VPM & Pyramid Realty make a one-stop shop for both homeowners and investors. We work with investors to facilitate both the buying and selling of their investments, as well as handle the management side of the units. This includes placing tenants, handling tenant issues, evictions, day-to-day maintenance and repairs, and rehabs to get homes rent ready again after a move out. We can pay their property taxes from their rents and process property tax appeals when appropriate. The software we use offers an on-line portal for our investors to log in and see work orders on their houses, balances, tenant balances and more. Our investors also have access to documents through Dropbox to see their tenant leases, property tax bills, pictures of the property, letters, pictures of all monies received and more. We also work with homeowners to assist them in finding their dream home. Purchasing a home for yourself or for a family is a unique experience, and we take pride in being a part of that process. We also assist homeowners with remodeling projects to make their current home what they imagine or preparing the home for sale. We facilitate all aspects of home improvement projects and can also assist those that prefer DIY and just need a little guidance along the way.Meet the Team
Valerie Swihart
Valerie Swihart is the founder and managing real estate broker on site. Valerie graduated from the University of California at Riverside in 2001 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration. Her first significant job after college was working for the Los Angeles County Assessor’s office as a Real Estate Appraiser. Valerie was a Certified Property Tax Appraiser in California as well as a Licensed Fee Appraiser for Residential property. Due to the high volume of appraisals processed by the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office she gained a lot of experience in the nearly five years she worked there. In 2011, Valerie became interested in acquiring rental homes in a market that was less competitive than Los Angeles. Lower entry cost and lower risk. After being referred to an agent in Indiana back in 2011, she flew to South Bend, Indiana to investigate the opportunity, and next to her on that flight was her future husband! Valerie started in Michiana, as an out-of-state investor, and soon transitioned into the Real Estate and Property Management professions to offer the services she was looking for so early on. She became a realtor and managing broker in 2014 and has continued to grow the company ever since.
Scott Wendland
Scott became our Associate Broker in 2020 and is looking forward to continuing to expand his client base in real estate. He is originally from South Dakota and obtained his bachelor’s degree in Bible & Pastoral Studies from the Trinity Bible College in North Dakota. He worked for many years as a minister, pastor and youth pastor. After leaving the ministry he utilized his customer service and people skills in various positions and eventually ended up as a contractor sales specialist at Lowes. He currently works in property management for our sister company, Marquee Property Management, in addition to his work as a Realtor. Scott has a wide variety of professional experience, making him very skilled at working with both investors and homeowners alike.
Sara Raabe
Sara Raabe is our Administrative Specialist, she joined our team in 2022. Sara handles data entry, receipt processing, vendor invoices, vendor orders and more. Sara also assists with the front office to help answer phones, respond to tenants, process applications, and process work orders. She has extensive customer experience in client support and data and report processing. Previously, she worked for a local agency for 20+ years as a client support specialist.
Vernella Williams
Vernella is our Operations Manager and joined our team in 2014. She works diligently to ensure our processes are efficient and serve our investors, our staff, our residents and our maintenance team. Vernella obtained her Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University, South Bend in 2005. Vernella grew up in South Bend and has experience in many different fields. Her local knowledge and background in banking and bookkeeping as well as operations make her a valuable part of our team!
Robert “Dave” Whiting
Dave is our maintenance supervisor. He has been part of our team since 2013 and is vital to our daily operations. Dave has been working in older homes and fire restoration for over twenty years. He handles all of our code enforcement and HUD inspections and works with the rest of the maintenance team to ensure work orders and rehabs are being completed in a timely manner as well as done in accordance with city code and HUD regulations.
Falana McLeod
Falana is has been one of our maintenance technicians since 2015. She is an integral part of our team & she does most of our painting and cleaning.
Matthew Harris
Matthew Harris is one of our maintenance technicians who handles many of our work orders and appliance repairs. Matt joined our team in 2021, but he used to work for public housing, so he is very familiar with City Code standards and residential relations. Matthew can take care of a wide variety of maintenance needs including: replacing faucets, fixing leaking drains, laying flooring, building stairs, replacing lights, installing trim, installing doors, replacing windows and glass panes and so much more.
Timothy “Tim” Miles
Timothy Miles has been working with us since March 2021, when he relocated to South Bend from Texas. He has his Commercial Driver’s License and can usually be seen driving our company truck and trailer as he goes from job to job hauling and delivering. Tim handles most of our appliance installs including refrigerators and stoves, hauling materials and trash to and from our job sites, assisting with maintenance repairs. Timothy is also employed at the South Bend Salvation Army Kroc Center as a fitness trainer.
