5 Tips When You Own A Home In 2019

Over the years I have seen many people make homeownership mistakes. These 5 tips when you own a home in 2019 will help you in the future when you are looking to sell your home. When it comes time to sell your home there are papers and other documents I ask my clients for and SO many times people have lost track of these items. I will cover what these papers are, that future home buyers are looking for and I will also give a great home money saving tip for EVERY year you live in it. These tips will help you maintain your home so you are a responsible homeowner and keep some cash in your pocket.

For referrals of TOP agents near you please email me directly at info@yourrealestatewhisperer.com

?If you’d like to watch more videos ?about buying a home?, here is a very useful playlist : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL2NpJzFd3bsErmLFniI8wy2jC1309S9J
? Visit my blog to read more buying and selling a home tips: yourrealestatewhisperer.com
?To search for homes in the Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish Area:
https://bit.ly/2OdQw1s
??If you don’t want to miss important tips real estate tips, please consider subscribing https://bit.ly/2MEztWK
?If you have any questions about buying and selling your home feel free to reach out to me at by email or any respectable time by phone?. All my contact information is listed below.
?To Get #YREW Merch https://shop.spreadshirt.com/yrew-merch

Other resources for this video,
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My name is Kristina Smallhorn, Your Real Estate Whisperer and I tell you all this “Because YOU Matter”

Cell 225-246-1812
EXP REALTY, LLC
2900 Westfork Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70827
225-412-9982 ext 149
info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com, kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com
yourrealestatewhisperer.com
Kristina Is a Licensed Realtor® with The Greater Baton Rouge Board of Realtors@ in the State of Louisiana. License #0912122918

Home Buying Walk-Thru Checklist (With Free PDF)

The walk-thru stage of home buying, The final walkthrough isn’t just to check if the sellers have removed all items from the home or check the condition. When a buyer does a walk-thru of the home they are buying, prior to closing, they may see some things they were not expecting, So its good to be prepared. In this video: I will be showing the perfect walkthrough checklist so you don’t forget anything by the time the sellers have handed over the keys and cover those things most people don’t even think about when they walk around one last time. Below the video, I will have a checklist PDF that you can download for free to take with you the day you do your walk-thru.

Get Your Free Home Buyers Walk-Thru Checklist Here      

 

Looking For Another Useful Article: “What Are The Most Common Final Walk-Through Issues In Real Estate? 

Kristina Smallhorn (Your Real Estate Whisperer)

Cell 225-246-1812

EXP REALTY, LLC

2900 Westfork Dr.

Baton Rouge, LA 70827

225-412-9982 ext 149

Info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com

yourrealestatewhisperer.com

kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com

Kristina Is a Licensed Realtor® with The Greater Baton Rouge Board of Realtors@ in the State of Louisiana. License #0912122918

 

The HOA and Management Companies, Whats The Difference?

Many people are confused by the HOA and the management company that runs the neighborhood’s community. This has been causing a battle with the homeowners association and its residents but many HOA’s are not run by the homeowners themselves but by management companies, even though some residents may hold titles with the HOA. In this video Kristina Smallhorn, Your Real Estate Whisperer will explain what the homeowners association can and can’t do and what your homeowner’s association does to protect your interest when you have a management company as well.

 

I recently got a message from a past client after seeing my video for the American Flag and your HOA https://youtu.be/gYr-SO8gYAw and The HOA and Fireworks https://youtu.be/cpBwWVATY2Y videos. She asked that I make this video since she is on an HOA that is run by a management company. She asked if I could explain to my followers what is the role of the HOA when you have a management company with a true and false style approach. So let play along when you watch and see if you knew the answers before I give the answer. I hope you found this video about The HOA and The Management Company, useful if you’d like to read more real estate buying and selling tips you can visit my blog at yourrealestatewhisperer.com

If you’d like to watch more videos specifically about buying a home here is a very useful playlist. https://bit.ly/2myd6Go

If you don’t want to miss important tips so you can be a real estate home buying ninja, please consider subscribing https://bit.ly/2MEztWK

To get a copy of my FREE buyer e-book you can download it here: https://bit.ly/2LdyEqt To search for homes in the Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish Area: https://bit.ly/2OdQw1s

If you have any questions about buying and selling your home feel free to reach out to me at any time by email or any respectable time by phone. All my contact information is listed below.

