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Take A Tip Tuesday- More About “Open House” In Ascension Parish.

May 2, 2017

This Weeks, Take A Tip Tuesday.

I take a deep closer look at the depths of an open house (add sarcasm) and how some inconsiderate customers can rifle through your home. Although this is uncommon it can happen. I took a more satire type approach to giving this information only to be humorous but get the point across. Last week’s “Take A Tip Tuesday” (Link is here To Last Weeks Blog Post About Open House) was the more realistic view of what could possibly happen. Just as a disclaimer I ripped off this idea from every more experienced and gifted YouTuber. I am not staking claim to being original to this idea.

I hope you enjoyed it, Please remember to subscribe if you liked this video and would like me to do more like this.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH0LUzFvtwb5B8EfVCF5uwg

Your Real Estate Whisperer
Kristina Smallhorn
eXp Realty LLC
225-246-1812
Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk Episode #8, Sal Palmisano Ster-L-Kleen.

April 28, 2017

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #8 “Ster-L-Kleen”!

This week’s show, Sal Palmisano will discuss his company Ster-L-Kleen. I believe to be one of the most important companies I’ve brought on the show. Mostly because so many homes have been affected in Ascension Parish by mold and moisture intrusion since the great flood of 2016. Unknown allergens have been floating in the air that could be keeping you sick. I know we in Ascension Parish have mold and we always will with this moisture-rich area but if there was a way to clean your air inside your home, wouldn’t you? Well, there is Ster-L-Kleen. Ster-L-Kleen has 2 different techniques that will make your home smelling fresh and your air a lot cleaner for nearly a year.

I know from personal experience in one of my Ascension Parish rental homes that this really does work. I had Ster-L-Kleen come out and do a shock treatment of Ozone and by the next day, you’d never known that the house had been closed up for nearly five years with no AC, mind you. So you can only imagine how that smelled with our wild weather here in Ascension Parish.
If you’d like a chance to win an ozone shock treatment for free you can like my Facebook Page and Ster-l-kleens as well. Ster-L-Kleens Facebook Link & Your Real Estate Whisperer Facebook Link Do Forget to LIKE the Pages to win!

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

“Because YOU Matter”

Made An Offer On An Ascension Parish Home and Got Countered?

April 27, 2017

Made An Offer On An Ascension Parish Home and Got Countered?

In this current market, you would be hard pressed as a buyer to not get countered if you’re trying to get a bargain on a home. It is a seller’s market, and sellers are less willing to negotiate the listing price downward. It’s possible but unlikely. I just want you as a buyer to be prepared for a counter offer.

Why Was Your Offer Countered?

When you make an offer on a home in Ascension Parish one of four things can happen. The buyer can either accept, reject, counter or simply let the offer expire. (Most offers come with an expiration date). So if the seller counters, there could be a lot of reasons.

Did you offer way under asking price?
Was the closing date too soon or too distant?
Did you ask for too many items like pool equipment, refrigerator, washer, dryer or expensive window coverings that the homeowner treasured
The sellers didn’t want to pay for a home warranty.
You made the inspection period too far into the future.
You asked too much for closing costs.

These are just some of the many reasons your offer could have been countered, so what do you do now?

What To Do When Your Offer Is Countered.

Make sure to review your counter carefully with you Ascension Parish Realtor®. This is when having a REALTOR® at your side is most advantageous to put you, the buyer, in the best position.

Review all your comparables with you, REALTOR®. You don’t want to overpay. Evaluate if you really need those closing costs. Make sure your interests are being protected but you’re still going to win the house. If you see that there are issues with the home you may want to accept the seller’s countered price, and then have them reduce the price after you’ve had the home inspection. It’s important to consult with your Ascension Parish Realtor to make sure that this counter offer “if it’s because of price” will appraise. Have your Realtor® reach out to the seller’s agent to get a better feel for what the seller’s position is. Are they selling because of financial hardship? Or, did the sellers get transferred? These could be great things to know if you’d like to counter the counter offer.

