Author: yourrealestatewhisperer

Your Real Estate Whisperer

eXp Realty LLC

2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401

Baton Rouge LA 70817

Direct 225-246-1812

Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149

Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

Your Real Estate Whisperer Kristina Smallhorn "Because YOU Matter" — Your Real Estate Whisperer For Ascension Parish, Kristina Smallhorn.

What Time Is Trick Or Treat Time In Ascension Parish 2018 Plus Safety Tips

October 24, 2017

What Time Is Trick Or Treat Time In Ascension Parish 2018?

I LOVE Halloween! Over the years I’ve even decided to dress up myself. Why not let the kid inside come out for a night? Here in Ascension Parish every year there is always a question if Halloween will be on a weekday (If October 31st falls on one) or will it be changed to a weekend prior to October 31st. This year will be no different than any other year. Halloween will be on October 31st, 2018.

HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS, TAKE A TIP TUESDAY — My Girl’s Trying On Different Costumes

“The Ascension Parish Council has set its trick-or-treating hours for Halloween. On Oct. 31, children can trick-or-treat between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. All children must be chaperoned by an adult. Those participating are urged to observe safety precautions, use flashlights and avoid walking on main or heavily traveled highways.”

Here Are Some Lagniappe Safety Tips To Keep You Safe This Halloween In Ascension Parish.

An adult should always accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds.
If your children are older and will be going alone, plan a route together that is acceptable to you so you know where your children will be going.
Be sure to agree on specific time children should be back home, and make sure they have a way to track the time.
Be sure to tell your children not to enter anyone’s car, stranger or otherwise, no matter how tired their little legs may be.
Make sure to tell your children to walk only in familiar, well-lit areas and stay with their friends
Let your children know, as tempting as it may be, not to eat any treats until they return home (you’ll want to review all candy that’s in the bag; never eat candy with opened wrappers)
Be sure to check to see if all pieces of the costume are fire resistant.
Check any masks that are being worn to see if they obstruct the view for the child. Be sure they can see properly to watch for cars and where they are walking. As you know, we have some rather deep ditches in front of many properties.
Add reflective tape and use glow sticks so they are easily seen at night.
Test your Halloween makeup beforehand! I know from personal experience that some Halloween makeup can be extremely irritating to small faces. My 4-year-old had hers off in five minutes after I had spent 45 mins applying it. As annoyed as I was, after it was removed, her face was as red as a beet, I felt horrible that I hadn’t checked to see if she was allergic to that particular makeup. So, that year she was a clown with a red face!
Have A Happy And Safe Halloween Ascension Parish.

I hope you found this useful for you here in Ascension Parish. Please Stay Safe! I tell you all this “Because YOU Matter”.

Kristina Smallhorn

Your Real Estate Whisperer

eXp Realty LLC

2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401

Baton Rouge LA 70817

Direct 225-246-1812

Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149

Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

The Houmas House Haunted Tour In Ascension Parish- Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #33

October 20, 2017

Don’t Forget To Give A Thumbs UP ^ and Subscribe
Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #33
Let me start off by saying that I originally didn’t intend on taking the haunted tour of Ascension Parish’s Houmas House plantation haunted tour, but I’m glad my niece Jessica Robison and I did. We were able to tour the beautifully landscaped grounds for a good hour before the sun went down. As it got darker, you could feel the atmosphere change. At every turn, it seemed much scarier when earlier it had seemed cheery and joyful. The rivers that flow through the property became dark and murky, a perfect red sunset greeted us right as the bell rang for the Houmas House Haunted tour.

Our guide is an older man dressed like an old-time butler and was able to give us vast details of many things in the home paying special close attention to the creepiest of items. One of them is a large cast iron sarcophagus, he joyed in recalling the story of one of these opening and the body inside was perfectly preserved. Moments later playing an untuned piano which set the theme of the rest of the uncomfortable tour. We weaved through rooms as he recalled the many stories of the past in this plantation home. One is the fact that the inside of the home was set for the movie Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte. A personal favorite movie of mine. The small cemetery at the front of the property is actually props that were left after filming was finished, the original family cemetery is now buried under the levy across the road, so no one will be visiting their grave sites for a very long time. Our tour guide brings us to many rooms but the creepiest place is not a room at all, its the spiral staircase where visitors say they see the ghost of a little girl named Mary. Mary died of yellow fever and it has been said she likes to lean over the staircase to see the visitors that come to see the Houmas House. As we crept up the tight staircase we were led to a room filled with dolls made in France, these dolls were made of the real hair and teeth of children and if that wasn’t disgusting enough there faces reminded you of every horror movie ever made. Our butler tour guide said that at night after he turns off the lights he can see the dolls dancing around the room. He smiles a sinister smile when he turns to the next room.

