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How To Make The Most Out Of An Open House In Ascension Parish.

April 12, 2017

Open House tours have been around forever. Even with virtual tours, splashy professional photos, and interest marketing, nothing can beat the feel of a home like walking through it. Open houses are here to stay for the long term which you will need to know so you can get the most from them when you tour on a Sunday afternoon.

Take This Time To Learn

When going out looking at open houses it is the perfect time to take some notes. You can see features that stand out and quickly after seeing a few, you’ll know when one feels overpriced or one is updated correctly. You will be able to compare home to home and be in a better position to gauge the local Ascension Parish market.

Best Way To Interview For A Possible Buyers Agent.

If you haven’t picked a REALTOR® yet, what better way to meet potential buyers agents than at open houses. You can shake hands, talk and get a feel of how your potential Ascension Parish REALTOR® will work with you. You will not connect well with all REALTOR®n and this is one way you can interview them before you take the leap to hire one to represent you.

If you are not feeling right about signing in at an open house here in Ascension Parish, there is nothing saying you have to. You can just fill out the seller feedback form as a courtesy to the seller and never give your name and information to the Ascension Parish REALTOR®.

Fallen In Love With A Home At An Open House?

If you walk into an Ascension Parish home and it’s checked off all your boxes, it’s best to stick around and watch the other potential buyers. Look for body language; see if they are just as smitten. This is a good way to size up your competition. You can learn a lot just by hanging around admiring all the details of the home and take note of others who may be interested.

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions.

The Ascension Parish Agent’s job during an open house is to answer any questions, within reason. They can’t tell you how much the last offer was that wasn’t accepted. But they can tell you if the seller is negotiable. The REALTOR® can’t tell you how much the seller is willing to come down but they can tell you what other homes in the neighborhood sold for. Be sure to have your questions ready prior. It’s always good to ask how long the home has been for sale or why the seller may be wanting to sell. Knowledge is power when negotiating an offer.

When Is Open House Ascension Parish?

I’ve seen open houses happen every day of the week at virtually any time of the day. Generally, for the most part, Sunday between 1-6 you can find many listed homes have the Open House flags flying in the yard. Don’t be afraid to walk in and say “Hello” and take a peek around. Even if you are not in the market currently, it’s always a good idea to see what your neighbors are selling their house for. Be sure to keep an eye out for the pending sign and/or sold sign to gauge how quickly housing is moving. It may be the best time to list your home if the market is HOT!.

If you are currently interested in listing and want to know more about your home’s value, comment below, or better yet just call me and I can show you what homes are selling for in your neighborhood. The market is very good for sellers; the volume of homes is low, and the demand is super high. Now could be your best opportunity to get the most money out of your home.

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

eXp Realty LLC

Ascension Parish’s, Consign and Design!

April 7, 2017

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk Episode #5
Consign and Design! Watch it on YouTube, Consign & Design

This week’s show is about local business in Ascension Parish, Consign and Design, Located in Prairieville Louisiana off of Airline highway. (In the same Plaza as the Sunset smoothie and Little Ceasars Pizza)

The store is a super brightly lit space filled with pieces new and old. The owner Amy Trahan was kind enough to invite me to interview her about her unique concept for a consignment shop.

She features many other design items like chalk paint for refinishing old pieces of furniture. This type of chalk paint you can even use on fabric and it doesn’t need wax. Save yourself a step and try it out.

Looking for unique scented candles, Consign and Design has several different fragrances that match up with luxury laundry soaps.

The furnishings in the store change quickly since it is a consignment shop so make sure to stop in often, you don’t want to miss out and on your new favorite piece that may come in.

Looking for something completely different? She has custom builders that will take your idea and build you a piece straight from your imagination, not sure what you want? Ask Amy Trahan her design advice and work together to make your masterpiece.

All in all, this is a super cool store here in Ascension Parish, Just another business making Ascension Parish a wonderful place to live.

If you’d like more information on Cosign and Design, visit their website @ www.atconsignanddesign.com or follow them on Instagram @ atcosignanddesign.

On a side note, the piece that was featured in the video (the tree that was custom made) is no longer available, After my husband saw this video he fell in love with it and I bought it for him for his birthday. But don’t worry she will be getting similar pieces in soon.

If you’d like a home near Cosign and Design, visit my website yourrealestatewhisperer.com

Kristina Smallhorn (Your Real Estate Whisperer)
Cell 225-246-1812
Office 225-744-2610
Fax 225-744-2910
Info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com
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 To DO This Saturday, April 8th, In Ascension Parish.

