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What’s The Difference Between “Contingent” and “Pending” in Ascension Parish?

March 3, 2017

You see the sign in the neighbor’s yard “For Sale,” and you know what that means, but when you look on the internet and you see homes you like only to learn that they are either “Pending” or “Contingent.” What does that mean, and can you still make an offer on the home?

Contingent

A couple years ago I had a buyer who was annoyed with me because I was sending her listings that were marked “Contingent”. She thought this meant that she couldn’t have the house so why would I be sending them to her.

This is not the case! A contingent home is one that has an accepted offer but has special conditions that allow other buyers to make an offer as well. For example, a home on 123 Love Bird Lane is for sale; the Brown Family are buyers that put in an offer that is accepted by the sellers but they need to sell their current home first before they can purchase the home on 123 Love Bird Lane. The sellers Realtor® now mark in the MLS that the home is now contingent. The Smith Family sees the same home on the internet that’s now marked contingent, takes a look at it and puts an offer on the home that the sellers do not want to turn down. At this time the Brown Family is informed by their Realtor® that they can either remove their “contingency” and hope their current home closes without issues, or they can walk away from the home on 123 Love Bird Lane and find another one.

This can be devastating for Brown family, it’s a risk to remove a contingency as they could be left with two mortgage payments if their current home doesn’t sell. Some buyers are willing and able to take the risk; others not so much.

Pending

I generally don’t send listing’s that are marked “pending.” When you see “pending” above a listing, that means the home has an accepted offer and is in the inspection and financing part of the process of the transaction. The seller cannot consider other offers since there are no special “contingencies.”

In Ascension Parish we’ve seen many homes recently go pending quickly. With the recent flood, many buyers have cash in hand and are ready to move into a new home. Just know if you see a home marked “contingent,” don’t be afraid that the home of your dreams is gone! You can always ask your Ascension Parish Realtor® if the sellers are still willing to show and/or consider another offer. Remember, “it ain’t over, ’til it’s over!!”

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

So…The Sellers Of An Ascension Parish Home, Not That Into You?

March 1, 2017

It happens from time to time. Buyers here in Ascension Parish find the home of their dreams, put in an offer they believe is fair and the sellers won’t budge. It doesn’t seem fair to you
and your Ascension Parish Realtor® have gone over comps and studied the area thoroughly. It happens, so what are you to do when the house of your dreams seems to be slipping from your fingers?

Try your MAX!

Discuss this with your Ascension Parish Realtor® and see if they agree with your plan to go to the maximum offer. It can’t hurt to try this tactic if it looks like the comps can support the offer. You don’t want to be in a predicament where you make an offer, but it doesn’t appraise. If a seller isn’t that into you, they could just put the house back on the market and not negotiate the appraised price. Maybe it’s simply time to move on!

This could be tough if you are absolutely in love with a home but some relationships do need to be broken at times, even with a dream home. To stand back pouting, crying and wasting energy on a house that’s wasn’t meant to be could make you miss out some great properties that come on the market, especially in our current market when houses go FAST! You just never know, sellers at times do come to their senses and revisit old offers. Yours might be one of them.

Don’t Try To Figure Out A Sellers Motives.

This just a waste of your energy and can drive you crazy adding unneeded stress. Only the seller knows why they turned down your offer. You can ask your Ascension Parish Realtor® for more insight into the matter, but if the seller is unwilling to cooperate, don’t get too emotionally annoyed.

A Learning Lesson.

Take your experience from this seller as a learning experience when negotiating on your next home using it as a litmus test of the current market. Your knowledge can make your next offer stronger and less likely for a stubborn seller to walk away. Ask yourself some questions before you go into your next deal.

Analyze what you could have done differently. Could you have gone your maximum at the beginning? Did you take too long to respond to a counter? Did you ask for too much in extras like closing costs or furnishings? Just take your time, sit back and think what you would have done differently.

Losing a home of your dreams, to put it mildly, really sucks but I promise there are other houses out there that are just as nice if not better. I have seen it time and time again when a buyer loses a home only to find one that was much better at a later date making them feel like they dodged a bullet from a bad home buying experience with stubborn sellers. I tell you all of this “Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

What Prairieville Home Buyers Need to Know Before Closing Day.

