IN SiDER COMPASS INDIANA · VOLUME 1 · APRIL 2025
VOL. ONE
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This month’s Feature Flavor dishes out Amy Spillman’s luxury listing, Rob Ertel’s famous chicken salad recipe, and a local gem shared by Linda McClure.
From exciting office events and new agent welcomes to market insights and business-boosting tools.
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This month’s Double Scoop shines a spotlight on our featured agent, Greg Cooper!
This month’s Winning Strategy dives into how you can leverage Compass’ 3-Phased Marketing to maximize your success.
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Agent collaborations, achievements, personal wins, and this month’s fun award honorees!
Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions. INsider is an internal publication created for the Compass Indiana community. All content is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Agent features, third-party mentions, and contributions reflect the views of the individuals cited and do not necessarily represent Compass. Please verify all dates, times, and information before sharing externally. 2
IN SiDER
Compass Indiana
Broad Ripple Office 5420 N College Ave #100, Indianapolis, IN 46220 Carmel Office 10 E Main Street Ste. 250, Carmel, IN 46032 Created & Curated by Brittani Gandy, Founder, Editor-in-Chief & Creative Director
Contributing Editors Autumn Shoppell
Lauren Sexton Urooj Qureshi
Guest Contributor Michael Scott (Kind of, but not really)
Sponsored and Printed by Brainstorm Print
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LETTER FROM LEADERSHIP
At Compass, we move fast. We obsess about opportunity. We collaborate without ego. These core principles are not just words—they are the heartbeat of everything we do. IN SiDER was built on these very foundations, with the goal of creating something that connects, celebrates, and inspires the incredible Compass Indy community we are so proud to be a part of. Thanks to the vision and leadership of Brittani Gandy, our Founder, Editor-in-Chief, and Creative Director, alongside the creativity and collaboration of contributing editors Urooj Qureshi, Autumn Shoppell, and Lauren Sexton, this idea quickly took shape.
and the spirit of collaboration that defines Compass Indiana. Every connection, every contribution, every shared idea helps move us forward—and IN SiDER is one more way we can recognize and amplify that momentum. We hope it sparks new conversations, ignites fresh partnerships, and reminds every one of us that opportunity is everywhere—especially when we lean into the power of showing up, collaborating, and dreaming big together.
Thank you for being part of it—and for making Compass Indy truly one of a kind.
IN SiDER is more than just an internal publication; it’s a reflection of who we are, what we’re building together,
Shereen Wallace, Sales Manager
Nick Galvin, Sales Manager
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Take a look inside Compass Indy— where big ideas, new connections, and endless opportunities are always taking shape.
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AND GETTING EVEN BETTER! Meet the newest faces who have joined Compass Indiana in 2025. Take a moment to connect, follow, and welcome them to the Compass Indy family!
Germayn Avila Líder Real Realty Group @lider_realtygroup Kathryn Berg The Carrie Holle Group @kathrynbergchg Paige Corbett High Point Realty Group @the.paigecorbett Mitchell Gough Mitchell Gough @m.goughrealestate
Rob Ertel RE Collection @robertel3
Nancy Lacointe The Laviolette Group @nancy_lacointe_realtor Natalie O’Connell The Carrie Holle Group @nataliepack
Amy Spillman The Spillman Group @amy.spillman.d Christy Westergren The Spillman Group @cwestergren John Weis The Spillman Group @thespillmangrp
Sara Garza The Hoesli Team @saragarza8 Gena Hout The Hoesli Team @hoeslirealestate Dan Huber Huber Homes @soldbyhuberhomes
Dave Simonett The Spillman Group @Indyhomeadvisors Chelsea Smith NorthPoint @chelseasmith921
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Inspired by Michael Scott energy.
Sales Meetings @ 10 AM Wednesday, May 7th & May 21st
“You miss 100% of the events you don’t show up to.” – Wayne Gretzky – Michael Scott
Every other Wednesday, we bring the heat with updates, best practices, and learning opportunities. Show up, soak it in, and leave smarter (and maybe cooler). Thursday, May 8th @ 4pm | Home Tips & Sips 8100 E 106th St. Fishers, IN 46038 Hosted by Compass YP and Home & Willow Design ! Come for the Hors D’oeuvres (fancy word for snacks), stay for the drinks, and leave with hot tips for new homeowners that will make you basically unstoppable in this industry. Boom. Out at Compass Kick-off Meeting Out at Compass is kicking off soon! Contact Rob Ertel or Shereen Wallace to get involved—the first meeting is just a couple weeks away (probably… time is weird).
