Lisa's New Orleans West Bank Blog

New Orleans Gardening Tips | Winter Gardens and Flowers

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:51:57 -0600

Living in a sub-tropical climate is a definite plus if you love to spend a lot of time in your garden or yard. Despite the fact that it is November, there are still blooming flowers throughout my West Bank garden.

However, the periwinkles are starting to get leggy, the coneflowers are gone and the basil has started to flower and is done for the year. Before the holiday madness starts, I need to find time to get outside in the gorgeous weather we’ve been having and start the winter garden.

I stopped in to visit my favorite Algiers nursery this week – New Orleans Garden Center and Landscape on Huntlee Drive, just off of General Meyer. The fall and winter plants have arrived and wherever you decide to buy them (although I hope it’s from someone local) there is a profusion of color that can quickly take your garden from the end of summer blahs to the winter aaaaahhhhhs.

What I’m Planting This Winter

Pansies are probably the most traditional of the winter flowers, although we have to be careful not to plant them too early in New Orleans. They will survive the coldest of winters with ease, but our climate can be a little more challenging for them. The lovely ladies at the garden center shared this tip with me: if you want show stopping pansies, they love blood meal as a soil additive.

Most people think of petunias as a spring time flower, but in the south they are a perfect addition to your garden after the long hot days of summer have ended. Cool days and nights allow them to flourish and they can provide blankets of color for the next few months that will make all of the neighbors jealous :)

Snapdragons are one of my favorite winter flowers. A few years ago, I replanted my entire front garden in white – white petunias, white snapdragons and white pansies. I threw in a few sparkly Christmas lights and voila! A winter paradise, right in my own front yard.

I plan to finish off my winter garden with ornamental cabbage. The colors range from almost white to deep green to purple and the texture they bring to the space is fantastic.

Some other winter gardening tips from New Orleans Garden Center and Landscape

Roses need to be pruned in January, but how much depends on the type of rose. If you are a novice rose grower (like me), check with a professional before you start chopping off branches!
It’s time to winterize your lawn whether you have St. Augustine sod, centipede grass or even if you’ve seeded with winter rye
Mulch is just as important in the winter as in the summer and can help protect the roots of your plants during those rare freezes on the south shore
Once you’ve watered your plants in well, there is no need to water as much as in the summer. Of course, common sense rules and if they are looking a little droopy, give them a drink!

Hopefully, I can get all of this work done before the Thanksgiving holiday, because after that it will be time for a return visit to pick up poinsettias in every color for Christmas. Whew…I better get to work. Happy gardening!

New Orleans Garden Center and Landscape is located at 210 Huntlee Drive in Algiers. Call (504) 366-2017 for winter operating hours or more information and tell Blair HELLO for us!

Painting With A Twist | Yes, You CAN Paint!

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:26:05 -0600

I’m not talking about painting your house. I’m talking about one of the newest hot spots for West Bank ladies (and a few gentlemen too) to get together for a few hours and share food, drinks and definitely a few laughs.

Painting With A Twist recently opened in Gretna LA, just a couple of blocks off the West Bank Expressway. One of my friends decided that painting and drinking would be a fun way to spend an evening, so we rounded up a group and headed over there last night.

We all arrived toting trays of goodies to share, bottles of wine and even a few daiquiris. I figured the drinking was so that we wouldn’t cry if we hated our pictures. The entire premise is that anyone can be at least a novice artist. Bring your own snacks, drinks and $35 and Painting With a Twist provides the bottle openers, the cups, the space, the canvas, the paints, the brushes and the most patient instructors you’ll ever meet.

Each night of the week, there are open classes that anyone can attend. 2 hours classes are $35 and 3 hour classes are $45. Walk ins are welcome, but it’s preferred that you either call ahead or sign up online, since there are a minimum of 4 people to hold a class. A different picture is featured each night (see the schedule on their website) for the open classes or you can book a private party for 15 or more people and choose your own painting from a large gallery selection.

If you have company coming to visit over the holidays, wouldn’t this be a fantastic way to get out of the house and spend an evening as a group or a family?

Step by step, we were led through the process of turning a blank canvas into our own little piece of art. Rule number one from our fabulous teacher, Jason, was….relax! It’s supposed to be fun, not stressful and a room full of type A, perfectionist personalities promptly did just that. Music played in the background as we made those first hesitant strokes onto the canvas. I don’t know why we were worried to begin with. If we ran into a little trouble, Jason and another of the resident artists were on hand to help us out, encouraging us to put our own interpretation on the guide pictures we were trying to recreate and giving us how-to tips to fix our little mistakes along the way.

Now, I’m not creative or the least bit artistic by any stretch of the imagination. I can’t even draw a straight line, much less paint a picture, but I’m pretty proud of my first attempt and figure it’s at least a step up from what my mom used to hang on the refrigerator.

Painting With A Twist is located at 1900 Lafayette Street, in the Village Shopping Center in Gretna LA. Visit them on the web at www.paintingwithatwist.com or call (504) 361-0574.

102 Kingston Court New Orleans LA | Algiers Home for Sale or Rent

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:36:24 -0600

Who needs an apartment when you can rent a single family home on the West Bank for only $1,000 per month? With 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, an updated kitchen and a modern bath, 102 Kingston Court is a perfect leasing alternative.

Only 3 miles from the Crescent City Connection, 6 miles to downtown New Orleans, and minutes away from both the Naval Support Activity in Algiers and NAS JRB New Orleans in Belle Chasse.

Long term lease available and the owner will consider a lease/purchase option for qualified buyers since this home is also for sale for only $125,000.

If you can’t see the video above, click here.

For more information about this or other properties for lease or for sale on the West Bank of New Orleans, please contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you!

