Although there are fewer buyers actively looking for new homes between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year, it's important to remember that the key word here is fewer.  That doesn't mean that no one is looking!  In fact, buyers who are searching for a home during the traditional "slow" time are typically very motivated.  If they are involved in a relocation to the West Bank, you can bet that the holiday season doesn't put their home search on the back burner.  You have a wonderful opportunity to show your home at its sparkling best when decorated for the season...provided you follow a few tips: Subtle decorations are the most welcoming I know that you are proud of your collection of inflatable lawn decorations that took you years to amass.  But making your front yard look like the disp... 12/01/2008

New Orleans French Quarter, Bright Historic Shotgun Faces! Where ya at?     Happy Thanksgiving!  Hope everyone is full of turkey and had a good time with family and friends today.  You always eat too much!   That is easy to do in New Orleans.  Just wanted to share some of my recent photos using  www.picnik.com to do some fun things.  The initial version is free and only $25 for the fancy version.  I use it weekly so its a good buy.       The New Orleans French Quarter has been here since 1718 but these shot guns came much later and were not mansions.  Just wanted to call to the attention of detail with the Victorian gingerbread work  that became popular from 1830 to 1910.  The owners of these shotguns could dress them up with the style of the day which was Victorian Gingerbread work.  T... 11/28/2008

Buyer's Market in New Orleans Condos? More than just one factor is involved?     There are several factors that make this a New Orleans Condo buyer's market.  A Buyer's Market is when the buyer has the upper hand in negotiations and pricing.  Many buyers go to the side line when times are uncertain but that is the time when you can actually get some good buys across all price ranges.     Low Interest Rates are a big factor.  There is plenty of money to lend to people that have good credit at some very good interest rates.  The rates are around 6% which means you will pay $60 for very 10k borrowed.  Borrow 100k and your principle and interest is $600 monthly.  Rates may continue to fall.      Supply of condos is good meaning you are having the sellers compete for your business.  They hav... 11/26/2008

We’ve all heard about New Orleans’ many famous denizens. Archie Manning’s and Anne Rice’s homes are staples of any New Orleans Garden District tour worth its red beans and rice. But newer to the New Orleanian fold are the most famous Hollywood stars that operate under a single unifying moniker. I am, of course, referring to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. The two megastars purchased a high end property in the French Quarter to make their primary residence, and more important than the added tourist dollars that their collective star power will bring to our city (reports of Angelina sightings in French Quarter restaurants and playgrounds are a current mainstay of tabloids) is the pledge that the couple are making to rebuild the city. Pitt, who is interested in architecture and has studied ... 11/22/2008

I made a couple of new friends this summer when two young professionals from California found me from a Craiglist ad and inquired about purchasing a home in downtown New Orleans. Well, Megan and Andy didn’t end up buying a home from me, but we did end up friends. I was telling Andy about my new blogging interest and he came up with the idea of posting a newcomer’s perspective to the New Orleans scene. I thought that might prove interesting to someone else who was thinking about moving to the Crescent City, so I asked him to write a piece for me. Here’s what Andy had to say:Hello readers of Charlie’s blog! I’m a new resident of New Orleans. My wife and I just moved here in July after having spent the entirety of our lives in Northern California. My wife, Megan, was accepted into Tulane U... 11/22/2008

New Orleans Military Relocation: As a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, I know that frequent transfers are a fact of life in today's military. I've been there and I've done that. No matter how many times you have done it, however, it is never easy to move your family to another city. So when it is time to make your move, consider the many benefits of working with a military veteran who is an expert and who know answers to your questions about neighborhoods, schools, home prices, shopping, organized sports, restaurants and shopping in the area around your new base. In the New Orleans Metro Area, there are several military installations to include, NSA Algiers, NAS JRB Belle Chasse, Headquarters Marine Forces Reserve, USCG New Orleans, and the Louisiana National Guard. Should you... 11/22/2008

Federal Fibre Mills Condo Listing! Getting a taste of the complex from a listings is a plus.      This is a new listing that I just listed at the Federal Fibre Mills  located at 1007 South Peters in the New Orleans Warehouse District.  The listing will give you a glimpse of the lifestyle of the complex.  You can see more photos on my website #213 Federal Fibre Mills.  The unit is a good example of what the nicer one bedrooms will look like.  Most of the one bedroom units are loft style units that feature high ceilings, large windows, street views, exposed brick, and exposed beams.  The exposed bricks and beams are still very natural.       What really makes the Federal Mills condos one of the better places to live or have a second home is the common areas.  The pool and lush courtyard a... 11/22/2008

Federal Fibre Mills CondosUnit #213 $249,913Warehouse District, New Orleans 70130            Federal Fibre Mills Condos #213 is in one of the premier complexes in the New Orleans Warehouse District.  This unit features high ceilings, exposed brick, exposed beams and large windows.  The second floor unit is overlooking a side street, John Churchhill Chase.  The complex features an exercise room, party room, elegant lobby that is secure, secure parking lot, lush courtyard and swimming pool.      The condo fees are $416 per month but includes parking and the a/c system cooling for the entire complex. You will thus have a very small electric bill in the summer.  The condo fess include upkeep of the building of the grounds and interior of the building.  The insurance is included in the cond... 11/21/2008

Stella Maris CondosNew Orleans French Quarter1201 Chartres Street, New Orleans 70116Govenor Nicholls and Chartres Street     The ten year  build out of the Stella Maris Condos in the New Orleans French Quarter is rather unique. The condos are larger than most featuring 2 and 3 bedrooms units between 1200 sq. ft. and 1600 sq. ft.  Secure parking with a remote controlled gate.  Great location within the Quarter is tough to beat.     The 20 very distinctive condominiums combine the ambiance of French Quarter living with the modern conveniences.  Features include interior balconies, parking, lush courtyard, swimming pool, and exterior views.  They are much more like Warehouse District Condos than any of the other condos I have seen in the French Quarter.      The exposed brick , French doo... 11/20/2008

Being a Professional Organizer and Home Stager can be challenging at times. It's still a fairly "new" industry- even with HGTV's Show's, people still ask "what do you do?" A lot of people don't watch decorating shows so it's my job to get the word out. Every Professional Organizer/Home Stager is different, different skill level, different personalities, different technic. What sets me apart from the rest: Experience-(officially started nolaclutterbusters in 1995- unofficially I have been an "organizer" ...... my whole life.) Longevity- I've seen many other "organizers" come and go- my clients can count on me to assist them in future projects to come. Some of my clients I have had for 10 years, organizing everything down to their underwear drawer. Furniture Placement- I don't just "organ... 11/20/2008

Next week the kids are out of school and the grocery stores will be packed with folks hunting and gathering all of the things they need to prepare too much food for too few people. For many, it's a stressful time, trying to do everything just so. I don't know about you, but I usually need a break from all of the preparations and look forward to some time out of the house just to have a little fun. What could be more fun than Turkey Bingo? The Sunshine Club of Algiers is sponsoring it's annual Turkey Bingo on Tuesday, 11/25/2008 in the Holy Name of Mary School cafeteria in Algiers Point. Since the 1930's, the Sunshine Club has distributed holiday baskets to between 150-200 local families in need. The big, annual spaghetti dinner was canceled this year due to Gustav, so Turkey Bingo needs... 11/19/2008

New Orleans Warehouse District Condos- Julia Street can be considered Main street or the center of the Warehouse District!       The New Orleans Warehouse District is an area of Old Warehouses, office buildings and new construction that features condos as the primary form of residences.  This is the New Orleans answer to downtown living.  The center of the area is Julia Street for several reasons,  its the geographic center and a large majority of the condo complexes are on Julia Street or the immediate area.        Julia Street is home to several condo complexes that have sprung up over the last 5-6 years including Magazine Place , Gallery Row , Julia Place , The Lofts , The Rotunda, and 835 Julia Condos.  Julia Street is home to the Children's Museum, offices, hotels and  numerous art... 11/18/2008

I know...I've gone on and on about the statistics.  Over 85% of today's buyers are looking on the internet for their new home.  Listings with multiple photos and virtual tours get more views and more attention from buyers than those without.  Kind of common sense, huh? Well, if I know this, and you know this, then please tell me why there are agents who still don't get it.  I'd really like to understand.  I was going through the MLS this morning, looking for the perfect new listings to send to my buyers.  Here's the info on the 40 that I viewed this morning: 4 had only 1 picture (the MLS allows us to upload 8 photos) 19 had NO pictures and Zero - that's right - not a single one of them had a virtual tour Despite the glowing descriptions, carefully crafted by the listing agents, it all c... 11/18/2008

