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Toni Derry Real Estate Broker, Leesburg, IN (2026)

09/21/2026

Apparently, beading is trending again.

I know this because TikTok has figured out that I can spend an unreasonable amount of time watching complete strangers dump bags of beads onto a table.
Bead hauls. Tutorials. Necklaces. Charms. You get the idea!

I've been doing quite a bit of that myself lately, and somewhere along the way it brought back a memory I'd almost forgotten.

When I was little, my mom made jewelry. She had beads, pretty rocks, chains, clasps and all the things. Then there were the plaster molds. If you grew up in the late '60s or early '70s, you might remember those. We'd pour them, wait for them to dry and then paint them. Mushrooms, peace signs, those great big flowers...

Funny thing is, I'm seeing those everywhere again too. Everything really does come back around.

Over the years I've gone through plenty of creative phases of my own. Rubber stamping. Scrapbooking. Weekends spent with friends surrounded by enough paper, scissors and supplies to stock a small store.

And then there's my sister. She once decided the best way to make homemade glitter was to put glass Christmas ornaments into heavy-duty plastic bags and beat the heck out of them. We have never let her forget it. Apparently creativity comes in many forms. Some are just more violent than others.

But I've been thinking about why so many of us keep coming back to making things. Maybe it's because when our hands get busy, our minds get a little quieter. There's a little pride in saying, “I made that.” And there's something special about making something for someone else. A handmade gift carries a little message with it: I spent some of my time thinking about you.

And maybe the thing we're making isn't always really the point.

Sometimes we're making a reason to sit together.
A place where conversation happens.
A little confidence.
A little quiet.
A memory.

So now I'm curious...

What did you make growing up? What did your parents or grandparents teach you? What hobby have you picked back up—or what are you making now?

And if your answer involves pulverizing Christmas ornaments, well that's ok, there is always one in the crowd!

Pull up a chair. Tell me your story.

09/18/2026

Frequently Asked Friday | Did You Really Buy That House at the Tax Sale?

For years, I thought I understood how tax sales worked.

I'm a REALTOR®. I learned the basics in real estate school. I knew properties with delinquent taxes could be sold at tax sale. I knew the owner generally had a year to redeem the property. And I knew there could be a pretty attractive return for the tax-sale purchaser if that happened.

In my head, it sounded pretty simple.

Give me $50,000, let me go to the tax sale, buy a bunch of properties for pennies on the dollar and one of two things happens:

The owner redeems the property and I make a return on the investment.

Or they don't—and eventually I own the property.

Well...sort of.

Last year I started digging deeper into the process and had conversations with our County Treasurer.

That's when I learned something important:

I understood the basic concept. I didn't understand everything that happens in between.

Kosciusko County's tax sale is scheduled for October 19, so this seems like a pretty good time to talk about that “in between.”

When you're the successful bidder at an Indiana tax sale, you don't walk away owning the house.

You receive a tax-sale certificate.

That certificate represents a lien on the property. The owner still has a redemption period and can keep the property by paying the amount required by Indiana law.

And even the return isn't quite as simple as “I get my money back plus 10%.”

Under current Indiana law, redemption generally includes 110% of the minimum bid if the property is redeemed within six months, or 115% of the minimum bid if it is redeemed after six months but within one year. If someone bids more than the minimum, that additional amount is treated differently. Other allowable expenses can enter the calculation too.

But here's the part I really didn't understand:

If the property isn't redeemed, the house doesn't magically become yours on day 366.

There is a legal process required to turn that certificate into a tax deed.

There is title work. People with substantial interests of public record have to be identified. Statutory notices have to be given. Deadlines matter. If the property isn't redeemed, a verified petition for a tax deed must be filed with the court. The court must determine that the requirements have been met before directing the County Auditor to issue the tax deed.

And mistakes matter. Indiana guidance specifically warns that failure to provide required notice or timely pursue the tax deed can result in the purchaser's lien terminating.

That's why this isn't something I'd approach with:

“I have some cash and that house looks cheap.”

Do your homework.

