When you are stuck in traffic, want a meal replacement or an after workout protein shake, Sunset Smoothie has you covered. Their large menu of custom made smoothie will suit just about everyone’s palate.
These are not the typical ice down smoothies you may get at other places, their recipe calls for milk and their own in house made protein powder. Not a fan of milk, lactose intolerant or vegan? They have those bases covered as well, all you have to do is ask.
Tyler Terrebonne shared that his shop added sandwich wraps over time that has been a big hit (I personally tried one and it really was amazing) Tyler also said for the super busy he provides a meal prep service. Perfect for the busy body builder or person training for a big event and doesn’t have the time or energy to do it themselves.
If you are looking for a cool down to beat the summer heat make sure to visit Tyler Terrebonne @Sunset Smoothie and tell him The Real Estate Whisperer sent you, “Because YOU Matter”Kristina Smallhorn
What Should I Do With My Pet’s When I Have A Showing?
Let me start off by saying I LOVE animals. It doesn’t matter to me, from reptile to bird, dog or cat all of them I think of as a friend some of these animals don’t look at me in the same way. Over the years I have encountered some not so friendly animals. Most recently I tried to enter a home to be greeted by a mid-size mixed breed hound that was showing his teeth as the key slipped into the tumbler. The buyers and I agreed that we wouldn’t be taking a tour of that home that day. Too bad the sellers missed out on an opportunity to sell their home. So that brings me to my point of this blog post. What do you do with your beloved pets in Ascension Parish when you have a showing?
Pet Sitter? Is That Even A Thing?
Yes, Its is. Many veterinarian offices board your animals for the day and some dog grooming places as well. You can also ask around you’d be surprised at how many people know of someone who does this. The best reference to get is from someone who’s used them before.
To Crate or Not To Crate
If you have an old cat or dog that lazily walks around the house and really doesn’t bother you, you may think it’s ridiculous to put them in a crate but some people are truly frightened by animals and may just walk out of the home as soon as the see your precious fur baby. My best advice if you can’t really shell out the money to board your animal is to crate them during a showing. Most people put the crate in a laundry room or utility room so it doesn’t distract from the showing.
***Keep in mind if your animals are aggressive and can pose a danger to anyone you can be liable if your animal attacks anyone during the showing. It’s up to you the seller to handle your animals prior to confirmed showings.***
Many of your friends love your animals as much as you do. You can always ask a friend to pick up your pets for the times of the showing. You can always ask your agent for a window of time before the showing so either you or your friend can take care of the animals prior to the showing.
On A Side Note- The Nose Knows Everything
You may not think your home has a pet odor but people who do not like animals or do not have them can smell them immediately. Please clean your cat’s little box daily, the same goes for birdcage liners and the doggy dropping in the yard. Nobody even animal lovers likes having your pet poop on their foot after taking in your large backyard.
One Last Thing
Before you list your home you may want to check all to see if your fur babies have chewed or scratched any wood or painted areas. Nothing screams deferred maintenance like a backdoor that the door has ruined by an animal that includes the weather stripping as well. (I don’t know why animals love chewing and scratching at it)
Hopefully, these tips will help you out on deciding what to do with your animals.
Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #17- Help Save Ali’s Sweet Shoppe!
I’ve always had a soft spot for young people taking life by the horns and trying to make a business at an early age. I met just that person this week, Ali Duplessis of Ali’s Sweet Shoppe, opened a Sno-Ball stand right outside the Tanger Mall in Ascension Parish. This twenty-one-year-old woman took her idea, own money and bought herself a Sno-Ball stand. She carefully made sure to get the proper license, approvals and lease from the Tanger Mall so she could be located right where the action is. As you know, It gets hot going from shop to shop around the Tanger Mall and she had the wherewithal to set up her Sno-Ball stand and do it the right way. Hours after opening her first day, she was approached to shut down the stand, told she wasn’t allowed to have it at the location she was given permission to be at but they would give her a special pass for a few days to find a new location.
Ali had made her business plan early on and made sure she would have the location she desired the correct way. Only to be shut down a few hours into opening because someone else had made a mistake, This is a costly mistake for a young girl just starting off in business but the part that burns my hide is that she made sure prior to putting up the stand. She HAD planned ahead, she did all the right things but that didn’t matter.
My goal for this young entrepreneur is for the people of Ascension Parish to rally for Ali’s Sweet Shoppe so Ali will be able to keep the location she worked hard to get in the first place. Please Share this video with everyone you know so they can help her save her location. We are counting on YOU Ascension Parish.
The Fourth of July is quickly approaching so I stopped into one of my favorite local Ascension Parish’s firework stores, Louisiana Fireworks!, located right off Hwy 44 in Gonzales (Close to the Lowe’s Hardware Store)
Tim Tullier was kind enough to show me around some of his top-selling fireworks as he describes how some of them fire off, He also tells of several safety tips to keep you and your family safe this year and years to come.
