New Orleans Real Estate - Solar Water Heater Just like everyone, I am continually searching for ways to reduce my monthly energy bills. Yesterday, I heard an ad on the radio talking about the benefits of solar power. I did a bit research and found out that installing a solar water heater is a pretty good idea. Most of the solar products out there seem to be a bit cost prohibitive, but the solar water heaters actually are not so bad. While prices vary, South Coast Solar said prices start around $9,000. They, of course, stressed that they would need to come out to give a true price (further research found cheaper companies).  So I can hear you thinking already, "didn't he say that it wasn't cost prohibitive?! 9 grand for a hot water heater?!?" Let me explain further... Living in the state... 05/06/2009

New Orleans Real Estate - Are We Close to the Bottom of the Housing Meltdown? There seems to be some good news about the housing market today.  An article I found on cnn.com seems to point to a few signs that we may be near the bottom.  Here are a few points from the article that show positive signals: March pending home sales rose 3.2% Buyers are using the $8,000 tax credit Realtors are seeing an attendance increase at open houses More homes are being correctly priced and are selling quicker Buyers are feeling an increased sense of urgency Pending home sales in the South rose 8.5% These are great signs of a recovering market but it is certainly too soon to call bottom, though.  Regardless, if you are considering buying a home in  New Orleans, I highly recommend changing "considering" t... 05/06/2009

New Orleans Real Estate - Want another way to reduce your energy bill? The heat is already here in New Orleans.  I'm sure that you are like me and are nervous about your summer energy bills.  We are not afraid to use a/c down here!  I was just reading a helpful article that may help you as well! When was the last time you thought about your duct system?  Did you know that you may be wasting a lot of money because of your a/c duct's?  I guess that I never really thought about it! This article by the U.S. Department of Energy  says that most duct's are either poorly insulated or not inuslated at all.  There also may be leaks that let out cool air into your hot attic.  In addition to those pesky leaks, there may be unsealed joints near your air return that allows hot air get into the syste... 05/06/2009

French Quarter Condo Trends for May, 2009! What are the numbers saying?  French Quarter New Orleans       Most of the real estate sold in the New Orleans French Quarter are condos.  At the present time there are 156 units for sale with only 9 under contract.  These are not good numbers if you are a seller.  There have been 28 sales during the last six months or about 5 units being sold per month.  This is coming out of a very slow period.  Real Estate is seasonal and many of the condos sold are to second home people from nearby states.       The square foot prices in the French Quarter are all over the place as to the quality and location of the units vary a lot.  The French Quarter has always been more expensive than the Uptown and Warehouse District.   The Uptown and Warehouse Distric... 05/05/2009

New Orleans Real Estate - Energy Bills Well, it is about that time in New Orleans. Jazz Fest is around the corner...that means the heat is coming! With heat comes high Entergy bills. Did you know that one of the easiest ways to reduce your cooling bills is to seal the air leaks in your home? Without spending much money, you can seal, caulk, and weatherstrip any opening to the outside. Curious about where you can find these openings? Here is a list that I got from Realtor.com that outlines the places where air escapes: 31% Floors, walls, and ceilings 15% Ducts 14% Fireplace 13% Plumbing penetrations 11% Doors 10% Windows 4% Fans and vents 2% Electric Outlets This information really shows us how important insulation is to keeping your energy bills down here in New Orleans. You may also be... 05/04/2009

New Orleans Real Estate - Insulation Information We all know that a well insulated house is better than a poorly insulated house.  Having appropriate insulation helps keep your energy bills down, reduces sound from outside, and keeps you more comfortable.  But did you know that only 20% of homes built before 1980 are well insulated? Most of our houses here in New Orleans were built prior to 1980 so many homeowners may need to add insulation! Insulation can come in a variety of materials but they only come in 4 basic types, each with its own characteristics: Rolls - Sometimes called blankets, rolls of insulation are flexible and come in different sizes.  They can fit easily into standard spaces in your walls, floors, and attic spaces. Loose-fill insulation - This type of insulation is bl... 05/04/2009

New Orleans Real Estate - 2009 Tax Credit Many clients have been asking me about the 2009 First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit. This tax credit is different that the 2008 tax credit. Here are the details: Maximum $8,000 tax credit. Any single family primary residence is eligible. Reduces income tax liability for the year of purchase. Any unused amount will be refunded to the purchaser. Full amount of credit available for individuals with adjusted gross income of no more than $75,000 ($150,000 on a joint return). Phases out above those caps ($95,000 and $170,000). Keep Reading: 2009 Tax Credit   This New Orleans real estate blog post was provided by Darryl Glade, Realtor with RE/MAX N.O. Properties. Darryl can be reached at darrylglade@remax.net or by phone at 504.451.8960. Darryl's real es... 05/04/2009

