Developed just after WWII, the original Aurora Gardens homes were typically small (700 to 900 square feet) 2 bedroom, 1 bath ranchers on large lots.  Over time, most of the homes have had additions made to them to enlarge their size.  As Algiers grew over the years, and homes spread to the north side of Woodland Highway (New Aurora), the neighborhood became known locally as Old Aurora.

Most of the homes in Old Aurora were built in the 1950s and 1960s, but there are pockets of newer homes on Kingston Court, Brighton Place and Oxford Place.  Additionally, some of the homes that fell into disrepair have been razed and replaced by new construction.  Who could blame a buyer for wanting a lot with an average size of about 1/4 of an acre?

Home prices in Old Aurora run the gamut, from under $50,000 for a lot or a home that’s ready to be razed, to over $175,000 for one of the newer or renovated homes.  It’s an affordable area of the West Bank, and the commute to the New Orleans Central Business District is under 10 miles to any part of downtown.  Also nearby are NSA New Orleans (Federal City), NAS JRB New Orleans, the beautiful campus of Our Lady of Holy Cross College and a huge selection of churches and places of worship.

Algiers Charter Schools
New Orleans Public Schools
New Orleans Parochial Schools
Our Lady of Holy Cross College

Algiers homes for sale

For more information about living in Old Aurora, a list of available properties or a tour of the neighborhood, contact the West Bank Living Team today.

Named one of the top 5 “must see” firework displays in the U.S., there will be dueling pyrotechnic barges on the river at 9 pm on Independence Day.  The extravaganza is visible for miles, so if you’re on the West Bank, just head to the levee in Algiers or Gretna and you can catch the show close to home.  Bring your radio and tune in to Magic 101.9 or WWL AM or WWL FM for a simulcast of one of the most unique celebrations in the country.  Stuck at home or work?  Go to WWL.com for an online simulcast as well!

Starting at 3 pm on Saturday, there will be food, drinks, music and fun all along the riverfront on the East Bank.   The Aquarium and Insectarium will both be offering discounted admission fees (click here for a coupon) for an escape from the heat.  The French Market fun starts even earlier in the day, when Dutch Alley, on the corner of St. Phillip and Decatur, will be filled with live music beginning at 11 am.  Hot dogs, lemonade, a watermelon tasting and even a screening of the movie Satchmo  - so much to do in one short day!

Go 4th on the River schedule
Go 4th on the River map and parking information

No matter what your plans are, be sure to take a minute to remember our soldiers…the ones from the past that made this holiday possible and the brave men and women who continue to defend our freedom every day.  Even better, take a few minutes and adopt a soldier and let him or her know how much we appreciate everything they do.

Happy 4th of July from the West Bank Living Team!

Available for occupancy in mid-July, 10 Seaward Court is tucked into The Villas of Aurora in Algiers.  Just off General Meyer, this small, private neighborhood is close to NAS JRB New Orleans, NSA New Orleans (future Federal City) and a quick commute to downtown.

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Walking distance to the levee, you can watch ships sailing on the Mississippi River from the covered front porch that is just begging for a rocking chair and an ice cold glass of tea.

• 3 bedrooms
• 2 baths
• High ceilings and wood floors
• Formal dining room
• Large family room
• All appliances, including washer and dryer, furnished

Offered at $1,600 per month, 10 Seaward Court is pet friendly for an additional deposit.  To request an application or private tour, please contact the West Bank Living Team today.

Do you have questions about the Algiers real estate market? The West Bank Living Team provides local, professional real estate services to 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.

This evening, WDSU news ran a story about what neighborhoods are the fastest growing in the city.  Among them – Algiers Point, right here on the West Bank.  From the on air segment, the impression was given that the community is one of the booming areas of the city.  I’m sure that the home sellers who have been not-so-patiently waiting for buyers for their homes would beg to differ.

Click here for the report from the WDSU site

So, I dug a little deeper and found the entire report from the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center.  Turns out that they are basing this recovery boast on information from the US Postal Service documenting the number of households receiving mail.

It seems pretty reasonable to me that as people continue to return to the city, the number of homes getting mail will increase. 

What I don’t understand is how the media manages to spin an increase in mail deliveries into Algiers Point being one of the hottest neighborhoods in the city.  This type of misguided cheerleading just makes it even harder to break the news to a home owner that there is almost a 2 year supply of homes for sale in the Point and that the odds of being one of this month’s few lucky sellers are not good.

I wonder if Norman or Kriss is in the market for a great Victorian?

Do you have questions about the Algiers real estate market?  The West Bank Living Team provides local, professional real estate services to 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.