I’ve added the safety tips from the Nation Council of Firework Safety below, this came directly from their website at fireworkssafety.org
“Because YOU Matter”
PROMOTING SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF CONSUMER FIREWORKS
Recommended Safety Tips
Obey all local laws regarding the use of fireworks.
Know your fireworks; read the cautionary labels and performance descriptions before igniting.
A responsible adult SHOULD supervise all firework activities. Never give fireworks to children.
Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Save your alcohol for after the show.
Wear safety glasses when shooting fireworks.
Light one firework at a time and then quickly move away.
Use fireworks OUTDOORS in a clear area; away from buildings and vehicles.
Never relight a “dud” firework. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
Always have a bucket of water and charged water hose nearby.
Never carry fireworks in your POCKET or shoot them into METAL or GLASS containers.
Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.
Dispose of spent fireworks by wetting them down and place in a metal trash can away from any building or combustible materials until the next day.
FAA regulations PROHIBIT the possession and transportation of fireworks in your checked baggage or carry-on luggage.
Report illegal explosives, like M-80s and quarter sticks, to the fire or police department.
And let’s not forget the safety of our pets!
Don’t bring your pets to a fireworks display, even a small one.
If fireworks are being used near your home, put your pet in a safe, interior room to avoid exposure to the sound.
Make sure your pet has an identification tag, in case it runs off during a fireworks display.
Never shoot fireworks of any kind (consumer fireworks, sparklers, fountains, etc.) near pets.
It’s exciting to walk into a new home with the possibility of being your next home. All the finishes are polished, The carpet hasn’t been stepped on looking worn, The granite counter tops would make any of your friends jealous, so what could go wrong by just buying it from the builders themselves. I mean, it is new. Well, as you probably could have guessed many things can go wrong and do go wrong when you go at it yourself. Below Ive listed 4 reasons why you should really hire a licensed local Realtor®.
1. Contracts and Addendum’s
When buying a new home in the state of Louisiana, many builders use their own contracts. Realtors® always have clients sign a state contract as well, so the buyer can understand their legal rights as buyer. Other builders do use the state contract but will add many addendum’s along with it. Those addendum’s vary from, explaining the elevation of the home, to explaining the flood zone the home is being built on. They can be extremely confusing especially if you haven’t seen anything like them before. Many buyers get so excited by the idea of the new home and just sign away before really reading through the papers they are signing. An experienced Realtor® knows the in and outs of what you should and shouldn’t be signing.
2. Finding a reputable builder.
When a Realtor® has lived and worked in Prairieville like I have, we have seen the good, the bad and the really, really awful in home building. You should want to know who’s been building in the area for years, and who can be trusted to come back if you have any issues with your home after the closing date.
*** I have a list of builders that have built homes for my clients in the past, I know they are completely trustworthy, and stand by their work. If you’d like some more information on home builders in Prairieville feel free to call or email me.***
3. Assist you in negotiations.
Generally here in Prairieville the listing price is the price and builders will not negotiate it lower but a savvy agent knows how to get you a sweeter deal with incentives. For example adding an appliance package or upgrading counter tops for the buyer to get a little extra for the same price. Some builders are still willing to work with agents to get the deal done.
4. When something goes wrong.
Nobody likes to feel like they didn’t get what they paid for. When things go wrong your Realtor® should be going to bat for you. They know how to handle situations that can get pretty ugly if you don’t have someone in your corner protecting your best interests.
BONUS: When deciding on upgrades it can be difficult to know which one will give the best bang for your buck. Your Realtor® does, especially in our area. When it comes time to sell your home at a later date, it is always good to know what appeals to buyers to make your home sell quicker in the future.
Because of tropical storm Cindy, my scheduled interview had to cancel. In their place, my daughter came to the rescue and decided to show the people of Ascension Parish how the make the pioneer woman’s, Chicken Alfredo with bowtie pasta. Aubrey does most of the cooking after Sydney bails out to talk to one of her friends. Aubrey takes the position of head chef seriously as she explains all the steps in detail to the residents of Ascension Parish.
Cooking is something that has always been a way for my family growing up to be a part of. I’m so happy to pass on this tradition to my children. They both have been cooking on the stove ever since they could reach it. This has been such a wonderful help to me on nights when I get too busy to cook for them. I like having home cooked meals, they love stepping in when I get busy assisting home buyers and home sellers to make some of their favorites. The one featured today is on the top of their favorite list.
I hope you like it, just to let you know, this recipe feeds a family of four pretty easily. It goes great with steamed asparagus. Please give Aubrey a BIG “GREAT JOB” to show her support and be sure to like, and comment below.
