S&B Construction In Oakland Crossing-Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #34

 

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #34 S&B ConstructionFacebook Thumb

 

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk is a weekly show featuring nothing but the people and businesses here in Ascension Parish. This week I thought it would be a great idea to meet up with one of the many great builders here in Ascension. Mike Smith of S&B Construction tells us a little about his company and all the subdivisions he has been building in. Some of them I’m sure you have driven past, like Oakland Crossing, Maplewood Estates, and Oak Alley Estates to name a few.

S&B Construction-Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #34
Some Of The Subdivisions In Ascension Parish Where S&B Construction Build.

I met up with Mike at his newest fully constructed home that happened to be in the Parade of homes this year, Oakland Crossing in Prairieville. Mike takes the time to give us a small tour of the home showing the features that his company S&B Construction offers as a standard. Many builders would consider these items as an upgrade but S&B Construction likes to go above what others call “standard”. Each room in this spec home looks anything but spec, from the high-end appliances with standard wine chiller to the extra care to add detailed herringbone accents in the flooring, more details flow throughout the home including tongue and groove ceilings under the porches, with their signature outdoor kitchen. You can see why people would want to see more of this home in Ascension Parish.

S&B Construction Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #34, Amenities
Some Of The Standard Amenities From S&B Construction.

If you’d Like more information to S&B Construction you can visit there website sandbgroup.com they are also on Houzz: To Visit Their Houzz Page Click Here

If you are more a social media person they have Facebook (Click Here To “Like” Their Page) and Instagram as well.

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.

Looking For An Orthodontist In Ascension Parish?

 

Ascension Parish Coffee Talk #31 Hollis Orthodontics

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Dr. Hollis Orthodontics! This Month Is Orthodontic Awareness So What Better Place To Meet My Favorite Orthodontist Then Dr. Hollis!!!! They Treat You Like Family Because You Probably Are!!! Dr. Hollis And His Wife Celeste Take Time Out Of Their Busy Schedules To Talk With Us About Why They Love Their Practice & Why They LOVE Ascension Parish!

ABOUT DR. HOLLIS
Dr. Hollis graduated Valedictorian from Louisiana State University School of Dentistry in 1994 and completed two full years of specialty training in orthodontics at the LSU School of Dentistry Orthodontic Residency Program. Dr. Hollis received the Chancellor’s Award for “most outstanding student” from LSU School of Dentistry. He was also the recipient of numerous other departmental awards based on academic achievement.

An esteemed member of the orthodontic community, Dr. Hollis is a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honor Society and the C. Edmund Kells Honor Society. He is also a board-certified Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, as well as an active member of many leading dental and orthodontic organizations, including the:

American Association of Orthodontists
American Dental Association
Louisiana Association of Orthodontists
Southwestern Society of Orthodontists
In addition, Dr. Hollis completed the Roth/Williams Center of Functional Occlusion continuing education program in 2001.

Dr. Hollis is married to Celeste Parent Hollis, and they have four children: Tayl’r, Mackenzie, Addison, and Easton. He has enjoyed coaching youth sports for the past 19 years, and during his spare time, he likes to hunt and fish. Dr. Hollis is a talented craftsman and artist who enjoys volunteering for his daughters’ musical theatre productions by building sets, props and working backstage.

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Dr. Hollis is active in the community by sponsoring youth sports activities and volunteering for various church and school programs. He is an avid supporter of the performing arts. Every year he speaks at local schools regarding orthodontic awareness, preventative dentistry and dental hygiene, and oral manifestations of drug abuse. For years, Dr. Hollis has been a sponsor for the Jambalaya Festival Association, where he sponsored the World Champion, Jeff Parent, in 2007. He is also very active and dedicated to service at his children’s school. He and his wife have served on the St. George Home and School Association, on the St. George Parish Fair Committee, and as the St. George Parish Fair Committee Chairman.

I tell you all this, “Because YOU Matter”

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

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 

 

Fall Flower Beds Looking Scared From The Summer Heat?

So What Do Your Flower Beds Look like Here In Louisiana?
Mine, Look Disgraceful And If You Are Trying To Sell Your Home Now Is The Time To Spruce It Up! I Went To Louisiana Nursery, To Get John MacMillians Opinion Of What Was The Best Plants To Add.

Need More Curb appeal for selling your home in the fall season?