Marrero LA Home for Sale in Brentwood Subdivision | 1240 Artesa Drive Marrero LA 70072

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:44:01 -0600

Tucked away in the Brentwood subdivision just off of the West Bank Expressway in Marrero, Louisiana, this beautiful home is now on the market.

Offered at $250,000

Constructed in 2006, the Westchester model floor plan was designed with entertaining in mind. Dinner parties? They’ll fit right into the formal dining room. Family get-togethers? The spacious den will accommodate a crowd. Movie night? The upstairs loft makes a terrific media or game room. And so much more….

4 bedrooms
2 1/2 baths
2,949 square feet living area (approximate)
Soaring, 2 story entry foyer
Open kitchen with island and attached breakfast area
Formal living/dining combination
Large den with wood burning fireplace
Oversized master suite
Roomy master bath with garden tub, separate shower and walk in closet

Can’t see the video above? Click here.

Maintenance is a breeze with the brick exterior and all of the major mechanicals are only 3 years old. Why wait to build when you can move right in to this lovely Marrero home?

To schedule your private showing or for more information about 1240 Artesa Drive, contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you.

English Turn | Home Sales and Real Estate Market Trends for September 2009

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:53:09 -0500

Current real estate activity in English Turn:

42 homes are for sale in English Turn

High list price $1,995,000
Low list price $395,000
Average list price $688,392
Median list price $557,383

3 homes are under contract or pending sale, with an average list price of $474,667

Based on the number of homes sold in September (1), there is a 42 month supply of homes for sale in the community

English Turn | Number of Homes Sold | September 2009

Year to date, there have been 18 home sales in English Turn, compared to 21 at the same time last year.

3 of this years sales have been foreclosure or bank owned properties, which are selling for about $110 per square foot compared to $132 per square foot for normal resale homes in English Turn.

English Turn | Average Home Sale Prices | September 2009

Average home sale prices in English Turn are down to $507,378 as of the end of September 2009. This is a decrease of 14% in the average sale price when compared to 2008.

My initial thought was that with so few sales, the handful of foreclosures were impacting the average prices. But removing those from the mix resulted in an average of $507,607 – a negligible change not even worth noting.

All data is provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Related information:

Algiers LA homes for sale
New Orleans West Bank Homes for Sale

Home Selling Tips
Home Buying Tips

Are you considering buying or selling a home in English Turn? Feel free to contact the West Bank Living Team with any of your questions or just for a little advice. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your real estate needs.

Algiers LA 70131 | Home Sales and Real Estate Market Trends for September 2009

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:39:43 -0500

Current real estate activity in Algiers LA 70131 (excluding English Turn):

198 homes are for sale

High list price $895,000
Low list price $35,000
Average list price $188,261
Median list price $154,950

39 homes are under contract or pending sale, with an average list price of $144,823

Based on the number of homes sold in September (25), there is a 7.92 month supply of homes for sale in the area

Algiers LA 70131 | Number of Homes Sold | September 2009

September saw the highest number of home sales in Algiers for all of 2009 AND the most homes sold since April 2008. While we are still running behind this same time last year (160 this year compared to 175 in September 2008), it does appear that the market is flattening instead of continuing the steep drops that Algiers has experienced for the last couple of years.

BUT (there’s always a but), remember that for a period of time this summer Algiers was included in the City of New Orleans soft second mortgage program for homes that suffered more than $5,200 in repaired hurricane damage. When that money ran out, showing activity softened and slowed. The majority of those allocations have now been closed, so we’ll have to keep an eye on the trends to see what impact that has on the sales numbers going forward.

Algiers LA 70131 | Average Home Sale Price | September 2009

In another bit of good news, the average home sale price in Algiers is less than $1,000 lower than the 2008 average and is almost on par with 2005 (our last normal market). The expiration of the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers at the end of November may impact this as well, unless the credit is extended.

The choice of financing can tell you a lot about who is purchasing in a community. FHA continues to be the choice of the majority of home buyers due to the low down payment requirements and the ability to have home sellers provide some assistance with closing costs.

So far in 2009, 53% of FHA buyers in Algiers have received closing cost assistance from sellers. The amounts ranged from a low of $2,000 to a high of $11,500. The average amount of closing cost assistance provided to FHA buyers in 2009 is $5,581 or 3.71% of the purchase price.

All data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Related information:

Algiers LA homes for sale

Home buying tips
Home selling tips

If you are considering buying or selling a home in Algiers and have a question or just need a little advice, please contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your real estate needs.

Algiers Point | Home Sales and Real Estate Market Trends for September 2009

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:38:52 -0500

Current real estate activity for Algiers Point:

30 homes are for sale in Algiers Point

High list price $550,000
Low list price $123,500
Average list price $276,403
Median list price $278,500

3 homes are under contract or pending sale, with an average listing price of $229,300

Based on the number of homes sold in September (2), there is a 15 month supply of homes for sale in the area

Algiers Point | Number of Single Family Home Sales | September 2009

Algiers Point has had only 13 successful single family home sales this year, compared to 28 at the same time last year - a decrease of 54% in the number of closed sales. This marks the largest decrease of any of the West Bank communities that we track.

What about financing?

The buzz this year has been all about the first time home buyer’s tax credit. Most of these first time buyers are using FHA financing to purchase their homes. Given the percentage of conventional and cash deals in the Point, there appear to be very few first time buyers moving into the area.

Algiers Point | Average Single Family Home Prices | September 2009

While there was a jump in the September average (due to one high end home selling), the year to date average home sale in Algiers Point is $225,431, up slightly from the 2008 average.

While the prices may be holding their own, the number of sales (see above) is down dramatically and apparently sellers are not getting the message. The majority of homes on the market in the Point are priced above $250,000 - the homes selling are generally not. As we move towards the end of the year, it may be time to review your pricing strategy to see if it still makes sense in today’s market.

