2017 Archives • Your Real Estate Whisperer

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

[email protected]

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.

Take A Tip Tuesday- Is Your Home Prepared For A Hurricane? My Experience With Things that Weren’t On Any Checklist.

September 5, 2017

Take A Tip Tuesday- Is Your Home Prepared For A Hurricane? My Experience With Things that Weren’t On Any Checklist

With the most recent hurricane Harvey that came pretty close to our Ascension Parish area, I thought now would be a good time to remind people of things they should do prior to a storm coming closer to our shorelines. I moved to Ascension Parish over 10 years ago from Florida so I have seen my fair share of hurricanes. One hurricane season in Florida we had 5 hurricanes/tropical storms hit every weekend for 5 weeks. Floridians are more accustomed to having their homes prepared for these occurrences and typically don’t really even think about what they “Need” to do; they just do it. Here in Ascension Parish, since I’ve lived here, I have only seen one hurricane that truly affected our area for an extended period of time. Hurricane Gustav took the power from our home for 12 days. When you have small children 12 days is like 100. I learned a lot from that experience and I wanted to share my tips for preparing your home that some checklists may not mention.

The one thing I wished someone had told me.

Days before a hurricane is about to hit, you get your water, batteries, fill up your gas tanks and are running around like a crazy person trying to think of everything, but one thing I hadn’t considered was the laundry. If I knew that everyone in my household was going to change clothes 3 times a day because they were drenched in sweat, I would have made sure everything was cleaned before hand. Even if you have a generator it may not be powerful enough to run a washer and especially the dryer, at least it didn’t for us. Presently, I have a whole home generator, but I’m still not sure if it will run the dryer. So get ALL your clothes and towels cleaned prior to the hurricane’s arrival so you’ll be stocked up for frequent changes of clothing.

But The Trees Are So Pretty.

Many of us haven’t seen winds like what comes from a hurricane. Years may pass before we have the trees properly trimmed, whereas, an arborist can truly get your trees prepped for strong winds. I was very fortunate prior to Hurricane Charlie hitting the central Florida area to have had my trees cleaned up by a specialized arborist. When Charlie left our area, my neighbors were cleaning up many tree limbs and some had trees ON their homes, my trees and home were spared. It honestly was the best money I spent and I was extremely lucky that I had that done prior to the hurricane season.

***Don’t forget that newer trees will need to be staked to the ground firmly or they can pop-up right out of the ground.***

No Matter How Heavy You Think It Is, It Can Go Flying.

I learned this lesson the hard way and I know I’m not the only one. We had this HUGE trampoline, and this sucker was super heavy and we really didn’t think that thing was going anywhere. The next morning after Hurricane Gustav had left, our trampoline was in a field half a mile down the road. I felt like an idiot for not at least trying to stake it in the ground. I’m not even sure that would have helped. A few doors down from my home, a neighbor had a fishing boat that was on a trailer and the winds tipped that boat over on its side cracking it to the point it couldn’t be saved. My advice is if you have ANYTHING outside that isn’t concreted down, then try to find a place for it inside, like a garage, or if worse case scenario, rent a storage unit.

I’ve Got A Generator, I’ll Be Fine.

So many of us have generators sitting in our garages but when was the last time you actually ran that thing? I remember clearly my neighbors stating that they had a generator after Hurricane Katrina and they were prepared, Then the power goes out during Gustav and they couldn’t get the thing running. Since we are in full swing of the hurricane season, now is a great time to have your generator serviced and get it running so you know it works when you really need it.

Get Your Mind In The Gutter.

Remember to check the gutters around your home and see if any are loose and need tightening up. Winds from a tropical storm or hurricane can send those flying if they haven’t been maintained for several years.

My Last Piece Of Advice Not On Any Checklist.

When our family experienced hurricanes, we made one central room for the “cooling zone” since we only had one window ac unit that could run off a generator. So we made the master bedroom that central hub for sleeping. We moved some furniture out and pulled the kid’s mattresses into the “cooling zone” room. This wasn’t the most ideal sleeping arrangement but it did make sleeping so much nicer for everyone in the family. Plus the kids like the idea of “camping” in mom and dad’s room for awhile (by day 8 they had had enough).

This is just my personal list I have put together to help you prepare your home for an impending tropical storm or hurricane. For a more thorough list, I’ve attached the American RedCross Hurricane check list.

Be Red Cross Ready!

Hurricane Safety Checklist

Hurricanes are strong storms that cause life- and property- threatening hazards such as flooding, storm surge, high winds, and tornadoes.

Preparation is the best protection against the dangers of a hurricane.

What should I do?