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When selling a home during the fall months in South Louisiana it is still important to keep your yard looking its best (even though the grass has now turned brown and the green luster not to come back until the spring). I’ve listed some things below that could help your prospective buyers still be in awe of your yard, ignoring those brown blades of hay-looking grass.

  1. Rake your yard from falling leaves. This alone can make a yard look fresh in comparison to other homes that are for sale.

  2. Plant fall flowers and put a lot in. I say it to my clients almost as a joke, but I’m slightly serious as well. If you see an empty spot in your flower beds and add as many fall flowers as you can. Nothing makes a house feel more like home than bright flowers to greet you before you enter. I found that pine straw works best here in Louisiana instead of mulch because of our heavy rains we get here.

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  1. Add color to your front door. If it needs painting, now is the perfect time to do it. A nice fall colored wreath can add a nice dress-up to the entry making the first impression inviting.
  2. Outdoor lighting. As the days become shorter, now is a good time to invest in some great outdoor lighting, A well-lit home from the outside always adds great curb appeal.

  3. Pot Some Plants- If your home doesn’t have many flowerbeds that you can add to, you can spruce up your outside by getting large flower pots and adding flowers with color in those. That always looks charming around a home.

 

  1. Don’t forget to clean out those gutters and pick up any toys and lawn hoses.

Clean and paint your mailbox.

This is a rarely thought about item in your yard but used almost daily. A fresh coat of paint on a tired mailbox can make your home stand out as being well kept. This time of year it is typical for the market does slow down a bit.  Don’t take for granted how your outside decor can attract buyers. Sometimes the yard alone is what sells the house.

“Because YOU Matter”
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
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH0LUzFvtwb5B8EfVCF5uwg
Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana

 

Yucky Baseboards In Ascension Parish- It’s Take A Tip Tuesday!

 

Everyday Household Products For House Cleaning.

All you need is …….

baking soda

vinegar 

lemons

an old tennis ball

broomstick

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Having a clean home is important, especially when you have your home listed for sale, and I know that money can be tight when you are buying or selling. Frankly, I am the world’s worst for buying every single cleaning product under the sun. Recently, after years of spending WAY too much money on cleaning products, I discovered some really wonderful ways to get your home clean for pennies on the dollar and they really clean just as good. Below I’ve listed my favorite ways to use very inexpensive household items to clean your home and one bonus item I just remembered. 

My Counters Need To Be Cleaned, BADLY! 

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Clean your countertops and sinks with this easy recipe of 1-quart hot water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda, add it to a spray bottle and voila! Cheapall-purpose cleaner; add a little lemon juice to the mix for a fresh scent.

My Closets Don’t Smell Great! 

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The culprit may be your shoes, so before you put away that baking soda after you’ve cleaned your counter tops, sprinkle some in each of the shoes. Baking soda absorbs the smells of yucky feet. Make sure to shake the baking soda out of them before wearing them again :).

I Cleaned The Sink, Why Does It Still Smell?

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Leftovers in the garbage disposal usually are the reason. I have two solutions for this. My first fix is to run hot water, and as the water is running I squeeze dish soap down the drain with the garbage disposal running. After a few seconds, I turn off the disposal and water. If the smell is still there, I will grab a half of a lemon and run that through the disposal. Generally, the dish soap trick works most of the time for me.

***Bonus*** While you have that other half of lemon out you can get stains off of cutting boards with the other half of lemon.

My Kids Art Work Doesn’t Belong On Walls.

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As much as you love your children, their colored artwork on your walls isn’t something most of us would like to keep there forever. Believe it or not, removing crayon isn’t as hard as you would imagine. Remember that box of baking soda? Sprinkle some on a damp sponge working it in circles over your little Picasso’s masterpiece.  Make sure to get a picture first so you can remember it after you’ve wiped it off.

BONUS TIP!

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I hate cleaning floorboards. When I was pregnant, many, many, moons ago I found it difficult to bend down to clean them. A client of mine told me how to clean them without ever bending over. First, you cut a slit into a tennis ball, then you put the opening of the cut tennis ball over the end of a broomstick; cover that with an old washcloth, wrapping it on with an elastic band. Now just walk around your house with the wrapped tennis ball wiping down your floorboards. You can spray a little cleaner if you need to on the washcloth.

I hope you found these hints useful, and if you would like some more tips and tricks you can always visit my website @yourrealestatewhisperer.com. 