All data is provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Read more:

Algiers LA homes for sale

Home Buying Tips

Home Selling Tips

Questions about the Algiers Point real estate market? Feel free to contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your New Orleans area real estate needs.

Algiers LA 70114 | Real Estate and Home Sales for September 2009

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:05:44 -0500

Current real estate activity in Algiers LA 70114:

104 homes are for sale

High list price $550,000
Low list price $22,500
Average list price $162,589
Median list price $139,450

13 homes are pending sale or under contract, with an average list price of $134,992

Based on the number of homes sold in September (7), there is a 14.85 month supply of homes for sale in the area

Algiers LA 70114 | Number of Homes Sold | September 2009

Year to date, there have been 58 successful single family home sales in the 70114 zip code of Algiers, compared to 89 at the same time last year. This decrease of 35% is one of the largest on the West Bank, making Algiers the hardest hit areas for declining home sales. While reduced sales in Algiers Point have had an impact, the condition of properties being sold is also an issue, with a substantial number of homes in Poor, Fair and Average condition being marketed.

A large percentage of the 2009 sales in the area have been to cash buyers, and a review of those sales indicates that a large number of them are to investors and buyers who are willing to take on a fixer-upper. It remains to be seen if these properties will come back on the market as renovations or if they are being held as rental units and personal residences.

Algiers LA 70114 | Average Home Sale Price | September 2009

Prices have taken a hit as well – they are down 14% from 2008. Although much of this can be attributed to fewer sales in Algiers Point, which typically has the highest priced real estate in the zip code, the large percentage of homes in need of repair is pushing prices downward as well. If you are considering selling your Algiers home, be sure that your agent is pricing it to compete with other homes in the same condition rather than just using the average sale price.

All data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Read more at:

Algiers LA homes for sale

Algiers Point real estate market updates

Home Buying Tips

Home Selling Tips

Have a question about buying or selling a home on the West Bank? Contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your real estate needs.

Westwego, Avondale and Bridge City LA 70094 | Home Sales and Real Estate Market Trends for September 2009

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:07:31 -0500

Current real estate activity in the 70094 zip code:

129 homes for sale

High list price $369,000
Low list price $35,000
Average list price $133,781
Median list price $118,000

39 homes are under contract or pending sale, with an average list price of $103,667

Based on the number of homes sold in September (12), there is a 10.75 month supply of homes for sale in the community

Westwego Avondale Bridge City | Number of Homes Sold | September 2009

Westwego, Avondale and Bridge City ended September with a total of 104 homes sold in 2009, compared to 130 at the same time last year (a 20% decrease in the number of sales). In my opinion, part of the reduction in sales can be attributed to the condition of properties in the area.

Almost 50% of the sales were of homes that were in Poor, Fair or Average condition and were more likely to appeal to an investor or a do-it-yourselfer looking for a home they could put a little sweat equity into. Typically, these homes may not qualify for FHA financing unless the purchaser is willing to use an FHA 203(k) and pay a higher rate to be able to finance repairs into their mortgage.

Westwego Avondale Bridge City | Average Home Sale Prices | September 2009

Values in the 70094 zip code are holding steady, with a less than $1,000 difference between the 2008 and 2009 average sale prices. As more homes are rehabbed, I would anticipate a slow increase in values due to improved conditions of the properties themselves.

FHA remains the financing option of choice for the majority of home buyers in Westwego, Avondale and Bridge City. However, the large number of cash purchases indicates a fairly high level of investor activity in the community as well. Since this has always been one of the most reasonably priced real estate markets on the West Bank, it’s not surprising to find that people are snapping up the lower price range in an attempt to either rehab and rent or flip the properties.

Year to date, there have been 43 sales of homes for less than $75,000 in the area, making up 41% of all sales.

All data is provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Home Buying Tips
Home Selling Tips

Find out what's going on in your West Bank neighborhood with this week's free market snapshot.

Do you have questions about the West Bank real estate market? Feel free to contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your real estate needs.

Marrero LA 70072 | Home Sales and Real Estate Market Trends for September 2009

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:51:02 -0500

Current real estate activity in Marrero LA 70072:

254 homes are for sale in Marrero

High list price $2,500,000
Low list price $24,900
Average list price $186,682
Median list price $149,900

56 homes are under contract or pending sale, with an average list price of $136,680

Based on the number of homes sold in September (24), there is a 10.6 month supply of homes for sale

Marrero LA 70072 | Number of Homes Sold | September 2009

Year to date, there have been 266 homes sold in Marrero, compared to 286 at the same time in 2008. This 7% decrease in the number of home sales is typical of the current West Bank real estate market, which has seen sales slide across the area since the high point of 2006.

FHA remains the financing option chosen by the majority of home buyers in Marrero. Why is this important? Because 62% of the FHA buyers in September also required an average of $5,557 in assistance from the seller with their closing costs and prepaids (insurance, lender fees, etc.). When selling your home, you need to know what concessions other sellers are making in order to successfully sell their properties.

Marrero LA 70072 | Average Home Sale Price | September 2009

Average sale prices in Marrero are down 9.5% from the 2008 average, but are running just a hair above the 2005 average. Unless you purchased your home post-Katrina, you more than likely have built at least a little equity in it. Of course, this varies from neighborhood to neighborhood, with some performing better than others. Find out what's going on in your neighborhood with this week’s free market snapshot

All data is provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Home Selling Tips
Home Buying Tips

Do you have questions about the Marrero real estate market? Contact the West Bank Living Team today for professional real estate services and advice. It would be our pleasure to assist you.

Harvey LA 70058 | Home Sales and Real Estate Trends for September 2009

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:24:53 -0500

Current real estate activity in Harvey LA 70058:

157 homes for sale

High list price $585,000
Low list price $20,000
Average list price $180,021
Median list price $155,000

70 homes are under contract or pending sale, with an average list price of $152,624

Based on the number of homes sold in September (16), there is a 9.8 month supply of homes for sale in the area.