February 20, 2017

Home buying can be exciting for some, heartbreaking for others (due to circumstances of buying) or a non event for a few. Whatever your personal feelings are about the closing process, there are some things you should know.

Don’t delay, mortgage rates expire.

When you are in the loan process, the lender will “lock” in your rate. This lock doesn’t last forever; usually 45-60 days.

Any number of issues can arise from the time of signing a purchase agreement, until the day of closing. Permits, inspection issues, illegal renovations and liens on a home can make the day of closing further away than expected. A rate lock expiration could cost you a lot of extra money.

The mortgage process isn’t over when you drop off papers.

Many buyers believe once they have dropped off all the documents to the lender, it’s smooth sailing, Well I can tell you for a fact that many times they will need to verify income, assets, credit, and retirement funds just a few days before closing!

I know buyers are excited to fill up their new home with new furniture, appliances and decor, but this isn’t a time to get a new line of credit with anyone. Any blip in your credit report can throw the whole loan process into a tailspin, as changes in your financial status can put your chances of loan approval into jeopardy.

Do your walk through prior to closing.

Do not assume that the sellers have done the necessary repairs which were negotiated during your inspection period. This is the time to make sure that they have been done to the satisfaction of the terms negotiated in the repairs request.

Also, the state of Louisiana Purchase Agreement states that the home must be in the same or better condition as the day you put in the accepted contract. I have seen closings delayed because the lawn was as tall as a small child and the home inside was a dirty mess.

Your Closing day maybe very low-key.

I know you have seen these extremely excited sellers sitting at a closing table handing over a set of keys to equally excited buyers with hands held out with joy. Well, now the rules have changed as far as closings go. Most times the buyers and sellers are in separate rooms and sign papers individually; other times the sellers come to the closing table at the end of the process, which is after the buyer has signed all their loan documents. I know this may ruin the dream you’ve held dear in your mind, but I can tell you that it will still be just as joyous to have your new home after the papers are signed. Plus, with some people, its better to be separated so the atmosphere in the closing room isn’t tense.

Be proactive!

During the waiting period prior to closing, it is best for buyers to be proactive and do their research. Make sure you have a good local Realtor® who can off set red flags and be honest with you when things are not going quite right. Always hire a qualified inspector when you have your inspections of your new home. Prior to putting in an offer on a home, get yourself a lender that you are comfortable with, and who is willing to take your calls when you have questions. Lastly, never feel intimidated to ask questions of all these people; as my elementary school teacher said, “there are no stupid questions!”

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

“You’re Not From Here, Are You?!”

February 15, 2017

Throughout Louisiana, nothing makes you sound like an “outsider” than the mispronunciation of people’s last names, road names, town names and your inability to understand all the sayings you’ve never heard before! You might as well wear a sign that states “You’re not from around here.” Over the years there are some sayings and names I’ve learned that I would like to share with my fellow transplants.

What’s in a Name?

When meeting people of our awesome Parish, you’ll meet many with last names you’ve never seen before and the pronunciation will really trip you up. (Hooked on phonics rules defiantly do not apply)

Robert- Pronounced Row-BEAR this one is tricky only because if you are referring to the town of Robert it’s still said the way we foreigners know.

St. Amant- San-AmA

Robicheaux- Robe-a-shay I’ve seen this spelled a few different ways.

Aucoin- Oak-wan, This one really throws me for a loop. I still can’t figure out how those combination of letters make that pronunciation.

Hebert- A-Bear- Yep, the “H and T” aren’t even used when saying this name.

Thibodeaux- TIB-A-Dough

Boudreaux- BOOD-Dro

LeBlanc’s- La-BLAWNS

Richard- REECH-ard This one always throws me for a loop.

Melancon- MEL-AWN-sawn

These are just a few that have tripped me up, and I wanted my fellow transplants to make notes so you don’t get the hairy eyeball when you go and try to say one’s last name.

Louisiana saying’s I had never heard before I moved here.

“I can’t call it” example- “How’s your day man?” “I can’t call it”

“Make Groceries“- Going to the store and get food to fill your pantry and refrigerator.

“Lagniappe“- Pronounced, LAN-Yap..It means anything

extra.

“Come See“- Which means come over here and do this thing for me that I either don’t know how to do or don’t want to do.

“Sha“- I’ve heard this from mostly women. It’s a term of endearment for something precious and adorably cute.