April 5, 2017

South Louisiana Crawfish Boil, Craft, and Car Show!

Coming Up This Saturday, April 8th, 2017!

At the Lamar Dixon Expo Center

Looking for something to do this coming up Saturday? Ascension Parish is hosting at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center the South Louisiana Crawfish Boil, Craft and Car Show! You can eat and explore all the different booths they have going on. The entry fee is ONLY $5.00 and if you have kids under the age of 12 they get in FREE!!!

Contests!

There will be a cooking contest for boiled crawfish, a jambalaya cook-off, and crackling cook-off as well. For those of you who aren’t really into the cooking part of crawfish, you can always enter the crawfish eating contest. (I might do that since I can eat more than most grown men)

It isn’t just crawfish and Jambalaya, they will have shrimp stew and crawfish étouffée.

Crafts!

They will have 250 different craft booths! That’s a lot of cool stuff you can explore and discover!

Cars!

Just like the festival’s namesake, a car show will be featured!

All the proceeds from this event benefit the Dreams Come True Foundation!

You’re not just spending the day eating and enjoying all the crafts, cars and entertainment you are actually helping a fantastic organization.

You can visit their website if you can’t make the festival and make a donation there.

http://dctofla.com/

I hope to see Y’all out there, I know my family will be stuffed by the end of the day!

I tell you all this,

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

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

Info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com

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.

ASCENSION PARISH GETS A NEW BAKERY!

March 31, 2017

Many of you in Ascension Parish have heard of Sweet Robichaux, but may not know they have their own store now! The owners, Stephen and Jennifer Robichaux, were kind enough to let me pop in to take a look at their new shop and taste a few pastries. It’s conveniently located off Highway 42. I know that morning traffic woes won’t feel as horrible after you make a quick pit stop into Sweet Robichaux. Seriously, how can you have a bad day when you walk into a bakery that smells as heavenly as this place. I had the opportunity to sample their cinnamon rolls. They are to die for! They put them under the broiler for a few minutes with their cream cheese frosting, and they will warm you inside and out. They have croissants and muffins as well.

This Isn’t Just A Breakfast Place!

Oh no, not at all! They have cleverly decorated cookies for all occasions. I suggest you visit their Facebook Business Page to see some of their photos for ideas for your next event. https://www.facebook.com/SweetRobichaux/. They also do simply decorated cakes with a delicious buttercream frosting and everyone I have spoken to about their cakes has said they are amazingly delicious.

They Will Be Expanding.

After talking to Stephen and Jennifer, they had mentioned that as business picks up and they get more settled, they will be adding to their menu. They will be doing Burgers on store made Brioche buns and ready for quick pick up. They also said that they working on the perfect chicken salad recipe to add to their home made croissants. Doesn’t that sound delicious! I personally want them to start those right away; I LOVE a good chicken salad sandwich and then you add those amazing croissants with it, my mouth is already watering.

Don’t just take my word for it! Stop in and try it yourself. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Another great new store making Ascension Parish a desired area in which to live.

If you’d like more information on homes in Ascension Parish close to Sweet Robichaux please visit my website at yourrealestatewhisperer.com and be sure you stop by Sweet Robichaux, and tell them I sent ya!

To watch my interview with Sweet Robichaux visit my YouTube Channel by clicking this link.

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

Cell 225-246-1812

Office 225-744-2610

Fax 225-744-2910

Info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com

Website

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

Info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com

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.

Why Photos Are SO Important When Listing Your Ascension Parish Home.

March 20, 2017

Not too long ago, we as real estate agents would tell our sellers that curb appeal was the most important thing when putting your Ascension Parish home on the market. When the sign went up, we wanted the people who drove by to be sufficiently enticed to want to see inside. Now, photos are the new curb appeal! If you have photos taken with a cell phone camera that are blurry and too small for the MLS, they immediately turn off potential buyers.

Photos are the single most effective way to feature your Ascension Parish home in the best light to buyers, but you will need to work with your Ascension Parish listing agent to prepare your home for the photo shoot so you can capitalize on its features.

(As nice as picture two may be, with a clear sky, Picture one takes away all the shadows and show the home in the correct way for listing your home in Ascension Parish)

NEVER List Your Home Without Professional Photographs.

