OFF THE MARKET | 1505 Stafford Street Gretna LA 70053 | Gretna LA Home for Sale
July 30, 2009 by Lisa Heindel
Filed under Gretna Homes for Sale
Have you been looking for a way to take advantage of the first time home buyer’s tax credit before it runs out on November 30th? We just listed an adorable house in the city of Gretna that has everything a first time buyer is looking for. New carpet, fresh paint, updated kitchen, modern bath (with a great whirlpool tub), a large backyard…what more could you ask for?
New on the market and priced to sell at only $129,900
- 3 bedrooms
- 1 bath
- 1,022 square feet living area (approximate)
- Attached single car garage
- Within the city limits of Gretna
The seller is including the refrigerator, washer and dryer in the sale, saving you some of the money it takes to set up a new home. I know you would rather buy some new furniture instead of appliances!
Worried about future repairs? There is also a one year home warranty for your peace of mind.
More photos of 1505 Stafford Street
Request more information about 1505 Stafford Street
Contact us to schedule your private showing
Do you have questions about the Gretna real estate market? Are you considering buying or selling a home? The West Bank Living Team provides local, professional real estate services to home buyers and sellers on the West Bank of New Orleans and military personnel relocating to and from NAS JRB New Orleans. It would be our pleasure to assist you with all of your real estate needs.
A Home Improvement That Really Does Pay For Itself
July 29, 2009 by Lisa Heindel
Filed under Blog, For Sellers, Real Estate Talk
I live in a house that was originally built in the 1950s. Over the years, the original owners added on (and added on and added on) as their family outgrew the existing space. Lucky for me, by the time they were ready to sell the house, it clocked in at well over 2,500 square feet of living area.
Not so lucky for me, they weren’t as concerned with energy efficiency during their expansion spree.
When we originally bought the house, we knew it would need work. It was definitely what a Realtor would call a “handy man special”, a “fixer upper” or a “diamond in the rough”. But we were captivated by two huge living spaces, a larger than average lot size and a location with family and friends all in the same block.
So, we bought it and embarked on our own spree – this time of updating and renovating. We updated electrical systems, painted, changed floors, painted, renovated bathrooms, painted, changed out a broken air conditioner, painted, replaced the roof and painted some more. After several months of work, we were finally able to move into our home and begin to really make it our own.
After we occupied the house, we were disappointed to find that running 2 air conditioners and cooling a large single story house in the New Orleans heat was a little harder on the budget than we planned for. Even with the addition of insulation, we were being hit with summer time electric bills that were running over $400-$500 per month. But then winter came and the bills settled back down to normal. As summer approached each year, we kept saying that we needed to change out all of the old windows in the house. Like so many other projects that cost more than a couple of hundred dollars, it kept getting pushed to the back burner.
This year, we decided that there would be no more procrastination. As we were painting and replacing flooring in one of the bedrooms, I decided to get a price on having the windows replaced at the same time.
I called my favorite contractor and he sent the window guy out to measure and prepare a quote. Thankfully, it wasn’t as expensive as I was afraid it would be, so we bit the bullet and ordered the windows.
After waiting for a couple of weeks for delivery, the day finally came when the sounds of construction filled my house and those old, crank out, casement monstrosities were removed to make way for double insulated, low E, energy credit at tax time windows.
Within a couple of days, all of the windows were installed and caulked, windowsills and casings were retro-fitted and the appearance of the front of our house took a giant leap into the 21st century. We had just paid an enormous electric bill, so we couldn’t wait to see what the next billing cycle would bring.
Finally, that Entergy envelope arrived in the mail. What we usually viewed with dread, we were excited to see…hoping for any reduction in our bill, but assuming that the recent hot, hot weather would mean another sky high bill. The envelope please…I ripped into the bill…scanning the date to be sure that it was for the time since the windows had been 
installed…looking for that heart stopping number that meant another big deduction from the checking account…
To find that our bill had been cut by more than 50%!! Yep – and that’s for a month when we had record heat and no rain. I can only imagine how small they will be during the winter months when we use very little electricity beyond our appliances.
