When housing prices begin to get beyond the reach of familes and their wages then housing prices level off in most markets. The sub-prime rates were tying to get around this fact. It comes back to what people can afford. I know there are some areas like New York and San Francisco defy this logic but the places in middle Americia this still is true. As housing prices drop people will begin to be able to afford more of a house. One thing that is missing from the current market is the buyer wanting to move up. They stay put because they cannot sell their homes in order to do so. Once this segment moves back inot the market things will begin to pick up to a certain degree. Maybe not like the bubble areas. Its easy to find a nice home in the New Orleans Metro area for 200k or less. Wages are... 11/08/2007

I am always suprised by new and old client not knowing what condo fees cover. I made a list that is posted below on my webstie New Orleans Condos. There will be some differences in all the fees but in New Orleans Condos the condo fees cover Insurance, flood Insurance Upkeep, Water, and the various amenties that that association has. The Insurace in a big expense for Condo associations in this market. However the insurance alone on a home will be more than what condo fees are for the totla package. This fact has made condos are more viable option. Homeowners Insurance can easily run you $300 per month while finding condo fees below this number is easy. Not all Condos fees are equal so you need to know what they cover and how much is in the condo reserves. Now having enough money on had w... 11/07/2007

The Tracage Condo developement is going to give the New Orleans Warehouse District a boost as it breaks ground. The Tracage Condos High rise project is going to fill a need in the Luxury high rise market which has not seen a new developement in many years. By being new it fills a void in the market as some people will wnat to be in a high rise building with great city and fantastic Mississippi River views. It should help the entire area develope and set a standard for others who follow. New Orleans has not had a bubble in the condo market the the Tracage will fill. People in New Orleans are very skeptical and have not been great fans of pre-sales units to date. I cannot wait to see the ground breaking  and the cranes move in as the project gets underway. Most of the Riverview units have... 11/06/2007

West Bank market update for Algiers and Algiers PointOctober sales volume (number of single family homes sold) has declined from the 2006 level of 52 homes sold to 38 homes sold in October of 2007, a 27% decline in the total number of homes sold during the month.   It should be noted, however, that this is a 27% INCREASE over the number of homes sold in September 2007, indicating an upswing in market activity.           Conventional loans remain the preferred method of financing a home purchase, accounting for 71% of the home purchases in 2007, up from 67% in 2006.Average sale prices in Algiers and Algiers Point have declined from $169,754 in October 2006 to $158,461 in October 2007, a decrease of 7% in average sold price.           Average days on market for October 2007 was 99, an 86%... 11/03/2007

 The Warehouse District Condo business is starting to revive from the slow period of August and September that were extremely poor months for sales. There are a couple of nice units on  the market in each price range. That means 3-4 of the best. The segment that has show the most rebound is those around the 200-240k range. The Cotton Mill has shown decent activity because of the price range and amenties. There has been an upsurge in people looking for second homes in the Warehouse District. The rental market has a lot of people looking and the supply is slowly being eaten up with good activity projected for Jan. 2008. The Rotundra at 330 Julia has started selling and refurbishing their units. The Condos at 835 Julia Street have started building out their units. The Tragage is still movi... 11/01/2007

 Rouse's Supermarket Debuts in AlgiersLouisiana owned Rouse's Supermarket has taken over the Sav A Center location on General de Gaulle in Algiers which quietly closed on 10/29/07.  The reopening was on October 31, 2007 and the store layout is the same as before, but without the self check out lines.  I saw tons of fresh goodies in the bakery department when I visited to order a cake, and plenty of cashiers were on duty.  While it's not Breaux Mart, it is encouraging to see another locally owned business in Algiers, as I continue my quest to Stay Local!   The New Orleans Food and Farm Network will sponsor workshops on vegetable growing and other gardening skills at the Ovah de Rivah Creole Folk Life Village on Saturday, 11/3/2007 from 9 am - 2 pm.  The Village is located across the stre... 11/01/2007

The 909 Lafayette Condos are actually on Barone street where the front entrance is. The building is on the corner and parking is from the Lafayette Street. These are off the beaten path but still close to every thing in the downtown area of New Orleans. The 12 units are spread over 5 floors with the bottom floor for lobby and parking. The units are unique in the thay are almost all concrete but do have large windows, high ceilings and are generally very roomy for the price. You can walk to Lafayette Square which is about a block away and walk to the Superdome which is also several blocks away. The units come up for sale infrequently as there are few and several people use them as Warehouse District Second Homes. This area of the New Orleans downtown district tends to have smaller buildi... 10/30/2007