“Because YOU Matter”

Kristina Smallhorn

Your Real Estate Whisperer

info@yourrealestatewhisperer.com

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 

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

ASCENSION PARISH COFFEE TALK #19, NIKI’S PET SERVICES!

 

L?KING FOR A PET SITTER?

ASCENSION PARISH COFFEE TALK #19, NIKI’S PET SERVICES!

This week in keeping with the theme of “Pets” I was able to have Niki Hatampa of “Niki’s Pet Service” come to my home to talk about what her local business does for our Ascension Parish pets.

Niki is a personalized pet sitter, she lovingly takes them in, creating a warm friendly home away from home for your special fur babies. I could tell after the first phone conversation I had with her that she really loves her career and take care of all the animals as if they were her own. She doesn’t just play with them or take them for walks, she also will give your furry friend his/her medications including ones that need daily shots.

There are also many ways you can reach her if you want to have your animals taken care of when you’re out of the in Ascension Parish. You can visit her website @ http://nikispetservices.webs.com, Instagram@ Nikis.Pet.Services, Facebook @ Niki’s Pet Services or you can find her on the ROVER app/website.

I know for many residents of Ascension Parish it can be hard to know what to do with your animals when your home is on the market, “Niki’s Pet Services” is just another option I wanted you to know about, “Because YOU Matter”

Kristina Smallhorn
Your Real Estate Whisperer
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

**** The background music came from http://www.bensound.com/, Make sure to mention this website if you plan on using the music for projects on social media unless you buy a license****

Ascension Parish’s, Consign and Design!

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)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

Kristina Smallhorn (Your Real Estate Whisperer)yrew
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.

How Social Media Has Changed the Real Estate Market in Ascension Parish.

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How Social Media Has Changed the Real Estate Market in Ascension Parish.

The towns of Gonzales or Prairieville are a considerably smaller town than let’s say New Orleans, but even here social media has made marketing real estate a whole new game. Five years ago it was unheard of to advertise a home on Facebook or Twitter. I can distinctly remember having a Tuesday morning meeting where we agents were told that we have to a Facebook account. That, at the time, was met with moans and groans. Most of the agents in my office and in the area believed that this type of marketing wasn’t necessary to advertise and market homes. If anything it was an intrusion into people’s lives and their privacy. Fast forward to 2016, and you’d be hard pressed not to find a home being listed in your news feed from a real estate agent. You know why? Because it works! It works better than print ads, better than post cards and way better than an open house. Those same agents that were groaning about placing a home for sale on any social media site are now begging me to show them the way. The people here in Ascension Parish are slow to grasp on to the idea of change, but when we do grasp it, you better hold on tight because we know what works. We now have an online newspaper that everyone reads called the Creole. I get many of my ideas for blog posts from it. Many people in the area have used social media to sell everything from clothing to lightly used baby cribs just at a click of a button. We get it now, and it’s powerful.

 

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Today, I’m happy to help the agents that blew my ideas of social media advertising off as child’s play and silly. It gives me satisfaction to know that now they come to me as the expert, because I truly understand how all of it connects. I know how and what times are the best to share a marketed listing and when and where to post video tours. My own marketing looks much better than several years back. I started a whole new YouTube channel so people wouldn’t even see the older videos. The new one looks and feels more polished and these subtle changes help with marketing each and every home. Because I was so eager from the start to understand and jump on the social media marketing train, I now can pass this information and knowledge to my listings and to my future buyers. The biggest thrill is to see how many times one of my listings has been shared on social media. The “likes” are nice, but the real joy is how many times it’s shared. It’s like the old commercial for shampoo, “she’ll tell two friends, and she’ll tell two friends, and so on, and so on.” Social media is the same principle. You don’t even need to be a marketing wizard to use it, but you do need the skills to know when and where to put your listings to get it in front of the right people. This takes time to learn. Many over-zealous agents will flood their social media feeds with ridiculous amounts of self-promotion. This alone will make your social media marketing plan fall like a deck of cards.

If you would like to know more about how I can virally, social media market your home please feel free to email me or call me at 225-246-1812. This is one of the corner stone ways I market my listings; thus making them sell quicker than traditional marketing plans. I would love to hear how I can be of service to you by getting your home sold fast.

“Because YOU matter”

#yourrealestatewhisperercard-logo-back