New Orleans West Bank Living and Real Estate News: February 2008

The boxes are unpacked, the new curtains are hung in the windows and the pantry has been filled.  The flurry of activity involved in moving has subsided.  You are a new resident in an unfamiliar city with small children - wondering, What now?

Any move can be difficult, but if you are relocating to a new city as a stay at home mom, it can be even harder to adjust.  Spending your days at home with the kids can make it tough to meet new people and make new friends.  With four children of my own, I can relate to the stress of just being a mom.  Being a mom in a new town with no support system of friends and family to help out would be, I'm sure, overwhelming.  BUT, there's good news!  When relocating to the West Bank of New Orleans, whether for a civilian or military relocation, there is a solution for the stay at home mom who is new to the city.

MOMS Club of Metairie - South Chapter is a terrific resource for all stay at home moms, whether you are new to the area or a life long resident.  A support group for stay at home moms, the Club provides organized outings for mothers where, of course, the kids are always welcome!  The Metairie chapter of the MOMS Club serves the West Bank of New Orleans, including Algiers, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and Belle Chasse. 

No more wondering, what will we do today?  The MOMS Club meets at least two times a week (and sometimes as many as 5), usually at a local park or McDonald's, with other outings scheduled throughout the month.  An example of some of the organized outings are the Audubon Zoo, the Aquarium of the Americas, local libraries during reading or craft times and more. 

Play dates and luncheons at member's homes are also scheduled throughout the year and members are encouraged to suggest new places to go and things to see that are mom and kid friendly.  And, since your membership doesn't end when the kids reach school age, wouldn't these outings be a great field trip resource for parents who choose to home school their children?

When all is said and done, even the most dedicated stay at home mom sometimes needs an evening to herself....a little me time.  Once a month, the MOMS Club members have a mother's night out, where members get together to relax and chat, whether over dinner and drinks or at a movie.   And for those moms who are ill, recovering from surgery or at home with a new little bundle of joy, the MOMS Club Meal Coordinator organizes the preparation and delivery of home cooked meals.  What I wouldn't have given to have someone help with dinner when I had a newborn to take care of!

For those looking for a way to serve their new community, the MOMS Club organizes several service projects each year.  Past projects have included  collecting donations for the local battered women's shelter and participation in Project Linus, an organization that donates new, handmade blankets and afghans to children who are seriously ill or in need.  This is a great way to get involved in giving back to your new community and set a good example to your children while still connecting with other stay at home moms and their kids.

So, unpack those boxes, hang those curtains and contact the MOMS Club of Metairie.  They will be happy to join me in welcoming you to New Orleans!

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 buyer, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.

• Get new West Bank Real Estate articles delivered to your email
• West Bank Homes for Sale – Find a home for sale on the West Bank or other New Orleans metropolitan area.
• Contact Lisa Heindel for help buying or selling your New Orleans area home
• Free Online Home Evaluation of your New Orleans West Bank home

Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

Moving to a new city means adjusting to many changes.  Have you thought about the weather in your new home town?  If you are relocating to New Orleans or have a PCS to NAS JRB New Orleans, here's what you need to know about our climate.

New Orleans has what is called a subtropical climate.  What does this mean?  Short, mostly mild winters and hot, hot summers!

January is traditionally the coldest month of year in New Orleans, with average daytime temperatures of around 55 degrees.  Nighttime temperatures can sometimes, but not often, fall below freezing.  During these cold nights, you'll hear the locals talks about the three P's:  pipes, plants and pets.  Raised houses with exposed pipes underneath can be at risk of freezing if the pipes are not wrapped, while the much loved tropical plants should be covered and pets should be brought inside for the night.  Fortunately, these light to moderate freezes occur on only a few nights through the winter.

February, March and April bring fabulous springtime days, with high temperatures in the low 60s to mid 70s.  The mild winters are one of the reasons that New Orleans offers a year round planting season for gardeners!  This is also the time of year to have your air conditioning system cleaned and serviced, before the dog days of summer have the repairmen hopping!

Summer begins in earnest in May in New Orleans.  "But the first day of summer isn't until June 21st".  True, but the average daytime temperatures begin to reach the 80s in early May, continuing through June and July with average temperatures hovering in the 90s through August and into September.  The humidity in New Orleans can take some getting used to and can be the cause of many a bad hair day!  Humidity of more than 80% is not uncommon during the summer months, so dress for the heat and take advantage of opportunities to be in the air conditioning or cooling off in the water.

Our first nice cool snap usually occurs in mid to late October, with pleasant temperatures in the 60s through Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Looking for a white Christmas?  If so, you've come to the wrong place, although we did experience a rare snowfall on Christmas Day, 2004.  I can count on my fingers the number of times it has snowed in New Orleans in my lifetime, so you can pack the parkas away in the attic! 