“Catch a beating“- “I’d rather catch a beating than clean out my garage again” (This is a personal favorite of mine, it always makes me laugh”

“Icebox“- It’s a refrigerator! I thought for a long time it was just a separate freezer, but it refers to the whole refrigerator not just the freezer part.

“Dressed“- If you want to order a sandwich they are going to ask you “How do you want it dressed?” meaning, what extras do you want on your sandwich?

Pirogues- Pronounced PEE-Rows. It’s a type of flat-bed fishing boat that many Louisiana natives have.

Boudin- Pronounced Boo-DAN. A Cajun sausage made with pork, rice and spices.

This just touches on some of the funny words, names and expressions you will come across when moving here. It’s what makes our area so rich with interesting people and dialect. Everyday I’m thankful to be here and enjoy all these little idiosyncrasies, and I know that I have more to learn from the local natives.

Just know one more thing! People around here love their football, and whenever they are rooting for a team they spell “Go” as “Geaux,” and when they are speaking of the LSU Tigers they say “L. S. SHOE” I got this wrong for years and was teased by my coworkers for my pronunciation.

I hope this helps you when you are out in our fine Parish, and perhaps you won’t hear “You ain’t from around here, are you?”

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

Need a Romantic Touch in Your Prairieville Home for Valentine’s Day?

February 13, 2017

It’s that time of year when we put away our Mardi Gras Ball gowns and get in the mood for love. The one day a year that we can really show our significant others that they are truly important to us. Lets be honest here, We should always be demonstrating our love year round but with our busy lives it can sometimes get put on the back burner. So it’s nice if we add some romantic touches to our Prairieville homes. So how do we do that?

Lighting.

Add some warm light bulbs in the bedroom, and in living spaces allowing natural light to spill in your home making your loved one have that soft glow of romance. Candles at night are always a nice touch but please make sure to keep them away from anything flammable. A house fire is never romantic.

If the weather is cool, running a fireplace is a nice touch. For people with ventless fireplaces be sure to crack a window for proper ventilation.

Pillow Talk.

Nobody wants to rearrange their whole home for one day, wait….I take that back… Besides Christmas, Halloween, Easter and Mardi Gras. I guess what I’m saying is that we can do something as simple as adding nice, fluffy, snuggly, softly colored pillows to our living spaces and bedrooms to create a relaxing romantic mood that can be used after Valentine’s day has past.

Rearrange?

It could be time to take a good look at your living spaces and take note if your home feels inviting now that you have the lighting, candles, pillows working. Do you need to move some furniture around? As I type this, I realized I probably need to do this myself! Decluttering spaces can make your home feel cleaner and more inviting, so get rid of all that paperwork laying around, kid toys and other useless “stuff.”

Bathrooms.

A bathroom with soft large towels, canisters filled with romantic smelling bath salts and creamy bubble bath soaps makes for a romantic space. Candles in here is a must for mood making moments, A personal favorite of mine.

I hope all of my Prairieville neighbors have a wonderful Valentine’s Day and your home is filled with love.

“Because YOU Matter”

Kristina Smallhorn

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Thinking of Flipping A Prairieville Home? 5 Things to Consider.

February 10, 2017

With the recent Flood of 2016 in August many people have been considering taking on a home flip. A home flip is defined by www.investopedia.com/terms/f/flipping.asp as a type of real estate investment strategy in which an investor purchases properties with the goal of reselling them for a profit. Profit is generated either through the price appreciation that occurs as a result of a hot housing market and/or from renovations and capital improvements. In short, most people believe what they see on T.V.,i.e., buy a crummy house, for super cheap, in a decent area and within a few weeks sell it for a HUGE profits making them tens of thousands of dollars within a 30 minute show. As you can image television reality isn’t reality. I’ve listed some pitfalls of doing your own flip so you can be better prepared before taking it on for yourself.

Cost of repairs.

Many people underestimate how much things cost. My best advice is to make a list of all the visible items, and plan ahead for the unexpected. Make a list of each item, get online and shop prices and have a side budget for things that come up as you are doing your flip. Try to estimate cost of repairs for items you are not 100% sure will need to be replaced so you can remain within budget.

Make a proper plan.

You can’t just go for the deal of the century without having a proper plan of action. You need to plan for ups and downs in the market. You need to plan for the time of year the home will be complete; to list it and lastly you need to realistically evaluate how much you can really handle.