New on the market and priced at only $148,000, this 5 year young house is waiting for a new owner to come along and make it a home again.

• 3 bedrooms
  2 baths
  1,165 square feet living area
  Large backyard with room to add a pool, gazebo or play area

Sparkling clean, with new carpet and fresh paint, it’s perfect for buyers who are looking to take advantage of the first time home buyer’s tax credit before it expires on November 30th.

Interested in seeing more?  Visit 2708 Bayou Cane for more photos, details and community information, then contact the West Bank Living Team to make your appointment today!

Do you have questions about the Marrero 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.

So, I thought I would compare the 2008 average home sale price to the 2009 average (as of 5/31/2009).  What an eye opener it was for some communities on the West Bank! 

The result:  EVERY part of the West Bank has lower average sale prices for the last year.

 Data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, not guaranteed

Don’t let this scare you too much.  Many of these communities have had a minimal number of homes sales this year, so the numbers may be skewed just a little.  What’s most telling to me is that with the exception of English Turn, Algiers Point and Belle Chasse (typically among the highest priced areas on the West Bank), buyers are choosing homes around or under $150,000.

This should serve as a warning to home sellers in higher price ranges that it may take a little longer to find the right buyer and that patience is not just a virtue, it’s a requirement in today’s real estate market.  You can have the most experienced, successful agent in the world on your side, but if there is not a demand for the product you are selling you setting yourself up for disappointment if you expect a quick sale.  I’m not saying that fast sales don’t continue to happen – they do – but they are not the norm anymore.

Remember that these numbers are for the entire community – your neighborhood may be performing better or worse than this.  Get this week’s free market snapshot of listings and sales in your community.

For more detailed information about sales in your area, take a peek at our recent Market Reports:

All Algiers Real Estate Market Reports
Algiers Point real estate market updates
English Turn real estate market reports
Belle Chasse Real Estate Market Reports
City of Gretna home sales and real estate market reports
Terrytown/Gretna real estate market reports
Harvey LA Real Estate Market Reports
Marrero Real Estate Market Updates
Westwego, Avondale & Bridge City Market Reports

Do you have questions about the New Orleans West Bank 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.

45 homes for sale

• High list price $1,595,000
• Low list price $399,000
• Average list price $683,728
• Median list price $599,000

2 pending sales, priced at $325,900 and $599,000

In 2009, the average home sold in English Turn was on the market for 285 days

Based on the number of homes sold in May (2), there is a 22.5 month supply of homes for sale in the English Turn community

English Turn – Number of Homes Sold – May 2009

Year to date, there have been 11 homes sold in English Turn, compared to 10 sold at the same time last year.  While it’s not a big rebound, at least the number of home sales is remaining steady following the huge dropoff experienced in 2008.

What sold in English Turn?

• 199 English Turn was originally listed for $788,000 and sold in May for $725,000
  44 Fairway Oaks was originally listed for $418,500 and sold in May for $407,000

English Turn – Average Home Sale Price – May 2009

Average prices in English Turn are continuing to run about 10% lower than 2008 prices as the under $500k homes are selling faster (faster being a relative term) than those in the upper end of the price range and make up over 50% of the sales this year.

All data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, not guaranteed

Related Reading:

Getting Your Home Sold in This Market - 10 Steps to Success According to Professional Home Stagers
Choosing a Tech Savvy REALTOR to Sell Your West Bank Home

Find a Home:

Algiers homes for sale
West Bank Homes for Sale
Find out what’s going on in your West Bank neighborhood with this week’s free market snapshot.

Do you have questions about the English Turn real estate market?  Are you considering buying or selling a home? The West Bank Living Team provides local, professional real estate services to 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.

181 homes for sale

• High list price $895,000
• Low list price $27,900
• Average list price $192,292
• Median list price $160,000

65 pending sales, priced from $15,000 to $400,000

Based on the number of homes sold in May (13), there is almost a 14 month supply of homes for sale in the 70131 zip code

Algiers LA 70131 – Number of Homes Sold – May 2009

Algiers 70131 ended May with 70 homes sold year to date, compared to 93 at the same time last year.  The number of buyers who are choosing Algiers is dropping each year (see chart below) by a rather dramatic amount. 

What is selling in Algiers?

In May, only 3 homes in Algiers sold for more $175,000….not good news for those folks attempting to sell a higher end property in the area.  Of interest is the fact that the majority of the financing chosen by Algiers buyers is conventional, which is directly opposite of most other areas of the West Bank real estate market.  However, even the conventional borrowers are getting assistance from sellers in the area, with almost 50% of May’s home sellers providing an average of $4,348 towards the purchasers closing costs and prepaids.

