West Bank Living

With several listings on the West Bank of New Orleans, I get a lot of phone calls from potential buyers looking for information.  They are driving around a neighborhood, see a sign, grab the cell phone and call from right in front of the house.

What’s wrong with this?  Too many times, when I ask if they are working with an agent, the response is "No, I’m just calling the names on the signs of houses I like".

Let me get this right…what you are doing is driving aimlessly (wow - have you seen gas prices lately?) and contacting a bunch of different agents who are all working for the seller?  OK, let me explain to you why this plan is not in your best interest and show you a better way to find your new home.

When an owner decides to sell their home, they generally interview different agents and choose the one that they feel will work the hardest for them to get their house sold.  They sign a contract with the agent that outlines what the marketing plan will be and what the commission fee will be.  The agent is contracted to represent the seller in the sale of their home.  The home owner is paying for the services of that agent, who has a legal and ethical responsibility to get them the highest and best price for their home.  I know - this is exactly what I do for MY clients when I list their home for sale.

Now, you are cruising down the street and see that bright and shiny FOR SALE sign in front of a home that you just know would be the perfect one for you.  It’s fabulous, it’s terrific, it’s the one - you’ve just got to get in and see it right away.  Who do you call?  The name on the sign or a REALTOR® who is working for YOU, looking out for YOUR best interests?

In Louisiana, the cost of a buyer’s agent is paid entirely by the seller - it doesn’t cost you a single penny to use a professional to help you buy a home.  It is legal for an agent to represent both the buyer and seller in the same transaction.  BUT, in my opinion, this is a fine line to walk.  Giving both the buyer and seller confidentiality and superior service is very difficult (if not impossible) for most people to do and relationships are bound to be affected, even if it’s not intentional.

Why not take advantage of the services of a professional West Bank REALTOR® to provide your own representation?  Many home buyers don’t realize that they can interview and choose a REALTOR® just like home sellers do.  Read: 5 Steps to Choosing Your New Orleans West Bank Real Estate Agent. 

When you are ready to stop surfing the internet for homes and want to sit down and discuss finding your dream home, give me a call and we can talk about how I can make buying the right West Bank home easier for you.

Related Reading:

5 Steps to Buying Your New Orleans 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.

Have you noticed that more and more frequently there are bright yellow directional signs in Algiers Point with only one word or even just initials on them?  Welcome to Hollywood South, what the locals are affectionately calling the metro New Orleans area with all of the star sightings and movie pre-production work happening in our city.

Today, I was popping in to fill the flyer box on a fantastic home for sale at 269 Elmira Avenue in Algiers Point, when I realized that there is yet another movie currently being filmed in the neighborhood.  Trucks, crew members, trailer sized generators… all for the work being done on "Patriots, " a film about Marrero basketball coach All Collins (starring Forrest Whitaker) that is currently filming in what seems like every nook and cranny of the Point around the River Road.

Check out all of the action that was happening outside of the Old Point Bar and across the street at Warren’s Corner.  There was a prop sign on the outside of the building at Warren’s, but the police were moving everyone along and I couldn’t get a picture of it.   My friend (and client!) that lives in the area was lamenting the fact that the crew had covered up the green street and the painted shamrocks that were left from Algiers Friendship Day last month at the corner of Olivier and Patterson (River Road).  But, good news, they have agreed to repaint the entire street when filming is complete…right down to the fire hydrant!  The corner just wouldn’t be the same without it.

While the city as a whole still has a way to go in the recovery process, how great is it to live on the West Bank and get to witness the local economy being boosted by Hollywood?  All I can say is…lights, camera, action!

Interested in living in Algiers Point?  Check out these beautiful homes for sale:

269 Elmira Avenue

139 Alix Street

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.

Are you still paying that high rent in a post-Katrina market?  Or perhaps you relocated and are ready to return and call the New Orleans West Bank home again.  Instead of surfing the internet and dreaming about being a home owner, why not take these 5 easy steps to make it a reality rather than a dream?

Prequalification

First things first….and getting prequalified for a mortgage is the first and most important step in the home buying process.  Today’s sellers are not willing to take their homes off of the market for a buyer who has not taken the time to be qualified for a mortgage!

When you are serious about buying a home, it’s important to sit down and meet with a mortgage professional who will take the time to understand your budget and work with you to find the best loan product to suit your needs since there may be special programs that can assist with your closing costs or that require a smaller down payment.  Your lender will require you to provide documentation such as your tax returns, paycheck stubs and bank statements and being prepared to provide all of this information makes the approval process much quicker.

REMEMBER:  Most of the 100% financing programs are a thing of the past.  Plan on at least a 3% down payment for any home you decide to purchase.  For a $150,000 home, this works out to a $4,500 down payment.  Additionally, you will need funds to pay for (at minimum) a home inspection ($250-$350) and a termite inspection ($85-$100).  Additional inspections may be suggested dependant upon the home you choose.

Mortgage Qualification Calculator

Wants and Needs

Once you have been pre-qualified, it’s time to decide what is most important to you in your new home.  Is it a particular neighborhood or school district?  A certain number of bedrooms and bathrooms?  A garage?  Make a list of the must haves and the nice to haves and try to remain flexible.  You don’t want to pass on a great house because it’s missing one of your nice to haves but meets all of your other needs.  The articles below may help you narrow your focus.

