The HOA And The American Flag

The battle is on with many homeowners has become all on war with the HOA and the American Flag. With the 4th of July being right around the corner, now is the perfect time to talk about the American Flag and your HOA. I had a client call me to ask can the HOA ban the American flag from being flown on her property? She also wanted to know, can the HOA tell you can not have an American flag? In this blog post, I will tell you what rights you have when displaying your American Flag when it comes to your HOA. I will also tell you your right for various other flags like ones that support sports teams. I know from personal experience that HOA’s can get power hungry and silly about rules but it is important to know the rights you have as an American and not let your HOA’s bully you into submission when it comes to the Amercian Flag.

I have read stories recently and seen in the news how the HOA has been preventing homeowners displaying their own American Flags on their own property. Of course, homeowners are shocked by this and I was too. (WATCH This News Story Of A Woman Told To Remove Her American Flag From Her HOA ) I couldn’t believe that an HOA wouldn’t want the American flag shown year-round proudly in their yard. Some HOA’s believe that the American flag is a season item and need to be taken down after Federal Holidays. Many homeowners, myself included challenge this with the Federal law that was set in place called: The Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 (Pub.L. 109–243, 120 Stat. 572, enacted July 24, 2006) is an Act of Congress that prohibits real estate management organizations from restricting homeowners from displaying the flag of the United States on their property.

So you CAN have a flag on your property but with that being said the HOA can still dictate the size of the flag and the location of the flag on your home. As an example, you can not have the flag intruding on walkway or sidewalks. Another example: you can’t have a flagpole taller than 10 feet and must be 15 feet from the property line. (To watch a video about flag poles and location of them from the HOA/City https://youtu.be/BEhCrmEGFU0)

Other flags have rights to be displayed as well but are not covered in the American Flag Act of 2005. Any flag displaying a persons religion, race, heritage, disability or sexual orientation are covered in discriminations laws and the Fair housing act. If you run an HOA you need to know and understand these laws so you do not discriminate against any one person or people. (To watch a new story about how this woman’s rights were violated https://youtu.be/A1nguvEzbCw)

I hope you display your American Flag proudly this 4th of July as you have the right to do so no matter what your HOA states. Be sure to check the restrictions to know where and the size of the flag that falls in line with the bylaws.

God Bless The United States Of America

Kristina Smallhorn (Your Real Estate Whisperer)
Cell 225-246-1812

Your Real Estate Whisperer Kristina Smallhorn "Because YOU Matter"
Your Real Estate Whisperer For Ascension Parish, Kristina Smallhorn.
EXP REALTY, LLC, 2900 Westfork Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70827 – 225-412-9982 ext 149
[email protected]
yourrealestatewhisperer.com/ [email protected]

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

Do You Have That Weird Toilet Ring In Your Ascension Parish Home?

 

The Royal Flush. 

Watch The Video Of My Toilet Ring Cleaning

 

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I don’t know about you and your home here in Ascension Parish but for the past two homes I have owned I have had nothing but issues with this weird ring in my toilet. I am a clean person, and this ring makes me feel gross. I have tried all the “do it yourself” products which include a pumicing stick, vinegar with baking soda, green scratch pads, you name it. I have also tried every blue, green and purple cleaning product with no resolution for this stubborn brown ring that haunts my toilet bowls. 

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Until last week!,  when by chance I saw a post on Facebook about a product at Goodwood Hardware on 7539 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 called Ring King. I normally hate driving out of Ascension Parish to buy things but I really really hate these rings in my toilet. So off I went, brought the stuff home, followed the directions to the letter and VOILA! The ring is FINALLY gone. This find was too good not to share. I found out later you can order online from them as well, Here is the link, https://goo.gl/N89WEU 

I have been in several homes throughout  Ascension Parish and have seen these pesky rings of grime in many of them. So I thought I really needed to share my wonderful find.  The bottle runs just under $10.00 and if you are like me you’ll be willing to make the trek to Baton Rouge to go get it or you can order it online with the link I provided above. Why? “Because YOU Matter”

PS- I am in no way getting paid as a sponsor for this product, I just know this stuff works!

 

Be Sure To Like, Share And Subscribe To My YouTube Channel!

Kristina Smallhorn

[email protected]

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

https://www.facebook.com/YRRealEstatWhisperer

https://twitter.com/RealEstateWhisp

https://www.instagram.com/prairievillerealestate

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH0LUzFvtwb5B8EfVCF5uwg

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

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #24- Hebert’s Specialty Meats East LA. Off Of HWY 73 In Dutchtown.