What supplies do I need?

What do I do after a hurricane?

J Continue listening to a NOAA Weather Radio or the local news for the latest updates.

J Stay alert for extended rainfall and subsequent flooding even after the hurricane or tropical storm has ended.

J If you evacuated, return home only when officials say it is safe.

J Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed-out bridges.

J Keep away from loose or dangling power lines and report them immediately to the power company.

J Stay out of any building that has water around it.

J Inspect your home for damage. Take pictures of the damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance purposes.

J Use flashlights in the dark. Do NOT use candles.

J Avoid drinking or preparing food with tap water until you are sure it’s not contaminated.

J Check refrigerated food for spoilage. If in doubt, throw it out.

J Wear protective clothing and be cautious when cleaning up to avoid injury.

J Watch animals closely and keep them under your direct control.

J Use the telephone only for emergency calls.

Know the Difference

Hurricane Watch—Hurricane conditions are a threat within 48 hours. Review your hurricane plans, keep informed and be ready to act if a warning is issued.

Hurricane Warning—Hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours. Complete your storm preparations and leave the area if directed to do so by authorities.

J Listen to a NOAA Weather Radio for critical information from the National Weather Service (NWS).

J Water—at least a 3-day supply; one gallon per person per day

J Check your disaster supplies and replace or restock as needed.

J Food—at least a 3-day supply of non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food

J Bring in anything that can be picked up by the wind (bicycles, lawn furniture).

J Flashlight
J Battery-powered or hand-crank radio

J Close windows, doors and hurricane shutters. If you do not have hurricane shutters, close and board up all windows and doors with plywood.

(NOAA Weather Radio, if possible) J Extra batteries
J First aid kit

J Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting and keep them closed as much as possible so that food will last longer if the power goes out.

J Medications (7-day supply) and medical items (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane)

J Turn off propane tanks and unplug small appliances.

J Sanitation and personal hygiene items

J Fill your car’s gas tank.

J Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)

J Talk with members of your household and create an evacuation plan. Planning and practicing your evacuation plan minimizes confusion and fear during the event.

J Cell phone with chargers
J Family and emergency contact

J Learn about your community’s hurricane response plan. Plan routes to local shelters, register family members with special medical needs as required and make plans for your pets to be cared for.

information

J Evacuate if advised by authorities. Be careful to avoid flooded roads and washed out bridges.

J Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)

J Because standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding, it’s important to have protection from the floods associated with hurricanes, tropical storms, heavy rains and other conditions that impact the U.S. For more information on flood insurance, please visit the National Flood Insurance Program Web site at www.FloodSmart.gov.

J Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)

Let Your Family Know You’re Safe

J Multi-purpose tool

J Extra cash

J Emergency blanket

J Map(s) of the area

J Tools/supplies for securing your home J Extra set of car keys and house keys
J Extra clothing, hat, and sturdy shoes
J Rain gear

J Insect repellent and sunscreen J Camera for photos of damage

If your community has experienced a hurricane, or any disaster, register on the American Red Cross Safe and Well Web site available through RedCross.org/SafeandWell to let your family and friends know about your welfare. If you don’t have Internet access, call 1-866-GET-INFO to register yourself and your family.

I hope you found these tips useful if you’d like to read more tips please visit my blog at yourrealestatewhisperer.com, and 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

[email protected]

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

“Because YOU Matter”

Is Your Neighbor Killing The Sale Of Your Ascension Parish Home?

April 3, 2017

If you have lived in a house or an apartment here in Ascension Parish, you may have had some neighbors. Some neighbors are awesome; some, well, not so much. If you have the latter of the two described neighbors, and you are looking to sell, it may be the perfect time to bury the hatchet. So how do you go about that? Below I’m listing a few tips to help you with the selling of your Ascension Parish home.

It’s Time To Talk

So you have lived in your Ascension Parish home for the last 8 years and you have only spoken to your neighbor to ask for him to stop letting his dog poop in your flower bed. Unfortunately, the response wasn’t exactly the best reaction you had hoped for. Since then, you haven’t said two words to one another. Well, this is a perfect time, before you throw the sign in the yard, to make peace. Let bygones be bygones, as they say! Just walk over and let them know your plans and how this may be the perfect opportunity for them to get a new (and better?)neighbor.

But The Neighbors Yard Looks Like H#$% !

I know, I have had one myself, and it could be a deal killer for sellers. My best advice for this, since you have now buried the hatchet, you could suggest, at your own expense, for a lawn company to freshen up the yard. I would do this tactfully just by saying, “Hey Neighbor, I was just about to call the landscaping company to spruce up my yard. I’ll pay for your’s to be done too as a courtesy if you would like?” Many people will take you up on the offer, especially since time and money will not be an issue on their end of the deal. If they refuse and the yard is really that bad, you could amp things up by getting your homeowners association involved, but I would strongly suggest you go the civilized route.