Harvey LA 70058 | Number of Homes Sold | September 2009

Harvey has seen 147 homes sold through September 2009, compared to 200 at the same time last year (a decrease of 26.5%). Like most other areas, the majority of Harvey home buyers are using FHA financing. These loans require the lowest down payment possible (3.5%) and appeal to the first time home buyers who are trying to get closed before the tax credit expires at the end of November.

Of note is the fact that 44% of the September buyers received an average of $2,756 in assistance from the seller with their closing costs and prepaids. If you are considering selling your Harvey home, be sure that the agents you talk to can provide you with adjusted sales prices to take any of this assistance into account when determining an acceptable sales price.

Harvey LA 70058 | Average Home Sale Price | September 2009

While the average sale price dropped from August to September, the year to date average is still almost 7% higher than in 2008 – a rare occurrence of increasing prices in today’s market! Remember, though, that this average does not take into account any seller paid assistance or allowances provided to the buyers at closing and your agent should be able to provide details such as this for sales in your neighborhood.

All data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Home Buying Tips
Home Selling Tips

Find out what's going on in your West Bank neighborhood with this week's free market snapshot

Questions? Feel free to contact the West Bank Living Team for any of your real estate needs. It would be our pleasure to assist you.

Terrytown and Gretna LA 70056 | Home Sales and Real Estate Market Trends September 2009

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:07:50 -0500

Current real estate activity in Terrytown and Gretna LA 70056:

167 homes are for sale

High list price $1,390,000
Low list price $16,900
Average list price $209,418
Median list price $165,000

67 homes are under contract or pending sale, with an average list price of $172,469

Based on the number of homes sold in September (15), there is an 11.13 month supply of homes for sale

Terrytown and Gretna LA | Number of Homes Sold | September 2009

Although they are down about 9% from this time last year, the number of home sales in Terrytown and Gretna is holding fairly steady from month to month.

While the media focus has been on the first time home buyer tax credit and FHA loans, amazingly enough there were no FHA loans that closed in Terrytown in September.

Type of Financing Used	Number of homes sold
Conventional loans	6
Cash	7
VA loans	2

Terrytown and Gretna LA | Average Home Sale Price | September 2009

The bad news is that average home sale prices are down 5% from last year – and that’s really not so bad when compared to some of the other West Bank neighborhoods that have been hit hard.

The good news is that unless you purchased your home in 2006-2008, you more than likely have built equity in it, just not at the same rate we saw in the early 2000s.

Homes that are priced right and in excellent condition continue to attract the most attention and sell faster than homes that need a little TLC.

Home Selling Tips

All data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Terrytown and Gretna LA homes for sale

Home Buying Tips

Find out what's going on in your West Bank neighborhood with this week's free market snapshot.

Questions? Contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your real estate needs.

Gretna LA 70053 | Home Sales and Real Estate Trends for September 2009

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:45:50 -0500

Current real estate activity in Gretna LA 70053:

53 homes for sale

High list price $287,100
Low list price $24,900
Average list price $148,388
Median list price $135,000

15 homes are under contract or pending sale, with an average list price of $142,841

Based on the number of homes sold in September 2009 (9), there is a 5.9 month supply of homes for sale in Gretna (a balanced real estate market).

Gretna LA 70053 | Number of Homes Sold | September 2009

Year to date, Gretna has seen 54 successful home sales, compared to 59 at the same time last year. Not bad, when the majority of the West Bank has seen the number of sales drop substantially from 2008 to 2009.

The average Gretna home sold in September had 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1373 square feet of living area and was on the market for 46 days. Homes priced right and in the best possible condition can still sell quickly!

The best news for Gretna is that the supply and demand of homes is in balance at this time. That could change quickly if a large number of homes come on the market for sale, but for now it’s one of the most stable markets on the West Bank of New Orleans.

Home Selling Tips

Gretna LA 70053 | Average Home Sale Prices | September 2009

While the number of Gretna homes sold is holding fairly steady, the average sale price has dropped by 7% from 2008. This is still not nearly as dramatic of a decrease as some other communities on the West Bank have experienced. The first time home buyer tax credit is about to expire, so it will be interesting to see if the average prices increase or decrease when that option is no longer available.

Home Buying Tips

All data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Gretna LA homes for Sale

Find out what's going on in your West Bank neighborhood with this week's free market snapshot.

Questions? Contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your West Bank real estate needs.

Investment Property on the West Bank of New Orleans | 6 Marrero LA Doubles for Sale

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:45:03 -0500

Long term, owning real estate can be one of the most profitable ways to invest your money. Given the opportunity to own most of an entire block, investors will be jumping at these West Bank properties. Located just off of Ames and Lapalco in Marrero, walking distance to grocery and convenience stores and right on a public transportation route, 6 doubles are now on the market – with tenants included in 11 of the 12 units.

Each of these all brick, 1800 square feet units are laid out the same and are next door to each other. The owner has installed ceramic tile flooring in 11 of the units for easy clean up, making the occasional transition from one tenant to the next quick, easy and inexpensive.

Individual units have 2 bedrooms and 1 bath per side, with laundry rooms on the exterior. Tenants pay all of their own utilities and supply their own appliances except for the range/ovens. Central air and heat, newer roofs (replaced in 2006) and a total of $8,100 in monthly rent currently being collected.

Available properties and rents are:

5545-47 Jordan Drive - 5545 is currently rented for $800/month, 5547 is rented for $700/month

5549-51 Jordan Drive – both sides currently rented for $700/month each

5553-55 Jordan Drive – both sides currently rented for $700/month each

5557-59 Jordan Drive – 5557 is vacant (recently updated), 5559 is rented for $700/month

5561-63 Jordan Drive – 5561 is currently rented for $800/month, 5563 is rented for $700/month

5565-67 Jordan Drive – 5565 is currently rented for $900/month (section 8), 5567 is rented for $700/month

For more information about these properties, please contact the West Bank Living Team.

