Dear Homeowner,

Our records indicate that you have successfully applied for and received a 2012 Homestead Exemption.  This letter is to notify you that this Exemption is now permanent as long as your current address remains your home in Orleans Parish….

No more filling out those little cards annually and making sure they are mailed or returned to the Assessor in a timely manner.  This should help eliminate the lines of folks who insist on bringing their exemptions in person, freeing up staff to focus on other tasks.

Of course, the standard rules still apply to homestead exemptions:

• You may claim only one exemption
• Your exemption applies to your domicile only – your permanent, personally owned residence
• Assessment freezes are available for those with a gross income of less than $67,670 AND are 65 years or older or have a permanent disability or a military disability greater than 50%

For more information about how the homestead exemption works in New Orleans, visit the assessor website.

START YOUR NEW ORLEANS HOME SEARCH with Crescent City Living

But, I love the way golf courses look and to have that right outside my back door would be wonderful.

On the West Bank, we have several communities with golf courses in or adjacent to them – Stonebridge, Timberlane, Park Timbers, Lakewood Estates.  The convenience of having 18 holes nearby is appealing to many home buyers in the area.

Golf Course Homes on the West Bank

There may be more golf course homes than this available, because we depend on the accuracy of agent input when they list a property.  If you’d like to know about a particular home not listed here, feel free to contact us for all of the details.

Hillcrest has a couple of unassuming entries on Barataria Blvd, just south of Lapalco.  But don’t let the lack of a fancy sign fool you, this is one of the most in demand subdivisions in Marrero.  Originally developed in the early 1960s, Hillcrest continued to grow and expand into the late 1990s, so there is a large mix of home styles and ages throughout the neighborhood.  From 1960s and 70s ranch homes to newer construction, there’s a style to fit almost any need.

Typical Hillcrest homes have 3 or 4 bedrooms and 2 or 2 1/2 baths and an average of just over 2000 square feet.  There are some custom built homes sprinkled throughout the neighborhood that are larger, with additional bathrooms and square footage topping the 4000 square foot mark.

Commutes are a breeze from Hillcrest, so even if you work downtown or on the base, it won’t take you long to get to and from work and home.

• 10 minutes to West Jeff Medical Center
• 15 minutes to Ochsner West Bank Medical Center
• 18 minutes to Jefferson Parish Courthouse
• 20 minutes to downtown New Orleans
• 20 minutes to Federal City
• 30 minutes to NAS JRB New Orleans in Belle Chasse

HOMES FOR SALE IN HILLCREST

More Marrero homes for sale

For more information on living in Hillcrest or to schedule your showing of any home you see here, please contact us.

Barataria Estates is a covenant protected neighborhood in Marrero, LA, just south of Lapalco Blvd, off of Barataria Blvd.  Located on the West Bank of New Orleans, Barataria Estates is a small community with streets that bring you through a mature neighborhood with a mix of medium to large homes. Typical homes in the area have 3 or 4 bedrooms, at least 2 baths, garages and fenced yards.  Some homes are on larger than normal lots, allowing them to be set back farther from the street, providing great curb appeal. Little turnover is found in this neighborhood, so finding the right home for you might take some patience.

Nearby, you’ll find national and local dining spots, shopping, convenience and drug stores.  Just a couple of miles away is the Jean Lafitte state park, with nature trails, canoeing, hiking, a summertime wave pool and more outdoor activities.

Commute time to downtown New Orleans is less than 30 minutes and the widening of the Huey P. Long Bridge to the west will soon allow for an even faster trip to Metairie and other western suburbs.

Neighborhood Boundaries

Barataria Estates Community By-laws

Barataria Estates Covenants and Restrictions

Barataria Estates Community Information

Jefferson Parish official website

Jefferson Parish public schools

Jefferson Parish tax assessor

More about Marrero LA

Barataria Estates Homes for Sale

Barataria Oaks Estates is located off Barataria Blvd. in Marrero, LA, on the West Bank of New Orleans.  Just far enough from New Orleans to feel suburban, it’s still less than a 30 minute commute to downtown, the French Quarter and most of the city attractions.

Situated on the edge of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, you’ll be just minutes away from the natural beauty that south Louisiana has to offer in the form of bayous, swamps, nature trails and more.

Development began in 2004, with the newest homes completed in the last 5 years.  Both Viola Homes and LA Homes were builders in this small community of 3 and 4 bedroom homes ranging from 1550 to 2500 square feet of living area and featuring attached garages and fenced yards.

Barataria Oaks Estates has only 2 streets in the community.  Augustine and Alexander Lanes form a complete oval, with one entrance/exit to and from the neighborhood.

Barataria Oaks Estates Community Information

Jefferson Parish official website

Jefferson Parish public schools

Jefferson Parish tax assessor

More about Marrero LA

Homes for sale in Barataria Oaks Estates

SEE ALL MARRERO LA HOMES FOR SALE

With FHA being the most common form of financing across the New Orleans metro area, it’s good to see an increase in the loan limits for this type of financing.  If you need a referral to an approved FHA lender, please contact us.