If you have not been on the haunted tour at the Houmas House Plantation, I strongly recommend it. I was unaware of its rich history and its spooky past. It’s totally worth the trip. We didn’t personally meet the ghost of Mary but my daughter was creeped out throughout the tour. My 4k camera did quit working for no apparent reason but was this paranormal? Not really sure, You have to see for yourself.

If you’d like a home close to Houmas Plantation Home in Ascension Parish Please free to visit my website @ yourrealestatewhisperer.com.

And I tell you about this haunted home in Ascension Parish “Because YOU Matter”

Kristina Smallhorn
(Your Real Estate Whisperer)
Cell 225-246-1812
Office 2254129982 ext#149
Website www.yourrealestatewhisperer.com
Email [email protected]

eXp Realty LLC.
2900 Westfork Dr.
Baton Rouge LA 70817
Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR with the state of Louisiana, USA.

“Because YOU Matter”

Bump in the Night – Supernatural Haunting by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100789
Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Your Ascension Parish Home Need De-Cluttering?

October 17, 2017

Five Way’s To Help Un-Clutter Your Home To Get It Sold In Ascension Parish.

Most of my home sales are right here in Ascension Parish. I’ve been through many over the years, and some stand out to me. Perhaps if the sellers had known these secrets prior to listing their home, they wouldn’t have made these mistakes. I believe some realtors are afraid of offending the homeowner… that their lovely blood red kitchen that is pleasing to them is not necessarily the case for buyers. When I list homes I give the sellers pointers to help their home show in the best light to potential buyers. Most take my advice, but some are still dead set on leaving their winning game heads in the living room. Here’s a short list to look over that will help you decide what’s “right” and what’s “wrong.”

1. Do

De-Clutter the home. What do I mean by “de-clutter?” It means remove almost half of your personal items; things like pictures, urns of family ashes, the collections of beanie babies on the mantle, and yes, the prize-winning trophy deer head over the fireplace. I know you love it but a lot of buyers can’t see past all this stuff. They want to see a home that they could live in. If you removed half your items, the space looks larger and is easier for buyers to imagine themselves in your home.

2. Don’t

Ignore Odors (the nose knows everything) You may not smell a pet odor but buyers do. Trying to cover up smells with candles and plugins doesn’t mask the smell. It just smells like the “bad” smell mixed with flowers. It doesn’t fool anyone, especially potential buyers. Please keep your litter boxes clean if you have cats. Buyers will smell that first if you don’t keep those up.

3. Don’t

Fill your garage with all the boxes you just decluttered the house with. This is a time you may want to invest in getting a POD or storage unit. Garages here in Ascension Parish have become a big selling point for men since they are looking for spaces to make a “man cave”. 4. Do Have your carpets cleaned prior to listing your home by a professional carpet cleaning company. I have seen it more often than not… carpets that look terrible with dark gray spots and wear and tear over the traffic areas send a giant RED flag to buyers that they need new flooring before they have even made an offer. This, in turn, will bring lower offers to sellers. If the sellers just had a good carpet cleaning company come out prior to listing, they could bring the dull carpets back to life. I have even seen the professional carpet cleaning companies get dried nail polish out of the light beige carpet. (If you need the name and number of a few carpet cleaning companies that can help, don’t hesitate to call me.)

4. Do

Have your carpets cleaned prior to listing your home by a professional carpet cleaning company. I have seen it more often than not… carpets that look terrible with dark gray spots and wear and tear over the traffic areas send a giant RED flag to buyers that they need new flooring before they have even made an offer. This, in turn, will bring lower offers to sellers. If the sellers just had a good carpet cleaning company come out prior to listing, they could bring the dull carpets back to life. I have even seen the professional carpet cleaning companies get dried nail polish out of the light beige carpet. (If you need the name and number of a few carpet cleaning companies that can help, don’t hesitate to call me.)