Belle Chasse LA 70037 | Home Sales and Real Estate Trends for September 2009

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:18:06 -0500

Current real estate activity in Belle Chasse LA:

53 homes are for sale

High list price $1,100,000
Low list price $99,000
Average list price $355,572
Median list price $292,450

12 homes are under contract or pending sale, with an average list price of $347,809.

Based on the number of homes sold in September (6), there is an 8.8 month supply of homes for sale in Belle Chasse.

Belle Chasse LA – Number of Homes Sold – September 2009

As of September 2009, there have been 50 homes sold in Belle Chasse this year, compared to 59 at the same time last year (a decrease of 15% in the number of sales). The area continues to buck the financing trend with the majority (67%) of home buyers using conventional mortgages instead of the more popular FHA loans.

Type of Financing Used in 2009	Number of homes financed
Convention	19
FHA	10
VA	10
Cash	7
Other	4

Belle Chasse LA | Average Home Sale Price | September 2009

Home prices in Belle Chasse have dropped significantly from 2008 to 2009 (21%), ending September with an average home sale price of $262,411, reversing the increasing prices the area has experienced for the last few years. However, unless you purchased your Belle Chasse home in 2006-2008, the odds are good that you have still seen an increase in the amount of equity you have in your home.

All data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Belle Chasse LA homes for sale
Belle Chasse Real Estate Market Reports

Find out what's going on in your West Bank neighborhood with this week's free market snapshot.

Questions? Contact the West Bank Living team

Little Friends Helping Friends

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:11:13 -0500

Recently, I heard about a 5 year old boy who lives in Algiers named Ben Sarrat. Ben is fighting an inoperable brain tumor caused by pediatric cancer. His family is doing everything they can to make Ben’s life happy, including sending him to St. Andrew the Apostle School which has been a dream of his since he was very small. Attending St. Andrew’s has let Ben meet some great kids – and those kids are showing just how great they are this weekend.

Because they want to help Ben get better, several of his friends and classmates have organized a multi-family bake sale for this Sunday morning at 753 Huckleberry Lane in Terrytown. Not only can you buy cookies, cupcakes, lemonade and other treats, but there will also be a raffle of a $100 gift certificate to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse (raffle tickets are just $1 each).

People who move to New Orleans from other parts of the country usually think that they are coming to a big city. Those of us who grew up here or have lived in the metro area for any length of time know that it’s really just a small town surrounded by a lot of other small towns. And it’s these kind of small town happenings that remind me just how lucky we are over here on the West Bank to have such a caring community that will rally around friends in need.

Please take a moment on Sunday to stop by the bake sale and show some of our little citizens that they don’t have to wait for the world to change – they can change it, in their own way, every single day.

Directions to 753 Huckleberry Lane

I Wish I'd Had My House Inspected First

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:06:58 -0500

Those are the exact words we heard from a seller recently.

Why? Because after all of the back and forth negotiations were finished and a price and terms were agreed on, the buyer’s inspection report came back with several problems that the seller did not know existed. In order to keep the purchasers from cancelling the contract and walking away from the house, the seller spent over $2,000 having things fixed. Since he had already agreed to a darn good deal for the buyers, he felt a little short changed.

What do Louisiana purchase agreements say about inspections?

The first thing that our contracts say about inspections is that both parties are agreeing that the price was negotiated based on the apparent condition of the property. This is an important fact, because if there are needed repairs that were not readily apparent to a buyer, this often becomes an issue for them (or their lender or insurance company).

What if you are selling your home “AS IS”?

Most sellers in Louisiana list their homes as being sold “As Is With a Waiver of Redhibition”. However, this clause only becomes effective at the act of sale and does not preclude the buyer from doing any and all inspections, as shown in the purchase agreement below.

Did you catch that Option 1? If the buyer is not satisfied with the condition of the property, they can elect to terminate the agreement to purchase (and get their deposit back as well) without any questions. In our experience, however, unless there are an extreme number of hidden defects, most buyers will provide a list of items they are not satisfied with and request repairs be made by the seller.

What happens if the repairs are expensive?

Again, it becomes a renegotiation of your contract. With so many homes for sale on the West Bank, buyers are typically not willing to take on someone else’s deferred maintenance on big tickets items such as roofs, plumbing and air and heating systems. Buyers may request that expensive repairs be made at the seller’s expense or they may ask for a lower purchase price to offset the need to make repairs after they move in.

It’s important to know, though, that many FHA and VA lenders are looking closely at the condition of properties they are taking as collateral and they may not be willing to extend a loan on a home that is in need of major repairs. Since the majority of home sales this year have been to FHA or VA buyers, taking care of repairs may be the only way to avoid either reducing the sales price or waiting longer on the market for the more elusive conventional or cash buyers.

Inspections results must be disclosed

If you have your home inspected (whether it’s done before listing or by a potential buyer), you will need to update your disclosures to provide any new information to the next prospective buyer.

We have long been proponents of having a house inspected before it goes on the market, but find that most home owners don’t want to spend the $300-$400 up front. If our seller’s home had been inspected first, there would have been no expensive surprises that ended up reducing the money that he was going to leave the closing table with.

Need more information on home inspections? The Louisiana State Board of Home Inspectors has a great frequently asked questions page.

The West Bank Living Team provides professional real estate services and advice to home buyers and sellers on the West Bank of New Orleans. Feel free to contact us for assistance with any of your real estate needs or questions.

The 15th Annual Gretna Heritage Festival Was Rockin'!

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:52:14 -0500

The 2009 Gretna Heritage Festival is now part of the history books, and despite the fact that Sunday was dreary and rainy, I’m sure that another new attendance record must have been set. After spending 3 days on the festival grounds, I didn’t even come close to seeing or hearing everything, but I did get a really good sampling of food, music and fun.

