West Bank Living

This Sunday is the official start of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season, which means that all of the talking head newscasters will be predicting doom and gloom for the entire Gulf Coast region until November.  There will be footage from Katrina played over and over again and "experts" will give their opinions on how active they think the storm season will be.  Since they are rarely correct, I can’t figure out how they get this gig year after year.

Most of us now have those plastic tubs filled with all of the things we would want to bring with us in the event of an evacuation of the city.  Family photos, marriage licenses, school records.  Maybe even a pre-paid credit card or some cash stashed away (you do remember that ATMs don’t work when there is no power, right?).   One of my clients has what she calls her Hurricane Book.  It’s a binder she compiled with all of the information she needs in an emergency such as:

• Phone numbers of hotels in every direction from the city including those that are pet friendly
• Evacuation routes and contra-flow maps
• Hurricane tracking maps
• Copies of insurance policies
• A list of all creditors, account numbers and phone numbers
• Veterinary records for her dogs

If an evacuation is called, she can grab her binder, book a hotel and be out of here before I’ve even remembered where I put my plastic tub.  It’s a great idea that she assured me I could borrow and share.

The bottom line is preparedness.  I don’t need to reinvent the wheel, so here are some sites with information on preparing for a storm:

• What to put in your disaster supply kit
• How to secure your home
• National Flood Insurance Information

Do you have a creative idea for storm preparation or evacuation plans?  Feel free to share it in a comment!

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.

Here’s the disclaimer part:  The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the author, but you are free to share yours in the comments.  All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Copyright 2008.  Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

Because I write about West Bank real estate, I get a lot of calls from people out of state who think they want to purchase investment properties in the New Orleans area.  While I applaud their entrepreneurship, these conversations usually don’t result in many sales due to a number of reasons.  Before you decide that you want to invest in New Orleans (or any other area of the country for that matter) here are a few tips:

Visit the city that you are thinking about investing in

Take a train, plane or automobile.  Spend a little time checking out the city.  Get a feel for the place.  You cannot decide if an investment is a wise one if you have never even visited the location you are considering putting your money in.

Determine what areas or neighborhoods you are interested in

Calling agents to ask "what’s a good area to invest in" sends up a red flag that you are either an amateur investor or not a serious prospect.  Every REALTOR® has their area of specialty.  Mine is single family homes on the West Bank of New Orleans and many callers are surprised to find out that they did not suffer from 12 feet of water in them.  Were there flooded homes on the West Bank?  Yes, but not due to the levee breaks and certainly not on the scale seen on the news reports from the East Bank.  If you are looking for mass destruction, skip right over the West Bank - we don’t have it.

Determine what your ROI should be

If you have to ask, you don’t need to be in the business of investing in property in a city far from where you actually live.  Sorry, but I believe in tough love.

Do you have local contractors?

Properties that appeal to investors typically require a large amount of renovation work.  Unless you plan to move to the city temporarily to perform the work yourself, you need to have local contacts in the form of general contractors, electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians and possibly even mold remediation and foundation leveling.  Remember that many of these professions are required to be licensed by the state of Louisiana before they do work that will pass a city inspection.

Are there potentially good investments on the West Bank?  Certainly.  There are also lots of local investors who are scooping up these properties, sometimes before they even make it into the MLS.  A local agent who knows the market is your best ally…provided you have done your homework ahead of time.

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.

Here’s the disclaimer part:  The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the author, but you are free to share yours in the comments.  All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Copyright 2008.  Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

I spend so much time living, breathing and writing about West Bank real estate that sometimes I forget one of the most unique cities in the world lies just a few short miles from my front door.  So it was fantastic to spend Saturday night in downtown New Orleans on date night with the hubby and another couple of friends.

We started with cocktails at a downtown loft, just down the street from Lucy’s, an iconic New  Orleans bar that is great for people watching.  Sitting on the rooftop patio, we could see other downtown dwellers outside on their patios too…grilling dinner, visiting with friends or just enjoying the evening breeze.  Note to self:  a small loft might be just the ticket to keep any of the kids from moving back home.

The wonderful thing about downtown New Orleans is that it’s so easy to get from place to place without the need for a car or cab.  So, we strolled past the Piazza d’Italia on our way to Harrah’s Casino Theatre to see a live performance by Leon Russell.  Great show, but Leon has no (as in zero, zip, nada) personality and the only words he spoke the entire evening were "Thank You".

The casino on a Saturday night is jam packed with suckers gamblers, so we made a quick exit after the show and walked over to check out the bar at the newly opened Ruth’s Chris Steak House in the Harrah’s Hotel.  I’m very happy to see a Ruth’s back in the city, since I absolutely detest driving through all of the Metairie traffic to get the single location that’s been open since the storm. 

I had not been to either the new hotel or the Fulton Street Plaza, and I was blown away by what a good job the architects and planners did of making the outdoor space so inviting.  Surrounded by great landscaping, lighting, and cool sculptures, sitting outside on a warm May night was very enjoyable indeed. 

I’m still working on my nighttime camera skills…

Sometimes you just need to be a tourist in your own hometown.

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.

Here’s the disclaimer part:  The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the author, but you are free to share yours in the comments.  All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Copyright 2008.  Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

Luxury car?  Check.

Luxury office?  Check.

Luxury home?  Why not?

Are you looking for your place to retreat to at the end of a hard day of work?  Someplace with all of the luxuries you want and need in your next home?  Then consider life on the West Bank of New Orleans and find the home of your dreams just outside of the hustle and bustle of the city life.

Two of My Favorite West Bank Neighborhoods

English Turn

You know you’ve arrived when you can claim an English Turn address.  Discover the beauty as you pull through the gates and catch a glimpse of the plantation style clubhouse that overlooks the Jack Nicklaus designed golf course.  Relax and enjoy the water and golf course views offered by many of the lavish homes in this exclusive West Bank community.  With a swim club, tennis, golf and more, what better way to pamper and welcome yourself home.

Choose from one of the 44 custom homes currently available in English Turn, priced from the mid $400s to over $1.5 million dollars.  Three, four and five bedroom homes with an average of over 3,800 square feet of living area are waiting to fulfill the wants and needs of the most discriminating buyer.   For a complete list of available homes in English Turn, feel free to contact me at lisa@westbankliving.com.

The Residence at Park Avenue

If you prefer courtyards to golf course views, The Residence provides the perfect mix of luxury living with the convenience of townhouse living.  Tucked behind the gates are custom built townhouses with private garage parking, a community pool, exercise room and more. 

Nine of these fabulous homes are now available, including 3 brand new units.  Priced from the mid $300s to the upper $500s, each three or four bedroom townhouse features a unique facade, custom interior and easy access to the community amenities.  Step away from the stresses of the world in The Residence at Park Avenue.  For more information or details on available townhouses at The Residence, drop me a line at lisa@westbankliving.com.

While certainly not the only luxury living on the West Bank, these are two of my personal favorite communities.  Each has so much to offer to residents, that those looking for an exclusive home on the West Bank are sure to find one here.  When you are ready to move up to luxury, contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR® for private showings of these and other exclusive West Bank homes for sale.

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.

Here’s the disclaimer part:  The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the author, but you are free to share yours in the comments.  All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Copyright 2008.  Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.