**Brown County FEBRUARY/MARCH 2026**
Member FDIC | IN-35205120
**2 | Brown County Homes Guide**
At The Peoples State Bank, we’re here to help you make your homeownership goals a reality. Our local team offers personal guidance, quick approvals, and competitive rates. We’re your neighbors, ready to walk you through every step of the process. Let’s make your home loan simple and stress-free.
Apply Online Today!
**Brown County FEBRUARY / MARCH 2026**
4 — Important Phone Numbers
6 — Creating Curb Appeal
10 — Farm Decor is on Trend
11 — Allowing Pets in Rentals
12–13 — Area Maps
14 — Personalizing Your Bathroom
2 — The Peoples State Bank
4 — Home Services
5 — Ally Excavation, Hills O’Brown Vacation Rentals, Nevins Refrigeration
6 — Austin Insurance Agency
7 — Bear Real Estate LLC
8–9 — Johann Real Estate
11 — Brye Real Estate LLC
15 — ECO Realty Partners
16 — Mensendiek Auctions Carpenter Hills O’Brown Realty
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**Your Home Inside & Out | 3**
**Brown County Home Services**
Call Christy Hubbard to advertise! 812-379-5691
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**Important Phone Numbers (Area Code 812)**
Septic install | Septic repair | Waterline installation and repair
New driveway install/grading | Stump grinding
Lot clearing and building pads — no job too small or too big.
**Ally Excavation Services**
Kyle Wagers | Free quotes
812-320-7594
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**4 | Brown County Homes Guide**
Assessor — 988-5466
Auditor — 988-5485
Career Resource Center — 988-5880
Circuit Court Judge — 988-7557
Clerk — 988-5510
Extension Service — 988-5495
Dept. of Child Services — 988-2239
Div. of Family Resources — 988-0160
Health Department — 988-2255
Highway Department — 988-4545
Jail — 988-5605
License Branch — 988-2404
Nashville Police Dept. — 988-0341
Parks & Recreation — 988-5522
Post Office – Nashville — 988-2262
Post Office – Helmsburg — 988-6302
Public Library — 988-2850
Prosecutor — 988-5470
Recorder — 988-5462
School – BCHS — 988-6606
School – BCJHS — 988-6605
School – Helmsburg — 988-6651
School – Intermediate — 988-6607
School – Sprunica — 988-6625
School – Van Buren — 988-6658
Sheriff’s Department — 988-6655
Soil and Water Conservation — 988-2211
Solid Waste Mgt. District — 988-0140
Town of Nashville — 988-5526
TRIAD — 988-5606
Treasurer — 988-5458
Veterans Affairs — 988-5600
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See us for all your insurance needs…
**Craig Austin**
Homeowners, Auto, Farmowners, Life & Commercial
812.988.6642
**Your Home Inside & Out | 5**
Located in the Austin Building | Convenient off-street parking
138 South Jefferson Street | Nashville, IN 47448
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**CURB APPEAL**
**How to look great from the outside**
*By Cathy Hobbs, Tribune Media Services | Photo by TMS*
A home is often judged as much by what’s on the outside as by what’s on the inside. A home’s curb appeal helps set the tone, signaling care, design and maintenance to visitors and guests. If you are looking for ways to maximize your home’s curb appeal, consider three key areas of focus: your home’s exterior, landscaping and lighting.
**DO**
Do maintain the exterior of your home. Tasks such as power washing, repainting and performing minor repairs can go a long way. Do add warm touches such as potted flowers or plants or an attractive welcome mat. Do layer your landscape. Choose plants that bloom in succession through the seasons and vary in height and texture for dimension. Do consider native landscaping. Local plants thrive with less maintenance and help your landscape stay vibrant year-round. Do light pathways and entrances. Illuminating key entry areas will help create welcoming focal points.
**DON’T**
Don’t ignore minor repairs. Peeling paint or broken items can become overwhelming if ignored. Don’t over-improve for your neighborhood. While it is good to have a well-maintained house, be sure to add improvements that will increase resale value. Don’t ignore landscaping. Landscaping is often expensive to both plant and maintain, but can go a long way as it relates to curb appeal. Don’t follow trends. Instead of being trendy, select items that will be timeless. Don’t forget to incorporate color. There are various ways to do this, such as through finishes, hardware, textiles and even outdoor plantings.
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bearrealestatesales.com | @bearrealestatepennyscroggins
188 S. Jefferson St., Nashville, IN 47448 | 812-327-3865 | penny@bearrealestatesales.com
Felicia Cook — 317-509-5867
Bryan Cook — 317-509-2534
Justin Thompson — 812-325-2632
Luke Morrow — 812-583-0055
Betty Mullis — 812-320-0765
Curt & Penny Scroggins — 812-327-3865
Let us help you find a home in Brown or Monroe County! Whether buying or selling in or around Brown County, call or text.
