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!

What To Expect When You’re Inspecting

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inspecter supplies

 

What To Expect When You’re Inspecting

When you are buying a home for the first time or the 8th time, you’re likely to run into many processes that you have or haven’t been through before. One of the most important parts of the purchasing process is your property inspection. It may seem daunting, but if you know your role and the role of others, it can make the process less stressful. Here is what you should expect for each role and step in the property inspection process.

Why Have an Inspection?

The reason for having a home inspection is to find out more about the condition of the home.  All homes undergo wear and tear over the years so we need to make sure there are no potential major issues and be able to resolve any that may come up. Please note- an inspection and an appraisal are NOT the same thing!  Inspections are not required- yet highly recommended- to make sure there are no hidden defects on a home.  An appraisal is ordered by a lender (or by a buyer if paying cash) to ensure the value of the home is equal to the sales price.

The Buyer

Your job will be to learn about the property during inspection. Before the inspection, you should prepare by looking over the property disclosures or any other documentation that you’ve received up until that point. Make a list of any questions or concerns you have and address any issues that the listing agent may have pointed out. Ask your agent what the typical inspections are for your market and make sure you set aside an hour or two for the inspection.

The Buyer’s Agent

Your agent should be with you and help to walk you through the inspection. Your agent should know what to look for during inspections and be able to let you know what is important and needs to be addressed before the transaction is complete and what is a quick fix and not necessary to repair. If you are not able to attend the inspection, the buyer’s agent will be there.

The Listing Agent

In most cases, the listing agent will not be present for the inspection. The buyer’s agent and listing agent will negotiate after the inspection and work together to get the major repairs remedied.

The Inspector

You will hire the property inspector as the buyer. You can get a referral from your agent to find a licensed inspector in your state. The inspector is there to explain what he/she sees as a potential issue (big or small). They are not there as a contractor and will not be fixing the problems, simply inspecting the property and overall state of the house.  They may recommend further evaluation in specific areas by a licensed contractor that specializes in that particular area. Just because further evaluation is recommended doesn’t always mean that there is a major problem.  It’s to make sure there isn’t a problem or address one.

The Cost

An inspection around this area should be anywhere from $250-600.  The variation on cost is generally based on the size of the home. Cheaper isn’t always better, however, very expensive isn’t either.

The Report

A report will not be limited to but should cover the following below.

  • Mold
  • Roof
  • Windows
  • Plumbing
  • Appliances (staying with the house)
  • Fireplace (not all inspect a fireplace)
  • Foundation
  • Drainage
  • Electrical System
  • HVAC

After the report is issued, there might be items buyers want to be remedied, but shouldn’t expect. These will include items that are minor.
Here are a few examples:

  • Bathroom caulking
  • Exterior painting
  • Loose doorknobs
  • Dirty carpet
  • Installed hand rails for exterior steps

Final Thoughts

A home inspection is an essential process in a home sale. As a buyer, you should never waive a home inspection if at all possible. The amount of money a home inspection costs (in the grand scheme of things) is well worth it.

If you are unsure about anything make sure you ask the home inspector any unanswered questions that you may have. It is not unusual to read the inspection report and discover you’re unsure about something.  You have your trusted team to help you through the process!

 

Christen Ward

225-505-7583|Contact Christen