Current real estate market activity in Algiers Point (single family homes): 20 homes for sale (active listings) High list price $699,000 Low list price $169,000 Average list price $330,340 Median list price $304,950 5 pending sales, priced from $129,900 to $269,900 Based on the number of homes sold in March (1), there is a 20 month supply of homes for sale in Algiers Point, one of the highest inventories on the West Bank of New Orleans. Algiers Point – Number of Homes Sold in March 2009 As of the 1st quarter of 2009, there have been only 3 sales of single family homes in Algiers Point, compared to 4 at the same time last year.  With so few sales, I’ll just go ahead and give a complete list of them: 541 Atlantic (fair condition) sold for $70,000 315 Eliza (excellent condition) sold for $... 05/01/2009

Timing in Real Estate is Key for Buying and Selling ! Now is the season !! Its Busy right now.      New Orleans Real Estate is seasonal but its very hard to judge when the season starts.  It started for most agents 2 weeks ago.  It was like someone shot a cannon off and the market filled up with buyers.  I thought it would be after Mardi Gras but nothing happened.  Then I thought it would start in March after Easter.  Then I thought is would happen after daylight savings time started.  It was close after that time that it really picked up.     The interest rates are at 5%.  There are willing and nervous sellers.  There are some nice places in all price ranges.  The better condos and homes tend to come on the market this time of year.  People are moving, changing  jobs, moving up, moving... 04/30/2009

Current real estate activity in Algiers LA 70131: 163 homes for sale (active listings) High list price $950,000 Low list price $27,900 Average list price $209,156 Median list price $175,000 51 pending sales, priced from $33,250 to $299,000 Based on the number of homes sold in March (21) there is a 7.76 month supply of homes for sale in Algiers Algiers LA 70131 – Number of Homes Sold in March 2009 The number of homes sold in Algiers 70131 more than doubled from February to March 2009, bringing the year to date sales to 38 (compared to 46 at the same time last year).  Who is buying in Algiers? Buyers with conventional financing:  3, at an average price of $168,333 Cash buyers:  6, at an average price of $132,416 FHA buyers:  12, at an average price of $146,291 That large percentage of FHA... 04/30/2009

Current real estate statistics for Algiers LA 70114: 79 homes are currently for sale (active listings) High list price $699,000 Low list price $23,000 Average list price $171,143 Median list price $135,000 18 sales are pending, priced from $19,900 to $269,900 Based on the March sales (7), there is a 11 month supply of homes for sale in zip code 70114 Algiers LA 70114 – Number of Homes Sold in March 2009 March saw another increase in the number of homes sold in the 70114 zip code of Algiers LA, bringing the year to date number of sales to 14 (compared to 20 at this same time last year). Here is a breakdown of sales in the area for March 2009: 2 homes in FAIR condition were sold, with an average sale price of $48,500 1 home in AVERAGE condition was sold for $105,000 2 homes in VERY GOOD c... 04/29/2009

  700 South Peters Condos700 South Peters, Warehouse DistrictNew Orleans, La. 70130$389,515 Priced to Sell!       This elegant two bedroom and  two bath condo has 1250 Square foot of living on the fifth floor of one of the best locations of the New Orleans Warehouse District.  The building is very secure with valet parking and staff that is on duty 24 hours per day.  The unit #515 on the Fulton side of the building with a view of the street below.  The Harrahs Hotel and Casino are tow blocks away.     What makes this unit unique and special is the amount of upgrades that the condo has.  The kitchen has been redone with custom cabinets, new appliances, wine cooler, granite tops and new lighting.  The bath rooms have both been updated with granite and glass shower enclosures along with e... 04/17/2009

New Orleans Real Estate - Home Ownership Benefits Are you considering buying property in New Orleans? There are a myriad of things to consider while making your decision on whether you should purchase or not. I just found a fantastic website that may help you make up your mind! Take a look at the Housing Market Facts site. Here are a few of the home ownership benefits that the site lays out: First-time Home Buyer tax credit - Up to $8,000 in tax credits! Capital gains exclusions if you have lived in your home for at least 2 of the last 5 years. Homeowners may be able to deduct mortgage interest and property taxes as an expense against income. Please take a look at the website to learn about all of the benefits that you can gain from buying New Orleans Real Estate. You may also be intere... 04/09/2009