5.Don’t

Forget about the flowerbeds and fresh cut grass. Buyer’s first impression of a home is when they pull in the driveway. This is the time to pull weeds, add new mulch and plant fall flowers. To read about fall flowerbeds click here https://goo.gl/uSKhzM . Paint the mailbox (I actually had a lady comment how nice the freshly painted mailbox looked as compared to the rest of the weathered ones down the street.) It’s these fine details that make an impression with buyers!It’s important to show that you have taken care of and maintained the home with pride. There are many ways to show your home in the best light. The above are just a few. If you would like to know more please reach out to me. Why? “Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer
Kristina Smallhorn
225-246-1812
eXp Realty LLC
2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401,Baton Rouge LA 70817
Office #(225) 412-9982 ext# 149
Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

Your Real Estate Whisperer

“Because YOU Matter”

Looking For An Orthodontist In Ascension Parish?

October 6, 2017

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #31 Hollis Orthodontics

Dr. Hollis Orthodontics! This Month Is Orthodontic Awareness So What Better Place To Meet My Favorite Orthodontist Then Dr. Hollis!!!! They Treat You Like Family Because You Probably Are!!! Dr. Hollis And His Wife Celeste Take Time Out Of Their Busy Schedules To Talk With Us About Why They Love Their Practice & Why They LOVE Ascension Parish!

ABOUT DR. HOLLIS
Dr. Hollis graduated Valedictorian from Louisiana State University School of Dentistry in 1994 and completed two full years of specialty training in orthodontics at the LSU School of Dentistry Orthodontic Residency Program. Dr. Hollis received the Chancellor’s Award for “most outstanding student” from LSU School of Dentistry. He was also the recipient of numerous other departmental awards based on academic achievement.

An esteemed member of the orthodontic community, Dr. Hollis is a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honor Society and the C. Edmund Kells Honor Society. He is also a board-certified Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, as well as an active member of many leading dental and orthodontic organizations, including the:

American Association of Orthodontists
American Dental Association
Louisiana Association of Orthodontists
Southwestern Society of Orthodontists
In addition, Dr. Hollis completed the Roth/Williams Center of Functional Occlusion continuing education program in 2001.

Dr. Hollis is married to Celeste Parent Hollis, and they have four children: Tayl’r, Mackenzie, Addison, and Easton. He has enjoyed coaching youth sports for the past 19 years, and during his spare time, he likes to hunt and fish. Dr. Hollis is a talented craftsman and artist who enjoys volunteering for his daughters’ musical theatre productions by building sets, props and working backstage.

Dr. Hollis is active in the community by sponsoring youth sports activities and volunteering for various church and school programs. He is an avid supporter of the performing arts. Every year he speaks at local schools regarding orthodontic awareness, preventative dentistry and dental hygiene, and oral manifestations of drug abuse. For years, Dr. Hollis has been a sponsor for the Jambalaya Festival Association, where he sponsored the World Champion, Jeff Parent, in 2007. He is also very active and dedicated to service at his children’s school. He and his wife have served on the St. George Home and School Association, on the St. George Parish Fair Committee, and as the St. George Parish Fair Committee Chairman.

I tell you all this, “Because YOU Matter”

Kristina Smallhorn

Your Real Estate Whisperer

eXp Realty LLC

2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401

Baton Rouge LA 70817

225-246-1812

Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149

“Because You Matter”

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH0LUzFvtwb5B8EfVCF5uwg

Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

Fall Flower Beds Looking Scared From The Summer Heat?

October 3, 2017

So What Do Your Flower Beds Look like Here In Louisiana?
Mine, Look Disgraceful And If You Are Trying To Sell Your Home Now Is The Time To Spruce It Up! I Went To Louisiana Nursery, To Get John MacMillians Opinion Of What Was The Best Plants To Add.

Need More Curb appeal for selling your home in the fall season?