Look. I’m not saying if you miss an event, your career will be over... but why risk it? Real magic happens when you show up. New ideas. Big deals. Friends who might become business partners. (Or just someone who knows the best lunch spots. Which is basically the same thing. Don’t just take it from me—Jennifer Holden showed up to Coffee & Collab and practically had a life-changing experience: “I attended my first Coffee & Collab and left wondering why I had taken so long to join this collaboration opportunity. One of the many reasons why I love Compass!” Also, Coffee & Collab? TOTAL genius move—started by Greg Cooper, agent, idea guy, future world leader (probably). Got an idea for an event? Pitch it. We love good ideas. Great ideas. Even “what if we had a bring-your-dog-to-network day” ideas. Here’s your next chance to show up, level up, and dominate:
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THE MARKET MIX MARCH 2025 Housing data provided by the MIBOR BLC ® comparing March 2024 to March 2025 shows +3.4% MEDIAN SALES PRICE 2025 = $299,900 vs. 2024 = $290,000 -2.2% CLOSED SALES 2025 = 2,625 vs. 2024 = 2,683 +5.4% NEW LISTINGS 2025 = 3,559 vs. 2024 = 3,377 Q1 2025 Housing data provided by the MIBOR BLC ® comparing Q1 2024 to Q1 2025 shows +4.4% MEDIAN SALES PRICE 2025 = $295,000 vs. 2024 = $282,441 -1.0% CLOSED SALES 2025 = 6,421 vs. 2024 = 6,484 +1.0% NEW LISTINGS 2025 = 8,588 vs. 2024 = 8,500 8
12-WEEK YEAR TESTIMONIAL
“I participated in the first 12 week program taught by Joe and am entering my second round. The concept behind it reduces your goals from annual to smaller quarter portions which is actually genius, with the ability to adjust each quarter to dial in what you need and/or want to really work on personally and professionally. Joe’s enthusiasm to share his experience in real estate is amazing. I feel fortunate to be a part of a group to share in his wisdom while wholeheartedly believing his coaching is beneficial to learn from. He really helps you hyper focus on what will improve your business while shaping goals that will hold you accountable and challenge you to be a better agent.”
Kristin Bergunder
With Compass One, you will gain the ability to:
COLLABORATE EASILY Compass One creates a personalized, shared space between you and your clients, fostering open communication and ensuring a smooth, transparent buying or selling process from start to finish. PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY Thanks to an automatically calculated timeline based on key dates, clients gain a clear overview of their entire journey. They can easily track progress, understand upcoming steps, and see any actions required, keeping them informed and engaged throughout the process. ACCESS DOCUMENTS IN ONE PLACE All signed documents, forms, and relevant paperwork are securely stored in one, centralized place so clients can effortlessly retrieve everything related to their transaction.
ENSURE CLIENT SATISFACTION Compass One creates a digital receipt of all your work, reinforcing the value you bring to the table. Clients can see your effort behind the scenes, which enhances their overall experience and trust in your services. PERSONALIZE YOUR APPROACH Customize which timeline events are visible and share specific documents, CMAs, and collections in order to provide a high-touch experience tailored to each client’s unique needs. WIN NEW BUSINESS Impress potential clients before agreements are even signed, giving you a distinct competitive edge over agents from other brokerages.
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GREG
If you’ve spent any time at Compass Indiana, you’ve likely crossed paths with Greg Cooper—our resident culture carrier, master collaborator, and the guy who somehow runs Coffee & Collab without actually drinking coffee. (More on that later.) With more than two decades in real estate, Greg’s path to the industry wasn’t exactly conventional. He started as a radio DJ, using his golden voice to keep the airwaves lively. But somewhere along the way, his love for acquiring rental properties transformed into a full-fledged career helping others buy and sell homes. Turns out, making smooth transitions wasn’t just a radio skill—it translated perfectly into real estate, too.