If all else fails, and the counter offers go flying back and forth, you may need to walk away. You have heard the expression, “plenty of fish in the sea?” Well, in the housing market new listings arise all the time and others go back on the market. Don’t get yourself too wrapped up in a home where the sellers and or listing agent are unwilling to be flexible to get the deal done.

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

Take a Tip Tuesday, Tips for Ascension Parish “Open House” Sellers

April 25, 2017

Take a Tip Tuesday

Tips for Ascension Parish “Open House” Sellers

It’s an exciting time when you put your home on the market. The news of your first upcoming open house may make you a little nervous. You’ll have images of people swarming in your home to preview it. The truth of the matter is, that in Ascension Parish Sunday open house is popular, but rarely do you get an offer from them. And the swarms of eager buyers putting in offers over asking price are only on TV shows. Even in this HOT market, an open house is just an introduction, almost like an opening act to a play. Buyers come through and at a later date, they come back with their agent to get a better feel for the home, if they liked it at the open house.

How To Get Buyers To Like Your Ascension Parish Home Best?

Like I said, this is the opening act, so you want to make the best first impression. I know you’ve heard to de-clutter. But what does “de-clutter” really mean? In the real estate world, it means to remove and store away any personal items like family photos, or shoes lying around. Hide your dog/cat bed and toys, remove any shoes by the door, hanging towels that aren’t decorative and make sure all your laundry is folded and put away. Prior to the open house would be a perfect time to tidy up those closets, and that garage you have been ignoring for years should be swept out and organized.

Prepare For Your Safety

For the most part, the buyer’s coming through your home are there to just look at your home to possibly purchase it. On occasion, you’ll get people who are there for a completely different reason. I’ve heard stories of people taking valuables, prescription drugs and even worse, firearms have been stolen from a home. A REALTOR® does follow buyers through a home but these types who are there to steal know how to manipulate their way into getting what they want. Usually, there is only one agent in a home during an open house and they cannot be in all rooms at all times. Your best plan or action is to hide, remove or store any and all valuable items.

Prepare Your Head

Like I mentioned before, you can get caught up with the idea of an open house, but you really shouldn’t stress over it. Take the four hours that possible buyers are walking through your home to go out to the park, or go watch a movie. You don’t really want to dwell on what’s going on in your home. When it’s time to head back to the house, check with your agent to see how the open house went to ease any anxiety you may have and get feedback. Your agent should have some good info to give you from the people who walked through. This is extremely helpful when you have a future showing so you can address any problems.

Good luck with your open house!

If you’d like some more information about selling your home, please feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to being a service to you and your housing needs.

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk Episode #7, Galvez Hardware & Outdoor Kitchen

April 21, 2017

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk Episode #7

This week I stopped into one of my husband’s favorite hardware stores. It’s located right off Highway 42 right next to the Sonic fast-food restaurant.

The warm and friendly staff are not the only thing that will have you coming back. They have a wide selection of outdoor kitchen supplies, Yeti products, replacement hoses for your propane tanks and grills and of course everything hardware.

Donna Bruno, the store’s manager was kind enough to take me on a tour, explaining to the Ascension Parish Coffee Talk Audience, all the cool products they have. Each isle has a new adventure of products and services that Galvez Hardware and Outdoor Cooking has to offer.

Stop in for yourself, There was no way to feature all the items they have to offer the people of Ascension Parish or I’d still be filming them. Tell them I sent ya. “Because YOU Matter”

On A side note, I couldn’t pass up on that pirogue and I got the green on for my husband to do crawfish this weekend.

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

eXp Realty LLC.

Why Your Ascension Parish Home Didn’t Appraise.

April 20, 2017

We all believe our home is the best and is worth every penny of the asking price. You’ve done all the right things to upgrade, in your opinion. Your home looks the best in the neighborhood and you want to get all you believe your home is worth. Nothing is more gut-wrenching than to find out that your Ascension Parish home may not be worth what you originally thought. Below, I’ve listed several reasons why your home didn’t appraise.

All Those Amazing Upgrades!