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

Kristina Smallhorn, Your Real Estate Whisperer and I tell you all this ….

“Because YOU Matter”

Cell 225-246-1812

EXP REALTY, LLC 2900 Westfork Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70827

225-412-9982 ext 149 Info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com yourrealestatewhisperer.com kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com #realtor #home #tips

Kristina Is a Licensed Realtor® with The Greater Baton Rouge Board of Realtors@ in the State of Louisiana. License #0912122918

5 Tips When To Make A Lowball Offer

Last week I told you about bidding wars (To Read That Article https://bit.ly/2LoaC7X ). This week I will be telling you when is the right time to lowball an offer on a home. This video will provide 5 useful tips to know when the perfect time is to lowball an offer on a house. There is often real estate lowball offer mistakes people make when making an offer and know how to construct your offer in a way not to offend the sellers by providing facts to why you made the lowball offer in the first place can be the reason why you win the deal of the century.

The first tip to consider if you are going to home buying with the idea you are going to lowball every home you make an offer on is not to be picky. DO NOT ask for items that are not important to the structure of the home, like washer, dryer, and refrigerator, Do not ask for lawn maintenance or items to be removed. Basically, you are purchasing the home as in the condition that it’s currently in and not anything more than that.

The second tip that can work in your benefit is knowing if the home you’re considering lowballing is grossly overpriced. Many sellers will have illusions of grandeur when it comes to pricing their home. If you can prove with comps that the home is overpriced to the seller they may see things your way.

Lowball Offer

The third tip that’s important to know when giving a lowball offer is to see how many times the home has been on and off the market within the last couple years. This could be a sign that the seller is in financial trouble and needs to get out. Check with your Realtor to see if the home has been put up on the sheriff’s sale website for delinquent payments or back taxes. This information could help leverage your lowball offer.

the fourth tip is to talk with the neighbors, neighbors love to dish out any secrets the sellers may not have disclosed that wouldn’t be pertinent to the structure of the home like a divorce, loss of a job or financial issues. Sometimes the neighbors can be the sellers biggest nightmare but a lowball buyers dream!

Neighbors helping with a lowball offer

The fifth tip is to take a good look at obviously outdated items in the home to leverage your lowball offer. If the carpet is old and smelly, the kitchen looks like it from the set of the Golden Girls and every room needs a fresh coat of paint add up the cost to have those items that need remodeled and show the seller why your lowball offer was made. This could be the tip that seals the deal.

I hope you found these tips useful if you like to watch more video tips on buying your next home, check out my home buying video playlist here. https://bit.ly/2sw5Pu1

If you don’t want to miss any tips on buying and selling your home so you don’t leave money on the table at the closing time click here https://bit.ly/2sHfDRr

To look for properties in the Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish area click here: https://goo.gl/Pfi9W9

Copy of my FREE Ebook For Buying In Ascension Parish: https://goo.gl/ux3mYz

Your Real Estate Whisperer Kristina Smallhorn
Your Real Estate Whisperer For Ascension Parish, Kristina Smallhorn.

Kristina Smallhorn,

Your Real Estate Whisperer

kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com,info@yourrealestatewhisperer.com

eXp Realty LLC,2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401,Baton Rouge LA 70817225-246-1812,Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149

Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana, License #0912122918

How To Not Be A Loser In A Bidding War.