Other New Orleans climate information:

Average rainfall:  Approximately 4 inches per month, with an average high rainfall of 7.6 inches in July and an average low rainfall of 1.7 inches in October.

Hurricane season:  June through November.  Read more about Hurricane Preparedness from the National Hurricane Center.

Now that you know what to expect in New Orleans weather, let me be the first to welcome you to the Crescent City!

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 buyer, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more. 

• Get new West Bank Real Estate articles delivered to your email
• West Bank Homes for Sale - Find a home for sale on the West Bank or other New Orleans metropolitan area.
• Contact Lisa Heindel for help buying or selling your New Orleans area home
• Free Online Home Evaluation of your New Orleans West Bank home

Copyright 2008.  Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

The weather forecast for the weekend is sunny with temperatures in the low 70s, perfect for some outdoor activities on the West Bank. If you are not out on the golf course or picnicking at the park, here are some other West Bank events you might enjoy.

Gretna BMX Raceway

A recent addition to fun things to do on the West Bank, the Gretna BMX track is  now open on Saturdays, with registrations from 10 am to 2 pm and races starting at 2:30 pm. Staffed completely by parent volunteers, the motto of the BMX track is "Nobody Sits the Bench". Races are held each Saturday for all entrants, from beginners to more experienced riders, with race results posted online each week. My 12 year old has been begging to go here, so we have it penciled in on the schedule for this weekend!

West Bank Theatre

The Jefferson Performing Arts Society presents Flanagan's Wake at the Teatro Wego! Dinner Theatre, starting Friday, February 22nd. The hilarious, interactive show will run through March 16th, will performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and a matinee show on Sundays at 2:00 pm. A buffet is available before each show. For reservations or more information, visit the Jefferson Performing Arts Society website.

I've got tickets for Saturday night to attend The Great American Trailer Park musical as it continues its run at the Westwego Performing Arts Theatre through March 9th. Shows will be held every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees will be performed at 2:00 pm. Buffets are available before each show. For reservations or more information visit the Jefferson Performing Arts Society website. I'll be sure to give a review before next week's final performances! 

Gretna Farmer's Market

Rain or shine, the Farmer's Market is always the best place on the West Bank to get your fresh produce along with other locally prepared items. Huey P. Long and 4th Street, under the Gretna Market. 8:30 am - 12 noon

Lenten Fish Fries on the West Bank 

One of the great things about the Lenten season is that I know I don't have to cook on Friday nights. Get the family together and head out to one of the many locations holding a fish fry this week:

St. Anthony School 900 Franklin Ave. Gretna, LA. The St. Anthony Dad's Club is sponsoring dinners of fried or broiled fish, fried shrimp, gumbo and more. Eat in or take available, along with soft drinks and desserts. 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Christ the King School 535 Deerfield Ave. Gretna, LA. The Knights of Columbus is hosting this weeks dinner offering fried fish, corn and crawfish soup, combo plates, drinks, desserts and more. 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm.

St. Andrew the Apostle 3101 Eton Street Algiers, LA. The Knights of Columbus sponsors the dinner, serving fried fish, gumbo, dessert, and more. 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm in the St. Andrew cafeteria.

The Knights of Columbus is also sponsoring a fry at the KC Hall in Algiers Point, 342 Olivier Street, behind Holy Name of Mary Church, 6-8 pm. Fried catfish plus lots of sides like cole slaw, potato salad, hush puppies and more.

The Knights of Columbus Council 6357 of Belle Chasse will hold a fish fry at 9016 Highway 23 (Belle Chasse Hwy) from 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm. Plates and poboys are available and all proceeds help support local charities. 

Are you the next American Idol?

J&K Bar and Grill will have karaoke, hosted by A Sound Above starting at 8:00 pm Friday night. Get there early for dinner and have some of those yummy crawfish they'll be boiling. 3700 General Meyer Avenue in Algiers. 

Pet Adoptions

February is National Responsible Pet Owner's Month. Before you comb through the classifieds in search of a new, cuddly friend, have you considered checking out the Louisiana SPCA in Algiers to adopt a pet that needs a family? Visit them at 701 Thayer Street in Algiers.

Make it a great West Bank weekend!

I know that New Orleans is a great place to live, but a recent poll shows that others think so too!  Rankings by Forbes.com put New Orleans in the Top 20 Cities for Singles across the nation.  Coming in at #17 overall, New Orleans also ranked in the top 20 in the following singles categories:

Best Cities for Culture

New York, Paris, Rome...New Orleans?  You bet.  A long program of cultural events takes place in New Orleans throughout the year in addition to the list of art, music, theatre and more that is always available for your enjoyment.  Read all about it at You Want Culture?  New Orleans Has Got It!

