't think I would buy that house even though it was bigger than anything else we had. And we go around the corner and it was the wrong house. There's a house with the st listed by the same company two doors down. Oh, wow. And so you know, we had another showing that day. Was it better? And way better way. She didn't end up buying it. But it was it was our first adventure. We had several adventures with her. She's a lot of fun. So yeah. So

Ian Arnold: 43:57

messages to new agents double check the address. The address. That's exactly right. Was

Rick Ripma: 44:02

that before we had GPS where he could check everything? No.

Cindy Stockhaus: 44:06

I think it just threw us off because his name was Mr. Sandman. And he came out medicine. He said that we thought he was joking. And he wasn't. But he was so nice. He really was very nice. And so we didn't even check the address. We're like, Oh, he's so nice. And we go in and it was just it was funny. So wrong address. Yeah.

Rick Ripma: 44:22

I can see me doing that. I understand what happened.

Ian Arnold: 44:27

Yeah. All right. So if somebody wants you to show him the correct house, and everything, what's the best way they can get in contact with you guys?

Cindy Stockhaus: 44:36

So our phone number text or call 317-517-8407

Rick Ripma: 44:43

it this time because I gotta written down and I got 317-517-8407 I'm so proud of you. Write something down? You can remember. That's exactly right. He can learn he can learn. Yeah, well, barely. And to get a hold of the inner I got a hard working mortgage guys.com HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com That's HardWorkingMortgageGuys.com Or give us a call at 317-672-1938 31767 to 1938. And please follow us for more indies real estate gurus. A

Ian Arnold: 45:12

reminder if you have friends, family co workers looking to buy, sell or refinance. Let us know. We're more than happy to send you Michael, thank you for joining us on our show. It's It was a pleasure having you guys on.

Michael Stockhaus: 45:21

Thank you. That was a lot of fun.

Cindy Stockhaus: 45:22

Thank you so much for having us. That was fun, guys.

Ian Arnold: 45:25

Thank you. Hey, Rick, we had Michael and Cindy stock house and today phenomenal agents, married couple. I mean, it's interesting how they got into the business and then now they're flourishing. What was your biggest takeaway?

Rick Ripma: 45:42

My biggest takeaway was, even after all these years, they still have a coach and they and they are still there working. They get up early. They get into work, they're at work by 730 They work all day. They they take it seriously it's a job to them that they love to do and that I think that's that is something that makes a big difference and especially when you're getting going but certainly after all the years they still are doing that. Yes.

Ian Arnold: 46:09

If you are thinking about whether you need a coach or don't need a coach, you need to listen to this because they will go into the reasons why they have and they've been in the business for over 23 years. So they will talk to you and let you know the reasons why. Tune in to hear Michael and Cindy