You know that you’ve done everything to upgrade your home to the highest end. Extra thick granite, high-end appliances, and an energy efficient water heater have cost you a pretty penny. All these upgrades have attracted buyers, but appraisers may see them differently. You may have over upgraded your home. If there have been several homes in your neighborhood that have sold, and they didn’t have those type of upgrades, the appraiser will not give you the same kind of value that you paid for them, making your home appraise for less than you thought.

Where’d He Get those Comparables?

If a home in hasn’t sold in your neighborhood in some time, the appraiser may have had to pull comparable sales from outside your neighborhood. This could possibly hurt your appraised value. Also, the appraiser could have been “comparable challenged,” meaning they didn’t use a comparable that best suited your home’s value.

Changing Property Values.

We, in Ascension Parish, have seen home’s values fluctuate dramatically since the Great Flood of 2016. Some homes have gone up thousands of dollars while in other areas they have dropped thousands of dollars. With this sudden shift, appraisers have had to really do their homework to get the value right. Be sure you have consulted with an Ascension Parish REALTOR® prior to listing so you know your home’s proper value due to the shift in the market.

It is unfortunate when you and your Ascension Parish Realtor® have worked together to have the home priced where they believe the home should be priced, only to find out during the appraisal process that the home appraised for less. There are many great appraisers but sometimes an appraiser’s inexperience or knowledge for an area can affect your home’s appraised value. You as a seller have options! Please make sure you discuss these options with your Ascension Parish Realtor®.

I tell you all this “Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

eXp Realty LLC.

Buying A New Home In Ascension Parish? Five Things You May Want To Budget for After The Closing.

April 18, 2017

Ahhhh, the smell and wonderment of a brand new home in Ascension Parish! The allure of buying a brand new home is second to none. You’ve saved for the down payment, inspections, and all closing costs. What expenses could possibly be left? Read more to find out!

1. Appliances

Of course, the oven, stove, and microwave are there, but what about the washer, dryer, and refrigerator? Many builders in Ascension Parish do not offer an appliance package. Only a few builders do. Make sure you have extra money set aside for those appliances that are not included. Very importantly, DO NOT take out any new lines of credit before closing. If you do, it could hinder your loan from closing on time or possibly not at all.

2. Security.

More and more I have seen homes in Ascension Parish that are not pre-wired for alarm systems. You will have to set aside some money for installation and also decide if you’d like to add security cameras. You can get an estimate done prior to closing so you’ll know how much this could cost you. I recommend you reach out to at least 3 vendors to get a good idea of pricing.

3. Windows

As much as you love the amount of natural light comes into the home, you certainly do not want the neighbors looking into your bathroom. Many windows are a standard size and you can buy window coverings for a reasonable price. Definitely measure your windows and see if standard sizes will fit, and make sure you don’t forget the windows on doors.

4. Landscaping

When it comes to landscaping in a new home in Ascension Parish, builders really don’t go all out to get them picturesque. Many builders do not even sod the backyard! They will only do the front and along the sides. The remaining sod is up to the buyer and can cost thousands to have the rest done. Make sure you have the extra money to make this investment. I can tell you from my nearly 10 years of experience, If you decide to seed your yard instead, it never looks as nice as a sodded yard and you will be fighting weeds for years to come.

5. Fencing

I have never sold a brand new home that came completely fenced in by the builder. If this is important to you, just ask your builder or Ascension Parish REALTOR® for recommendations for a quality fencing company.

Bonus

Whenever you buy a new home or even an existing home, your previous furnishings may not fit with the floor plan or style of the new home. Be prepared to possibly needing new furnishings but be sure NOT to do this prior to closing. You DO NOT want to take out any new debt prior to closing on your new Ascension Parish home and new lines of credit can put your closing in jeopardy.

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

eXp Realty LLC.

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #6 Your Customers Shoes

April 14, 2017

This week I was able to catch up with the owner of Your Customers Shoes, Elle Robertson. She has been a big part of my transformation into the social media marketing world and really has transformed my view of business on the internet, The best part about it, she’s LOCAL!. She has focused her expertise for businesses of Ascension Parish.