These maximum mortgage limits on residential loans will be in effect January 1, 2012 until December 31, 2013 in Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and St. Tammany Parishes.

1 unit      $287,500    

2 units    $368,050

3 units    $444,900    

4 units    $552,900

That’s probably for the best.

Your definition of a “safe” New Orleans neighborhood might not be the same as that of your agent.  If you are moving from a small, rural town, then any crime might be a huge issue for you.  If you are moving from a large metropolitan area, you might be a little more relaxed about minor crimes, but still concerned about major ones.  There’s no way that we, as agents, can give you a warm and fuzzy that matches your expectations about an area.

So, what do we suggest?

Drive or walk through the neighborhoods you are most interested in living in.  Do this during the day, the evening and on weekends.  Why so many different times?  Because the whole feel of a neighborhood can change after work hours or on weekends.

Talk to the neighbors.  The best source of community information (and maybe even gossip) is the people who already live there.

Check with the local police department or check out these online resources for crime data

• Crime Map for New Orleans
• Crime Map for Jefferson Parish

Police protection on the West Bank of New Orleans is provided by:

New Orleans Police Department  (Algiers) 

Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office  (Terrytown, unincorporated Gretna, Harvey, Marrero)

Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office  (Belle Chasse)

City of Gretna Police Department  (Gretna)

City of Westwego Police Department (Westwego)

The BestBank Track Club has been around for almost 25 years, growing from a small group of friends in Algiers and Terrytown to the current group that meets to run, walk and socialize twice a week.  Affiliated with the Road Runners Club of America, they run a 3 mile trek on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm, starting from the parking lot behind the Family Dollar at Woodland and General de Gaulle in Algiers.  They meet again on Sunday mornings at 6:30 am in the parking lot of Holy Cross College on Woodland in Algiers.

Not just a track club, it’s a fun group that plans activities throughout the year, such as crawfish boils, tubing trips and swim parties.  $15/year dues cover the cost of beverages at the weekly runs, but can you really put a price on the chance to make new friends that share your love for running?  Members participate in local runs, marathons, triathalons and have an active facebook page to keep everyone informed about what’s happening with the club.

No matter whether you are an experienced runner or a newbie, everyone is welcome.  Don’t worry about being left behind, because the group waits for the last runner to come in before leaving for the evening.

For more information, email bestbanktrackclub@yahoo.com or join BestBank Track Club on Facebook

The majority of the homes are ranch style single stories, although there are a few 2 story models sprinkled on streets with names like Sugarpine, Cottonwood and Firethorn.  Just a few miles from NAS JRB New Orleans, Southwood is a quick commute for military members who can’t swing the higher prices of neighboring Belle Chasse.

The average Southwood home has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and about 1800 square feet of living area.  Priced from the low to mid $100s, the neighborhood is affordable and provides some excellent choices for first time home buyers.

Conveniences are all nearby…grocery stores, drug stores, restaurants, fast food and more are all located within minutes of Southwood.  Drive south for less than an hour and you can launch your boat for a day of fishing.  Drive east for a few minutes and you’ll be in downtown New Orleans, with all of the excitement and activities the city has to offer.  Come back home at the end of the day to your own little piece of the West Bank.

Jefferson Parish Schools

Homes for sale in Southwood

More homes for sale in Gretna LA

Should you rent or buy?

The buy-rent calculation is just one part of the decision-making process. Other factors include:

• How long you plan to stay. If you’re not keeping the home for several years, transactional costs of buying and selling (e.g; commissions, closing costs) can wipe out any buying edge.
• Whether you have cash for closing. It’s not easy to find banks willing to lend more than 80% of the cost of a home. That means buyers have to come up with 20% down, plus closing costs. On a $200,000 home, that’s $40,000.
• Whether you can cover all the homeownership costs. It’s not just the mortgage: There are property taxes, insurance, heat, utilities and regular maintenance.
• Whether you can claim the tax advantages of homeownership. Mortgage interest is deductible and can shave a lot off tax bills but this benefit accrues mostly to high income earners with substantial mortgage payments. Many borrowers claim the standard deduction on their taxes and so derive no savings from the deduction.….Read the entire CNN post

Here’s my issue with their advice on cash for closing…”it’s not easy to find banks willing to lend more than 80% of the cost of a home”….

NOT TRUE!  This might be the case in some of the luxury areas where prices are above the FHA loan limits, but the average home in New Orleans and the surrounding areas is selling for well under those limits and you can buy with 3.5% down, not the 20% noted in the article.  This is especially important for people relocating to New Orleans from areas with a completely different real estate climate.

Before you decide to buy or rent, take the time to talk to a local lender and find out what the real cost of owning in New Orleans would be….don’t rely on the national news to give you local information.