The festival opened on Friday afternoon to a queue of waiting people and more continued to arrive in a steady stream throughout the evening. Lines quickly formed at the various food booths around dinner time and the arts and crafts vendors seemed to be doing a steady business.

Saturday was a gorgeous day and I’m sure that any previous records for one day attendance were smashed. By the time the sun set, it was getting difficult to make your way through the streets because there were so many people.

It’s a good thing Saturday was so fabulous, because Sunday dawned full of clouds, rain and overall dreariness. That didn’t keep the die-hards from coming out though, and after the Saints finished trouncing the Jets (GEAUX SAINTS!), even more people showed up to help close out the festival.

The ferry from Canal Street ran back and forth all weekend and most of the trips were at full capacity.

Arts and Crafts

We found some fabulous Tshirts, posters and other art, lots of home decor and if you’re a fleur de lis fan that couldn’t find something you loved there…well, there just might be no pleasing you!

Local artist Terrance Osborne was on hand Saturday, signing prints of some of his most popular pieces.

Posters, books, art, jewelry…something for everyone, including good stories if you took a few minutes to stop and listen. The ladies below are the authors of the books they were selling and were a delight to visit with!

While people came from all over (we met the nicest folks from Kentucky hanging out in the Italian Village), true West Bankers were showing their pride and snapping up clothes with our different communities on them. Pssst…..will someone please make an Algiers shirt for next year??

Games and Rides

With pay one price wristbands on Friday evening and Sunday evening, the kids were bouncing from one ride to the next. There were also many carnival games for them to play (to the chagrin of many moms and dads, I’m sure) in that quest for a “big prize”.

And the food – OH, the food…I gained 10 pounds just walking through the streets. OK, so maybe I sampled a few things here and there :) If you didn’t leave full, shame on you.

Music

The biggest draw for the festival, though, is the music. Kerry Brown (who also is responsible for scheduling the Back to the River bands) always does an outstanding job of booking a wide variety of acts, and this year was no different. While I didn’t make it to some of the biggest draws (Kool & The Gang, Chicago, Jo Dee Messina) I did manage to wander enough to hear some great tunes every day, especially from our local bands and artists.

What a weekend! Thanks to all of the organizers and volunteers who make this event possible, with a special thanks to Dodie Rackley for helping me get access for all of my photos.. I hope to see you back at the Fest next year….

This is just a sampling of the pictures from the festival. Click here for more photos of the 2009 Gretna Heritage Festival. I’ll be slowly adding them over the next couple of days, so check back later!

The festival is here! 15th Annual Gretna Heritage Festival this weekend!

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:56:34 -0500

From it’s start with one stage and a couple of hundred attendees, the Gretna Heritage Festival has come a long, long way! The fun kicks off again tonight and lasts through the weekend with a stellar line up of music, over 40 food booths, carnival rides and art, jewelry and craft booths to satisfy your need for retail therapy and more.

The weather forecast for Friday is looking a little damp, so throw on your raincoat, pull up your galoshes (or your shrimp boots – we don’t mind) and head on out to Gretna for an amazing start to the weekend. Just look at the talent that will open the festival this year!

See the entire weekend music schedule

And this is just the opening night! Named to the Southeastern Tourism Society’s Top 20 Festivals, Gretna Fest welcomed over 130,000 people last year – it just keeps growing and growing as the word spreads about the quality of the music, the affordability of the food and the warm, welcoming people who make it all happen.

Tickets are $10 per day or $25 for a weekend pass and kids 12 and under are free. Don’t want to hassle with trying to park nearby? Free parking and a free shuttle during the festival will be available at the Westside Shopping Center behind Academy Sporting Goods and at Oakwood Center in Terrytown. Pedestrians ride free on the Gretna-Canal Street ferry.

Need more information? Get it all here:

Food
Arts & Crafts
Rides & Games
German Beer Garden
Italian Village

We will be in the Krewe of Choctaw booth selling shrimp poboys, catfish poboys and crawfish pies all weekend – stop in and say HI to the West Bank Living Team. We’d love to meet you in person!

Just to get you in the mood, here are a few photos from the 2008 Festival

See you this weekend!

Great Seafood on the West Bank of New Orleans | Perino's Boiling Pot

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:21:47 -0500

It’s pretty hard to impress a New Orleans native with boiled seafood. After all, we learn to peel crawfish and shrimp and pick crabs as soon as we are big enough to sit at the table – mostly because our parents quickly got tired of doing it for us. So while I had heard good things about Perino’s from friends, I didn’t have any really high expectations when we pulled into the parking lot on the West Bank Expressway.

The front of the building is very plain and when you enter there is a to-go counter and a large, open dining room jam packed with cafeteria like tables and chairs for family style seating along with a few arcade games and a claw machine for the kids, big or small. Very 1970s, right down to the neon beer signs and stuffed animals hanging on the walls. Topping each table is a big roll of paper towels, a basket of crackers and butter and a rack of condiments including a huge squeeze bottle of cocktail sauce – the only thing missing is the newspaper covering the tables.

The menu is pretty simple and straightforward. Seasonal boiled and fried seafood and traditional sides such as potatoes, corn and sausage. The specials when we visited were the fried crawfish tails and fried alligator, served in a basket with fries. Since the whole reason we came was because we heard how good the boiled seafood was, we promptly ordered crabs and shrimp and decided to try the crawfish tail basket as well instead of sides.

Thank goodness we ordered the crawfish, because each basket came with a bowl of some of the best gumbo I’ve ever eaten. Filled with shrimp and crab claw meat and perfectly spiced, I think hubby and I set a record for the fastest gumbo eating. We weren’t the only ones impressed, as I heard other diners complimenting it as well. It’s only served by the cup or the bowl, but I’d gladly pay for a gallon of it to serve for dinner at home.