To see the full interview of “Your Customers Shoes” Click here

Elle Robertson dropped her busy schedule to discuss her new business she has started. Even though this is a new business for Ascension Parish she has been in the business world for some time. She was the owner of a million dollars company that she single-handedly built from the ground up and she’s able to pass along her great skill in social media, website and personal branding onto you the customer.

What’s In A Name?

Her clever name for her business came from the simple concept of looking into a business she is working with and seeing it from the customers’ viewpoint. With that information, she is able to tailor a website, social media, and branding for your company. In the sea of the internet, Your Customers Shoes will find your businesses “niche” by locating your target customers for your area. Letting your customers feel more connected to you and your business.

When you hire “Your Customers Shoes” how much is it?, (From the Owner, Elle Roberson)

********It takes 6-8 weeks to complete this adventure, depending on how quickly you respond to things like your new logo, slogan, and website design. The sooner we get started, the sooner we can reach more of your local customers and increase your revenue.

How much does a single paying customer bring to your business? For example, if you are a local daycare in Ascension Parish, then your weekly rate is somewhere between $120-$250. We will use the lower figure for this example.

Each new customer brings in roughly $480 per month ($120 x 4 Weeks Per Month). This translates to $5,760 per year ($480 x 12). This is just for one customer. As we all know, we refer people to the businesses that we know, like and trust. Let’s assume that this one new customer ultimately brings three new families to your daycare over the course of the few years that their children attend your daycare. This is a very realistic situation, as I myself have referred at least three families to my children’s daycare center.

Those three customers each bring in $5760 per year, and that’s if they only have one child each. Children typically attend their daycare center for 4 years, so this one new customer will ultimately contribute $23,040 ($5760 x 4). When you add in the other three families, the new increase in revenue is $69,120 ($23,040). The total is $71,420 ($23,040 + $69,120). That’s roughly a $70,000 increase in revenue for gaining one new customer.

I take care of everything on the list below, so that you can focus on running your business. I am not a ‘website designer’. I am a trained and certified Customer Experience Designer with more than 13 years of experience. I live locally here in Ascension Parish, so I am a part of your community.

If you are interested in connecting with more of your local customers to grow your brand, my greatest joy would be to have the opportunity to serve your business in this way. I love connecting local businesses with their ideal customers to grow a dedicated and loyal customer base. Let’s find your local customers together.

************via, yourcustomersshoes.com*********************************

If you’d like to connect with Your Customers Shoes visit their website @ yourcustomersshoes.com or email them at [email protected]

I can say from own personal experience that “Your Customers Shoes” has reshaped my whole business plan in an exciting way. I’m so happy to have someone local to Ascension Parish that can help our community in this way. If you are looking for examples of what she can do for you, you can always visit my website @ yourrealestatewhisperer.com.

“Because YOU Matter”
Kristina Smallhorn
Your Real Estate Whisperer,
for Ascension Parish.
eXp Realty LLC.

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.

“Because YOU Matter”

1. Appliances

2. Security.

3. Windows

4. Landscaping

5. Fencing

**Bonus**

When you hire “Your Customers Shoes” how much is it?, (From the Owner, Elle Roberson)

********It takes 6-8 weeks to complete this adventure, depending on how quickly you respond to things like your new logo, slogan, and website design. The sooner we get started, the sooner we can reach more of your local customers and increase your revenue.

How much does a single paying customer bring to your business? For example, if you are a local daycare in Ascension Parish, then your weekly rate is somewhere between $120-$250. We will use the lower figure for this example.

I take care of everything on the list below, so that you can focus on running your business. I am not a ‘website designer’. I am a trained and certified Customer Experience Designer with more than 13 years of experience. I live locally here in Ascension Parish, so I am a part of your community.

“Because YOU Matter” Kristina Smallhorn Your Real Estate Whisperer, for Ascension Parish. eXp Realty LLC.

It’s Time To Talk

But The Neighbors Yard Looks Like H#$% !

The Fence On Their Side Is Rotting.

What If This Doesn’t Work?

“Because YOU Matter”

(Your Real Estate Whisperer)

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

Bonus

“Because YOU Matter”
Kristina Smallhorn
Your Real Estate Whisperer,
for Ascension Parish.
eXp Realty LLC.