I don’t care how good the market is right now; I don’t care what your home’s value is; there is no excuse for poor, sloppy photographs of your Ascension Parish home or piece of land. In today’s world of text messaging, email and social media, your Ascension Parish home or Land can be shared very quickly, and the photographs make your home appeal to buyers. Bad photos will not be shared except between people telling each other how bad the pictures look!

I know the market is extremely HOT right now but in order to sell your home quickly and for the best price, your Ascension Parish Realtor® MUST take professional photographs!

Prepare Your Home Prior to The Shoot.

The simplest way to make your photographs turn out their best is to declutter by removing all extra items from the countertops in bathrooms and kitchens, and making sure to put away your coffee pot and toiletries. These items in photographs can make your spaces appear to be smaller than they actually are. As a rule of thumb, if you don’t really need it, pack it away. A clean field of vision for your photographer makes for better pictures, which will stimulate your future buyer’s imagination of making it their next home.

The Number Of Photos Counts.

Statistics have proven that the more photos you have, the more likely your Ascension Parish home will sell faster. Don’t think a good picture of the front and back of your home is enough. You should have an ample number of pictures starting at the front of your home, then going into the foyer and through the entire home, ending in the backyard making buyers get a good feel of how the home flows. I believe a minimum of 8 photos should be used for a home and a minimum of 4 photos for a piece of land. As a side note, the MLS allows for many more than 8 photos, so please take as many pictures as necessary to capture all the features of your home.

There is no excuse for not hiring a professional photographer for your Ascension Parish home, and the cost to have them done should not be paid by you, the seller. This should be a part of selling your home and paid for by the agent or broker. If your Ascension Parish realtor refuses to hire a professional photographer, then I personally would find that unacceptable. It is not a rule or a law but just something that is not difficult to have done, and the expense should never be a factor. This is YOUR home and you want it sold fast, and for the MOST money.

If you would like to see some homes with professional photographs that I have listed in the past, please feel free to call me at 225-246-1812.

“Because YOU Matter”

Sincerely,

Kristina Smallhorn (Your Real Estate Whisperer)

Cell 225-246-1812

Office 225-744-2610

Fax 225-744-2910

Info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com

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.

Ascension Parish Has A New Business And It’s PHRESH !

March 13, 2017

If you have teenage daughters, I’m sure you have heard of bath bombs. They seem to be the latest and greatest gift for them to exchanged with one another for birthdays and other celebrations. This place isn’t just for the teenagers, they are perfect gifts for housewarming, anniversaries, Easter basket stuffers and even bridesmaids gifts. If you haven’t seen a bath bomb before check out this video https://www.facebook.com/pg/phreshsoap/videos/?ref=page_internal
Normally, you would have to pack yourself into the car and head to Baton Rouge to get these magical fizzy bath accompaniments. Well, guess what? Now you don’t have to! PHRESH has opened up and I know I’m excited.

You may have heard or seen them before at the Mall of Louisiana. They have a kiosk at the bottom floor of the food court near the escalators. I found them by accident one evening and got a black charcoal fresh cut soap for my daughter that works wonders for acne. Ever since then I’ve been hooked. I was delighted when the owner had told me that they were opening a store right here in Ascension Parish, located at 37459 Ultima Plaza Blvd, Suite E. in Prairieville. It’s in the same Plaza as the UPS store and Smoothie King, behind the Raising Canes.

It’s not just a soap place, they have body butter’s that smell amazing, and sugar scrubs to exfoliate your skin too. To see all the different selections of these see these visit their website
https://phreshsoap.com/ or visit their Facebook Business Page at
https://www.facebook.com/phreshsoap/

They are now currently open. Visit this incredible store and please make sure you tell them I sent you.

If you’d like to see an interview I did with one of the owners airing on Friday March 13, 2017, visit this link to my YouTube Show, Ascension Parish Coffee Talk, a show all about Ascension Parish and businesses that support our community, making our area AWESOME.

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

“Because YOU Matter”

Has The Housing Market Changed In Ascension Parish Since The Great Flood?

March 10, 2017

The very short answer is yes and no! From a volume of sales, we are only speaking of the difference of 12 homes if we look at the same time period of January 1, to March 4th. In 2016, 258 residential homes sold. This year from January 1st, 2017 to March 4th, 2017, 246 homes sold. The difference is so small enough it would not indicate any change in the market. Our market can’t be determined by numbers alone. The market is still being driven by all the intangibles offered by Ascension Parish; schools, location, and lifestyle.

So what’s the activity currently? The market is great, but it seems to be leaning towards a seller’s market because inventory is very low and demand is higher due to the lack of homes available due to the Great Flood of 2016.