Pricing your flip.

Every investor wants to get the most bang for their buck, but if you list your Prairieville home too high you may have priced yourself out of the market. If you are not seeing offers in a busy market within the first two weeks, the market has rejected your price and you have lost valuable time getting your flip home sold quickly.

“I’m Going To Be a MILLIONAIRE!”

Slow down there! Just like most anything, this will not make you Donald Trump over night. For newer investors the dreams of making it big and doing it easily can be too much,

and they get in way over their heads. This is not a get rich quick kind of thing. Take your time in a well coordinated pace, dedicate yourself to lots of hard work and you’ll do well.

But I can do it all by myself.

This is the biggest mistake most new investors make. They know how to lay tile, and had seen several YouTube videos on how to do some plumbing and now they feel like this will save them tons of money. This actually could be a very costly mistake which may delay your completion. It is best to call in experts to do these things and get as many quotes as you can before settling on a particular tradesman.

A final thought…you CAN make money flipping houses in Prairieville. Many investors do and profit handsomely from it. Those that do, have made a budget, scouted the neighborhood, determined a level of profit, made a plan and had great contractors who will work with them on timing and prices. All of these things will help you.

If you’d like help finding homes to flip and personalized advice on our market in Ascension Parish please do not hesitate to call so we can talk about your investing goals. Why?

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

New Trends in New Construction in Prairieville Louisiana

February 8, 2017

Every year trends in new construction change with the times. Eight years ago only a few homes had a new product called radiant barrier. Now, many new homes in Prairieville have it as part of the standard. As we move forward you’re going to see more homes with some really neat features that will make you want to buy NEW again.

SO what’s in the Prairieville forecast?

Energy Efficiency

Homes completely wrapped with radiant barrier, not just for the attic. I have seen these in neighborhoods like Parker Place and some other newer developments. Time will tell if this trend will continue but with our summers being as hot as they are, it seems reasonable they will continue to proliferate.

As common as radiant barrier has become, you only see half of the new homes being built with tankless water heaters. The advantages of having one are, endless hot water and cost less to run. The disadvantages, If your home loses power, the tank won’t run unless you have backup generator power even though it is mainly powered by natural gas, it still does need electricity.

Smart Homes

As our world becomes more connected and technologically driven so has the desire to make our homes. Security systems run from our phones; if you forget to close the garage door, theres an app for that. Wonder who’s been at your doorstep? Cameras pre-installed that can be shown on your phone will tell you. Kids didn’t turn out the lights when they left the house, Well, you you can turn them off with an app on your phone as well as get a chronicled time line of what doors have been opened and at what time. There are also two way speakers, WiFi doorbells and a myriad of other personalized home security systems.

The electrical outlets in many newer homes are truly starting to show the sign go the times. More and more I have seen homes having outlets with USB connections so you won’t need a separate cube to recharge all those devices. A very SMART idea since everyone has a device that needs charging these days.

Going solar

As exciting as the idea is, it doesn’t seem to be something builders in our area have adopted yet. Maybe next year that could be something to look forward to seeing.

Interior

Barn doors seem to be quite the trend with both buyers and builders. This trend won’t be disappearing anytime soon as people love the fact that the door doesn’t impede on the useful space in room, and builders love the fact that they don’t have to do a pocket door (most builders loathe constructing a home with pocket doors because of redirecting plumbing and wiring to make them work)

In the Kitchen

Matte appliances, I have only seen this in one newly constructed home and I have to tell you it really does look amazing. As you know, with stainless appliances you see every oily fingerprint and slightest imperfection. With these new matte options you won’t need to have a cleaner in your back pocket wiping down appliances every time someone walks in the kitchen.

Many of these trend are here to stay; some are just a fad like your mother’s green shag carpeting that you grew up with but it’s interesting to see what our homes will have next. If you’d like information on builders that can help you create the newest, latest and greatest in new construction, just give me a call. I’d love to talk with you. Why?

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

How Social Media Can Help Sell Your Prairieville Home.

February 6, 2017

How Social Media can help sell your Prairieville home.

You are hard pressed to meet anyone who isn’t on some kind of social media platform. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, GooglePlus, Flicker and Pinterest are just a few that are being used daily by millions of users. This is a great opportunity to get your home in front of those millions of users, in turn selling your home quicker than traditional methods. Traditional methods do work but have shown to take much longer to sell.