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No Mentor, No Problem Greg’s early real estate days weren’t filled with hand- holding or built-in guidance. “I joined a very small company that wasn’t big on mentorship,” he recalls. “I didn’t know how crucial synergy and collaboration were back then.” Lucky for us, he’s making up for lost time by fostering those very qualities at Compass. Coffee Enthusiast (But Not Really) Greg is the mastermind behind the office’s Coffee & Collab, a space for agents to connect over caffeine- fueled conversations. The twist? Greg doesn’t drink coffee. “I love the smell of it,” he admits. “It’s one of my three favorite smells. But I don’t drink it.” So what are the other two? Well, let’s just say they’re not fit for print (but if you ask Greg, he might tell you anyway). The Wild World of Real Estate Showings Real estate always brings surprises, but Greg has had more than his fair share of bizarre encounters. Case in point: one of his first home showings involved an unplanned—and incredibly awkward—introduction to a seller who had lost track of time… and clothing. “The seller, a fifty-something-year-old man, came out wrapped only in a sheet,” Greg recalls. “He and his not wife were otherwise occupied when my clients’ two young children ran into the house. It was a ‘turn around and run’ situation.” And then there was Wanda—the ex-girlfriend of a homeowner who, after a few too many cocktails, let herself into his house during a broker’s open, undressed, and climbed into his bed for a nap. “We had to call the owner and say, ‘Come get Wanda.’” Just another day in the life of Greg Cooper. Advice from a Veteran For clients, Greg’s biggest piece of advice is simple: patience. “People rush decisions and either cost themselves money or lose opportunities. Think things through.” He also warns against touring homes without knowing the price. “If it’s way out of your budget, everything else will look disappointing after that.” Wise words from someone who’s seen it all. Local Favorites Greg’s go-to hidden gem? Eagle Creek Park. “It’s one of the most beautiful municipal parks in the country, and it’s underused. The hiking trails, the water, the
picnic spots—it’s incredible.” He also recommends the Indiana Dunes for an adventurous day trip. But be warned: “Don’t go in mid-June or July unless you enjoy sitting in a parking lot for hours.” A Life of Adventure and Resilience Greg’s journey hasn’t been without its challenges, but he’s never let them define him. A former radio traffic reporter, he’s experienced not one, but two airborne crashes. Yet, his outlook remains unwaveringly positive. “There’s a test to determine if your mission on Earth is finished. If you’re alive, it isn’t.” Greg embodies this philosophy, embracing every opportunity with determination and gratitude. His resilience is a testament to the fact that no matter what life throws at you, there’s always another chapter to write. Greg might be a self-proclaimed “classic choice,” but his stories, personality, and impact at Compass are anything but ordinary. If you haven’t had the pleasure of chatting with him yet, grab a coffee (he’ll love the smell) and see for yourself why he’s one of the best parts of Compass Indiana. Stay tuned for more agent spotlights in Compass INsider! RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS Q: Dream home or dream vacation? A: Home. Q: City life or country escape? A: Country. Q: Open house snacks: sweet or savory? A: Savory. Q: Morning showings or evening showings? A: Morning. Q: Ice cream & binge-watch: Breaking Bad or Stranger Things? A: Breaking Bad. Q: Pick your ice cream truck anthem: Eminem’s Lose Yourself or Dr. Dre’s Still D.R.E.? A: Lose yourself. Q: What is your favorite ice cream flavor? A: I rarely eat ice cream, but probably Raspberry Chunk.
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THE CHERRY
At Compass Indy, collaboration isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the secret sauce behind so many of our biggest wins. See how partnerships, teamwork, and sharing ideas are helping us move faster, think bigger, and build unstoppable momentum together.
Overall was a very smooth transaction. It was a private exclusive where my clients went in and fell in love with it. We had been looking for over a year. Jennil communicated very well and the sellers made things easy all the way to the closing table, even leaving my buyers a small gift at the home.”