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**6 | Your Home Inside & Out**
**Brown County Homes Guide | 7**
**8 | Your Home Inside & Out**
**Your Home Inside & Out | 9**
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**TRENDY OR TACKY?**
**Farm decor is trending — here’s how to do it right**
*By Cathy Hobbs, Tribune Media Services | Photo by TMS*
When done right, food can be an affordable, colorful and organic way to decorate a home. Whether real or artificial, the key is moderation, authenticity and a curated approach that feels fresh, not forced. Food decor is trending again, especially in kitchens, dining rooms and on open shelving where color and texture can shine. Think bowls of citrus, jars of pasta, spices and even potted herbs. These small touches bring warmth, life and an organic connection to the home without feeling cluttered or overly themed.
**COUNTRY CHIC**
“Country or farm-stand chic” is part of a current trend in which produce, real or artificial, is displayed as décor. Consider elements such as peppers, apples and artichokes in addition to food-related items such as spice jars, olive oils and pasta in clear containers to spice up a kitchen while still providing an inviting and modern feel.
**Where to use**
Kitchens and dining areas are the most natural locations to incorporate food decor, followed by entry consoles or open shelving. Living rooms can potentially be a location as well; for example, use potted herbs incorporated with other coffee table décor items.
**Less is more**
Limit yourself to one or two food accents per room. A bowl of lemons on a counter, a jar of pasta on a shelf, or a small tray or cutting board displaying spices by a stove is plenty. The goal is to add interesting, colorful décor elements.
**How and what to use:**
Decorative apples. Green or red — both can be used to add color and a timeless décor element. Artificial lettuces and artichokes are a go-to for many designers and home stagers looking for a modern vibe. Citrus fruits — lemons and limes placed in a decorative way will never go out of style. Spices and oils can be used on a decorative tray or cutting board, paired with a stack of cookbooks. Food items such as whole coffee beans can be placed with coffee mugs, or jars of pasta work beautifully in kitchens with open shelving.
*Cathy Hobbs is the owner of Cathy Hobbs Design Recipes, a home staging company based in New York City, and Highland Passive House, a Home Staging + Design Center based in New York’s Hudson Valley. Cathy’s practical, how-to design advice can also be found in her book, “Home Design Recipes.”*
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**10 | Your Home Inside & Out**
**Zillow: Landlords who allow pets rent their homes faster**
*By Michelle Bond, Philadelphia Inquirer*
You see that rental listing that welcomes pets? If you blink, you might miss it. Nationwide, pet-friendly rental listings draw more attention and lease faster than ones that aren’t, according to Zillow’s analysis of more than 11 million rental listings on its platform last year. Landlords typically find tenants for them eight days faster.
In the Philadelphia metropolitan area, about three in five rental listings on Zillow last year were pet-friendly. And landlords also found tenants for these homes faster — by a median of four days.
Households that can’t afford to buy homes are renting longer, and renters are older than they used to be as people start families later in life. So they’re more likely to have pets. According to Zillow, 58% of renters have a pet, up from 46% in 2019. And pet parents prioritize the needs of their furry companions, even putting them up in luxury pet hotels when they need to be away from home.
In Philadelphia, an apartment construction boom in the last few years means landlords are dealing with a glut of rentals. They have to find ways to attract renters who have more options than they’ve had in decades. And that can mean welcoming or even catering to their pets. In the city, new apartment buildings have popped up with dog runs, parks and pet spas.
“Allowing pets can be a strategic edge for landlords competing to fill units,” Emily McDonald, a rental trends expert for Zillow, said in a statement. “Today’s renters are more established and more likely to have a pet, and we clearly see that pet-friendly rentals attract more interest on Zillow.”
Allowing pets can give landlords even more of an edge in certain places. For example, in the New York City metro area, where just over half of rentals were pet-friendly, these homes typically rented 26 days faster than rentals that weren’t pet-friendly, according to Zillow. That’s the biggest advantage among the major markets.
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List your home for 2% | Local Realtor | Lower fees | Real results
Professional full-service listing | Save thousands in fees | 5-star service
Call or text Sheila Glore: 317-513-6335
www.ecorealtypartnerssouth.com
**Your Home Inside & Out | 11**
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**AREA MAPS**
**10 | Brown County Homes Guide**
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**12 | Brown County Homes Guide**
**Your Home Inside & Out | 13**
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**Make it your own**
**5 simple ways to personalize your bathroom**
*By Brandpoint*
Your bathroom doesn’t have to solely be a utilitarian space. With just a few easy changes, you can turn your no-frills bathroom into a relaxing space with a personalized feel. Don’t know where to start? Check out these five simple tips that can help you enhance your existing aesthetic or completely update the look and feel of your bathroom.