Research the property before you bid. Understand exactly what you're purchasing. Understand the redemption process. Understand the title and notice requirements. Understand what interests or encumbrances may affect the property. And if you're seriously considering doing this, talk with the County offices and an attorney who understands Indiana tax sales.

There absolutely can be opportunity in a tax sale. But there can also be risk—and buying a tax-sale certificate is not the same thing as buying a house.

Frequently Asked Friday | ERA Crossroads
We're in this together.

09/16/2026

Market Wednesday | Will Your House Grow Older With You?

Last week I talked about my age group and the impact an aging population may have on the housing market.

Then a colleague sent me some information about aging in place, and it got me thinking.

I'm at the very tail end of the Baby Boomers. When I bought my own home, I was already thinking ahead — one-level living, minimal steps and a walk-in shower. If I eventually trade my house for one of those new condos I keep watching, I already know I'd want a ground-floor unit.

I've also helped clients search with many of those same priorities.

So naturally, I went down an MLS rabbit hole. 😂

As of this morning, there are 211 actually active residential listings in Kosciusko County.

Of those, 115 are one-story homes. One story doesn't necessarily mean easy living.
So I looked at all 115.

I considered entrance steps, foundations, showers and whether the home appeared to offer comfortable one-level living. I also kept in mind the things an MLS search can't easily filter — lot size and upkeep, steps from a deck to the yard, where the laundry is located and all those little things that can become much bigger things later.

After going through them individually, I found 36 homes with strong potential for aging in place based on what I could verify through the MLS. Another two might work, but there wasn't enough information for me to be sure.

That's only about 17% of our current active residential inventory. Those options aren't limited to giving up the lifestyle you love. I found condos, lakefront homes, channel-front homes and lake-access properties among them.

Of course, what works for one person may not work for another. But maybe there's a better question to ask when we're house hunting: Would the home you're buying at 55 still work for you at 75? For me, a lot of this comes down to independence.

The things that seem ordinary today — fewer steps, a manageable yard, main-level living, a walk-in shower — may someday be the very things that allow us to keep doing life on our own terms.

And that's worth thinking about. We’re in this together.

09/14/2026

Recently I learned about an opportunity to join a group of people who are 50 or older.

It’s not really a dating group. It’s a chance to meet people who live relatively nearby, who like to get out and do things. Singles and married couples are welcome, which takes away that pressure of it being a “dating group.” And if you happen to meet someone special along the way? Well, that’s okay too!

I went to the first gathering—a ride on the Lily Pad on Lake Wawasee—and I was a little nervous, there weren’t very many of us that first time, but something became obvious pretty quickly.

We were people who want to do things—but sometimes we don't, simply because we don't want to do them alone.

As we talked about things we enjoy and places we'd like to go, somebody would say something and you'd think, I'd do that! Suddenly there were all these things right around us that maybe we'd been missing simply because we didn't have somebody to go with.

Tonight we tried again and went on a sunset cruise on the Lily Pad.

And what a sunset we got.

We had some new people join us, more conversations and more ideas.

When I left home tonight, those butterflies were back. But while I was sitting in the parking lot waiting, a couple I'd met previously pulled in beside me. We started talking and I forgot all about being nervous!

And I realized that's exactly how this works.

You take that first uncomfortable step. You walk into something where you don't know everybody. You introduce yourself. You have a conversation.

I came home tonight excited about what this little group could become. Concerts, restaurants, shopping trips, day trips—who knows where we'll end up?

But mostly, I see friendships. People finding other people who say, “I'd go with you.”

If you're 50+ and any of this sounds familiar, reach out to me. I'll be happy to give you more information. I have a feeling this is one of those things where we'll get out of it what we're willing to put into it.

And sometimes, the hardest part is simply deciding to go.

09/11/2026

Frequently Asked Friday

We found the house. How do we decide what to offer?

You love it.

Maybe it’s the kitchen. Maybe it’s the backyard. Maybe you walked through the front door and immediately thought, this is it.

That’s when I want us to get a little boring for a minute.

Because before we write an offer, we need to look at the facts.

What does the market tell us about the value? How long has it been listed? What do comparable sales tell us? What do we know about the condition? Are there other offers?