Why Traditional methods take longer?

Not too long ago a Realtor® would list a home, put a sign in the yard, take several pictures with a regular camera, put it on the MLS and host an open house by advertising in a local paper, Hoping to God that someone saw the Sunday mornings paper, If the listing didn’t sell after a while, they would market in local home magazines found at the grocery store or in bins outside of restaurants. Did this work? YES! Here in Prairieville this had been the recipe for success for many, many years.

So whats changed about marketing my Prairieville home?

Before I answer that question, I want to pose a question for you. When was the last time you bought a Sunday news paper? Better yet, Do you have a newspaper delivered to your home anymore? Many of us do not, I haven’t ordered a news paper in 8 years. News happens so quickly now that by the time it has been printed its already old news.

With social media become progressively the way most people look for news, it is also the best way to present your home to prospective buyers. I’m not talking about taking a picture with your cell phone and throwing it on Facebook wishing for the best. What I’m talking about is a Realtor® who knows how to get to as many users as possible and have your home in front a thousands of potential buyers. A tech savvy Realtor® understands how to do this. They understand how social media works and know that it takes more than a photo with a cell phone to do the trick.

How I can help you.

I use several social media platforms to sell your home, I can discuss with you my plan on how I use social media to make your home go “viral” putting it in front of as many users in your area as possible. I do use some traditional methods as well. The combination of the two is a great marriage of the old way and the new way, appealing too many different kinds of buyers. The end result, your home sells faster.

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

4 REASONS Why you need a licensed Realtor® when buying a NEW home in Prairieville.

February 3, 2017

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.

New home buying can be smooth sailing, you just need to have someone on your side during the process. If you are looking in the Prairieville area and would like to talk, feel free to call or email me with your questions.

“Because YOU matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn

Buying a Prairieville home from out of state? Here are some tips to help you.

February 1, 2017

Buying a home in Prairieville from across the country has become a much easier task. I would have told you several years back, “Anyone buying a home off the internet is crazy!” Now, I’m eating those words. As scary as it may sound, I’ve had several clients do this recently and it has become more popular with easy access to video, virtual tours and signing documents with electronic signatures. Buying across the world has become much easier, and all of my cross country buyers have been extremely pleased with their new home purchase. Here are some tips that can help you handle the process a little easier.

Investigate your Prairieville neighborhood.

Its important to do your homework when buying in Prairieville or anywhere else for that matter. A Realtor® can help you with this and the Internet is your friend. You can get neighborhood market reports from your Realtor® and look up crime statistics from a quick Google search. Even if you don’t have children it is important to find out what the schools are like in the area so when you go to sell your home it will be appealing for future home buyers.

Budget your travel.

Not only will you need to know your moving expenses but you will need to create a budget to view your future home at least once. I strongly recommend this, even though I have had a few clients that bypassed my advice and went through the process without ever seeing the home in person until after closing. The reason I recommend this is only because you really can’t get a feel of a neighborhood by pictures or video.

Narrow down what you really want.

To make it easier for yourself, it’s best to make a list of absolute “must haves” in your next home. After you have done your homework on location, price and size, you need to narrow down the list to things like, fenced in backyard, 2 car garage or open floor plan. This will make your choices more tailored to your specific needs and not have to sift through dozens of listings. Working with a local Realtor® is essential with this aspect of cross country home buying.

Overcoming Cross Country Home Buying.

For some home buyers the thought of buying across the country can be overwhelming. Even with all the technical advances, it does little to settle their nerves. Some folks have considered renting for a period of time to get a feel for the area, including traffic and convenience. If this approach appeals to you, please consider how much it will cost to store the items that won’t fit in your rental Also, be sure you fully understand the terms of any lease, including any penalties. Any deposits that are required must also be added to your budget.

Clearly, Internet home buying has become a new way of life for many. Even my 84 year old Aunt recently bought a home that she saw solely in videos and pictures, and never saw the actual house until she moved in!

In order to do this effectively, it is imperative to work with a Realtor® who has knowledge of the area, the ability to provide you with various visual displays, legal real estate expertise and one who will take the time to get you all the necessary information.

“Because YOU Matter”

Your Real Estate Whisperer

Kristina Smallhorn