Dear hubby jumped into the crawfish tails (which were pretty darn good) before I could take a picture, but the blue crabs and shrimp were out of this world. Well seasoned and juicy, I knew it was a good meal by the number of paper towels we went through! The wait staff was very friendly, the big screen TV was playing a college football game and there was just a comfortable, old New Orleans feel to the place.

It’s not fancy by any means, but if you are looking for casual, family friendly dining and delicious food, take a drive to Harvey and check out Perino’s Boiling Pot. You won’t be sorry.

Perino’s Boiling Pot is located at 3754 West Bank Expressway in Harvey LA. Open Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 am – 10 pm and until 11 pm on Friday and Saturday. Need more information? Give them a call at (504) 340-5539.

Belle Chasse LA 70037 | July 2009 Home Sales

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:28:27 -0500

Current real estate activity in Belle Chasse LA:

53 homes for sale

High list price $1,700,000

Low list price $127,000

Average list price $416,343

Median list price $320,000

10 pending home sales, priced from $125,000 to $375,000

Based on the number of homes sold in July (3), there is a 17.6 month supply of homes for sale in Belle Chasse

Belle Chasse LA | Number of Homes Sold | July 2009

Belle Chasse ended July with 3 homes sold, bringing the year to date total to 36 homes sold in 2009 (down from 50 sales at the same time last year).

Conventional financing ruled July – all of the sales were to buyers using conventional loans, which means they had to have at least a 10% down payment. These are strong buyers that are choosing homes in the $300-$400k price range which currently accounts for about 21% of the Belle Chasse real estate market.

The drop in the number of sales pushed the absorption rate up from 7 months to 17 months, showing what a delicate balance there is between supply and demand in today’s market.

Belle Chasse LA | Average Home Sale Prices | July 2009

The average Belle Chasse home sale in July was for $330,833, while the 2009 year to date average is $269,336, down almost 19% from the 2008 average. While the average list price is skewed by that one listing for $1.7 million, the median list price (half of the homes are priced lower, half are priced higher) is still higher than what the average Belle Chasse home buyer is spending.

What sold in July?

Address	# Beds/Baths	Square Footage	List Price	Sale Price
Cazalard	3/2	2,110	$339,900	$312,500
Dr Gorman	4/3.5	2,816	$350,000	$315,000
Jasmine	4/3	2,700	$415,000	$365,000

It’s interesting to note that every sale in July was a home between 4 and 6 years old. If you are selling an older Belle Chasse home, be prepared to have either already done your updates and renovations or to settle for a lower sales price. Read: Home Selling Tips

All data is provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Find a Home:
Belle Chasse LA homes for sale
New Orleans West Bank Homes for Sale

3108 Nature Drive Marrero LA 70058 | Marrero LA Home for Sale in Oak Cove

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:55:22 -0500

When people think about what they are looking for in a home purchase, there are a few things that are common to almost every list….large living room, space for an office, a private master suite and a backyard with room for either the kids to play or the adults to entertain in.

Look no further, because 3108 Nature Drive has all of that and more!

Clean, clean, clean and move in ready, this adorable home in the Oak Cove subdivision is new on the market and priced to sell at only $154,900.

Large living room? It’s got it, along with wood floors and a beautiful bricked fireplace.

Room to enjoy the outdoors? It’s got that too, including a patio, a storage shed and a 6 foot fence for privacy.

Private master suite? You bet, including a full bath with updated vanity and a flat screen TV that remains.

There are 2 more bedrooms, a formal dining room and an air conditioned garage space that could easily be turned into a home office, playroom or gym.

It’s got everything that buyers are looking for….so come take a peek…and bring your checkbook so you don’t let this one get away!

Take a virtual tour of 3108 Nature Drive

Community Information:

Jefferson Parish public schools
Jefferson Parish website
Jefferson Parish Assessor's Office

SOLD! 4204 Ames Blvd | Gorgeous Marrero LA Home for Sale

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:26:22 -0500

JUST LISTED!

It’s a pleasure to find an almost new home that has been cared for, well maintained AND is priced to sell. All of that and more can be found in a beautiful piece of real estate right in the curve of Ames Blvd. in Marrero LA.

New on the market at only $175,000!

This is one instance where you can judge a book by it’s cover. If you think the yard is neat, clean and well manicured, wait until you see the inside. Pride of ownership in this 5 year old home shows from the gleaming hardwood floors to the crown molding that caps off the 9 and 11 foot ceilings.

What does 4204 Ames have to offer?

3 bedrooms
2 baths
Formal dining
Fireplace
Master suite with sitting area
Sunken pool
Hot tub
And more, more, more

For more photos and details, visit 4204 Ames Blvd on the web. Then call the West Bank Living Team to schedule your private showing of this practically perfect Marrero home before some other smart buyer scoops it up and calls it home.

You Might Need A New REALTOR If....

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:26:41 -0500

We are full time agents. This is our job, our career, our livelihood, our chosen profession. As we make our way through listing appointments, showings and phone calls, we sometimes run across those agents that make us say “What the…??”

So in the interest of the public good (or maybe just to blow off a little steam), we conducted a poll of professional Realtors across the country, asking them to finish the statement “You might need a new REALTOR if…”. Here are the responses we compiled during our completely unscientific survey. These are all real life examples of why you need to do a little research before choosing your REALTOR.

You Might Need a New Agent If….

Your agent doesn’t have a lockbox key to actually get you into the homes you want to see. That’s OK, you don’t mind working your appointments around the schedules of the 12 different listing agents that have to meet you and let you into the houses while secretly rolling their eyes at your agent, do you?

Your agent thinks using email is “high tech” or they only check it once a week. That whole email thing is just a passing fad anyway, right?

Your agent doesn’t have a website or blog that provides you with good, local information about buying or selling a home. See email explanation above.

