Friday Favorite!

** photo from Pinterest **

I just LOVE this idea for wrapping.  I love that it doesn't have bows that will be smashed if you have to stack or mail presents.  I like that the stickers make the gift a little more personalized.  I love that you don't have to tie bows and you just tape the ribbon on!  Such a simple, yet nice looking gift!

You can get the ribbons and paper from Paper Jacks.  A friend of mine wrapped her presents this way and she got her stickers from The Stationary Studio.

Home for the Holidays

Have you checked out Lafayette's Home for the Holidays this year? Home for the Holidays is a non-profit organization and annual project done by the Acadiana Homebuilder's Association and KATC-TV 3.  Each year they build a brand new, state of the art home that you could win!  The proceeds from the ticket sales benefit local charities like Lafayette Habitat for Humanity, Faith House, The Children's Shelter of Acadiana Youth Inc, and St. Michael's Center for Veterans.  Tickets are on sale now and the home will be given away on December 5, during a live drawing on KATC's evening news.

You can purchase your $100 ticket here.

The home is located in E'lan subdivision at 220 Brahmwell Court in Lafayette, LA.  You can look at the home during an Open House on Sunday, December 2 - 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Friday Favorite

** Idea found on adorabledecor.com

How awesome is this idea I found on Pinterest!  Simply drill a small hole in the back of the drawer, put your power strip cord through the hole, plug in, and VOILA!  It's nice for keeping a neat and tidy look all the time instead of having cords hanging everywhere!!!!

Will Lafayette's Sales Decrease in the Last Two Months of the Year?

Will the pace of residential sales drop off in the last two months of this year? The number of pending sales reported for October seems to provide convincing evidence that they won’t. The number reported for October soared above the previous month by 14% and was up by 49% over October 2011. Leading the way were new construction pending sales which were up 116% over October 2011.


This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the REALTOR Association of Acadiana Multiple Listing Service. Neither the Board nor its MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the Board may not reflect all real estate activity in the marketplace.

October 2012 Market Report!

The monthly amount of closed residential sales reported to the REALTOR Association of Acadiana’s Multiple Listing Service (MLS) continues to consistently outperform the months of 2011. The graph on the report vividly illustrates how significantly Lafayette Parish’s 2012 housing sales have grown throughout the year in relation to 2011. And where historically home sales tend to drop off in the latter part of the year, that was not the case in October with reported sales increasing nearly 7 percent above September’s numbers and up over 50% from October 2011. With 2007 considered the apex year for housing sales in Lafayette Parish, the 2,232 cumulative sales reported from January through October 2012 is only 3.5% off that record pace set in 2007 and up by nearly 24% over 2011.

This is GREAT NEWS for Lafayette!  

This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the REALTOR Association of Acadiana Multiple Listing Service. Neither the Board nor its MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the Board may not reflect all real estate activity in the marketplace.

Friday Favorite

** Picture found on Pinterest.

I love this idea!  You can get a cheap vase from the Dollar store or just use an old one you got from a flower delivery or something.  You can get the string at Hobby Lobby and use some hot glue to stick it on!  Put a nice flower arrangement or even some dry flowers in there and you've got a great decoration that didn't cost a ton of money!!!

Van Eaton and Romero's Top 10 Realtors!

Beware, I'm about to brag about myself!  I can't help it, though!  There are so many awesome realtors at Van Eaton, and this month I was chosen as one of it's Top Ten!

Good News for Lafayette Real Estate!

Did you see this article in the Daily Advertiser about Home Sales SOARING in Lafayette?  Click this link to read the whole thing.

Here's the important points:

- Homes sales in October 2012 surged 51% over sales in October 2011!
- Homes sales in all of 2012 have outpaced the last FOUR years!
- Home sales through October 2012 are only 3.5% below Lafayette's record housing market in 2007!
- Total home sales from January - October 2012 are up 23% compared to last year!

I LOVE to read this great news!

Friday Favorite

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, you might want to organize your pantry, specifically spices, so that you don't buy ingredients that you already have!  I am FAMOUS for this!

Here is an idea for organization:

** Picture found on Pinterest.

This pictures shows mop holders holding the spices on the cabinet door.  I like how easy it is to read the labels and how it saves space!

Not quite ready to buy a home?

I know a lot of people look at houses for fun, almost as a "what if"?  What if it's better than what we have now?  What if we CAN actually afford something nicer?  What if the perfect house is out there and even though we don't NEED to move, we don't want to miss the perfect opportunity?

If you're really not totally ready to buy a house, but find yourself casually looking, it's a good idea to contact a realtor.  You can let them know you aren't in a rush, but if something came up in your price range, with the right amount of square footage, and in the right location, your realtor can contact you right when that house comes up on the MLS!

By contacting a realtor, you are establishing a relationship with them and not just calling the random realtor on the sign of the house you are interested in.  You want to work with someone who knows your needs and wants.

So call me anytime you want to get the process started, even if it means you aren't looking to buy tomorrow!

HGTV's November Color of the Month

CHESTNUT BROWN!   <--- click the link to read the article!

It sure sounds pretty and fallish to me!!!  You can use this deep color on an accent wall or simply with your furniture pieces.  It screams cozy!

Friday Favorite!

I love this idea I found on Pinterest on using a tiered plant stand or a cake stand to organize the clutter that often goes on bathroom counters!