And most importantly — what can you comfortably afford?

Not what you can technically qualify for. Not what you could manage if absolutely nothing went wrong.

And definitely not an extra $20,000 because you really, really love that kitchen.

There’s absolutely a place for emotion in buying a home. You’re going to live there. You should love it.

But emotion shouldn’t be doing the math.

Once we’ve looked at the facts, we’ll talk about price, financing, inspections, possession, closing date and the other terms that make up your offer.

The seller can accept, reject or counter or choose to ignore it. And if we can’t reach terms that still make sense?

We can walk away.

That can be hard when you’ve already pictured yourself living there. But there really is another house — and sometimes later you can see exactly why the one you thought you had to have wasn’t the one you bought.

Fall in love with the house. Just don’t let the house make the decision for you.

My job isn’t to help you buy a house at any cost. It’s to help you make a decision you’ll still feel good about after the excitement wears off.

We’re in this together.

09/09/2026

Apparently, my generation has been busy.

Baby Boomers now represent 42% of recent home buyers — and 55% of recent home sellers.

That caught my attention.

And a quick hat tip to Patrick Harris, REALTOR® in our Fort Wayne ERA Crossroads office, who sent me the article that got me thinking about all of this.

Because when you think about where this generation is in life, it makes sense.

Many Boomers have spent decades building equity. Some own their homes free and clear or have relatively small balances remaining. That can mean cash purchases, larger down payments and something particularly important in this market:

Options.

And the reasons they’re moving are as different as the people themselves.

Some are finally getting the dream home.

Some are transferring one dream into another.

Some are finding their final home.

Some are simplifying.

Some are creating a place for family.

And some are facing the need to downsize and move away.

Different homes. Same dreams.

There’s another side to all that equity and flexibility that buyers should understand, too.

A seller can be motivated without being desperate.

Someone with time, equity and options may be perfectly comfortable looking at a low offer and saying:

“No thank you. I’ll wait.”

Or perhaps, less politely:

Go ahead. Try. I’ll be here waiting when you come to your senses.

That’s part of understanding today’s market that statistics alone can’t show us.

Yes, inventory is changing. Days on market are changing. Buyers have more choices and, in some cases, more negotiating room.

But the people making those moves matter, too.

For a whole lot of Baby Boomers, this isn’t simply about selling a house.

It’s about deciding what they want their next chapter to look like.

And maybe that’s the better question:

What do you want yours to look like?

Toni Derry, REALTOR® | ERA Crossroads
We’re in this together.

09/07/2026

LOOK OUT THE WINDOW - ENJOY THE SCENERY!

The other morning, a local radio station asked what games people played on road trips before tablets and DVD players occupied kids’ minds.

That question sent me down memory lane—to the many road trips, and even vacations, I took with my grandparents.

A road trip with Grandma and Grandpa meant getting up very early and packing a cooler. Inside would be the lunch Grandma had prepared. As a child, I rolled my eyes and desperately wanted to stop somewhere to eat. As an adult, what I would give for one more of those lunches made by Grandma!

The cooler served a dual purpose. It kept our lunch cold, and later in the day it carried the specialty foods we would undoubtedly buy during stops at certain butcher shops and markets along the way.

One of our favorite road-trip games was horses and cemeteries.

Horses earned points, with bonus points for white horses—but they had to be on your side of the road. Cemeteries took points away. Sometimes we added working windmills for bonus points, and those could be spotted on either side by whoever saw them first.

Grandpa—God bless Grandpa—would literally drive miles out of his way to avoid a cemetery on his side of the road if he knew about it or saw it coming!

In Amish country, this would often backfire. There are many small cemeteries along those back roads, but you have to pay attention. They can appear without signage, decorative fencing or any advance notice—just a quiet grouping of little white headstones that is easy to drive past without seeing.

Then there was Grandma’s creative scorekeeping, complete with rules that could change without notice.

The final score never mattered. There was so much fun in playing the game.

I also remember times when all I wanted to do was doze off and take a nap. Grandma was not having it.

“Look out the windows! Enjoy the scenery.”

More eye rolls from me. At the time, I thought it was torture.