Algiers LA 70131 – Average Home Sale Price – May 2009

Watching that average price line drop month after month is a little discouraging.  At the end of May, the average home sale price in Algiers for 2009 is $149,004, down over 8.7% from 2008 and even below the 2005 average. 

What might change this?

I’m getting a lot of phone calls from agents who have buyers ready, willing and able to purchase with the assistance of the City of New Orleans soft second mortgage program.  This program is limited to homes in Orleans Parish that had at least $5,200 in repaired damage from Hurricanes Katrina or Rita.  If your home passes this test, be sure that your agent is advertising that fact, since Algiers didn’t have as much damage as other parts of the city and finding a home for sale that qualifies can be tough.

This program may not increase the average sale price, but could be a boost to the number of homes sold.

**The one contract I’ve received that utilized this program was cancelled after several weeks because the buyer’s lender was removed from the approved list of mortgage companies by the city and the buyer could not qualify with another company.  It is VERY important to have your agent do their due diligence in checking out the details of any preapproval letter received.

All data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, not guaranteed

Related Reading:
All Algiers Market Reports
5 Dos and Don’ts for Home Sellers

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 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.

22 homes for sale

• High list price $699,000
• Low list price $149,000
• Average list price $299,531
• Median list price $277,500

7 pending sales, priced from $129,000 to $475,000

Based on the number of homes sold in May (1), there is a 22 month supply of homes for sale in Algiers Point

Algiers Point – Number of Homes Sold – May 2009

Home sales in Algiers Point are as slow as molasses, with only 5 homes sold in the community between January and May 2009.  Compared to the 11 sold at the same time last year, sales are down over 50% in this historic New Orleans neighborhood.

What sold? 537 Verret St sold for $192,000, with owner paying for a home warranty and $5,000 in closing costs for the purchasers.

The bright spot on the horizon is the fact that 7 homes are pending sale right now (waiting on inspections, loan approval, appraisals, etc) and I’m hoping to see an increase of closed sales in June.

Algiers Point – Average Home Sale Price – May 2009

Obviously, the individual monthly averages are fairly useless with so few homes selling, but Algiers Point has a 2009 year to date average home sale price of $209,600…down 4.6% from the 2008 average.  Most neighborhoods on the West Bank are at least back to 2005 prices, but the Point is not there, continuing to record substantial year to year decreases in value.

Just this past week, I received an email from a resident of the Point asking “Why are homes not selling in the Point?”.  I wish I knew.  It’s a beautiful neighborhood, it’ has some great events happening (that probably need a little more advertising to folks who don’t already live in the Point) and the architecture is some of the best that the city has to offer.  The only feedback I could give is that when people have decided to make a move to the West Bank, they are choosing Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes over Orleans by a large number.

Hopefully the Wednesdays on the Point concert series will bring in some people who will discover this little jewel and decide to call it home.

All data is provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Related Reading:
5 Dos and Don’ts for Home Sellers
Getting Your Home Sold in This Market - 10 Steps to Success According to Professional Home Stagers

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 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.

88 homes for sale

• High list price $699,000
• Low list price $13,000
• Average list price $166,292
• Median list price $142,450

19 pending sales, priced from $35,000 to $475,000

Based on the number of homes sold in May (10), there is an 8.8 month supply of homes for sale in the area

Algiers LA 70114 – Number of Homes Sold – May 2009

The 70114 portion of Algiers has been showing a steady climb in home sales each month this year, but is still well below 2008 activity.  Year to date there have been 33 homes sold, compared to 43 at the same time last year.  This is a 30% decrease in the number of sales from 2008 to 2009 and has been the cause of much frustration for home sellers in the community, especially those trying to sell a home in Algiers Point.

What sold in Algiers 70114?

• 3 homes in FAIR condition, for an average of $81,716**
• 3 homes in VERY GOOD condition, for an average of $64,666
• 4 homes in EXCELLENT condition, for an average of $138,100

**Typically, homes in fair condition do not sell for more than those in very good condition.  This average was skewed by the sale of one large Victorian home on Brooklyn Avenue.  If that home is not included, the average drops to $30,075.

Algiers LA 70114 – Average Home Sale Price – May 2009

May 2009 ended with an average home sale price of less than $100,000 in 70114, continuing the decline we’ve been watching for quite some time.

The lack of sales in Algiers Point is the major contributor to the decrease in average home sale prices in the 70114 zip code.  Since just this one neighborhood has such an impact on the area average, it’s a good idea to find out what’s going on in your West Bank neighborhood with this week’s free market snapshot.

All data is provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Related Reading
Choosing a Tech Savvy REALTOR to Sell Your West Bank Home
Home Selling Tips

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 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.