Located within the boundaries of Woodland Dr., Eton St., MacArthur Blvd. and Ramsey Dr., New Aurora is an established, family friendly neighborhood in Algiers.  There is an active civic association, but no home owner dues are required when purchasing a home in the area.  The civic association annually sponsors a large Night Out Against Crime, allowing neighbors to meet and visit with one another while enjoying food, music and fun.Only a few miles from the New Orleans Central Business District, New Aurora provides easy access in minutes to the downtown New Orleans area via the Crescent City Connection.  Places to go in and around New Aurora:Norman PlaygroundAurora Swim and Tennis ClubSt. Andrew the Apostle ChurchAurora Methodist ChurchWoodland Presbyterian ChurchClose to convenience stor... 10/28/2007

The Cotton Mill Condos conversion from apartment to Condos was one of the New Orleans Warehouse District most successful conversions. The condos were enrty level prices along with the amenties that downtown loft living. The units had many of the things that people wanted in condo living. The complex is 268 units but still maintains that small feeling. The 20 ceilings, brick walls, 14 ft. windows, wood floors, and exposed beams are perfect for warehouse living. The amenties include pool, workout gym, party room,onsite security and management. The building is very pet friendly. The 25,000 sq. ft courtyard give you a lot of secure space to enjoy the outdoors.In todays market the condos start at 175k for the small one bedrooms and go up from there. Getting one with more size and a view of t... 10/26/2007

On Tuesday, Amy and I drove to New Orleans to visit with her brother, who was in town on business.  I always enjoy visiting the Crescent City, especially for the fabulous dining opportunities.  For supper, we decided on the Acme Oyster House, which is located in the French Quarter.  If you visit the French Quarter, be prepared to pay at least five to ten dollars for parking fees.  After finding a spot in a nearby parking garage, we walked to the restaurant on Iberville Street.  After waiting outside in line for about ten minutes, we were seated by the hostess.  I had already decided ahead of time that I was going to order oysters, since, of course, we were eating at on oyster house.  For my appetizer I chose a half-dozen raw oysters on the half-shell.  There were three different types o... 10/25/2007

Condo review of the Lofts Condos at 402 Julia in the center of the New Orleans Warehouse District in downtown New Orleans.                                 The Lofts, Warehouse District402 Julia StreetNew Orleans, La 70130The Lofts are a 24 unit condo conversion in the Warehouse District at 402 Julia  The Lofts at 402 Julia Street The Lofts at 402 Julia Street in the Warehouse District were converted into condos in 2006. There are 24 units with 18 one bedroom units and 6 one bedroom units. The two bedroom units were on the corners and needed a lot of updating but provided some great views and nice spaces. Many of the one bedroom were updated and those with Julia Street views sold quickly. The units sold for 160-180k range with nice views. The units had o parking but parking was availiabl... 10/23/2007

                                 The Federal Fibre Mills Lofts and Condos The Federal Fibre Mills Condos and Lofts was the beginning of the urban renewal in the New Orleans Warehouse District. The old rope factory was converted into condos after the 1984 Worlds Fair which was a great local attraction. It was used to house world fair people and the lobby was a German Beer garden. Since living downtown was a new idea, the developer put a lot into the common areas such as the  five story lobby, tropical courtyard, pool areas, warehouse party rooms, and roof top areas for city views. The Federal Fibre Mills has the exposed bricks, high ceilings, loft living, exposed beams, wood floors, large windows, and unique living areas. The Federal Fibre Mills is across the street from the New Orleans ... 10/22/2007

                               New Orleans Uptown Condos The 1750 St. Charles Ave Condos provides you a great location in Uptown New Orleans. You are close to the downtown area and an easy street car ride to Tulane and Loyola University. I have sold 7-8 uitis in the complex. The condos were converted from apartments in 2005 and sold out in 3-4 months. There are over 250 units in the 7 story complex that spans a very large city block. All the units have garage parking on the first floor in a vay secure area. This is one of the most secure buildings in the area There are several security people on the site 24 hours per day to monitor visitors and parking. Most of the units are 2 bedroom and two baths with some very large one bedroom units with a few 3 bedrooms on the corners of the buildi... 10/22/2007