If you are looking for an easy way to reduce your monthly utility expenses and make your home more energy efficient, changing your windows is definitely an improvement that will pay for itself over time.
Related Reading:
- Rebates and Tax Credits for Windows, Doors, and Skylights
- Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency
- Tax Credit FAQs
Are you considering buying or selling a home and need some help getting ready? The West Bank Living Team provides local, professional real estate services to home buyers and sellers on the West Bank of New Orleans and military personnel relocating to and from NAS JRB New Orleans. It would be our pleasure to assist you with all of your real estate needs.
OFF THE MARKET ~~~~300-02 Pelican Avenue New Orleans LA 70114 | Algiers Point 3 Plex for Sale
July 29, 2009 by Lisa Heindel
Filed under Algiers Point Homes for Sale, Featured Listings
Sitting right on the corner of Pelican and Seguin in the heart of historic Algiers Point, this great 3 plex, priced at $399,000, has so many possibilities!
The corner studio was previously a jewelry shop and could possibly be put into commercial use again (buyers should check for zoning regulations). The studio has a 80% complete full bath, new electrical and a new air/heat unit is being installed.
The lower unit has one bedroom, a full bath and kitchen plus a large living/dining combination. Beautiful wood floors, high ceilings and transoms above the doors all maintain the historic feel that buyers have come to expect in the Point. This unit also has private access to the fenced back yard as part of the $895 per month in rent currently being commanded.
The upper unit has 2 large and 1 small bedrooms, a full bath and kitchen, a breakfast nook and a large living space complete with original fireplace fronts. In addition to the wood floors, high ceilings and transoms, this unit also features pocket doors and a claw foot tub. The current tenant is paying $1,150 per month plus utilities.
Tour of 300-02 Pelican:
Tour of 300-02 Pelican Upper Unit:
Tour of 300-02 Pelican Lower Unit:
Tour of 300-02 Pelican studio:
Call for your private showing today!
Do you have questions about the Algiers Point real estate market? Are you considering buying or selling a home? The West Bank Living Team provides local, professional real estate services to home buyers and sellers on the West Bank of New Orleans and military personnel relocating to and from NAS JRB New Orleans. It would be our pleasure to assist you with all of your real estate needs.
Monroe Street Cafe | A Charming Place to Eat in Gretna LA
July 26, 2009 by Lisa Heindel
Filed under Around Town, Blog, Local restaurants
One of the things I adore about the West Bank is that the people who live here love to eat as much as I do. They will invite you to dinner, a BBQ or a boil at the drop of a hat. Some of our friends are excellent cooks who should be making a living at it.
Since I really don’t like to cook, we are usually looking for a place to eat each weekend. Sometimes it’s an old standby, but today we visited the new Monroe Street Cafe that Ernie and Joanne Elfer opened a few weeks ago in Gretna. Serving breakfast, lunch (with a rotating menu of daily specials) and dinner they are a welcome addition to the West Bank restaurant scene with family members working alongside each other in the kitchen and the dining room.
We were greeted by Rosey, the Elfer’s daughter, as we entered and made to feel as if we were special guests from the moment we arrived.
The colors and decorations are warm and welcoming, from the comfortable upholstered dining chairs right down to the fresh flowers that were on every table. Huge old mirrors have been framed on the walls of the dining area and give a sense of spaciousness to a room that could feel small but definitely does not.
We’ve known Ernie for years and had the chance to eat his delicious food before the cafe was even a thought, so I knew it would be good. The buzz is all about the muffaletta pizzas, but since we had a bit of a late night I was ready for breakfast or brunch. Lucky me, there is a Sunday brunch from 6 am to 2 pm each week.
For only $13.99, the brunch includes a juice cocktail, fresh fruit, shrimp remoulade, eggs Benedict, sausage, ham and cheese Elfair, the most amazing roasted garlic grits, biscuits, pecan delight (a mini warm pecan pie with whipped cream) and coffee or tea. I couldn’t even finish all of the food on my plate, so the pecan delight will be a treat later tonight…
If you’re not in the mood for brunch, you can also build your own breakfast, dig into a 3 egg omelet, have a pizza topped with scrambled eggs, ham and sausage, or choose from a wide selection of homemade pastries that are baked fresh every day. Rounding out the menu are the soup of the day and a great selection of sandwiches and salads. Prices are reasonable, with almost every menu item under $8.