Best Cities for Nightlife

Well, duh!  Who hasn't heard a friend's story about Bourbon Street or Mardi Gras (or lived their own!) at least once in their lifetime?  But more than Mardi Gras goes into making New Orleans a legendary town for nightlife.  From the local diner to the gourmet restaurants, the corner bar to the downtown club scene, the lists of places to go to experience world class dining, live music and dancing is pages long.  Just check the weekly schedule at NOLA.com for upcoming events.

Best Cities for Coolness

OK, so this is a completely subjective category and your definition of what's cool and mine may be two completely different things.  But, no matter how you look at it, New Orleans has always been a cool place to be.  Whether you are just visiting or are relocating to the area, New Orleans remains one of the most unique and yes, cool, cities in the country.  Once you've had a chance to breathe in the sultry air, listen to the sounds of the city, meet a few of the natives and experience this place that is like no other, you'll want to call it home too.

Best Cities for Cost of Living Alone

No need for rent controls here.  New Orleans offers some of the most affordable housing in the country.  One bedroom rentals within the city limits are priced from $400 - $2,500 per month, with the average rent in the last 90 days coming in at a reasonable $986 per month.  Interested in buying instead?  The average 1 or 2 bedroom home or townhouse sale price in the city of New Orleans for 2007 was under $150,000.

The city has seen an influx of young, single residents in the last couple of years and we have a steady rotation of single military relocations to the area as well.  If you want to be a part of the growing number of people who are proud to call New Orleans home, contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR®  about things you need to know when relocating to New Orleans.  I'd love to introduce you to my 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 buyer, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.

• Get new West Bank Real Estate articles delivered to your email
• West Bank Homes for Sale – Find a home for sale on the West Bank or other New Orleans metropolitan area.
• Contact Lisa Heindel for help buying or selling your New Orleans area home
• Free Online Home Evaluation of your New Orleans West Bank home

Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

In my continuing review of gated communities on the West Bank, this week's focus is on The Commons in Gretna, LA.  Developed by Willow Builders in 1999, The Commons is centrally located on the West Bank of New Orleans off of Wall Blvd. with easy access to the Central Business District, NAS JRB New Orleans, the Metairie business district and more.

Is your office in one of the new developments on Manhattan Blvd.?  The  Commons offers you a commute time of less than 10 minutes!  Travel time to the Naval Air Station in Belle Chasse is only around 20 minutes.

Nearby shopping includes Target, Lowe's, WalMart, Sam's Club and more.  Dining out is close and convenient with the wide selection of local and national chain restaurants within minutes of your front door.

Things to know about The Commons:

• Low annual homeowner's due of $480 per household
• Available homes priced from high $200,000 to low $300,000 range
• Recent average sale price of $276,000
• Recent median sale price of $294,000
• Recent average and median days on market of 88 days

Schools and libraries near The Commons:

• Jefferson Parish Public School Information
• Jefferson Parish Parochial School Information
• West Bank Regional Library

Fun Activities near The Commons:

• Outdoor family activities
• Local culture and entertainment

Come be a part of this beautiful West Bank community.  For a list of available homes, more information on buying or selling a home in The Commons, or relocating to the West Bank of New Orleans, please contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR®.  I would be happy to help you find your next 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.

• Subscribe to West Bank Living by Email
• Featured New Orleans West Bank Homes
• Search All New Orleans West Bank Listings
• What's My Home Worth? - A Free Online Valuation of your New Orleans West Bank Home

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.

Are you ready to spring into the West Bank home buying market?  With temperatures in the low 70s expected for this weekend, it's a perfect time to get out of your old house and into a new one!

This terrific, newly renovated home in the Old Aurora section of Algiers, LA will be open this Sunday, 2/24/2008, from 1-3 pm.  Stop in and take a look at all you can get for only $144,500:

• 3 bedrooms
• 1 full bath
• Hardwood floors
• Eat in kitchen
• Living room
• Den
• Inside laundry room
• Oversized lot with mature landscaping and trees

I hope to see you on Sunday!

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 buyer, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more. 

• Get new West Bank Real Estate articles delivered to your email
• West Bank Homes for Sale - Find a home for sale on the West Bank or other New Orleans metropolitan area.
• Contact Lisa Heindel for help buying or selling your New Orleans area home
• Free Online Home Evaluation of your New Orleans West Bank home

Copyright 2008.  Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

Well here we are, almost to the end of another week of hard work on the West Bank.  Let's have some fun this weekend!

