Housewarming Gift Ideas

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My go to housewarming gift ideas:

Step 1 – Head to Target

Step 2 – Find a decorative basket that can be used on a shelf or somewhere in their home

Step 3 – Always include champagne (don’t worry, I included more than the one can – this is just for photos)

Step 4 – Throw in a cute dish towel because you can never have too many and is something that is probably buried in a kitchen box on moving day!

Step 5 – Add some greenery – it always adds life to a space

Step 6 – Search the aisles (most likely Hearth & Hand Magnolia) for a cute decorative item – This “Welcome Home” sign is perfect!

Step 7 – Add in an “extra” – in this basket I chose the Homebody book by Joanna Gaines which makes a gorgeous coffee table book (with or without the cover)!

PS: If you need a friend who is going to be needing a housewarming gift, don’t forget to tell them I can help (and create an Instagrammable basket for them on closing day)!

“Show Ready” in 15 minutes

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It’s Wednesday, you just walked in the door from a day at the pool. The kids are cranky and tired, you’re ready to relax in the AC UNTIL you remember you have a showing scheduled in less than an hour!
Incase you ever find yourself in a crunch (whether it’s guests coming on short notice or you have a last minute showing) here are my tips for getting your house “show ready” in 15 minutes!
1. Get yourself a last minute basket – Pick up an extra laundry basket from Target that is dedicated for “showing time”! Before you leave the house, you can do a quick scan of the house and throw in any scattered toys, dog dishes, magazines, any little things laying around that you want out of sight but don’t have time to put away. Then take it with you in the car!
2. Fluff the couch pillows – you know how they get when the kids, spouse or significant other has been laying or sitting there. Fluff them up to make the couch look good!
3. Light the candle – don’t overpower your house with all the smells but one simple candle on the kitchen counter adds a nice touch that also makes it feel homey!
4. Turn on every single light (including exterior lights, accent lights and lamps) and open all blinds and curtains. Seriously – all of them no matter what time of day it is! Your home shows best when it’s light and bright!
5. Close the toilet seats – just telling you incase you forget (a lot of people do!)
6. Tell Alexa to play some background music that sets a classy, relaxing or inviting mood.
7.  Keep containers of cleaning wipes in the kitchen and bathrooms so you can quickly wipe down countertops.
There you have it, your house will be ready for a showing in no time! Before I go, I wanted to let you know about my showing prep checklist! I packaged up all the tips I give my sellers when prepping for a showing, into a PDF checklist and I’m sharing it for free! It’s the list they follow to make sure their house looks it’s best before buyers arrive.

How To Set Up Utilities in West Baton Rouge Parish

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You’ve found the one! A house, I mean.  Now you need to get your West Baton Rouge utilities set up and don’t know where to start.  Here’s what you need to do:

West Baton Rouge uses Entergy for Electricity:

  1. Call Entergy to create an account. 1-800-368-3749
  2. Call the Parish for your permit. 225-749-2909
  3. Brusly- go to bruslyla.com/government/forms/
    1. Click “Residential Occupancy Permit”
    2. You can either print, fill out and drop it off or you can e-mail it to the office
    3. The cost of the permit is $25.
  4. Port Allen, Addis will call 225-336-2434 for your permit. The cost should be $10.
  • Please note- the office closes at Noon on Fridays.

* If you are NOT in the incorporated areas of West Baton Rouge, an inspection is required before they can switch over utilities. This includes a large area of Port Allen, Brusly and Addis.  Please allow appropriate time to get your inspection done prior to your utility start date.

You will get your water/trash/sewer/gas utility services through West Baton Rouge Parish Public Utilities.

  1. You will go to the office to apply for your service.  Please have your lease agreement/purchase contract and your driver’s license. There is a drive through on the side of the building so you don’t have to get out of your car. The address is 880 N. Alexander Port Allen, LA 70767
  2. If you don’t have gas, the deposit is $50.  If you have gas, the deposit is $175.

Hope this helps you out!

Showings That Sell

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When a buyer wants to schedule a private tour of your home, you want to make sure your home is showing at it’s absolute best (think of it like a first date)!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The first step is to transform your home to create an experience for the buyer(s). It’s important to paint a picture that will allow the potential buyers to picture themselves living in your home. We want them thinking about Saturday morning coffee and pancakes at the breakfast bar and family movie nights on the big comfy sectional they’re going to buy for the living room!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This means removing distractions, highlighting the home’s best features and making your home shine before the buyers arrive! The best way to optimize the showing experience is to create a checklist (or request mine which has all the juicy tips I learned from experience ready for you to implement)!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you’re seeing the crazy low inventory we’re experiencing (and how it’s putting seller’s in the driver’s seat) and you want to learn more about putting your house on the market, send me a dm and let’s schedule a virtual seller consultation!

What goes into a FICO score?

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I’m not sure if I qualify.  My credit isn’t 800.  I’m scared to have my credit pulled.  As a Realtor, these statements are things that I hear frequently.  So many people are scared of the word “credit”.  Don’t be!  If it’s not perfect, it’s ok! If there’s work to do to improve it, that’s ok! Finding out where you stand is the first step towards home ownership.  Our theory is that everyone can be a homeowner and it’s our job to get you the dream home you deserve!

For most people, a home is the biggest, most important purchase you’ll ever make.

Ever wonder what a lender looks for? When determining your credit worthiness, a lender will consider your long term financial history. To do that, lenders look at your FICO score.

Guess what we have for you…. what makes up your FICO score:

  • 35% of your score is determined by your payment history. This includes everything from credit card to retail account payments, as well as public records like bankruptcy.
  • 30% of your score is determined by your amounts owed and your available credit. This isn’t just how much you owe, but what types of accounts and what percentage of available credit you’re using.
  • 15% of your score is determined by the length of your credit history: How long your accounts have been open, and what kind of activity they’ve seen. Tip: Don’t close very old credit accounts with great payment history or ask your lender before doing so.
  • 10% of your score is determined by your new credit. This refers to recent new accounts you’ve opened, and how long it’s been since previous credit inquiries.
  • 10% of your score is determined by the types of credit used. This show a lender what amount of your credit is from credit cards, installment loans, mortgages, etc.

Having a great FICO score is extremely important for getting a great rate on your mortgage loan or for getting a mortgage loan at all.

Have more questions? Let me know! I love helping people achieve their dream of being a homeowner!

~Christen

 

How to Choose the Right Paint Color

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You’re at the hardware store, 8 gray paint samples in hand, trying to decide which one is going to look the best once you actually put it on your wall. You finally decide on one, grab the supplies and head home to start painting. 45 minutes later you realize this shade of gray looks purple with the lighting in your kitchen. BACK TO THE HARDWARE STORE!

Sound familiar? Picking the right paint color can feel downright impossible and it never seems to look like the Pinterest photo you based it on. Well I’m here to help with a little trick I learned so you can spend more time poolside and less time in the paint aisle. Here’s my *perfect paint color* hack!

First, pickup a white poster board. Narrow down those 8 paint colors to your top 2 or 3. Then ask to purchase a small sample size of each. When you get home, paint a few shades of each color on the poster board. Check how they look compared to the rest of the room, the light at different times of day and see how they look at different angles.

Once you’ve been able to see the paint color at different times of day, in natural light and in the light given off from light fixtures after dark, you’ll be able to see which shade is going to look best in your space! Have you tried this before? Do you have any painting tips you’ve learned over the years? Tell me in the comments!

Christen Ward

225-505-7583|Contact Christen