(This is the original recipe from the pioneer womanthepioneerwoman.com/cooking/bowtie-chicken-alfredo/)
Ascension Parish Coffee Talk, Episode #15- Chad Blouin of Ascension Parish News Network.
I was able to catch up with CEO Chad Blouin of the Ascension Parish News Network. Chad pontificates his story of how he acquired the little know online news source in October of last year after the great flood of 2016 that affected nearly 110,000 homes over the Greater Baton Rouge area, Livingston Parish being the hardest hit. One-third of homes in Ascension Parish were affected by flood waters according to The Advocate in an August 2016 article written by Andrea Gallo and Gordon Russell.
As horrible as the flood was, Chad was able to be a voice for many in Ascension Parish when many major news stations were barely even mentioning the fact we had flooded. He acted as a reporter too many who were concerned about loved ones they couldn’t get to dues to high waters around their own home. Facebook was his a platform to get our voices heard and Chad amplified his loud and clear voice, in turn, the Ascension Parish News Network was posting his reports and his posts were shared hundreds of times during this period of distress. It opened the door for Chad to acquire the news organization several months later when the owner of Ascension Parish News Network called to thank Chad for his updates. Chad was no stranger to being in the public eye after working in sports news casting on many major news networks and also hosting his own radio show for many years.
Life hadn’t always fallen into place so easily for Chad Blouin. Chad explained that he wasn’t always doing the right thing in life, but after giving his life to the Lord and following his message the doors of opportunity came his way. He lovingly explains that none of his blessings would have come his way if he had taken the direction that God was giving him. He truly is a man dedicated to his faith and expresses that in some of the logo’s he uses in his advertising for Ascension Parish News Network.
Now that Chad has taken over the Ascension Parish News Network it has literally exploded here in Ascension Parish. You see it nearly daily in the newsfeeds of many Ascension Parish residents Facebook pages. With gift card giveaways and interviews of local businesses, Chad and his news network have really become a one-stop shop for all your local news and events. Make sure to download their new app here’s a link, New App Link Click HERE!
I was pleased to finally meet the man behind the now revamped Ascension Parish News Network. As for Chad Blouin’s future? He says he doesn’t really know, He just knows he’s going to keep doing the job he loves, in the Parish, he admires with the people of Ascension Parish that he adores and the rest will fall into to place as long as he keeps following Gods plan for him.
“Because YOU Matter”
Kristina Smallhorn
Your Real Estate Whisperer
http://kristinasmallhorn.brl.exprealty.com/
eXp Realty LLC
LAKE CHARLES, LA 70601
225-246-1812
Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149
https://www.facebook.com/YRRealEstatWhisperer/
https://twitter.com/RealEstateWhisp
https://www.instagram.com/prairievillerealestate/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH0LUzFvtwb5B8EfVCF5uwg
Are You An Ascension Parish First Time Home Seller? 5 BIG TIPS!
Below I’ve listed five things to keep in mind.
What About Price?
One of the most important factors when listing your home is pricing the home correctly. You want to make sure you are not overpriced. If you go too high with your price and keep dropping after being on the market for weeks, buyers believe there is something wrong with your home, or worse they don’t even consider your home because it was priced too high. Make sure to discuss with your Ascension Parish REALTOR® what the comparable sales for a home like yours sold for in the last year, so you can be confident in the price. You and your Ascension Parish agent need to be in agreement as to price.
Time To Prepare!
You know your home is clean and well kept, but what you don’t realize is what buyers do and do not want to see! In order to appeal to the masses, you’re going to want to take the advice of your Ascension Parish REALTOR® or a home stager when getting your home prepared to list. All those personal items that you walk past daily without much notice, can be a glaring eyesore to a potential buyer! As much as you love the pictures from your bachelor days, many buyers will not.
It’s Show Time!
In order to get your home sold in the fastest amount of time (other than price) is showings. I know from personal experience that showing your home during dinner time hours, especially with young children, can be a real hassle. But the sale of your home depends on how many showings you get! Most people work until 5 pm generally, and they like previewing homes after work. I suggest making a picnic for nights like this; it can be fun for small children when you have to leave your home during these evenings when you have showings.
Open House In Ascension Parish Is On Sunday.
Every Sunday between the hours of 2-4pm, Ascension Parish REALTOS® typically showcase their newest listings for the public to view. This is a great way for you as a new home seller to give your home a preview to the public without the pressure of a potential buyer to make a decision immediately. Generally, from my experience with open houses, many people are what I call “Tire Kickers,” which means they really aren’t sure if they want to buy at this time. Often when those same “tire kickers” really likes a home, they LOVE to tell their friends and co-workers about it. So don’t dismiss an “Open House” when it’s suggested! You just never know who’s going to be speaking great things about your home.
Homework ??
