
Imagine a month after you move into your new house, the refrigerator suddenly breaks down or you wake up to no heat in the middle of winter. It can be inconvenient, stressful, and expensive to repair or replace malfunction appliances and systems. Not exactly what a new homeowner wants to go through. Purchasing a home warranty can protect you against the unexpected.
Did you know February 10 is National Home Warranty Day? Our real estate agents give a breakdown of what home warranties are, what they cover, and why you should consider investing in one.
A home warranty is not the same thing as a homeowner's insurance policy, but rather a contract between a home warranty company and a homeowner that pays the cost of repair and replacement of a home's major components. Separately, homeowner's insurance covers major perils such as property crimes, fires, and water damage that could affect the homeowner's personal possessions or the entire structure. If you have a home warranty, you have a service contract to help if there's a need for costly repairs or when you have to replace a covered item in your home.

With your open house right around the corner, it's natural to focus on tidying, organizing, and staging the main areas of your home, like the living room, kitchen, and master suite. However, you should also spend some time on the other rooms in your home, like the laundry room, mudroom, pantry, and hallways. If you need advice for staging these minor areas, our real estate agents can help you figure out what changes will make your home more attractive to prospective buyers.

You probably already know that South Bend's St. Joseph County Library system makes it easy to pick up your favorite books new and old, but did you know that your local library offers so much more than just books? Whether you're looking to learn, connect with people who share your interests, check out the latest media, attend a special, seasonal event, or simply browse the endless stacks, South Bend's libraries are wonderful places to spend an afternoon. Our real estate agents know South Bend, and we've got the details on the resources you can expect when you visit our local libraries.
10 Library Locations for Your Convenience
Shopping for South Bend homes for sale? No matter which neighborhood you choose, rest assured that there will be a great library nearby. The St. Joseph County Library system has 10 facilities located throughout the city, and every branch offers something unique. Each branch houses its own collection and hosts its own schedule of special events, so there's always something new to see at your local library.

Buying a new home is exciting! You've checked out available South Bend homes for sale, figured out your down payment, and have a mortgage pre-approval letter from a lender. You finally found the perfect home and it's time to get a mortgage. You apply, get excited, start packing and then you hear the two most dreaded words in the home buying process: "Mortgage Denied."
It happens. If you've been rejected for a loan, it can be jarring, but you can turn it around. The key is understanding the reason(s) why you were turned down, and how to fix any problems.

New York-style pizza may feature foldable slices, but it takes two hands to hold a hearty slice of Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. With National Pizza Week running January 12-18, there's no better time to check out these amazing deep-dish pizza joints suggested by our real estate agents.