New Orleans Real Estate - Positive National News Article Did you see the article in the Los Angeles Times on April 5, 2009 about New Orleans? It is nice to read something positive about New Orleans for a change.  I encourage you to read the article. The article talks about how we have basically "dodged" the recession. The main reasoning the article uses to explain why the recession is largely missing us is Katrina.  It says that all of the Federal dollars that we were given for our recovery are holding up our economy.  A combination of low unemployment (as compared to the national average), billions of dollars of Katrina aid ($19 billion unspent), and stable housing prices all lead to a basically solid economy. You may also be interested in: New Orleans Real Estate - The Definitive Blog... 04/09/2009

New Orleans Real Estate - Energy Audit Have you ever thought about what makes up your energy usage? Every month you get a bill from Entergy here in New Orleans...have you ever thought about what is driving that high energy bill? I know I have! I just stumbled across a very interesting chart of what makes up a typical energy bill.  Granted this information is from the 2007 Buildings Energy Data Book, but I am sure these figures have not changed dramatically since then. 31% Space Heating 12% Space Cooling 12% Water Heating 11% Lighting 9% Electronics/Computers 9% Appliances 8% Refrigeration 8% Other Ok, so I know we probably use our heaters a whole lot less in New Orleans than in other parts of the country! But this information is actually very helpful.  It shows us how important proper i... 04/09/2009

New Orleans Real Estate - 6 Great Landscaping Tips I was recently reading the latest issue of Realtor Magazine and came across a small article with 6 great landscaping tips to increase curb appeal.  Landscape designer Michael Glassman created these tips: 1.  Add Splashes of Color - Our climate in New Orleans affords us with a plethora of choices of blooming plants. Choose one or two of them and repeat them throughout the garden. 2.  Size Trees and Shrubs to Scale - You want to plant trees and shrubs so as to not block windows, doors, and other architectural details.  Also, the size of the trees and shrubs should be directly related to the size of the house, the bigger the house, the bigger the trees! 3.  Maintain a Perfect Lawn - This one is a bit obvious! Your house will much better cu... 04/09/2009

Why New Orleans for a second home? Sandy says its the French Quarter for them. March 30th, 2009 Categories: Second Homes     In the business of real estate we get to meet a lot of people from all over the country looking for a second home or getaway.  Sandy and Scott are such a couple from Maryland.  They were in New Orleans several weeks ago looking for something under 200k that had the New Orleans feel.  I picked the best 6-7 condos that had that feel all over town so they could see the difference in what each section had to offer.  At the end of the day, they wanted to stay in the New Orleans French Quarter.  I asked them to give me some of the reasons they liked coming to New Orleans......................  .             "Our first trip to New Orleans was in August 1999 for our honey... 03/31/2009

I don’t know about anyone else, but if I was relocating to a new city one of my first questions about getting around would be “where can I buy ____?” Part of getting acclimated is finding out where to shop in your new community and the West Bank has plenty of choices within a short drive of both military bases or wherever else your relocation might land you. Shopping Mall Oakwood Center in Terrytown is the only true mall on the West Bank. With department stores Dillard’s, JC Penney’s and Sears as anchors, the mall is still filling spaces left after the extended closure and renovations from hurricane damage. Some of the stores that have returned are Old Navy, Victoria’s Secret and Forever 21. I’m still waiting for someone to figure out that there is a lot of disposable income on the West... 03/27/2009

Are you an entrepreneur looking to found a startup? Have you been depressed by the price of real estate and startup cost in cities like Boston, Raleigh, and in the Silicon Valley? Why not consider New Orleans? I know, your first thought is 'New Orleans, the place I went to for Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest? What do they know about startups?' It turns out quite a lot. We have many, many startups in the are right now. Here is just a sample taken from the wiki of my friend Chris Schultz of Voodoo Ventures. Robbie Vitrano announced Trumpet Ventures, a new arm of the Trumpet Group working with startups providing capital and access to Trumpet's brand studio services.  Out of Trumpet ventures comes Dukky, a company does for mailhouse direct marketing what Adwords did for online advertising.  Trumpe... 03/26/2009

    I am good with photos and getting properties noticed on the Internet.  In this case my seller has really helped me. She had had some great photos that gives the unit a look of what it could look like.  The condo currently has a tenant with little furniture or art. The condo is clean but looks empty. Sarah came to the rescue and sent me enough photos to give a great presentation.     She also wrote the great little description that you see below.  I am not the greatest writer but Sarah is very good.  Many agents may not want the help but it is much better to approach the marketing as a team effort.      As an agent with experience and a desire to get things done coupled with an owner who wants the same thing it makes it a lot easier. I will do what I can and she will be the seller th... 03/25/2009