When selling a home during the fall months in South Louisiana it is still important to keep your yard looking its best (even though the grass has now turned brown and the green luster not to come back until the spring). I’ve listed some things below that could help your prospective buyers still be in awe of your yard, ignoring those brown blades of hay-looking grass.

Rake your yard from falling leaves. This alone can make a yard look fresh in comparison to other homes that are for sale.
Plant fall flowers and put a lot in. I say it to my clients almost as a joke, but I’m slightly serious as well. If you see an empty spot in your flower beds and add as many fall flowers as you can. Nothing makes a house feel more like home than bright flowers to greet you before you enter. I found that pine straw works best here in Louisiana instead of mulch because of our heavy rains we get here.

Add color to your front door. If it needs painting, now is the perfect time to do it. A nice fall colored wreath can add a nice dress-up to the entry making the first impression inviting.
Outdoor lighting. As the days become shorter, now is a good time to invest in some great outdoor lighting, A well-lit home from the outside always adds great curb appeal.
Pot Some Plants- If your home doesn’t have many flowerbeds that you can add to, you can spruce up your outside by getting large flower pots and adding flowers with color in those. That always looks charming around a home.

Don’t forget to clean out those gutters and pick up any toys and lawn hoses.

Clean and paint your mailbox.

This is a rarely thought about item in your yard but used almost daily. A fresh coat of paint on a tired mailbox can make your home stand out as being well kept. This time of year it is typical for the market does slow down a bit. Don’t take for granted how your outside decor can attract buyers. Sometimes the yard alone is what sells the house.

“Because YOU Matter”
Kristina Smallhorn
[email protected]
Your Real Estate Whisperer
eXp Realty LLC
2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401
Baton Rouge LA 70817
225-246-1812
Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH0LUzFvtwb5B8EfVCF5uwg
Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

Yucky Baseboards In Ascension Parish- It’s Take A Tip Tuesday!

September 26, 2017

Everyday Household Products For House Cleaning.

All you need is …….

baking soda

vinegar

lemons

an old tennis ball

broomstick

Having a clean home is important, especially when you have your home listed for sale, and I know that money can be tight when you are buying or selling. Frankly, I am the world’s worst for buying every single cleaning product under the sun. Recently, after years of spending WAY too much money on cleaning products, I discovered some really wonderful ways to get your home clean for pennies on the dollar and they really clean just as good. Below I’ve listed my favorite ways to use very inexpensive household items to clean your home and one bonus item I just remembered.

My Counters Need To Be Cleaned, BADLY!

Clean your countertops and sinks with this easy recipe of 1-quart hot water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda, add it to a spray bottle and voila! Cheapall-purpose cleaner; add a little lemon juice to the mix for a fresh scent.

My Closets Don’t Smell Great!

The culprit may be your shoes, so before you put away that baking soda after you’ve cleaned your counter tops, sprinkle some in each of the shoes. Baking soda absorbs the smells of yucky feet. Make sure to shake the baking soda out of them before wearing them again :).

I Cleaned The Sink, Why Does It Still Smell?

Leftovers in the garbage disposal usually are the reason. I have two solutions for this. My first fix is to run hot water, and as the water is running I squeeze dish soap down the drain with the garbage disposal running. After a few seconds, I turn off the disposal and water. If the smell is still there, I will grab a half of a lemon and run that through the disposal. Generally, the dish soap trick works most of the time for me.

***Bonus*** While you have that other half of lemon out you can get stains off of cutting boards with the other half of lemon.

My Kids Art Work Doesn’t Belong On Walls.

As much as you love your children, their colored artwork on your walls isn’t something most of us would like to keep there forever. Believe it or not, removing crayon isn’t as hard as you would imagine. Remember that box of baking soda? Sprinkle some on a damp sponge working it in circles over your little Picasso’s masterpiece. Make sure to get a picture first so you can remember it after you’ve wiped it off.

BONUS TIP!

I hate cleaning floorboards. When I was pregnant, many, many, moons ago I found it difficult to bend down to clean them. A client of mine told me how to clean them without ever bending over. First, you cut a slit into a tennis ball, then you put the opening of the cut tennis ball over the end of a broomstick; cover that with an old washcloth, wrapping it on with an elastic band. Now just walk around your house with the wrapped tennis ball wiping down your floorboards. You can spray a little cleaner if you need to on the washcloth.