Your current agent answers every single question with “I don’t know…”. There is a reason they are wearing that giant name tag on their lapel.

Your agent doesn’t know how to fill out the standard real estate forms without asking for help…from the agent on the other side of the sale. However, I’m sure that other agent has only your best interests at heart when advising them how to structure your counter offer. You’ll be fine. Really.

Your agent forgot to send your accepted contract to the lender or title company resulting in a delay of the closing. What do you mean you already hired the movers?

Your agent doesn’t keep up on changing regulations and is surprised that they can’t do something the way they’ve been doing it for years. They are busy setting appointments with all of those listing agents...they can’t be expected to keep up with ALL of those changes, can they?

There are no photos of your house online, or there is just that one of the front. Truly, your house looks great in that picture that was taken from their car…at dusk…in the rain. Based on that one grainy shot, I’m sure the buyers will be beating a path to your door that is hidden behind the tree in it.

Your listing in the MLS is full of errors. You mean you don’t actually have 6 bedrooms and a pool for $99,000?

You find yourself looking at kitchens when you can’t even afford a toaster. But I’m sure it’s a ton of fun spending all of your spare time looking at beautiful homes that you can’t buy. Didn't your mom tell you that disappointment builds character?

Your agent doesn’t own a fax machine, a camera or any of the other tools of the trade. Fred Flintstone called and he wants his stone tablet back.

You are always calling other agents about properties because yours is busy. Remember, their motto is “You Are Number 1 #184”

Your agent doesn’t answer their cell phone or only returns calls at specific times of day. If 10 or 2 doesn’t work for you, there’s always tomorrow. It wasn’t important, was it?

Your current agent has a “real” full time job and can only show you houses on their lunch hour and after work. Psst….this IS a real job.

You are emailing other agents asking if your agent’s behavior is normal. Now that’s just scary.

Your old agent is now the WalMart greeter. But they are still handing out business cards with that 15 year old glamour shot on them.

Thanks to Paul Slaybaugh, John MacArthur, Heather Rankin, Julie Branum, Ray Nellum, Kristina Cusick, Kristin Esparza, Melina Tomson, and Heather Goodwin for contributing to the list.

New Orleans West Bank Real Estate | Has the Market Stabilized?

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:15:04 -0500

That’s the question on the minds of both buyers and sellers. There was a great, in-depth report on the metro area real estate market in a recent issue of the Times-Picayune (Read the entire article here) touting the stabilization of the housing market in the New Orleans area.

…..Ragas and area Realtors believe that the housing market is bottoming out because the backlog of homes for sale is declining and about the same number of home sales closed in the first half of 2009 as in the second half of 2008.

While that may be true when the market is looked at as a whole, it can be misleading for an individual seller who is trying to figure out why their house has not sold.

If you’ve been following along at West Bank Living, you’re already keyed into the market for your area. If not, here is a quick recap for the time frame referenced in the article:

Area	# sales July-Dec 2008	# sales Jan-Jun 2009	% Change
Algiers 70114 (entire zip code)	55	39	-29%
Algiers Point	18	6	-66%
Algiers 70131 (excluding English Turn)	99	87	-12%
English Turn	11	14	+27%
Belle Chasse	32	31	-3%
Gretna 70053	34	37	+8.8%
Gretna/Terrytown 70056	95	104	+9.5%
Harvey	125	100	-20%
Marrero	166	176	+6%
Westwego, Avondale, Bridge City 70094	68	69	+1.5%
Total West Bank Sales (single family homes only)	703	663	-5.7%

My initial thought was that there is a seasonal difference between the number of home sales in the first half of any year and the second half of the year. But, although April through July are usually the busiest months of the year for home sales, the division between the 2 halves of the year is mostly balanced.

Area	Average % of annual sales in January – June (2004-2009)	Average % of annual sales in July-December (2004-2009)
Algiers 70114 (entire zip code)	52%	48%
Algiers Point	55%	45%
Algiers 70131 (excluding English Turn)	53%	47%
English Turn	57%	43%
Belle Chasse	50%	50%
Gretna 70053	52%	48%
Gretna/Terrytown 70056	55%	45%
Harvey	53%	47%
Marrero	56%	44%
Westwego, Avondale, Bridge City 70094	54%	46%

In my opinion, the real answer to the question about market stabilization is “It depends”. Clearly, it depends on the location of your home (right down to the subdivision within a zip code). But it also depends on the condition and price of your home when measured against comparable properties.

“Realtors say that houses on the West Bank of New Orleans suddenly look outdated to potential homebuyers compared with gleaming, newly rebuilt properties in eastern New Orleans, and people are flocking back to the East Bank of the city because they can find better value.”

Advice for sellers

As noted in the article, sellers are competing with homes that had hurricane damage and have now been renovated and updated. If all other things are equal, buyers will choose the updated, ready to move in home over the dated or not-quite-as-nice house 99.9% of the time.

This should serve as a wake up call to sellers to know what your competition is and either bring your house up to snuff or reduce the price to attract the bargain hunters that are sniffing around the edges of the market, waiting for the next great deal.

Having a house hanging out on the market for an extended period of time is not fun for anyone, whether it has stabilized or not.

Advice for buyers

Rarely do buyers have the good fortune of low interest rates combined with lower housing prices. If you are considering buying a home, now really is the time to do it. While getting past the more stringent lending criteria can be a challenge, it will be worth the time and effort invested when you can look around and say “I’m home”.

Find a Home:
West Bank homes for sale

Originally published at West Bank Living

Do you have questions about the West Bank real estate market? Are you considering buying or selling a home? The West Bank Living Team provides local, professional real estate services to home buyers and sellers on the West Bank of New Orleans and military personnel relocating to and from NAS JRB New Orleans. It would be our pleasure to assist you with all of your real estate needs.