Whitney Ann Ensor - Real Estate Agent | Ensor Real Estate, Winchester, KY

Whitney Ann Ensor - Real Estate Agent | Ensor Real Estate, Winchester, KY

10 Spring Real Estate Maintenance Tips

 

Happy thoughts and Spring Wishes for my Central Kentucky Friends! Here are a few tips to get your home Spring Ready! 

10 Spring Real Estate Maintenance Tips

1. Check for loose or leaky gutters that can lead to water around your foundation. Keep water draining away from your foundation. 
2. Clean out your gutters.
3. Check outside faucets for damage during winter freezes, as they may need to be repaired or replaced.
4. Check your lawn equipment and battery powered items. Clean the equipment and get the blades sharpened and ready for the cutting season.
5. Take a look at your roof, look for missing shingles or areas that seems to need attention.
6.  Clean and Replace HVAC filters. 
7. Clean off your decks, fences, and siding.
8. Replace batteries in your smoke detectors. 
9. Touch up the paint inside and outside your home.
10. Clean your windows inside & out.  Check for screen damage and replacement issues.

On a side note I have made a new friend on my real estate adventures, and I just love this calf!!!! I always enjoy seeing new farm life, reminds me spring is on its way! 

Love your Southern Central Kentucky Real Estate Broker!

Whitney 859-771-8311

Hello 2014!

Hello 2014!!!!

I am excited to say that the central Kentucky real estate market is alive and well!  Here are some current trends I have noticed  over the past year…

1.       Homes with a retro feel!  I am showing more homes with a retro look!  Buyers in the market for these homes are dedicated to maintaining the homes charter!  This means they want original tiles, flooring, appliances and fixtures!  I am pleased to see this trend and find it exciting to share in this process! 

 

2.       Buyers and sellers want new, and by new I mean everything!  New carpet, new paint, new kitchens, new woodwork, new new new!  For those not looking for retro they want everything move in ready!  New windows, new Heating and air, new roofs, etc. and new in style. So home owners trying to sell, keep those homes clean and new looking! 

 

3.       Color!  I am most excited about this one!  I see more home owners who are ready to sell their homes successfully using color!  Most home buyers & sellers like a pop of color, and most of my clients actually seem to have better reactions to homes with some color.    Styles are not created equal however ,home owners and buyers are becoming more confident with color!

4.       Interest rates!  Home buyers are concerned with the interest rates rising!  So now really still is a great time to buy or sell!  Rates are still low and you can potentially get a lot of home for your money!  It’s a good time to list your home, sell, and maybe move up to a larger home! Realtors are ready to help you with this process! Especially this realtor, Call me 859-771-8311!

5.       Closing Costs!  Buyers are asking sellers for closing costs!  It’s not uncommon; actually it’s more common than uncommon.   Buyers are going to ask for closing costs.

6.       Let’s move to the county and have the simple life!  What I mean is I see clients looking for peace at home and less hustle and bustle.  A space to grow into and move around!  I’ve seen a pickup in homes in the country! People want a place to grow a garden, have bon fires, room to roam, and maybe even have a few animals.  This is what I call the country oasis and peace with the land!  It’s growing more and more in my central Kentucky area.

7.       CASH!  Investors are back and ready to invest, they need a place to put their cash!   They are putting their trust the real estate market.  Which I think is a great sign for both buyers and sellers!   Investors are ready to find homes that need may need a little TLC or repair work. The investor will make the repairs and either keep the home for rental income or sell the home to another buyer.

8.       Increase in working from home!  The increase in a lot of companies allowing their employees to work from home and the start of home based business has created the need for home office space.   Clients need the space to be a functional work oasis to get their job/career tasks complete.  Home office space is becoming more important than a formal living room.

9.       Sellers are ready!  More sellers are ready to sell their homes. The homes are staged, lights are on, they have curb appeal, and the clutter is gone! Organization is key and sellers are now aware of this!  Home staging, organization, and being ready to show at a moment’s notice have created successful moves for sellers and buyers! 

10.   Designer Kitchens, upscale designer kitchens!  Clients are selecting upscale appliances and designer inspired kitchens in new homes as well as older homes.  The emphasis seems to be on the kitchen being the heart of the home.  Even for those who don’t cook all that often.  The need for the ascetic appeal and function of a kitchen has really increased!

 

Over all I see confidence in the real estate market, successful buyers and sellers, and the mission to create a pleasant home environment. I  hope all my clients, friends, and followers have had a great new year! I cannot wait to see the latest trends in my real estate market for 2014! 

 

Love your Southern Central Kentucky Real Estate Broker,

 Whitney 859-771-8311

Description Loving Central Kentucky Southern Real Estate Broker!