Nobody wants to be a bidding war loser. When making bidding war offers you want to come on top. The best offers during a home bidding war are the ones that don’t ask for extra items like, refrigerator, washer, and dryer. The trick to winning a bidding war on a home isn’t just asking for the “extras”, it’s also what loan you chose, how long will it be until you close and the way you construct your purchase offer in a way that is the strongest to the seller’s eyes but not breaking your budget for a home. This article will show you 5 tips to making your bidding war offer stronger so you won’t end up being a bidding war loser.

Tip 1
Do not ask for extras like refrigerator, washer, dryer and silly items that are cosmetic like asking for the home to be painted. Nothing will make a seller pass over your offer like asking for extras that have nothing to do with the value of the home.laptop-3196481_1920

 

Tip 2
Up the amount of your deposit, normally in the state of Louisiana, the deposit amount is pretty minimal to the amount of the home. The typical amount is as little as 250-2500 depending on the price of the home. If you’re in a bidding war you may want to consider upping that amount to 2500-5000 so the sellers know you are a serious buyer that has skin in the game.

Tip 3
Decrease the number of days for inspection. When you write a purchase offer most ask for a 10 day inspection period. If you reduce the number of days for inspection to 5 days your offer may look stronger to the seller due to the fact it will be fewer days off the market if the buyer will be removing the offer after the inspections are completed. With that said many realtors may suggest a pre-inspection prior to writing an offer if you use this tactic you may lose precious days that someone else can beat you to the punch to make an accepted offer and you will never get a chance to make yours.calendar-3045825_1920

Tip 4
Consider a different loan type. If you are not paying cash and you have not chosen a loan package you will need to discuss with your lender the best option for you to get the loan closed fast but still has your best interests.

Tip 5
Go with your highest and best offer with the first offer you come in with. This is not the time to test the seller on there willingness to come down in price. If you are serious make your strongest offer the first offer you make.document-428338_1920

Bonus Tip
It doesn’t hurt to add a little human emotion to your offer, sometimes we forget that families are involved so if you add a letter stating why this home is so important to you, this may be the deciding factor when it comes to a bidding war.

 

To look for properties in the Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish area click here: https://goo.gl/Pfi9W9

Copy of my FREE Ebook For Buying In Ascension Parish: https://goo.gl/ux3mYz

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

Kristina Smallhorn, Your Real Estate Whisperer kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com, info@yourrealestatewhisperer.com
eXp Realty LLC,2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401, Baton Rouge LA 70817
225-246-1812,Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149

Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana, License #0912122918

Parade Of Homes 2018 In Greater Baton Rouge.

This past weekend kicked off the Parade of Homes In the Greater Baton Rouge area. Even if you’re not in the market for a brand new home if a great way to get fresh ideas on remodeling your own home. Throughout many Parishes, you will be able to see the latest trends in new home building, like flooring design, colors for walls and the style in kitchen design.

To get more information on the parade of homes, click here. >> Parade Of Homes 2018

For a full list of homes on the Parade Of Homes Tour, Click Here. >>Map Of Homes 

2018 Parade of Homes, May 12-13 and 19-20.  This is your chance to preview up and coming communities, different floor plans, new ideas and innovative products.   The Parade is free to the public with homes open on Saturdays from 11am-5pm and on Sundays from 1pm-5pm.

The 2018 Parade of Homes will show many homes of all sizes, layouts, and architectural styles. The tour has a little bit for everyone with homes ranging from the starter home all the way up to luxury homes in exclusive neighborhoods. This will be a great way to get idea’s for your own home or preview a home to purchase in the near future.

Your Real Estate Whisperer Kristina Smallhorn

Your Real Estate Whisperer For Ascension Parish, Kristina Smallhorn.