Working with Mike was invaluable. His pre- listing advice saved us time and helped us achieve a great result while sparking some innovative ideas. Collaboration without ego is the epitome of Mike Feldman and his team. We’ve been friends for years, but being able to work amongst him in a professional setting and leveraging his skillset is monumental. I love Compass and the agents that are willing to help others. In my eyes, if you win we ALL win!”
- Ben Jones
- Lindsay Sears
One of our core principles: COLLABORATION. Gov Eric Rumschlag was SUCH a pleasure and a breath of fresh air to work with. This was a somewhat difficult transaction (I represented the seller and it was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for her), but we made it to the end, and a big piece of that was Eric being so great! Open communication & his composed and level-headed approach was so refreshing. Would love to work with you again Eric! GOOOO COMPASS!!!!
-Kelli Bastin
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BIG WINS. BIG MOVES.
Lindsay Sears has always gone out of her way to ensure my current business is aligned with my goals. She has taught me so much and she is a true team player! FROM JENNIFER HOLDEN
I am partnering with Shereen to bring Out at Compass to Indy. We will be working on a fun launch in June! Whether you’re OUT or an ally we are excited to launch this affinity group. FROM ROB ERTEL My son and family are back from Brazil & he is up for photography! He does Drone too. His business is TED Somerville Photography. FROM LIBBY SOMERVILLE My general contracting business Morse Lake Home Solutions is going to be apart of the vendor fair! We’re excited to see everyone there! FROM TAMMY VENABLE I’d like to celebrate others with this...mid 2023 to mid 2024 were the hardest 12 months of my life. I was completely overwhelmed at the outpouring of support from those in my friend group. It carried me through. FROM GREG COOPER
I secured my first $1.5M listing! All thanks to Lindsay and the Compass Marketing Team.
As a Trustee for the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, I hope you’ll join me in celebrating the Museum’s 100th birthday! We’re so lucky to have this incredible, world-renowned institution in our backyard and I’d love to have your support in sparking joy, wonder, and creativity for families for the NEXT 100 years! FROM ALLISON STECK
Jennil Salazar 80.20% Kelly Todd Group 95%
YOY GROWTH % Crossroads Collective 14%
Hayley Wild 14.20% Allison Steck 20.70%
Gary Swift Group 132.30% The Jones Team 155.60% Stacey Sobczak 210.70% Tammy Venable 296.80% Team Keller 312.10% The Dakich Team & Goodman Group 361.20% Andy Tresize 496.60%
Kristin Bergunder 30.40% Jamie Boer Homes 30.50% The Carrie Holle Group 39.30% Gallery of Homes 41.20% The Laviolette Real Estate Group 41.30%
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A Listing Fit For a President
Once home to Alonzo Taylor—local carpet tycoon— and located just blocks from where President Benjamin Harrison himself once lived, this iconic residence in Indy’s Old Northside is nothing short of presidential. Built in 1882, the Lupton-Taylor House blends rich history with show-stopping updates for those who want their home to make a statement. With 12-foot ceilings, mahogany-stained floors, and a layout made for entertaining, the home oozes charm and character in every direction. Original Murat Theatre chandeliers hang in the parlor, billiards room, and gathering room. And yes, there’s even a speakeasy and telephone room to keep things interesting.
The vintage glam continues outdoors with a resort- style pool, beer garden, two wrap-around porches, and a second-story terrace perfect for people- watching on Park Avenue—one of the most coveted streets in the city. Thoughtfully styled with a 1920s–30s flair, the furnishings have been curated from across the globe—and can stay with an acceptable offer.
Presidents, magnates, and dreamers have called the Old Northside home.
Now, it’s your client’s turn.
1409 N PARK AVENUE Listed by Amy Spillman
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Ingredients: • 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken • 1 cup chopped celery • 1 cup red seedless grapes, halved “This recipe is perfect for meal prep, picnics, or easy entertaining!” Rob Ertel’s Classic Rotisserie Chicken Salad
• ½ cup chopped red onion • ½ cup chopped pecans • 1 teaspoon kosher salt • 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup mayonnaise • Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions: 1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayon- naise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the shred- ded chicken, celery, grapes, red onion, and pecans.