How to Choose a Home

How to choose a Neighborhood for Your Home Search

Choose a REALTOR®

Home buyers don’t pay a penny to be represented by a professional West Bank REALTOR®!  There is no need to go it alone when you can have an advocate on your side, looking out for your best interests during the home buying process.  Since this is more than likely the largest investment you will ever make, doesn’t it make sense to have a professional guide you?

5 Steps to Choosing Your New Orleans West Bank Real Estate Agent

Find a Home

This is where the fun starts!  Visiting available homes and choosing the right one for you or your family should be fun - keep it that way…  If you visit a home that is not quite right, that’s OK.  Move on to the next home on your list.  As an agent, I learn more and more about my clients tastes, wants and needs each time we see a home, whether they love it or hate it. 

Although it’s tempting to want to see everything at once, limit your showings to about 5 homes a day.  More than this can be overwhelming and the homes will start to run together and become confusing.  Was the great closet in this house or that one?  Which one had the big backyard?  Taking notes during the showings can also be a great way to keep them all straight.

I usually ask buyers to rate each home as we go along to narrow down the list.  Did you like house #2 more or less than house #1, and so on as we work our way through each.  This helps keep you focused on your favorites and makes choosing so much easier!

10 Steps to House Hunting with a Critical Eye

Negotiate an Offer

This step in the process is where the assistance of a professional is invaluable.  Before you decide what to offer on a home, review the neighborhood comparables to learn about recent sales of homes similar to your choice.  This will provide a guideline for what you can expect to pay.  Remember, each home is unique - some sellers are willing to negotiate more than others and working with a professional West Bank REALTOR® who knows the area can arm you with the right information to get that offer accepted!

The Basics of Making an Offer

Your Offer’s Been Accepted - Now What?

When you are ready to stop dreaming and make owning a home on the West Bank of New Orleans a reality, contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR®.  A specialist in West Bank real estate, 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.

Watching the recent activity on my previous posts, it seems that lots of folks are interested in the Barkley Estates sales information, so I thought it would be a good time to do a neighborhood update.

First, some current statistics in Barkley Estates as of 4/28/2008:

• Active listings = 14
• Under contract listings = 2
• High list price = $589,900
• Low list price = $305,900
• Average list price = $434,507

All information is from the Gulf South Real Estate Information Network and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

And a look at the recent homes sales in Barkley Estates:

Not only has the number of homes sold increased since the 4th quarter of 2007, but check out that average sold price!  Good news for home sellers in Barkley Estates, who are getting about 9% more for their homes in 2008 than they were at the end of 2007.  Note the average days on market, though, which indicates that sellers are waiting a little longer to get these prices.  I’ll be able to update the sales information after my clients close on their new Barkley home soon - get ready to meet your new neighbors!

Remember, this report is for the entire Barkley Estates neighborhood.  For an individual market analysis of your West Bank home, please contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR®. 

Related Reading:

Harvey, LA: April 2008 Real Estate Absorption Report

Harvey, LA: March 2008 Home Sales and Real Estate Market Update

Spring Home Selling Tip #1 - Curb Appeal

Spring Home Selling Tip #2 - Clean, Clean, Clean

Spring Home Selling Tip #3 - Clear the Clutter

Spring Selling Tip #4 - Neutralize

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.

Just 8 miles from the New Orleans Central Business District, there is an exclusive golf community that offers the opportunity to live an enviable, quiet lifestyle within the city limits.  English Turn is one of the gems of the New Orleans West Bank, a magnificent gated community with all of the amenities you would expect in a luxury subdivision.

What Does English Turn Offer?

Golf - Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the award winning Par 72 Championship course was the site of  the 2006 Zurich Classic PGA Tournament.   Beautiful greens, stunning lakes and a plantation-style clubhouse are the centerpieces of the English Turn course.  Membership to English Turn Golf Club is limited and dues are in addition to the annual home owner fee.

Garden Club - The English Turn Garden Club is the sponsor of the community Butterfly Garden and is charged with protecting the native plants, trees and birds in the community as well.

Family and Children’s Activities - Tot lots and playgrounds for the exclusive use of  residents, a swim team, a summer camp program and a Kid’s Club that meets twice a month for fun Friday activities.

Green Space - Community parks (including one that measures 6 1/2 acres) and tot lots with space for a picnic, playground equipment, basketball court, softball diamond and more.

Clubhouse - The English Turn clubhouse is available for private functions and features a stunning view of the golf course from the balconies.

English Turn Homes

Single family homes, villa and golf condominiums are all part of the English Turn community.  New construction and resale homes are available starting in the mid $400s and range up to $1.5 million to capture your own piece of paradise.  Average sale prices for English Turn are in the mid $600,000 range and average days on market for recently sold homes is about 170 days.

English Turn Lots

Lots in English Turn are available to build your custom home on.  Lot sizes range from just under 1/4 acre up to a 1 full acre, some with water views, golf course views or both!  Available land is priced from $79,000 to $370,000.

Find Out More About English Turn

If you are interested in buying or selling a home in English Turn, please contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR® for more information on available properties for sale or to receive a personalized marketing plan for your existing home. 

Related Reading:

Selling Your Home Is A Business - Run It Like One!

5 Dos and Don’ts for Home Sellers

Related Sites:

English Turn Real Estate Market Reports

New Orleans Parochial School Information

New Orleans Public School Information

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.