**1. Hang artwork that reflects your taste**
Hanging artwork in the bathroom is the easiest way to quickly add personality. If you’re looking to change the room’s theme from a minimalist black-and-white color scheme to a maximalist tropical theme, find photos and prints with plants and trees in bright greens, reds and yellows. Or, if you’ve been having a hard time finding a spot to hang art you’ve either purchased or been gifted by a friend, these pieces may look right at home in your bathroom!
*Pro tip: Choose waterproof frames that can protect your art from humidity.*
**2. Update hardware to express your style**
The hardware you choose sets the tone and style of a bathroom. If you currently have cool silver drawer pulls, faucets, towel bars and other fixtures with a polished finish, consider switching to warm gold or bronze hardware with a brushed finish.
Keep in mind that you can mix and match colors, materials and finishes to create a bathroom with hardware tailored to your taste. For example, if you want to upgrade your faucet, check out Kohler’s Mix & Match Faucet options. Three faucet collections provide you with the freedom to choose the spout style, handle and finish.
If you’re looking to inject turn-of-the-century charm into your bathroom, choose the Artifacts collection. For the high-fashion, effortless glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood, opt for the Occasion line of faucet sets. Want to lean into minimalism? Take a look at the Components collection. Each line offers faucet fixtures in several finishes and colors, so you can find what suits your style best.
**3. Add a spa-like feel with plants**
Turn your bathroom into a tranquil retreat with bathroom-friendly plants. Adding natural, organic elements like plants can bring an otherwise sterile room to life and can soften a bathroom’s hard, clean lines. There are many plants you can choose from, but it’s best to choose ones that thrive in humidity: calatheas, monsteras, pothos, orchids or ferns.
Once you’ve chosen your plants, look for decorative planters that match your aesthetic or the bathroom’s color scheme. If you’re short on space, consider hanging planters. No matter what you choose, the plants you care for can make the bathroom more inviting.
**4. Control the ambiance with lighting**
Changing the lighting in your bathroom allows you to effortlessly control the ambiance. For example, dimmable white light bulbs create a cozy atmosphere but still offer enough illumination for grooming tasks like shaving and applying makeup. Installing a dimmer switch allows you to adjust brightness to create a sunlit daytime mood or a soothing evening glow for a relaxing bath after a long day. For flexibility, install smart lighting that allows you to change the color and brightness depending on your mood and needs.
*Pro tip: Choose lighting elements that match or complement other bathroom hardware. If you’re considering installing a faucet from Kohler’s Artifacts, Components and Occasion collections, you’re in luck — each collection also offers customizable lighting fixtures.*
**5. Add color and texture with paint or wallpaper**
Finally, a new coat of paint or wallpaper can do wonders for a bathroom. With so many colors and patterns to choose from, you can easily find the combination that suits your style. Tired of the sterile white or beige of your bathroom walls? Grab a can of baby blue or sage green to create a serene setting, or use warm reds and pinks for a homey ambiance. If you want to add textures and patterns, look for wallpaper that reflects the theme of the bathroom or that shows off your hobbies or interests. From florals to faux stone to geometric shapes and more, wallpaper offers endless possibilities to express yourself in this space.