As an adult, I can look back and understand what Grandma unknowingly did for me—or perhaps she knew exactly what she was doing. She sharpened my observation skills.

While scanning the countryside for a windmill or a white horse, I saw the countryside. I noticed little white churches with stained-glass windows. I noticed people working in their yards. I noticed flower gardens.

I noticed.

Now, when I need a break from the world, I take a road trip. I search for flowers, horses, stained-glass windows, cemeteries and the occasional fairy ring.

It’s funny how the things from childhood that once brought groans and eye rolls can later become such joyful memories—and, in my case, help me see a little more of the world.

One of my favorite places to wander is the Tri-County Fish and Wildlife Area. It is peaceful and relaxing. I can pull up beside one of the lakes and remain mesmerized for long periods of time, simply watching and listening to the wildlife.

Even though I am not far from home, I feel miles away. I relax, unwind and recharge.

If I hadn’t developed that sense of adventure during road trips with my grandparents, I wonder whether I would ever have noticed this gem right in my own backyard.

All of that—from one silly game played in the car.

What road-trip games did your family play? Do you still play any of them today?

09/04/2026

Frequently Asked Friday

Is lake season over?

Labor Day may feel like the end of lake season—but it doesn’t mean the real estate season is over. This is often when lake homeowners begin asking themselves:

Did we use the cottage as much as we expected?

Do we want another year of maintenance and expenses?

Should we sell now—or wait until spring?

People often ask me when the best time is to sell, and there isn’t a hard-and-fast answer.

Life circumstances are constantly changing. You never know who is going to win the lottery, receive a settlement, get a big bonus at work, start a new job—or simply decide it’s finally time to own a place at the lake.

Life happens year-round. When it does, that becomes the right time for someone to buy—and possibly the right time for someone else to sell.

Selling now may mean less competition and buyers who are serious enough to look beyond summer. Waiting until spring may give you more time to prepare—but it may also bring more lake homes onto the market.

The best time to sell isn’t automatically Memorial Day, Labor Day, or spring. It’s when the timing, the property, and your plans make sense together.

If you’re beginning to wonder whether this was your last summer at the lake, we can talk through your options now—without pressure and without putting a sign in the yard before you’re ready.

We’re in this together.

Toni Derry, REALTOR®
ERA Crossroads

09/02/2026

MARKET WEDNESDAY

The market is moving—but not everything is moving at the same speed.

During August, 87 residential properties closed in Kosciusko County. Those homes spent a median of 27 days on the market.

As of September 2, there were 278 homes still available—and their median time on the market was 53 days.

That doesn’t automatically mean every home sitting longer has a problem. Price range, location, condition, and the type of property all make a difference.

But the gap does tell us something:

Being listed isn’t always the same as being positioned to sell.

Buyers have choices and may have a little more room to think. Sellers can absolutely still sell, but pricing, preparation, and presentation deserve careful attention.

No panic. No doom and gloom. Just a market asking us to pay attention.

And you know I will.

We’re in this together.

Toni Derry, REALTOR®
ERA Crossroads

Data pulled 9/2/26 from IRMLS.

08/31/2026

Porchlight Conversation

Dolly Parton once said:

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”

I've been thinking about that one. Somewhere along the way, a lot of us learn to tone ourselves down a little.

Don't be too loud.
Too colorful.
Too emotional.
Too curious.
Too involved.
Too much.

And for a long time, I think I heard “too” and wondered if maybe I needed to be a little less.

Less noticeable.
Less opinionated.
Less enthusiastic.
Less... me.

I'm beginning to look at it differently. Maybe the goal isn't to become more acceptable to everybody else. Maybe it's simply to figure out who you are — and get comfortable enough with that person that you stop constantly editing yourself.

That doesn't mean we stop growing. Or listening. Or recognizing when we need to do better. It just means we don't have to keep making ourselves smaller to be easier for somebody else to understand.

I'm still working on that. But if “too” is the word somebody chooses to describe me, maybe that's okay. I'd rather be too much than spend another minute wondering whether I'm enough.

Toni Derry Real Estate Broker

09/21/2026

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