 

It’s been recently brought to my attention that my descriptions for my listings are well… “Imaginary”, “Picturesque”, “J Peterman like”, and “Artsy”. (These are quotes from friends and clients. I don’t name any names because some people do not like their information listed on websites or blogs.)   For me writing this blog or describing a home is an artistic outlet.  Every home and/or property has a story to tell, every client or family is part of that story.  Just like an artist I draw inspiration on little items, comments or things I see when listing a property.

Are all descriptions and details of a listing easy to write? To answer this question simply no!  I pride myself on my descriptions, and often type them three or four times. Read them numerous times to make sure I have adequately described the property, or home clients have in trusted me with the pleasure of a listing.  Reviewing the pictures; thinking back to items picked up on, and what clients tell me about their properties, all help draw my inspirations for listing descriptions.

Over all I try to be a pretty positive real estate agent and all properties have positives. Some have more than others, and some have so many items to describe that my fingers can’t fly fast enough to type all the details for a potential home owner to see!  It is not just selling a listing or a house; it is a home or personal property! Memories were made in these places, life styles were changed, and things happen.  Life has a way of painting a picture for a home.  Often I can see the activities described to me from the property owner as if they are happening right in front of me.  A description can be simple or interesting. It would be easy to write 3 beds or 2 baths or a garage, etc..   Everyone has different needs and wants and basically different lifestyles.  What is important to one client is not so important to another.  Real estate is personal, and the potential clients need to see and enjoy all the details in a home or property listed!  Lifestyles are ever-changing and created every day!  To put it simply selling real estate is selling a lifestyle.
 

Is the English always correct? That’s a big no! I create long run on sentences and also abbreviate just to name a few mistakes made when writing.  Why might you ask?  First of all I am not an English teacher; I just enjoy writing, describing, and marketing. Only being allotted so many words is sometimes a challenge.  As remained by English teachers in high school “create an audience” and “capture the attention of the reader”.  Just listing what then home has is boring to me, so I feel it would be boring for others.  Also as stated earlier in this blog entry all properties have stories, details, positives, and items to sell.  Potential home buyers need to see these items, especially with the fast paced lifestyle created in today’s market.  You get one chance that’s it!

My background has some design experience and teaching experience.  So I think this is why I tell a story and do my best to create an edge in my marketing abilities. Each listing no matter the size or price has a story to tell and all my descriptions are all created equally the same way.  I spend just as much time on a home description that is $70,000.00 to a home that is $350,000.00. I’m not saying my way is any better than other real estate agents.   Just simply saying I enjoy the task of describing a home, it is one of my favorite activities about my career as a full time real estate agent!

Give me a call anytime!  I would love to help you with a listing or purchasing your lifestyle, home and any other property needs. I look forward to describing your Central Kentucky Home!

Love your description writing Central Kentucky Southern Real Estate Broker! 

Whitney Ensor, Associate Broker

Ensor Real Estate
WhitneyAnnEnsor@gmail.com
 859-771-8311

How to dress for Real Estate…??????

As no surprise to anyone I spend most of my mornings trying to decide what I am going to wear that day!  Why Why Why Do I spend so much of my life deciding what to wear?  Well I would like to think I keep up with the current fashion trends and I enjoying clothes so much that they consume most of my morning time!  I just wish I could make this process easier.   So why does it take me FOREVER to decide?

Well here is the first problem; my “office” is different every day.  Some days it’s a construction site, other days it’s the actual office, a bank, restaurant, the car, a farm, business, attending closings, showing appointments, listings… you get the idea.  I am never really in the same place, location or area so I do my best to dress for what lies ahead for the day at hand. 

Problem number two the weather.   I have to know if it’s going to rain, snow, sleet, hail, be windy, hot cold, sunshine….you get the idea.  Living in Kentucky does not help this situation, one minute its 80 and sunny, and next its 50 windy and raining. I’m in the car and out of the car; I need to know do I need my rain boots and coat, snow gear, scarf, gloves, or sunglasses?   Will I be walking a farm in the rain? Snow? Sunshine?  What shoes and pants will I need to do this?  Will I be going to a closing? Listing? The weather and my appointments determine what fashion “gear” I will need that day.  And sometimes I do all of these things in one day! Wow that’s a really tough day to decide what to wear! I mean when you have a closing in the morning and walk a farm in the afternoon, you have to be really prepared, high heels do not work walking a farm! (I know from experience! Haha)

Problem number three, I feel like I have to have everything!  Yes I am that girl…..no shocker!  I must be accessorized with 1,000 bracelets, always earrings, rings, sunglasses, necklaces, and scarfs.  I LOVE accessories and I do tend to go overboard, but it’s my style and well after 30 years I’m not going to change that.  Not to mention I like that total number of jewelry pieces to equal an odd number, I know it’s kind of strange.   Basically I don’t leave the house without what I call the minimum of earrings, sunglasses and my rings.   I also try to keep in mind I need somewhere to put my phone, keep my key to get into properties; I will be holding papers, a pen, and sometimes other people’s children, ha!  I carry a bag and a purse every day, yes every day!  It has all my essentials as listed above, and  1,000 pens, highlighters, notepads, folders, I pad, sharpies, post it notes, cozies (hey I get thirsty), water, little purse because the big one is to heavy all day, 1,000 different lip glosses, mascara, powder, and oh I always have carmex!