(the picture above is not an actual housing number graph)

The energy is high but very optimistic. Most of the others I’ve spoken to about our market say that they don’t feel like housing prices will spike up like they did after Hurricane Katrina. Most lenders, investors, appraisers feel that kind of spike won’t happen. The majority od people affected are wanting to stay in their current home instead of getting out of town to find a new place to live. While this makes a potentially stronger market for sellers, it doesn’t mean they are getting $10,000 over asking price cash like had happened before. Buyers are much savvier, and they would rather wait for the correct price home to come along. While multiple offers are happening, I haven’t seen or heard of any buyer willing to pay thousands of dollars cash for a home that isn’t worth it. This is good news because it makes for a more healthy market.

We have been blessed here in Ascension Parish that our market, even in the housing crash, never fell out completely with loads of foreclosed homes. We have a lot to offer here other than a nice neighborhood, as we are sandwiched between two major cities making it convenient for people working in either; our home prices are not outrageous and we, of course, have amazing schools.

*** To see Ascension Parish top rated schools visit this link https://youtu.be/-OsYQG4v9ME ***

This is an exciting time in our housing market. If you are thinking of selling and are trying to time the market to make the most money this might be the best time to get your house on the market. With summer right around the corner and school about to let out, I predict that this will be the busiest our Ascension Housing market has seen in many years, but again, I don’t think you are going to be getting a HUGE increase in price from last year, but your home will sell faster at the price that is fair for your neighborhood. If you’d like to discuss with me about the value of your home today please feel free to comment below or you can fill out the contact form and I’ll reach out to you within a few hours

( Link to contact me https://yourrealestatewhisperer.com/personally-contact-me/).

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

What Happens During An Ascension Parish Home Closing?

March 6, 2017

When waiting for your home to close, it can be a crazy time. The list of things “to-do” is lengthy. Packing, deciding what items to sell, changing your utilities, switching children’s schools, finding local shopping and last but not least, where the heck is the post office? These activities can often make you lose focus on the details of your closing.

Luckily, you have hired an Ascension Parish local realtor to handle the hiring of a closing attorney to help with the Ascension Parish title process; review the closing documents and calculate the amount of money you may have to bring to closing. Your loan officer will also be there to explain what some of those closing costs will add up to. A few days before closing (as many as 5 days) your Ascension Parish Realtor® will do a final walk-through of your new home to go over the items on the repair list to make sure they have been completed and the home is in the same if not better condition as at the time of the initial sales contract. (to read more about what buyer need to know click here ( https://yourrealestatewhisperer.com/2017/02/20/what-prairieville-home-buyers-need-to-know-before-closing-day/ )

So What Does A Closing Look Like in Ascension Parish?

The closing is defined as a performance of all agreements made by you, the lender and the seller, a means to an end of the purchase of a home. If you are buying your home with all cash, you will not have lender requirements, but if you are financing your home with a loan, the financial arrangements will close at the same time.

A closing involves the simultaneous exchange of document and monies required to complete the transaction. You, as a buyer, pay the purchase price of the home to the seller and in exchange, the seller gives you the title and transferred documents to the home; simple as that.

(Both buyer and seller pay their respective fees and costs to the various parties who contributed funds, services, or documents to the closing.)

****A side note: Closings can take as little as a few minutes if buying cash, or take over an hour or more for financed homes, so don’t make firm plans and allow plenty of time for your closing.****

So Where Do You Go For Your Closing Of Your Ascension Parish Home?

Your closing of your home doesn’t have to be in the Parish you are buying in, although it definitely makes it more convenient, but sometimes it could be a few Parish’s away! You can request a preferred title company from your lender unless the seller is paying closing costs, then the sellers make that choice. This can be part of your negotiations if you are adamant on a particular closing attorney.

Not all closings are the same, that’s a given. Some closings do not require a closing attorney for signatures and may only require a notary. The difference between the two is that notaries can only provide legal advice or services on very specific types of matters. Another difference between attorneys and notaries is that attorneys generally must obtain two university degrees in order to be certified to practice law; an undergraduate degree plus a law degree.

If you’d like to know more about the closing of a home in Ascension Parish, I will be doing a YouTube Video with a Title Attorney from Commerce Title on my weekly show, “Ascension Parish Coffee Time.” ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH0LUzFvtwb5B8EfVCF5uwg )

If you have any questions you would like for me to ask for the attorney, please post them in the comments below and I will put them in the video. I look forward to your questions!

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn