Solds From 01/01/2007 to 12/31/2007 revealed:  Average Sales Price: $185,355Average Sold Price Per Sq. Ft.: $117.71Median Sold Price: $187,200Low Sales Price: $167,500High Sales Price: $210,600Average # of Days On Market: 51# of Sales: 48 Solds From 01/01/2008 to 12/31/2008 reveals:  Average Sales Price: $188,938Average Sold Price Per Sq. Ft.: $120.26Median Sold Price: $191,500Low Sales Price: $160,000High Sales Price: $201,500Average # of Days On Market: 73# of Sales: 8Listing Price To Sales Price Ratio Has Been: 98.44% Therefore, based on the median sale price barometer (the barometer used by the NAR National Association of Realtors) within this Subdivision, the market direction appears to be increasing slightly.   The Average Sales Price has increased by +$3,583. Median Sales Price ... 12/22/2008

  Recently, my church, the New Pilgrim Baptist Church in Zachary, Louisiana held its annual Brotherhood Conference. As the conference date approached, it dawned on me that this would be a great opportunity to empower the men by discussing how the current real estate market is impacting the economy and vice-versa. So, I got excited and had my name placed on the list of presenters for the conference. I was given 20 minutes to address an audience of about 50 men from various churches and organizations in the community. The Presentation My 20-minute slide presentation included the following topics: the local and national real estate markets, the government's $700 billion bailout plan, real estate investing and "What Can We Do to Boost the Economy". The presentation was well received by the ... 12/07/2008

 As I sat and watched a 60 Minutes interview with President-elect, Barack Obama and his lovely wife, first lady-elect Michelle, the discussion moved to their first visit to the White House.  Michelle said that the 130 room plus mansion is "beautiful and awe inspiring".  She went on to say, it is a gift and honor to uphold the beauty of the house.   Well, this is a perfect example of what Realtors want to hear when showing a home; "Awesome" as a potential buyer enters the door.  However, this type of response is only garnered through the efforts of the seller; its' challenging, but can be attained.  Now granted, most sellers do not have a staff of workers like the White House, but with some early preparation, it is possible.  Perfect Preparation I am sure Michelle was taken aback by the ... 11/19/2008

  LIVE OAK TRACE 10/23/07-08   Active properties Total # of Listings 2 Lowest Price Listing $205,000 Highest Price Listing $225,000 Average Price $215,000 Avg. Price/SqFt $122 Avg. Days on Market 0 Sold properties Total # of Listings 15 Lowest Price Listing $193,000 Highest Price Listing $258,426 Average Price $226,294 Avg. Price/SqFt $106 Avg. Days on Market 32   Sold Property Analysis Address List Price Sold Price DOM % Chg SP/Sqft 2623 CREEK HOLLOW AVE $199,900 $199,900 34 0.0% $114.23 2563 HIDDEN LAKE AVE $199,900 $193,000 136 3.5% $107.16 4265 WILDERNESS RUN DR $212,400 $212,786 88 -0.2% $105.71 4308 WILDERNESS RUN DR $212,400 $215,679 99 -1.5% $107.14 4243 WILDERNESS RUN DR $214,400 $214,400 39 0.0% $104.74 2636 CREEK HOLLOW AVE $218,500 $209,000 39 4.3% $106.63 4113 WILDERNESS RU... 10/24/2008

While showing a ten acre tract of land to clients, we were nearly attacked by neighboring dogs; not just any dogs, but a Pitbull and a Doberman.  The dogs were behind a flimsy fence, left unattended and unleashed. We were walking along the fence line,  when out of nowhere, came these two dogs charging at us while viciously barking.  The pitbull was more aggressive, and tried launching himself through the fence.  We turned and started to run, but noticed that he was only able to get half of his body through the fence.  Thank God he was only able to get half his body through the fence.  It then occurred to me that I was not totally prepared for the showing. Recently, as fate would have it, I was previewing a house for a client, when I encountered two rottweilers on neighboring properties.... 10/17/2008

The Advocate is reporting that the federal $700 billion financial rescue bill has a provision for property owners suffering damage from hurricanes Gustav and Ike.  The losses can be claimed on personal income taxes.  Here's a break down of key components of the provision: All damages that exceed $500 can be claimed There is no consideration for adjusted gross income The provision will end in 2010 According to the Advocate, in previous years a property owner could only claim damages that exceeded 10 percent of their adjusted gross income minus $100. Under the old law, a family with an adjusted income of $50,000 could only claim damages that exceed $4900. For an example, if your house had roof damages totaling $7000, you could claim $2100. Now, under the new law, property owners would be ... 10/11/2008

http://eastbatonrougefhaappraisers.com/ - Zachary Louisiana Real Estate: How's Richland Subdivision Performing Over Past Year? Sold Homes In Richland Subdivision from 10/08/2007 to 10/08/2008 reveal:  The Average Sales Price: $311,967The Average Sold Price Per Sq. Ft.: $132.01The Median Sold Price: $315,900Low Sales Price: $237,000High Sales Price: $407,000Average # of Days On Market: 143# of Sales: 6Listing Price To Sales Price Ratio Has Been: 98.79% Richland Subdivision data is presented with the permission of the Greater Baton Rouge Board of Realtors.   Author's Bio: Bill Cobb, CREA, is Greater Baton Rouge's favorite and most reputable home appraiser frequently called upon by banks, homeowners, and savvy real estate investors to assess property values.  A home appraiser with 16 years... 10/09/2008

Here in Zachary, sales of new and existing homes through the third quarter of this year, decreased nearly 38 percent as compared to the same period of time last year.  Check out the numbers for Zachary: 205 homes were sold through September 2008 vs 328 homes sold through September 2007 The 2008 sales are a dramatic drop from 2007. However, these sales are somewhat on par with pre-Katrina sales. Prior to August 2005, a total of 231 homes were sold in Zachary, 11 percent more than the same period in 2008.   Lets look at some other interesting numbers, such as days on the market (DOM) and average sales price.  The DOM numbers are as follows:    112 days on the market through September 2008 vs 68 days from January to September 2007 These numbers represent a dramatic increase from just a yea... 10/03/2008

Gutters and downspouts serve an important purpose in directing rain water away from your home.  This helps to keep a dry basement or crawl space to minimize moisture and mold in your home.  Proper maintenance is important to keep them clear of debris so that water does not build up and cause problems   Clean leaves and other debris from the gutters, and make sure the holes going to the downspout are clear to allow water to run freely.  Be sure they are sloped properly to allow water to flow and se extensions to direct water where you want it to go. Make sure the downspouts drain far enough away from the home to avoid puddles in the grass.  Use downspout extensions to help the water drain farther from the home if necessary.  If you have lots of trees around your home, consider putting sc... 09/06/2008

Zachary Louisiana's Copper Mill Golf Community Summer Market Report (edit/delete) http://batonrougerealestateappraisers.com/ - Zachary Louisiana's Copper Mill Golf Community Summer Market Report Within Copper Mill Golf Community, located in Zachary Louisiana, home sales have been from $345,000 up to $541,272, average $447K and $163/sf per MLS.    Solds from 1/1/08 to 8/10/08 within Copper Mill Golf Community reveal:  Average Sales Price: $446,613Average Sold Price Per Sq. Ft.: $162.94Median Sold Price: $445,450Low Sales Price: $345,000High Sales Price: $541,272Average # of Days On Market: 102# of Sales: 8   Solds from 1/1/07 to 12/31/07 within Copper Mill Golf Community reveal:  Average Sales Price: $458,034Average Sold Price Per Sq. Ft.: $160.80Median Sold Price: $451,500Low Sales Pri... 08/29/2008

http://batonrougerealestateappraisers.com/ - Zachary Louisiana Real Estate Video of Oak Shadows Subdivision. 06/17/2008

Copper Mill Golf Community - Zachary, LA The Copper Mill Golf Community is an upscale subdivision located just off of Hwy 964 about a mile south of Hwy 64 in Zachary, LA. Zachary is proud to have the #1 rated public school system in the state. Although it is one of the fastest growing cities in Louisiana, Zachary maintains it's small town character. For the golfer, Copper Mill offers 18-holds of links style golf. For the homeowner, Copper Mill offers stocked fishing, parks, walking trails, access to the clubhouse restaurant, sidewalks and a variety of architectural styles. It really is a very nice subdivision. Home prices in Copper Mill started out in 2003 under $300K but have risen substantially. Today both the average and median prices are just shy of $500K. The following chart shows ... 03/21/2008

In preparation for a meeting with a local builder, I've developed some statistics about new home construction within the 70791 (Zachary) zip code area.  The raw data came from the Greator Baton Rouge Association of Realtors MLS system.  Only data for detached single family new construction was included.  I thought the information might be useful to other area Realtors and Consumers alike ergo this post.I've analyzed current year sales as well as sales for the previous five years in order to observe any trends.  I've further broken down these sales by price range, living area, and $/sq.ft.Zachary New Home Unit SalesWhile this chart shows a fairly steep drop in new home sales during July and August of this year, overall the unit sales on the year are only a little behind 2006 levels and w... 09/26/2007

Zachary Louisiana Home Appraisers - Accurate Valuations Group Appraiser William D. Cobb Study Shows Zachary Louisiana Market in Zip Code 70791 Pre To Post Hurricane Katrina Increases 19% William D. Cobb, a home appraiser with Accurate Valuations Group in the Greater Baton Rouge, LA market, is pleased to announce a gain in average home prices within the Zachary Louisiana housing market.  Based on data obtained from The Greater Baton Rouge Board of Realtors, the gain in average homes prices within Zachary Pre to Post Hurricane Katrina has been 18.56%. The median price has increased 16.88%.  The average price per sq. ft. has increased 16%.Market Summary 1/1/2005 to 8/28/2005 PRE HURRICANE KATRINA:Avg Sold: $174,541Median Sold: $164,250Avg $/SF: $92.37/sfAvg Days on the Market: 111Total# Li... 04/20/2007