Plantation Estates: West Bank Neighborhood of the Week
For this week’s neighborhood of the week, I took a drive through the winding streets of Plantation Estates in Marrero, LA.
Originally developed in 1979 by Marrero Land and Development, Plantation Estates is located off of Barataria Blvd., just south of Lapalco Blvd.. The location provides a quick commute to employees at West Jeff Medical Center and is a short distance from Highway 90 B (West Bank Expressway) with easy access to downtown New Orleans and the Central Business District.
The Plantation Estates Civic Association is charged with enforcing the neighborhood covenants and restrictions, including collection of the $60 per year home owners fee and the $280 per year security fee for community security patrols by Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s officers.
Membership in the civic association also includes year round, family friendly events such as:
- Garden of the Month awards
- Spring Neighborhood Block Party
- Annual Night out Against Crime
- Pumpkin Painting Party
- Visits by Santa Claus
What’s Nearby?
- Shopping at Home Depot, Super WalMart, Toys R Us, Circuit City and more. Or, a short drive to Oakwood Center shopping mall.
- Dining at national and local restaurants
- PARD Playground, offering youth athletic programs
- Only a few minutes away is Bayou Segnette State Park
Homes for Sale in Plantation Estates
Three and four bedroom homes in Plantation Estates are currently offered from the upper $200s to the upper $500s, with an average list price of $394,500. Homes in the community are spacious, with about 3,200 square feet of living area in the median sized 3 to 4 bedroom home. 
Recent Sales Information for Plantation Estates
For the last 6 months (as of 3/28/2008):
- 4 listings sold
- Average list price: $393,225
- Average sold price: $353,625
- Average days on market: 35
If you would like more information on buying or selling a home in Plantation Estates, contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR®. I’d be happy to help you buy or sell your next West Bank home!
When buying or selling a home on the West Bank of New Orleans or relocating to the New Orleans West Bank, you deserve local expertise and advice. Lisa Heindel provides full time, professional real estate services to buyers, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.
Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.
Wednesday at the Square in New Orleans
March 28, 2008 by lisa
Filed under Around Town, Blog
It’s the little things that make New Orleans such a unique place to call home to me.
Post Katrina, my husband and I seriously considered leaving. Moving to another state and starting over in a place that wasn’t damaged, wasn’t in a recovery mode 24/7. We even went so far as to start decluttering the house to put it on the market and looking at homes in a new city and state.
But, one Wednesday afternoon in the spring, we threw the kids in the car and headed downtown to Lafayette Square. Cowboy Mouth was playing that day and, being fans and having friends in the band, we wanted to listen to them play.
I remember that it was a bright, sunny day. Perfect spring weather in NOLA. As we sat in the grass in front of the stage, holding a cold beer and a plate of food from a local restaurant, singing along with the crowd, we just looked at each other. In that moment, we both had the same thought.
Where else in the world are people just hanging out on a Wednesday afternoon…listening to great music, surrounded by friends and family and feeling a bond with the city that can’t be broken? Where else would we go that would have the same vibe, the same soul? In my opinion, no where.
So, it’s always a pleasure to see the Wednesday at the Square schedule come out. It gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling, looking back on that “ah-ha” moment when we decided that our roots here run too deep to pull them up. Now I know what I’ll be doing for the next few Wednesday afternoons.
Come join me and we can love the city together…
You’ve Accepted an Offer! Now What?
March 27, 2008 by lisa
Filed under Blog, For Sellers, Real Estate FAQ, Real Estate Talk
Congratulations! You worked hard to prepare your home for sale, to price it right and make it accessible for potential buyers and their agents. All of that hard work has paid off in the form of an accepted offer from someone who loves your house as much as you do. So, what happens next?
Do you want to continue to show the house?
This decision can be a tough one. You are more than likely tired of keeping your house in show condition. It’s nice to plan a dinner party and not worry about someone wanting to schedule an
appointment smack in the middle of it. You may feel all of the confidence in the world in the contract, the buyer and the financing. All good reasons to mark it “under contract” in the MLS and put the “Too Late” sign in the yard.
BUT… stuff happens. Mortgages can be declined even with pre-approval letters (it happens more and more lately). The buyer could lose their job. A strong back-up offer gives you a plan B. All good reasons to continue to show your home up until there is a final loan commitment and a scheduled closing.
The final decision is up to you. Note: with the large number of homes on the market right now, most agents will pass on showing a home with a pending offer, but the possibility exists!
Deposit
I encourage all of my sellers to require that deposits be in the form of certified funds or money order. There is nothing like finding out the deposit check has bounced to put you on notice that this contract may not make it to the closing table (yes, this has happened!). I also encourage sellers to include a time frame for receipt of the deposit or the contract is considered null and void. In my experience, immediately has different meanings for different people.
Inspections
Remember all of those little things that have bugged you about your house that your agent told you to fix BEFORE putting it on the market? I hope you did them, because the home inspector is going to find every one and then some. Unless you are the most meticulous home owner with maintenance (and let’s face it, most of us are not) there will be issues that come up during a home inspection. They can range from small, like a leaking faucet, to large, like a roof that needs to be replaced. Be prepared for another possible round of negotiations based on the inspection results. Just as I encourage sellers to leave during showings, I highly recommend that you are not present during the home inspection process.