Now that your home is on the market and has hit all the online sites, it’s time for you to do a little homework. Yes, I said “Homework!” With the internet the way it is, information gets sent out so quickly that small mistakes can be made when data goes from website to website. Make sure your home listing has the correct data on the major websites and tell your Ascension Parish REALTOR® if you find any mistakes or misinformation.
I trust you found this information helpful if you’d like some more tips on selling your home you can always visit my website at yourrealestatewhsiperer.com. “Because YOU Matter”
Kristina Smallhorn
Your Real Estate Whisperer
http://kristinasmallhorn.brl.exprealty.com/
eXp Realty LLC
LAKE CHARLES, LA 70601
225-246-1812
Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149
https://www.facebook.com/YRRealEstatWhisperer/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH0LUzFvtwb5B8EfVCF5uwg
Mark Taylor started a Facebook Fan Page sometime back in 2009. This page started out as an admiration for the man they call Droop and ended up turning into something much bigger. Fans from across the world have liked the page. People posting Droop sightings throughout the Parish. Occasionally snapping a picture of him at the local Wal-Mart or just riding along Black Bayou Rd. Over the years the page kind of took on a life of its own. Droop has gotten older and he is not able to get around as well as he used to. After a car accident in July of 2016 many people in the Parish heard about Droop being hit by a car. The Parish rallied around their beloved Droop; getting him a recliner chair and other supplies he may need while he recovered.
What I love about our community of Ascension Parish is our ability to see the humility in people. We as a community truly care and show this to Droop when he is in need. With the help of Mark Taylor’s, Facebook Fan Page and the caring members of our community Droop over the years has received a new bike, t-shirts and even a snowball or two from some young kids who were passing by.
You may or may not see the man who rides his bike almost daily, collecting cans or just taking a tour of his beloved Ascension Parish. Never bothering a soul, just living his life in the simplest way, earning money on his daily bike adventures. But if you do see him, make sure you shoot a wave and a smile it will surely make his day.
Thank you, Mark Taylor, for continuing to help out Droop and further the page along over the years. I know you never wanted to make the Droop Facebook Page about you but you sure have made it something that everyone in Ascension Parish can smile about. Just another reason why these simple acts of kindness make me love the Parish of Ascension.
Take A Tip Tuesday-Are You Ready To Buy A Home In Ascension Parish?
3 Things To Ask Yourself.
If you have been sitting in your apartment wondering if you could possibly buy your first home, there are a few things you can ask yourself before you pick up the phone to call a mortgage company. Many people, not just in Ascension Parish, wonder if they can get a home of their own but they are either afraid of the answer or they think that the process is too difficult to take on. Before you choose your lender or Ascension Parish REALTOR®, ask yourself these simple questions.
Do I Pay My Bills On Time?
Lenders look at few things when it comes to debt. First is debt to income ratio. In simple terms, how much do you make and how much of that is spent on paying your bills. If you make $1500.00 a month and $1200.00 is spent on bills then you probably aren’t ready to buy a home. Your credit score plays a big part as well. If you can’t pay your bills on time, this will affect your credit score and makes you look like you won’t be able to pay the mortgage on time. No lender wants their money late or have a payee not make a payment. The risk is too high for the lender/bank to want to take on.
Learn your credit score! There are so many sites that offer free credit reports. Even if you’re not looking to buy a home currently, it’s a good idea to know where you stand. You need to know if something needs to be removed from your credit report or if you need to close that old Bed Bath and Beyond credit card that you have never used.
Do I Pay More In Rent Than I Would For A Mortgage?
If you are not sure, you can look for a mortgage calculator online. You can find one on my website, http://yourrealestatewhisperer.idxbroker.com/idx/mortgage to help you to make that determination. Make sure to consider the taxes, insurance, and monthly utilities. Many times, especially with rent being as high as it is here in Ascension Parish, the cost of a home will be lower than your current monthly rent, AND there are usually significant tax advantages to home ownership!
Do You Have Any Money Saved?
There is a misconception that you won’t need any money to buy a home if your credit is good. While there are financial assistance programs, and even some 100% financing, you will still need some money! You will still need funds for the costs of appraisal (around $500) and the cost of inspections (around $350-450.) These fees are not typically added into the 100% financing plus you’ll want some extra reserves for things like the cost of your move, refrigerator, washer, and dryer or other unexpected costs that could arise during the home buying process.
Now that you’ve asked yourself these questions, are you ready to buy? If you feel pretty confident with your credit score and savings account, plus you know your rent is higher than a mortgage, it’s time to call a lender to get qualified. I have the names and numbers of local lenders that I have often used who would be happy to work with you and help evaluate your home loan needs. Every client is different and so are their home loans; let them speak to you about your unique situation.
I hope you found this information helpful. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me. You can always reach me by phone, email or text. I tell you all this, “Because YOU Matter”.
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