 

 

I hope you found this tip useful if you’d like some more tips you can always visit my website at yourrealestatewhisperer.com To View Properties For Sale, Click Here https://goo.gl/Aiwxjm To Get My FREE EBook On Buying Homes In Ascension Parish, Click Here https://goo.gl/ux3mYz To Send Mail: Kristina Smallhorn PO BOX 1271 Prairieville LA 70769 Kristina Smallhorn (Your Real Estate Whisperer) Cell 225-246-1812 EXP REALTY, LLC,2900 Westfork Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70827 225-412-9982 ext 149 Info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com Kristina Is a Licensed Realtor® with The Greater Baton Rouge Board of Realtors@ in the State of Louisiana. License #0912122918

A Day Listing A Home, In Ascension Parish- Realtor Vlog

I took a day listing a home here in Ascension Parish. This super cute home for sale is a new listing for me, This week I will be showing you how listing a home for sale can be a little more trouble than just sticking a sign in the yard. Listing a home in Ascension Parish takes a lot more work than you think. I will be answering the questions you may be having about home listing when they go up for sale like, What are the steps in listing a home? What happens when you list a home? and why would you want to pay someone to measure a house? I meet up with Snap-Shot Photography to measure the home and take photographs. I’ll show you what it takes to get a home on the market but spare you the paperwork (which takes you the longest and would not make for a great video.) Let me show you more about the resale of this existing home be sure to watch the video of this week’s vlog.

Here is the link to the home’s details https://bit.ly/2whb4SC

To schedule a private showing call 225-246-1812

This Home Has A Huge Backyard In Prairieville!

The property is almost an acre! You get the best of both worlds with this home, You’ll be a part of an awesome neighborhood and you’ll have a HUGE backyard. When you step into the foyer you’ll fall in love with the cool modern grey color scheme that leads you to the large open concept living room and oversized traditional style kitchen with attached dining area. From the living room, you walk down the hall to the enormous master bedroom, plenty of room for a California King bedroom set. The ensuite master bathroom has a stand-alone shower, jetted tub and double sink with plenty of cabinetry to store bath towels and toiletries. Out from the master, the paint color scheme continues and down the hall has two more large bedrooms with fantastic closet space for each of them. Once you step into the backyard you won’t get over how big it is. You will have plenty of room to have a massive crawfish boil, Backyard barbecues or put in the large swimming pool you have been dreaming of, the possibilities are endless. I know once you walk through this home you won’t want anyone else to have it. (Please note: This home DID NOT flood during the 2016 floods, Window curtains and hooks in children bedrooms will not remain with the home)

Be Sure To Like Share and Subscribe To My YouTube Channel And Don’t Forget to Hit The Notification Bell https://bit.ly/2jsyQSK

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

kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com,info@yourrealestatewhisperer.com eXp Realty LLC,2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401, Baton Rouge LA 70817 225-246-1812, Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149 Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

Wiring Fraud Alert For Home Buyers

 

Wiring Fraud Alert!!!!! Don’t Let These Hackers Steal Your Down Payment! Watch The Video To See How You Can Protect Your Money!

Wiring Fraud Alert For Home Buyers has become a real problem over the last couple of years. Imagine having your life saving for a down payment for your new home being stolen from you just days before the closing. It’s been happening all over the country even in Ascension Parish. The scam works like this, the hackers get a hold of either the title companies email account, the realtors’ email account or even the home buyers email account after one of these accounts are infiltrated the hackers sit and wait. They monitor the activities of all the parties involved in the transaction days beforehand they inform the buyer that wiring instructions have changed and they need confirmation they received the message so they can send the new instructions. These criminals are clever, by this time they have copied or even cloned the email addresses of the parties involved they really make these emails look very official. Buyers are of course in a panic and rush to there bank to give them the new wiring instructions, but the thing about it is, they just lost all their down payment and very little can be done to get that money back.

There are some ways to protect yourself. One is to change your email password often and have two code authentification. If you do get an email asking to change wiring instructions prior to closing make sure to call your REALTOR® to verify the title companies phone number. Never follow the phone number that is posted in the suspicious email.  Lastly, Instead of wiring the funds, if possible, just go down to your bank and get cashiers check, it may take a little more time but could save you tens of thousands of dollars.