Nolaclutterbusters provides a wide range of services to help you get top dollar for your property. Staging Homes for Sale Organization for your Home or Office Clutter Removal/Transporting of Donations Closet Clean-up Space Planning and Furniture Arrangement Room Re-design Moving Consultation/Packing/Unpacking We'll help you pack, but more importantly we'll help you figure out what not to pack. Moving cost money- there's no need to move what you don't need. Nolaclutterbusters offers a unique and creative solutions to Home owners and Realtors. Our mission is to help increase the emotional and visual appeal of the property, which in turn will increase the profit. Tami Hills has many "tricks up her sleeve" so the potential buyer can see what they are purchasing, which is the house not the c... 11/17/2008

There is a perception of many REALTORS as middle aged women or men with too much/not enough hair, too much make up, too much perfume, too much gaudy jewelry, too big of a car....everything in excess and then on top of all of that - they are PUSHY, PUSHY, PUSHY! Don't talk to the REALTOR...if you give them a phone number, they will call you every day and hound you about buying or selling a house. Don't talk to the REALTOR...if you give them your email address, they will send you more spam than those male enhancement companies about buying or selling a house. Don't talk to the REALTOR...they are desperate now that the market has changed and will tell you anything to get you to buy or sell a house. You get the picture... I, for one, am tired of the old REALTOR cliches, as true as they may ... 11/16/2008

Originally published at West Bank Living This week, the news came out that Starbucks projects a more than 90% drop in 4th quarter 2008 earnings.  As changes in the economy are forcing some consumers to tighten their budgets, high priced coffee is no longer selling at the rapid pace that it once was.  At the same time, McDonald's posted an increase in third quarter 2008 earnings, with much of the continued growth attributed to the value levels of its menu. As the economy tightens, how long will consumers continue to justify paying $4 for a cup of coffee when they can get an entire breakfast, coffee included, right down the block? I don't think that it's a stretch to apply this same question to the current West Bank real estate market as many sellers cling to their higher listing prices w... 11/13/2008

How much is this New Orleans Condo worth? What should my offer be?      An experienced agent will tell you, its not what the seller's are asking.  But more what the condo is worth.  The seller may not be asking the correct price!  So its not how much off that you can get of the asking price.  If a seller is more than 10% over the correct price the condo will get stale and lose its shopability.  They may not know how to figure out the value or may just want to see if it gets more.  There are many variables when pricing a condo and all these may not be taken into account by the agent and the seller.  Many times the seller cannot look at the numbers with an open mind and wants more than its worth.       Sometimes however sellers  just want to sell and will put a very good number on the pro... 11/11/2008

  Happy Veterans Day To all those who have and are serving, have a safe one. The parade weather here in New Orleans appears to be good. Today's parade will follow a formal ceremony which begins at 9:30 AM on the plaza level of the Superdome. The parade will begin 11:00AM. The parade will start at the Superdome and will travel toward North Claiborne Avenue, cross Poydras Street at Clara Street, turn right on Perdido Street, take a right on Loyola Avenue and then a left on Poydras. The parade will move toward the river on Poydras, circle Harrah's Casino and turn left on Canal Street. It will travel away from the river on Canal to Basin Street, where it will turn right, ending at the Municipal Auditorium.   Come to New Orleans and visit the D Day Museum. The National WWWII Museum honors al... 11/10/2008

This post was on the back burner, waiting for a day when I had nothing to write.  But, my good friend Colleen Fischesser, REALTOR extraordinaire of Maple Valley, WA asked me today about the different listings statuses in my market compared to hers.  So, Colleen, this is for you :) A lot of time and effort goes into the analysis of the West Bank real estate market each month.  But, if you are not a real estate geek (like me) or have lived in another part of the country where the terms used are different, then some of it may seem like Greek to you. Here is a quick and easy primer on the different real estate listing statuses used in each months West Bank market reports:  Active - currently listed for sale in the MLS (multiple listing service - a central database of all property in an area... 11/10/2008

Originally published at West Bank Living After the recent election, voters made it clear that they want the City of New Orleans master plan to not only be utilized, but to have the force of the community and law behind it. This week we all have a chance to make our voices heard during the planning meeting for Districts 12 and 13, Algiers and English Turn. When? Thursday, 11/13/2008, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Where? O. P. Walker High School, 2832 General Meyer Ave. in Algiers This district meeting will focus on planning and zoning issues that impact all of Algiers, including English Turn and the lower coast. I firmly believe that if we don't participate by sharing our vision of what we would like our community to be, we can't complain about the end result! I also think it is especially cri... 11/10/2008