I hope you found these hints useful, and if you would like some more tips and tricks you can always visit my website @yourrealestatewhisperer.com.

“Because YOU Matter”

Kristina Smallhorn

Your Real Estate Whisperer

eXp Realty LLC

2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401

Baton Rouge LA 70817

225-246-1812

Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH0LUzFvtwb5B8EfVCF5uwg

“Because YOU Matter”

Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

Do You Have That Weird Toilet Ring In Your Ascension Parish Home?

September 19, 2017

The Royal Flush.

Watch The Video Of My Toilet Ring Cleaning

I don’t know about you and your home here in Ascension Parish but for the past two homes I have owned I have had nothing but issues with this weird ring in my toilet. I am a clean person, and this ring makes me feel gross. I have tried all the “do it yourself” products which include a pumicing stick, vinegar with baking soda, green scratch pads, you name it. I have also tried every blue, green and purple cleaning product with no resolution for this stubborn brown ring that haunts my toilet bowls.

Until last week!, when by chance I saw a post on Facebook about a product at Goodwood Hardware on 7539 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 called Ring King. I normally hate driving out of Ascension Parish to buy things but I really really hate these rings in my toilet. So off I went, brought the stuff home, followed the directions to the letter and VOILA! The ring is FINALLY gone. This find was too good not to share. I found out later you can order online from them as well, Here is the link, https://goo.gl/N89WEU

I have been in several homes throughout Ascension Parish and have seen these pesky rings of grime in many of them. So I thought I really needed to share my wonderful find. The bottle runs just under $10.00 and if you are like me you’ll be willing to make the trek to Baton Rouge to go get it or you can order it online with the link I provided above. Why? “Because YOU Matter”

PS- I am in no way getting paid as a sponsor for this product, I just know this stuff works!

Be Sure To Like, Share And Subscribe To My YouTube Channel!

Kristina Smallhorn

Your Real Estate Whisperer

eXp Realty LLC

2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401

Baton Rouge LA 70817

225-246-1812

Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH0LUzFvtwb5B8EfVCF5uwg

Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

“Because YOU Matter”

Did You Know You Could FREEZE Your Property Taxes In Ascension Parish?

September 12, 2017

Do You Know You Could Freeze Your Ascension Parish Property Tax Assessment?

A few weeks back I was sitting in a closing with an older couple who were selling their home here in Ascension Parish and moving closer to their children. When the closing attorney was getting to the part about property taxes, he said something about their frozen property taxes.

I had never heard of this before and was a little disappointed with myself being a REALTOR® in Ascension Parish I should know something about it. I leaned into the table and asked the listing agent across from me “Did you know about this, frozen taxes?” She shrugged and said “No”. After that, I felt a little better but wanted to know more so I can tell the people of Ascension Parish about how they could save money.

So what is “Freezing Your Taxes?”

Homeowners who become 65 can permanently freeze their assessments if they have an adjusted gross income below the scheduled amount. How much is that amount? When my parents went to the tax assessors office in Ascension Parish it was $72,000.00. The woman at the office was extremely friendly and was really willing to answer all my parent’s questions about their property taxes.

So How Do I Go About “Freezing Them?

It is simple to apply. You must go in person to the Ascension Parish Tax Assessors office with a copy of your latest tax return and your driver’s license. You only need apply once, as you do not have to reapply every year.

The special assessment is permanent as long as you continue to qualify: That means you continue to own and reside in your home. In addition, your adjusted gross income cannot exceed the scheduled amount and the value of your house does not increase more than 25% due to any new construction.

If the owner dies, the special assessment passes to the surviving spouse who has minor children or who is 55 or older and meets the other qualifications. Veterans who are at least 50% permanently disabled also qualify to for the special assessment freeze.

In Louisiana, a property is reassessed every 4 years, so don’t wait to freeze your tax assessment.

If you do qualify this could save you money in the future. Please share this information with anyone you know that could possibly qualify. I want everyone in Ascension Parish to save money, Why? “Because YOU Matter”

Kristina Smallhorn

Your Real Estate Whisperer

eXp Realty LLC

2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401

Baton Rouge LA 70817

225-246-1812

Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149