Hubby is a little bit of very picky eater, but he didn’t leave a single bite on his plate today. Fortunately, I was able to grab a picture before he dug into the huge spaghetti plate topped with homemade meatballs.
Chef Ernie takes great pride in greeting everyone that visits and stepped out to see how we enjoyed our meal. He took us on a tour of the back dining room that is not open to the public yet, but will be known as The Chief’s Room when it is complete. Ernie was Chief Choctaw 2007 and plans to decorate the room with his costume and other memorabilia from his reign and has invited other past Chiefs to display any of their items as well. Hmmm…that may be just the right place for the next Krewe of Choctaw board of directors meeting to be held.
Our next visit will be for one of the made to order pizzas. Ernie says that his pizza is designed for those that love it as much as he does – a hand tossed dough basted with blends of garlic, olive oil, herbs and spices and your choice of sauce (red, olio, alfredo, BBQ or creole) is served with plenty of toppings and cheese.
If you are looking for a new, inexpensive West Bank place to eat, I definitely recommend that you check out Monroe St. Cafe. Delicious food, great service and another wonderful way to stay local.
Monroe St. Cafe is located at 1038 Monroe Street (the corner of Monroe and Anson) in Gretna LA and is open 11 am – 9 pm Monday through Thursday, 11 am – 10 pm Friday and Saturday and 6 am – 2 pm on Sundays. Take out orders are available by calling 361-7300. Tell him West Bank Living sent you!
Algiers LA 70131: June 2009 Home Sales and Real Estate Market Reports
July 25, 2009 by Lisa Heindel
Filed under Algiers, Market Updates
Current real estate activity in Algiers LA 70131 (excluding English Turn):
199 homes for sale
- High list price $895,000
- Low list price $14,250
- Average list price $188,409
- Median list price $159,900
48 pending sales, priced from $45,000 to $299,000
Based on the number of homes sold in June (17), there is an 11.7 month supply of homes for sale in the area
Algiers LA 70131 – Number of Homes Sold – June 2009
The 70131 zip code in Algiers ended the 2nd quarter of the year with a total of 87 homes sold, down from 117 (25%) at the same time last year.
What sold in Algiers?
- 5 homes sold for less than $100,000
- 4 homes sold between $100,000 and $200,000
- 7 homes sold between $200,000 and $250,000
- 1 home sold for more than $300,000
These numbers are actually a little surprising, with almost 50% of the sales over $200k. Some of this activity may have been spurred by the City of New Orleans soft second program that allowed for a $65,000 forgivable second mortgage on homes that had more than $5,200 in repaired damage from Hurricanes Katrina or Rita. That program is no longer allowing the financing of homes in Algiers, so we’ll see what type of impact this will have when July numbers are available.
Algiers LA 70131 – Average Home Sale Price – June 2009
Overall, the average home sale price in Algiers is down just a little over 6% from the 2008 average.
In another surprise, and a break from the rest of the West Bank real estate market, the majority of homes in Algiers were purchased with either cash or via conventional financing. FHA is ruling the market in other areas, but made up only 23% of the June sales in Algiers.
Pricing Adjustments Don’t forget that the sale prices listed do not take into account any assistance paid by the seller on behalf of the purchaser. Across much of the West Bank we are seeing a substantial number of sales with the seller assisting the buyer. However, that only happened in 2 sales in Algiers in June. This can be directly attributed to the low number of FHA buyers, who are typically 1st time buyers that need a little help.
All data is provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed
Related Reading:
Home Buying Tips
Home Selling Tips
Find out what’s going on in your West Bank neighborhood with this week’s free market snapshot.
Find a Home:
Algiers homes for sale
West Bank Homes for Sale
Do you have questions about the Algiers real estate market? Are you considering buying or selling a home? The West Bank Living Team provides local, professional real estate services to home buyers and sellers on the West Bank of New Orleans and military personnel relocating to and from NAS JRB New Orleans. It would be our pleasure to assist you with all of your real estate needs.