3. Pour the mayo mixture over the ingredients and gently mix until well combined. 4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight for best flavor). 5. Serve chilled on buttery croissants with crisp butter lettuce, enjoy with crackers, or as a refreshing salad over lettuce greens.
McNamara Florist is always a great place to browse. Especially at the change of seasons. They are very helpful if you need a thank you gift, birthday gift, or hostess gift. I can usually find something unique and they will always make it look attractive and ready to present as a gift. What’s a local hidden gem that more people should know about? - Linda McClure
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3. Test Aspirational Pricing: They test an aspirational price or validate a pricing strategy privately before listing on the MLS. 4. Harness the Power of Pre-Marketing: They pre- market while staging and preparing the home to create interest and anticipation before it’s ready to launch. 5. Learn From the Insights: They learn from the data and analytics they get from their websites, including property page views, visits, and engagement insights. 6. Protect and Control Their Data: They control which websites their photos, address and data appear on to protect their data. At Compass, we believe that your clients should be able to sell their home on their terms, with control over how it’s marketed and how their data is being used. The 3-Phased Marketing Strategy gives them that power of choice, while enabling you to protect and promote their home’s value.
It’s no secret—Compass’s 3-Phased Marketing is dominating the real estate industry. Homes marketed with this strategy are seeing an impressive 2.9% higher average close price. This is the strategy that takes the cake—and if you haven’t started using it yet, you should’ve done it yesterday. Here’s why:
Real estate developers and professional homebuilders use a phased marketing approach so that they can:
1. Eliminate Days on Market & Price Drop History Risk: They extend their marketing runway by controlling when the property is put on the MLS, helping them minimize public days on market or price drop history. Excessive days on market and price-drop history can devalue their properties in the eyes of buyers. 2. Ensure Their Listing Agent Receives All Listing Inquiries: They put the property on their website first, so all inbound buyer inquiries go directly to their listing agent, who knows the home best and, therefore, can serve the seller better.
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PHASE 1: COMPASS PRIVATE EXCLUSIVES Just like many companies test a product with a smaller audience before launch, listing a home as a Private Exclusive first allows homeowners to fine-tune their presentation before going public and extend their marketing runway. During this phase, you and your home seller will: • Privately soft launch your listing to a nationwide network of 33,000 top agents and their millions of clients. • Generate buyer interest without accumulating days on market or damaging public price drops. • React to feedback from professional, full-time agents on your price and positioning so that you can build the most buyer demand. PHASE 2: COMPASS COMING SOON Publicly launch your listing on Compass.com, exposing it to a wider audience without showing days on market or price drop history. Signal to the market that increased competition for the listing will be coming soon when it’s launched on all other platforms. During this phase, you and your home seller will: • Receive key engagement insights about how buyers and buyers’ agents are viewing, commenting, and sharing your listings on Compass.com – data that is normally never shared with you from other websites, through Compass’ Reverse Prospecting tool. • Have more control over how data is shared, including photos and personal information. On other platforms, it’s nearly impossible to know where data is going or how it’s being used. On Compass.com you’re in control and can more easily remove listing photos and personal information from the internet after the home has sold.
PHASE 3: GO LIVE ON ALL PLATFORMS At this stage, the home is launched on the MLS and public portal sites. This will make the listing visible to a broader audience, accrue days on market, and provide a visible price drop history. Compass Private Exclusives are prioritized in search for other Compass agents, and Coming Soons are prioritized in search results for consumers searching Compass.com. By this, you could increase the chance that Google ranks your listing link first in search results because you brought the property to the internet first. The 3-Phased Marketing Strategy is available to be used in all Compass markets across the country with the exception of Washington State. Compass Private Exclusives have elevated my game on both the listing and buy side a tremendous amount this year. Going into a listing presentation with a clear and articulable market advantage with practical next steps has allowed me to walk into listing presentations with confidence and away with business. Being able to curate a sellers experience is sometimes all that is needed. Being able to tell buyers I have access to exclusive inventory and quickly show them through the compass technology has allowed me to show my value early in the process and with all of the changes regarding buyer agency I couldn’t ask for a better tool and platform.
- Bernie Goodman
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GIVE US THE SCOOP
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