*Pro tip: The type of paint and wallpaper you choose matters. Acrylic and latex paints are popular bathroom choices because they can prevent mold and mildew that can flourish in humid conditions. Similarly, vinyl wallpaper is best for the humid bathroom environment.*
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**14 | Your Home Inside & Out**
**Your Home Inside & Out | 15**
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**TOURIST HOME** | **REDUCED** | **REDUCED**
30 Artist Drive, Nashville, IN | 812-988-2227
**$1,200,000** — You have finally found your dream property. Beautiful log home sitting on 39.53 acres. 812-327-6862
**$1,100,000** — An unforgettable and profitable retreat. Cliff Creek Cabin is both a private escape and an income-producing short-term rental. 812-325-2290
**$689,000** — Rare opportunity to own a high-potential property offering 40 acres of beautiful land with a 4-acre stocked private lake. 317-665-4763
**$680,000** — Prime 40-acre tract in Bartholomew County, currently used as productive farmland with a small wooded area. 812-325-2290 | PENDING
**$596,070** — Rare opportunity to own 66+ acres near Hoosier National Forest in beautiful southern Brown County. 812-325-2290 | REDUCED
**$475,000** — Inviting log-sided home surrounded by nature in a lovely, peaceful valley with Yellowwood State Forest right outside the back door. 812-325-2290
**$450,000** — This distinctive two-story home featuring classic charm and abundant potential is nestled on a peaceful ridge in the hills. 812-325-2290
**$442,000** — Discover rustic hilltop living at this charming log cabin that includes 2 BR, 2.5 BA, plus a versatile loft area. 812-325-2290
4007 E. State Road 46, Nashville — Tom Prendergast, BLC#22071495
4613 Pantina Way, Indianapolis — Tom Prendergast, BLC#22074796
**TOURIST HOME** | **PENDING**
**$385,000** — This property features a comfortable living space with 4 BR, 2.5 BA, complemented by a spacious living room. 317-496-2195
**$349,000** — This 3 BR, 3 BA home is situated in a serene wooded setting on a quiet cul-de-sac in the Pine Tree Hills subdivision. 812-325-2290
**$344,900** — Stunning brick ranch home with a walkout basement on 4.60 acres in Princes Lakes. 317-437-6923
**$325,000** — On the community pond in Indianapolis’ Copper Grove subdivision, this single-family residence offers 4 bedrooms and 2 baths. 317-496-2195
**$310,000** — “Away From It All” — Zoned as a tourist home and being sold turnkey with furnishings and housewares, this mid-century modern single-story brick ranch is on a nearly 3-acre lot. 812-325-2290
**$290,000** — Country charm! 3 BR, 2 BA on 5+ wooded acres near Morgantown. Newer roof & HVAC. 317-626-8243
**$290,000** — This charming 1918 farmhouse-style home with flexible floor plan has been thoughtfully updated and is move-in ready. 812-327-7462
**$286,000** — 3 bedrooms, hardwood floors, wooded views, 1.5-acre lot, lake access. 812-325-2290
1013 N. Lincolnshire Blvd., Marion — Tom Prendergast, BLC#22075232
**$280,000** — This charming building is zoned R2, offering an opportunity for commercial or residential use based on zoning approval. 812-325-2290 | PENDING
**$175,000** — With 3 bedrooms and 1 full bathroom spread across 1,368 sq. ft. of living area, this single-story property offers comfortable living. 317-496-2195 | PENDING
**$134,000** — This buildable 9+ acre parcel has an approved septic site, yet is heavily wooded for privacy and outdoor enjoyment. 812-327-7462
**$110,000** — Large lot with electricity and water on site; the septic has already been approved for a 3-bedroom home. 317-294-9421
00 Pine Water Ct., Nashville — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22058761
X Fox Ct., Nineveh — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22054526
**$80,000** — Build your dream home on this 1.08-acre lot in the Big Tree Subdivision, just off Artist Drive. 812-325-2290
**$59,000** — 3 acres of mostly open, gently rolling terrain in southern Brown County. 812-325-2290
**$39,000** — These two heavily wooded parcels in the Cordry Sweetwater Conservancy District total 1.41 acres. 812-325-2290
**$35,000** — This vacant lot in the desirable Pine Tree Hills subdivision offers a peaceful setting just minutes from Nashville. 812-325-2290
callcarpenter.com
300 Airway Ln., Nashville — Debbie Fleetwood, BLC#22062733
5998 Bear Creek Rd., Morgantown — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22066811
7772 Bellsville Pike, Nashville — Brooke Zavela, BLC#22076815
0 S 475 W, Columbus — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22065698
0 Garrity Rd., Seymour — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22077038
5284 T.C. Steele Rd., Nashville — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22069454
826 Freeman Ridge Rd., Nashville — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22066056
3502 Morrison Rd., Nashville — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22072871
75 Pine Water Ct., Nashville — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22059622
585 W. Hinshaw Dr., Nineveh — Lacy Nacke, BLC#22066065
4654 Lower Schooner Rd., Nashville — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22051382
9769 N. Lick Creek Rd., Morgantown — Loretta Robinson, BLC#22069153
4017 Helmsburg Rd., Nashville — Kathryn/Donna Team, BLC#22070808
5800 South Shore Drive, Nashville — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22044160
2123 Greasy Creek Rd., Nashville — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22071021
0 W. County Rd. 200 S., North Vernon — Kathryn/Donna Team, BLC#22067715
7447 Hackberry Dr., Nineveh — Carrie Vavul, BLC#22062492
0 Oak Run Dr., Nashville — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22017862
XXXX Keith Donaldson Rd., Freetown — Phil Shively Team, BLC#22043359
