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Opening New Doors for you

Our Team has 85+ years of combined experience and over 1000+ of property sales under our belt. Yet your deal is what matters next!

About Us

Founded in 2020 by veteran local agents, our company offers a full spectrum of real estate services – from residential and commercial sales to rentals – all delivered with a personal touch. Our firm is properly licensed, REALTOR-affiliated, and staffed by a knowledgeable team that has earned excellent customer reviews. We are located on Ironwood Drive, with a growing portfolio of happy clients, Open Door Realty has established itself as a noteworthy player in the local real estate scene, truly “opening new doors” for South Bend area buyers and sellers

Notable Real Estate Listings and Achievements

2025

Since its founding, Open Door Realty has handled a wide range of property listings in South Bend and surrounding communities. As of 2025, the brokerage typically has around 15–20 active listings at any given time, in addition to many past sales.

Active Range

Open Door Realty’s active listings span from budget-friendly homes under $100,000 to mid-range homes in the high $200Ks and $300Ks. a;; the way into custom builds and more. For instance, one current listing is a 2-bedroom, 1-bath starter home in South Bend listed at $85,000 – an affordable option for first-time buyers. On the higher end, the firm has listed properties like a 3-bedroom, 3-bath home with ~2,896 sq ft for $355,900. This particular listing, located on Wildlife Drive in South Bend, showcases that Open Door Realty can handle substantial family homes as well. Most of our listings fall in the typical price range for the area (often $150K–$300K), which is reflected by another example: a 4-bed, 2-bath South Bend home listed at $299,000 The average listing price tends to be in the low-to-mid $200Ks, aligning with South Bend’s market norms.

Geographic Coverage

While based in South Bend, Open Door Realty’s listings extend to nearby locales in St. Joseph County and adjacent counties. The team has listed homes in Mishawaka, Granger, and Osceola, IN, as well as in parts of Elkhart County. In fact, some current listings are in Elkhart and Bristol, Indiana (e.g., a 3-bed home in Bristol listed at $70,000, and another in Elkhart for $70,000). This indicates the agents are willing to travel within the region and are members of the regional MLS that covers multiple counties. We’ve even served Michigan areas near the state line (one of Paul Thurston’s service areas includes Niles, MI. Therefore, the firm’s service footprint is the greater South Bend metro area and beyond – essentially Michiana.

Types of Properties

The bulk of Open Door’s listings are single-family homes, including everything from small 2-bedroom houses to larger 4-5 bedroom residences. We also list the occasional vacant land or lot and commercial property. For example, Open Door Realty recently listed a commercial warehouse property (6,000 sq ft) for $200,000. We have also listed vacant land, such as a lot on US Highway 33 in Elkhart County for $295,000. This diversity shows the brokerage is not limited to just suburban homes; we can handle investments, land sales, and small commercial deals as needed.

Notable Sales

In its short history, Open Door Realty has successfully closed dozens of transactions. While specific “celebrity” properties or record-breaking sales haven’t been publicized, some sales are notable for their context. For example, one of our agents, Paul Thurston, has closed 855 total sales in his career (as reported on Zillow)zillow.com, a number which includes transactions completed through Open Door Realty. The team collectively had 43 listings/sales recorded on one platform. A few sales stand out: a home on Hepler Street in South Bend sold for around $300K with Open Door Realty representing the seller, and another in the $290K range on Heather Cove, showing they handle some of the higher-end of the local market as well. Additionally, agent Marsha Kellogg (with Open Door) closed 28 transactions recently, including homes in popular areas like Northeast South Bend. These successes demonstrate the firm’s capability to compete in the market.

Achievements

In terms of achievements, the firm’s rapid growth and client satisfaction are its biggest accolades. Within a few years, Open Door Realty carved out a presence and was closing transactions at a pace rivaling longer-established brokerages. The fact that agents like Paul Thurston and Tina Herman maintain nearly perfect review scores and high sales volume is a point of pride. Another achievement is the firm’s integration in the regional real estate community; being the listing brokerage on numerous MLS entries (which are then displayed on big-name brokerage sites like RE/MAX, Berkshire Hathaway, etc.) gives Open Door Realty visibility and credibility. For example, a Berkshire Hathaway site listing for a South Bend home prominently credits Open Door Realty (agent Kourtni Wolfe) as the selling broker, placing the company name alongside national brands. This kind of presence in the MLS and co-brokered deals means Open Door’s agents are successfully working with buyers and other Realtors to get deals done.

85+ yrs of experience

The team at Open Door Realty collectively boast over 85 years of real estate experience in the local market. This experienced team is “local, dedicated and passionate about serving all of your real estate needs. Tina Herman, for example, is a lifelong South Bend resident who started in real estate in 2002 and emphasizes attention to detail and client communication. As of mid-2025, Paul Thurston (Broker/Realtor) is a leading agent – he often represents the firm publicly (e.g. he is the contact on the firm’s Alignable profile and the Facebook page contact email. he has been instrumental in its client outreach. The office also has a dedicated Office Manager (Chelsea Snell) to support the agents and clients. Overall, the brokerage is a tight-knit team of about 15+ agents and staff, combining veteran Realtors and newer professionals, all focused on the Michiana (Northwest Indiana/Southwest Michigan) region.

TODAY

Open Door Realty offers comprehensive real estate brokerage services for a variety of property types:

Residential Sales – Buyers & Sellers: Representing home buyers and home sellers is the core of Open Door Realty’s business. Its agents assist clients in purchasing existing homes or new construction, as well as listing homes for sale on the market.

Commercial Real Estate: Open Door Realty has listed commercial properties such as a warehouse building in South Bend (e.g. a recent commercial sale listing at 19816 Adams Road, SB, was brokered by Paul Thurston of Open Door Realty. The team is equipped to sell small commercial and investment properties in addition to homes.

Rental and Investment Property Services: Open Door Realty agents can help investor clients list rental units and assist renters in finding homes. Some agents on the team focus on investment properties, foreclosures, and short sales as well. For instance, Realtor Shaquia Hairston operates a specialty division called Heartfelt Homes Realty under the Open Door umbrella, focusing on pre-foreclosures and short sales to help distressed homeowners.

Home Valuations & Consultations: The firm provides free home valuation consultations to prospective sellers and offers guidance to homeowners on their property’s market value. This service helps sellers make informed decisions and is a common lead-generating service.

Relocation Assistance: Open Door agents assist clients relocating to or from the South Bend region. Individual agents note specialties like buyer’s agent, listing agent, relocation assistance.

Other Services: Open Door Realty is a full-service brokerage, our agents handle all aspects of transactions (offer negotiations, purchase agreement preparation, etc.).

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Recognition

Get in touch with our Team

Paul Thurston

1639 N. Ironwood Dr.

South Bend, IN 46635

homesbypaulthurston@gmail.com

Phone

574.367.6750

Kourtni Wolfe

1639 N. Ironwood Dr.

South Bend, IN 46635

Wolfekourtni01

@gmail.com

Phone

574.807.4345

1639 N. Ironwood Dr.

South Bend, IN 46635

johnpalmerrealestate@gmail.com

Phone

574.876.1234