I’ve tried everything, laying my clothes out, which helps sometimes until my appointments changes and the whole saga begins again! Or I just change my mind in the morning, ha!  It’s a daily struggle! J   Then I say all the time (knowing I have a closet full of clothes)” I don’t have anything to wear”!  And then there are the shoes and the purses…..wow I really am obsessed with this!  So how do I fix this problem? Well, I don’t!  And my job is unpredictable so I basically have to learn to adjust, pick something that I think will work for the day, accessorize and move forward hoping for the best!  Just know that lots of time, energy and effort goes into my outfit and my accessories.

My latest favorites are:  my Kate Spade Sunglasses, Betsy Johnson watch,  Pandora Bracelet, David Yurmen earrings & Bracelet, Boots of any type (Riding, Cowboy, booties, any), Leggings (Love White House Black Market Leggings) , A long sweater with pockets if possible, Miss me Jeans, Down Vests with pockets, Love Wedge Hills, Long necklaces, Initial Necklaces, anything with bling, Kate Spade Purse, my UK wildcats clothing/accessories, and red nail polish.  (The make-up well that’s for another blog post).   I posted a few pictures of items that are on my favorites list at the moment.

Basically I do love to dress and I do my best to be prepared every day for this wild ride of real estate!  I enjoy the changes in my daily schedule just wish I could spend less time worrying about what to wear, but the fact is it’s just my nature!  I want to look my best, I feel when you look your best you work better!  As my Aunt Phyl would always say” Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance!”  This could not be truer and I’m pretty prepared every day! 

 

Happy Weekend Friends! Oh and On On U of K! Its Wildcat Basketball and Football this weekend!   

Love, Whitney

Why Real Estate?

 

Well, I was introduced to Real Estate as a young child around the age of 8 or 9.  My mother, Mila was in banking for many years and one thing led to another, she went to real estate school.  BAM, she became a Real Estate agent.  Although this was an adjustment period for me in many ways because her career grew and grew, it was also a stepping stone to the agent I am today.  You see I watched her, listened to her, and often mocked her behavior.  I attended showings, open houses, spent time on  office phone duty, new construction sites, put signs up, took them down and listened to her discuss transactions.  She was a machine; she worked tireless hours, and completed thankless jobs to meet her client’s needs while providing for our family!

My mother Mila’s real estate career begin before the wide use of the smart phone; her tools were an office phone, a pager and an MLS book.  Yes a book printed monthly that she paid extra to have every month.   This book gave her insight into the listing on the MLS service.  Was it outdated? Well yes, and she would spend many days searching this book to find the perfect home for her clients, do a Certified Market Analysis, and keep up with new listings on the market.  The office of around 15 (a guess) had one computer to search the multiple listing and enter listings.  She spent long hours at the office, driving contracts back and forth, faxing, making calls.  I could go on for days all the information I have learned, modeled and watched her complete with real estate. She basically put us on the map, and she begin to spark my interest, some days for the good in real estate and well some days I wondered if I could put up with the things she put up with.  It was not until I got my license in college in 2005 did I really begin to understand how much work she put into her real estate career.

So the answer to this question, it’s not just that simple. You might ask why I am giving you so much, information about my mother, well she is the reason I am in real estate.  She captured my interest; she opened doors that we (as a family) never dreamed of opening when she became an agent.  Yes I have seen the good side, the bad side and the ugly side of real estate and I love my chosen career path. It’s the most rewarding job I have ever had or experienced!  I Love most everything about it, yes its exhausting, some days its thankless, it’s always hard work, and most it’s the most challenging job I have ever had.   My days are always different and I strive every day to provide my clients with the best service they can receive from a real estate broker. 

So why real estate?????.........  Basically as cheesy as it sounds I love it!  My mother was my initial inspiration; she still is along with shoes, jewelry, and purses!  I truly enjoy helping others purchase and sale property.  It’s the best feeling when you close a real estate transaction and truly feel you have poured your heart into the investment of not only the real estate but your clients as well!The bonus then comes in shoes, jewelry, and purses!  J

Today I work for the best real estate broker in Kentucky Mila Ensor, Ensor Real Estate.  My mother who is also my boss and I have a great working relationship as well as personal relationship!  Contact us to help you with all of you real estate needs!