Title Company
The title company is responsible for coordinating the closing between the buyers, sellers, listing agent, selling agent and mortgage company. In Louisiana, the choice of a title company is up to the purchaser, since the majority of the closing costs are on the buyer’s side of the settlement statement. Be prepared to provide the title company with information such as legal names, social security numbers and marital history, all necessary items for them to have while doing the title research on your property.
Appraisal 
One of the final steps in the mortgage approval process is the appraisal. As a listing agent, I consider it my responsibility to meet the appraiser at the home and provide them with the comparable sales used by the seller to determine a price. Does this mean they will use the sales that I have given them? Nope. But in areas where there have been few recent sales it sure can’t hurt to try.
Insurance
The purchasers are responsible for obtaining their own home owner’s insurance prior to closing. Post Katrina, we have seen a large number of buyers who are assuming flood insurance policies from the sellers. This is only an option if your insurance company will allow an assumption and you agree to it. If the buyer is assuming your flood policy, there will be additional documents to be signed to allow for the transfer.
Final Mortgage Approval
Although the purchaser may have provided a written letter from their lender indicating that they were pre-approved, no loan is truly approved until all of the conditions are met, including an acceptable appraisal and proof of insurance. Once all of these conditions have been met, the loan package goes through the underwriting process again and the loan documents are prepared by the lender and sent to the title company for the scheduled closing.
Utilities
When your closing date is scheduled, you will need to contact the utility companies about disconnecting your existing services. These are important calls, since the buyer usually cannot arrange to have services put in their name until you have given permission for them to do so.
The Closing
Payday! This is the day you have been working so hard towards. Lucky you, the only thing you will need to bring to the closing are the keys and your driver’s license. Information on appliances, warranty information and garage door openers should all be left in the house for the new owners. Remember, when you leave the closing table the house is no longer yours. All of your personal belongings must be moved prior to the closing time.
Overwhelming? Not when you have a great West Bank REALTOR® at your side to walk you through each step. Feel free to give me a call with questions about selling your home today or drop me a line at lisa@lisaheindesells.com. I’d love to help you get an offer!
Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.
The Zurich Classic: Welcoming the PGA to New Orleans
March 24, 2008 by lisa
Filed under Around Town, Blog
A New Orleans tradition since 1958, the Zurich Golf Classic of New Orleans returns on Monday, March 24, 2008 to the TPC Louisiana course in Avondale. Celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, the Zurich Classic is a spring time tradition on the West Bank and gives everyone a chance to see the $3 million in course enhancements completed at TPC Louisiana and enjoy live music right on the course at the end of the day on Tuesday (Better Than Ezra), Saturday (Sister Hazel) and Sunday (an encore performance by Better Than Ezra).
Featuring two Pro-Am tournaments and a youth clinic, the Zurich Classic will be showcasing the talents of some great PGA players, and will also be raising funds for local children in need through the Fore!Kids Foundation.
Whether you are a golfer or a spectator, this is an always fabulous event to start your spring with!
Zurich Golf Classic of New Orleans Information
- Sign up for the newsletter and stay updated
- Tournament History
- Tournament Schedule
- Tournament Players
- Parking & Directions
Interested in living on the West Bank? Check out the terrific golf communities and courses that are available to choose from. Need more information? Call me at (504) 616-6262 or email me at lisa@lisaheindelsells.com. I’d love to help you find the perfect West Bank home.
Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.
Timberlane Estates: West Bank Neighborhood of the Week
Stretching from Belle Chasse Highway to the south side of Lapalco Boulevard, Timberlane Estates is one of the shining stars of Gretna, LA real estate. Originally developed in 1959, Timberlane has continued to grow through the years with new homes still being constructed in this prestigious golf community today.
Living in Timberlane Estates provides easy access to Timberlane Country Club, the oldest country club on the West Bank, with an 18 hole golf course, tennis courts and an Olympic size swimming pool offering year round outdoor activities for the entire family. The clubhouse is available for private events and has an onsite catering and wait staff to take care of all of your needs.
The driving range at Timberlane Country Club
With such a convenient location, Timberlane Estates is a short commute to downtown New Orleans, West Jeff Medical Center, Ochsner Medical Center West Bank, NAS JRB New Orleans or NSA New Orleans, making it a perfect spot to call home for incoming relocations to the West Bank.
Within just a couple of miles, residents can find libraries, shopping, dining, parks, playgrounds and other recreational activities. Students living in Timberlane Estates attend either Jefferson Parish Public Schools or parochial schools.
Small, starter homes in Timberlane Estates are available in the mid to upper $200s, while spacious, renovated, executive homes overlooking the golf course are priced up to $1.4 million. Lots to build your own custom home on are priced from $79,900. Community covenants and restrictions apply to all residents and property owners in Timberlane Estates, and include low HOA fees of only $240 per year.
Keep an eye on the news for more information about the proposed annexation of Timberlane Estates into the City of Gretna. Many Timberlane residents are lobbying to become a part of the City of Gretna in order to convert to a gated community to reduce the amount of traffic through the subdivision and provide additional security to residents.
For more information on buying or selling a home in Timberlane Estates, please contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR® I’d be happy to help you find the perfect place to call home!
When buying or selling a home on the West Bank of New Orleans or relocating to the New Orleans West Bank, you deserve local expertise and advice. Lisa Heindel provides full time, professional real estate services to buyers, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.
Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.