                                                                          The Julia Place Condos are in the center of the New Orleans Warehouse District. The 333 Julia Street location puts you within walking distance of the New Orleans French Quarter and the Riverwalk area near Harrah's Casino. The developer has finally finsihed most of the common areas that features a roof top pool and outdoor activity area. The excerise room is on Julia Street with nice views as you treadmill your pounds away. The major shortcoming of the project is there is not enough parking in the garage and the lot for all the units. There are parking spots at some of the local hotels within the block.The units are all going to be very different in this complex as the units will vary so much. Some will have high c... 10/18/2007

Rain, rain, go away...come again another day... Are these your thoughts when you have a showing scheduled? Buyers seem to be hesitant, if not downright reluctant, to keep appointments when it is raining. I know that it is not always convenient to get in and out of the car in the rain and to remove your wet shoes when entering a home. As a matter of fact, these things can be a real chore. But what if they had a list of incentives to keep those appointments? Reasons to go home shopping in the rain: • Look for roof leaks. There is no easier way to see an existing interior problem than viewing a house during a rain. For a bonus, climb into the attic and take a look there as well.• Check all exterior doors and the windows for proper seals. Is there any water being blown underneath the doors?... 10/17/2007

This is an interesting condo in the New Orleans Warehouse Districk where you can still find some historic condos below the 175k range with parking. In the last 3 years I have sold 3 nice units in this building. They were all small and 2 of them had garage parking. The 53 units were updated several years ago when they were converted from apartments into condos. I like the fact that the kitchens and applicances are newer and all the units get plenty of light with their large and tall windows. This was once a bakery as the name indicates. Two of the cleints are using the unit as a weekend place while the other works downtown and has a place in Mandeville.A quite building near the New Orleans ConventionsCenter. A good pick for a New Orleans Loft. The best units have exterior views of the Ci... 10/15/2007

The latest edition of Travel and Leisure has the rankings of the favorite U.S. cities.  New Orleans was named the #2 city by the nearly 60,000 voters who were visitors.  What a great accomplishment for our region as we continue to rebuild not just the city but the tourist industry as well.   See all of the rankings here. New Orleans was rated highest in the nation for:•·         Live music•·         Cocktails•·         Cheap eats We also scored highly for: Having a fun and diverse populationHaving great antique, vintage and flea market shopping opportunitiesBeing a great "girlfriend getaway" destination  There are many who want to know how they can help the city in its recovery efforts.  My answer?  Visit!  Come on down, spend a day, spend a weekend, heck, spend a week.  Eat in our fabu... 10/14/2007

  You may have noticed that I'm a little pink in my picture and wearing a pink ribbon as well.  Why?  The pink ribbon is a symbol for the fight against breast cancer.  October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I'm proud to support this cause with my pink picture and pink ribbon.  I recently learned that a friend of mine who lives here in Algiers has been fighting breast cancer for some time.  She has undergone a mastectomy, reconstructive surgery and radiation treatments.  After being in remission for a period of time, the doctors recently found that the cancer had moved into her spine and she is back in treatment. I didn't know any of this was going on.  I didn't know that the reason her hair was so short was because of the radiation treatments.  I didn't know that she was ... 10/13/2007

Don't forget about the Algiers Point home tour this weekend!After visiting the homes on tour, don't forget to stop by my open house for sale at 269 Elmira Avenue from 1-4 pm on Sunday afternoon.Why should you buy a home in Algiers or Algiers Point?   Take a quick look at all we have to offer....   Your West Bank Real Estate Specialist  10/13/2007

The Gallery Row Condos located at 448 Julia Street is a classic New Orleans example of four Warehouses and office turned into lofts in the Arts District. Many of the units are different because they were 4 buildings put together to for the 53 units. There is onsite parking for most units and a nearby lot for the rest. Most of the origional buyers 5 years ago bought updated units so most are in great shape. The complex has a nice viewing area and small pool on the roof. Most of the units are one bedroom units with several two bedrooms scattered in the Gallery Row Condos. The units have greatly appreciated since the initial offering. The prices have been steady for a couple of years. The high ceilings, brick walls, new kitchens are reasons whay people like these units. The courtyards in t... 10/12/2007