The Fence On Their Side Is Rotting.

I had a listing several years back where the neighbors shared a fence. The sellers were not on speaking terms with the next door neighbors. I wasn’t completely sure of the reason, but I did know something needed to be done about that rotting, panels missing, eyesore of a fence. According to the sellers, they had made several attempts to remedy the fence issue to no avail, including offering to repair it themselves. So I went over to the neighbors home and asked if it was possible to get the fence repaired, They grumbled for a minute but before they said a flat out NO, I said: “You can pick the fencing company and we will foot the bill!” This seemed to satisfy the neighbor and within a week new panels were being put up and the sellers were able to move on with their lives.

What If This Doesn’t Work?

Some people are just not happy unless they are making others miserable, I get it. So, I understand sometimes you can’t just change a bad relationship overnight. If you have exhausted all your resources, and you really need to move, you can always add an incentive to the buyer to sweeten the pot. What I mean is, buyers can often overlook a sour neighbor if they feel like the deal benefits them, so simply add incentives into the listing such as, some additional closing costs or lawn care for a year or even possibly a reduced price for a serious buyer.

Your best approach is to try your best to improve the relationship with the neighbors for the sake of getting your home sold for the most money.

“Because YOU Matter”

Kristina Smallhorn

(Your Real Estate Whisperer)

Cell 225-246-1812 Office 225-744-2610 Fax 225-744-2910

[email protected]

yourrealestatewhisperer.com

Villar & Company Real Estate,37283 Swamp Rd.,Suite 102 Prairieville LA, 70769

Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR with the state of Louisiana, USA.

What Color Should You Paint Your Ascension Parish Home?

March 28, 2017

This weekend I took it upon myself to paint the inside of my home. I had it the same color in this home as in my last home, so I was tired of Sherman Williams – Utterly Beige. (Which totally looks grey on the walls). I switched to a lighter looking grey called “Shiitake,” again, a Sherman Williams color. When I started painting, I began to wonder what the new trends in paint are for 2017, so I looked it up and now sharing that info with you so you don’t have to slave over the Internet like I did.

So What Color Do I Pick For My Ascension Parish Home?

The trend for this year is not to pick just one color or even one texture of paint for the whole house. Gone are the days of every room being the same boring beige. Create an accent wall in any large room to give it a pop of color. Dusky blues seem to be a new color for this year. If you don’t want to use paint, wallpapers have been a trend for some time. If you’d like to tackle that project I’d either have a partner help or hire a professional.

Pink? Really?

I’m not talking scream in your face PINK! This a very light, soft, romantic pink. It’s a trend that has picked up steam recently. Again, we are not talking about changing every aspect of a room to pink, just the wall color and adding some pillows and decor to compliment the walls.

Needing Something Darker?

Many, will turn their nose up to pink walls in a home so why not go to the opposite side and try a dark mineral grey? These cool greys look amazing in a well-lit office, or as an accent piece in a kitchen island. Another trend here in Ascension Parish is to paint the island a different color than the other cabinets.

Feeling A Little Green?

Well, you are in luck as two types of greens are carving a path into 2017. One color that really got my attention was a green that reminded me of years past, but this has a cleaner spin on it adding more of a blue-green cast. If you are bold, daring and love green it really does look amazing against dark cabinetry in a kitchen. Once I saw it, I thought it might be something I might want to try. After all, It’s just paint!

The second green that it trending is like the sage green of just a few years back, but this one has a more creamy look; almost a pastel sage. I have personally always preferred colors like this in bathrooms.

Sunshine Yellow.

When I heard this was a trend I nearly screamed “NOT ME!” but I would have been eating my words after I saw how they used this color in a room. They tied this bright sunshiny color with soft grey’s and creamy whites, making the room cheery and inviting. I loved it so much that I will be experimenting with yellows in my home, mostly with accents, and painting the walls a soft grey.

A trend is just that, a trend. Don’t think because its the newest and latest it’s a must for your Ascension Parish Home. If you are thinking about selling your home in the next couple of years I would hold off on painting with a particular “trendy” color. With that said, If you are going to be staying put for some time, PAINT AWAY!!

I tell you all this “Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

[email protected]

yourrealestatewhisperer.com

Villar & Company Real Estate,37283 Swamp Rd.,Suite 102 Prairieville LA, 70769

Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR with the state of Louisiana, USA.