To read my blog for more tips read this: https://goo.gl/LHEVPz

To Read More On Preparing Your Home To Sell, Click Here https://goo.gl/e6wJUv

To View Properties For Sale, Click Here https://goo.gl/Aiwxjm

To Get My FREE EBook On Buying Homes In Ascension Parish, Click Here https://goo.gl/ux3mYz

Kristina Smallhorn

kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com, 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 Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

Dirty Grout Lines Making You Crazy When Selling Your Home? Take A Tip Tuesday- How To Fix The Problem.

 

Dirty Grout Lines Making You Crazy When Selling Your Home?

Take A Tip Tuesday- How To Fix The Problem.

If you are thinking of selling your home and happen to be doing “the BIG clean” to get your home ready for the market, you may have noticed that your grout lines (especially where people walk most) are exceptionally grimy. There are many products out there that claim to clean them, but I know from personal experience many of these can damage the tile itself, making the tile lose its shine if the cleaner seeps away from the grout and onto the tile.

How Home Sellers Can Clean Out Gross Grout Lines, Your Real Estate Whisperer
How Home Sellers Can Clean Out Gross Grout Lines, Your Real Estate Whisperer.

To get grout lines clean is a difficult task. In my last home, I had tile countertops, keeping those grout lines clean was nearly impossible. I fought with it for years. By the time we went to sell the home I decided to replace those countertops with granite so I didn’t have to fight the battle any longer. I wished I had known this simple cheap trick to get them clean.

I recently had a client contact me to share her great find to get those grout lines back to new.

All you need is:

Supplies For Cleaning Grout, Your Real Estate Whisperer, Kristina Smallhorn
Supplies For Cleaning Grout

 

A pair of gloves

A bucket of warm water.

Lysol Power Gel

Cleaning Rags

**** Dupont’s Grout Sealer****          

 

You are going to want to put on the gloves first since this is a chemical. Apply the Lysol Power Gel to the grout lines carefully, if it does get on the tile its okay but you don’t want to waste your product. Let the Lysol Power Gel sit on the grout lines for 10 to 15 minutes. You’ll see the grout lines bubble up, that’s how you know its working, getting all that years of grime out of those cracks. When the 10-15 minutes is up you’ll have your bucket of warm water ready and clean cloth rags. You just simply wipe away the Lysol Power Gel and voila!, Good as new grout lines.

Cleaned Grout Lines! Wow, That Was Easy!
Cleaned Grout Lines! Wow, That Was Easy!

Now that your grout lines are back to new you are going to need to reseal the grout. If you don’t you’re really going to have a mess on your hands. I suggest Dupont’s grout sealer, you can pick this up at any hardware store.

I wanted to share this great tip with you, Why? “Because YOU Matter”

If you are looking for information on buying a home here in Ascension Parish, be sure to download my  FREE E-Book Click Here>> Free Buyers E-Book To Ascension Parish

If you like to do a full home search of Ascension Parish you can visit: “Full Home Search Here

To read my weekly blogs with videos you can visit: My Weekly Blogs

My name is Kristina Smallhorn, Your Real Estate Whisperer For Ascension Parish, And I Tell You All This “Because YOU Matter”

Kristina Smallhorn
(Your Real Estate Whisperer)
Cell 225-246-1812
Office 2254129982 ext#149
Website www.yourrealestatewhisperer.com
Email Info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com
eXp Realty LLC.
2900 Westfork Dr.
Baton Rouge LA 70817
Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR with the state of Louisiana, USA.
Your Real Estate Whisperer Kristina Smallhorn "Because YOU Matter"
Your Real Estate Whisperer For Ascension Parish, Kristina Smallhorn.

Your Ascension Parish Home Need De-Cluttering?

 

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

Screen Shot 2017-10-16 at 5.06.29 PM

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

dog-200942_640

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”

Screen Shot 2017-10-16 at 5.15.41 PM
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