 

Hebert’s Speciality Meats Located In Geismar Louisiana.
(Don’t Forget To Share This With The Hashtag #boudindiet on Facebook to win a gift card!)
Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #24

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I was lucky enough to catch up with owners Mike Stone and Jesse Benedetto of Hebert’s Specialty Meats located right off HWY 73 in the Dutchtown area. When I stopped in they were busy making their specialty, of stuffed boneless chickens. This is not prepackaged meats here! I saw them for myself, deboning chickens and stuffing potatoes all fresh made in the store. The location has been open for about six weeks now but they are having their official grand opening THIS WEEKEND. Saturday, August 19, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. They will have free samples, give-aways, and James Gilmore from 100.7 the Tiger will there too!

Mike & Jesse set out to bring the people of Ascension Parish some of the finest meats Louisiana has to offer. With their specialty boneless stuffed chicken, handmade sausages, rice dressing and crawfish etouffée you’ll have a whole meal already prepared and ready to cook. Starting next week they are planning on making hot lunches, Mike and Jesse haven’t laid out the menu yet but I sure hope they add one of those pepper jack boudin balls, they are so darn good! Go and check them out and tell them “Your Real Estate Whisperer” sent ya! Hey, Y’all, if you share this video with the hashtag #boudindiet I’ll personally have a drawing for a $25 gift card to Hebert’s Specialty Meats of East La, I’ll announce the winner on my business page and tag you in it if you win on Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017 @ 12 pm.

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Don’t forget to “like” their business page for upcoming events and updated menu items.(https://www.facebook.com/HebertsSpecialtyMeatsofEastLA/…)

“Because YOU Matter”
Your Real Estate Whisperer
Kristina Smallhorn
Cell 225-246-1812
Office 2254129982 ext#149
Website www.yourrealestatewhisperer.com
Email [email protected]
eXp Realty LLC.
2900 Westfork Dr.
Baton Rouge LA 70817
Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR with the state of Louisiana, USA.

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk Episode #23 Part 2- JD Pence One Year After The Flood

 

One year after the 2016 August flood many families are still struggling to get back home. Delay’s with the response from the federal government has left many with only a few months in their FEMA trailers left until the deadline. There has been no official answer if these families will be forced from their temporary housing, some of them including JD Pence, wasn’t given his trailer until February of this year. Please watch his story all the way to the end, he more than deserves to be heard.

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Music by: bensound.com

Kristina Smallhorn

[email protected]
Your Real Estate Whisperer
eXp Realty LLC
2900 Westfork Dr. Baton Rouge LA, 70827
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
Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

 

Take A Tip Tuesday- One Year After The Flood, Flooded Remodeled Home

You May Recall A live Video I Had Done Of A Flooded And Gutted Home (The Link To That Video https://www.facebook.com/YRRealEstatWhisperer/videos/1300391263341318/) Here Is The After Video Of The Home Completely Remodeled.

Sincerely,

Kristina Smallhorn

(Your Real Estate Whisperer)

Cell 225-246-1812

Office 2254129982 ext#149

Website www.yourrealestatewhisperer.com

Email [email protected]

eXp Realty LLC. 

2900 Westfork Dr. 

Baton Rouge LA 70817

 

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

Tea Glorious Tea

Tea glorious tea

 

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I know the trendy thing is to love coffee. Every time I mention the fact I’m not a fan I get “the look”. You know the one where people make that face that shows they think you have some kind of major problem. Their face gets mildly less screwy when I say, “I love hot tea” which in turn usually I get the response “I just love a chamomile or green tea”. I try to hide my disgust for such the mention of these kind of teas, They do little for me personally other than make me feel like I’m trying to do some deep, cleansing colon treatment before a colonic. It’s like a punishment to my soul to have to drink them, Seriously, GAG!.

The tea that makes me want to open my eyes in the morning, that soothes my tummy when upset and warms my soul on a bad day is the black ones. Watching that boiling hot water pour over a tea bag, making that golden hue of lovely liquid begins my day with pure joy. (a tad over dramatic, but I seriously love the stuff.) If you don’t drink tea often, black teas are the dark rich teas like Assam, Earl Grey and Darjeeling. There are many other varieties but these are my favorite.

A couple of weeks ago, I was able to visit a tea shop in Baton Rouge called Red Stick Spice Co. They have many varieties of black tea blends (and even my not so favorite ones as well). The black teas they do have are super, mega, delicious. I’d highly recommend them if you are wanting to jump into tea drinking.

I buy my everyday teas are at World Market in Baton Rouge. They have many varieties of daily black teas, including PG Tip’s, Typhoo, and my personal favorite, Barry’s Irish Breakfast. It’s just a hop, skip and jump from Ascension in Siegen Lane Market Place.

I know that this blog post has nothing to do with real estate in Ascension Parish. I just wanted to share my love for good tea and where you can find some good ones (in my opinion).

“Because YOU matter”
#yourrealestatewhisperer

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