West Bank Theatre

The Jefferson Performing Arts Society presents Flanagan's Wake at the Teatro Wego! Dinner Theatre, starting Friday, February 22nd.  The hilarious, interactive show will run through March 16th, will performances on Fridays and  Saturdays at 7:30 pm and a matinee show on Sundays at 2:00 pm.  A buffet is available before each show.  For reservations or more information, visit the Jefferson Performing Arts Society website.

The Great American Trailer Park musical continues its run at the Westwego Performing Arts Theatre through March 9th.  Shows will be held every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees will be performed at 2:00 pm.  Buffets are available before each show.  For reservations or more information visit the Jefferson Performing Arts Society website.

Gretna Farmer's Market

The Gretna Farmer's Market takes place every Saturday under the Gretna Market at Huey P. Long and 3rd Street in Gretna, LA.  Choose from a wide variety of locally grown produce, local wines and other goodies.  8:30 am - 12:30 pm, rain or shine.

Friday Fish Fry

The Lenten tradition of the Friday Fish Fry continues on the West Bank.

St. Anthony School  900 Franklin Ave.  Gretna, LA.  The St. Anthony Dad's Club is sponsoring dinners of fried or broiled fish, fried shrimp, gumbo and more.  Eat in or take available, along with soft drinks and desserts.  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Christ the King School  535 Deerfield Ave.  Gretna, LA.  The Knights of  Columbus is hosting this weeks dinner.  Fried fish, seafood gumbo, combo plates, drinks, desserts and more.  5:30 pm - 7:30 pm.

St. Andrew the Apostle  3101 Eton Street  Algiers, LA.  The Knights of Columbus sponsors the dinner, serving fried fish, gumbo, dessert, and more.  5:30 pm - 8:30 pm in the St. Andrew cafeteria.

The Knights of Columbus is also sponsoring a fry at the KC Hall in Algiers Point, 342 Olivier Street, behind Holy Name of Mary Church, 6-8 pm.  Fried catfish plus lots of sides like cole slaw, potato salad, hush puppies and more.

The Knights of Columbus Council 6357 of Belle Chasse will hold a fish fry at 9016 Highway 23 (Belle Chasse Hwy) from 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm.  Plates and poboys are available and all proceeds help support local charities.

SSt. Cletus Family Bingo

Located at 3600 Claire Avenue in Gretna, LA, St. Cletus is sponsoring a gumbo dinner and family bingo game on Saturday evening at Jerome Hall.  The gumbo dinner starts at 6 pm and bingo starts at 7 pm.  This sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday night with the kids!

West Bank Recycling

Saturday, 9 am to noon at the Alario Center in Westwego, LA.  Volunteers are also needed for this community event - call the Jefferson Parish Department of Environmental Affairs at 731-4612.

With no weekly recycling available in the metro area this is a great opportunity to reduce the demand for landfill space.  Open to residents of all parishes, the following recycling drop offs will be accepted:

• Plastic containers ( no glass or plastic bags will be accepted)
• Newspapers, telephone books, magazines and junk mail
• Shredded paper secured in plastic bags (empty out those home shredders!)
• Cardboard and paperboard such as cereal boxes
• Aluminum and steel food and beverage cans

At the same time, the Arc of Greater New Orleans will be accepting your Mardi Gras beads.  Why put them in the attic when this deserving local charity can put them to good use?

Grand Opening of  West Bank Medicaid Dental Clinic

Specializing in pediatric dentistry, the Kids Dental Zone will hold it's grand opening on Sunday from 1-4 pm at 4001 Lapalco Blvd. in Harvey, LA.  There will be prizes, train rides, a rock wall for climbing, face painting and a chance to meet Bippo the Hippo and New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister.  I can personally recommend the work of Dr. Donaldson and kudos to him for helping an underserved segment of our community!

20th Annual Pontchartrain Home Show

Even though this event doesn't happen on the West Bank, I would be remiss if I  didn't include it in the must do category for home owners this weekend.   Drive out to the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, LA to see over 5,000 products and suppliers of home improvement products.  Get inspired by the newest design ideas and maybe find that perfect new something for your home.

The Breaux Mart FoodFest, as part of the Home Show, will feature cooking demonstrations, drawings for prizes, activities for the kids and tons of samples and food tastings throughout the weekend.

Friday, noon - 9 pm, Saturday, 10 am-9 pm and Sunday, 10 am-6 pm.

Make it a great West Bank weekend!

Spring is right around the corner, the beginning of the traditional "hot" time for selling a home.  I've been out showing homes to several different potential buyers in the last few weeks and have had the chance to get their honest impressions and assessments of the homes we are touring.  It's information that home sellers who can't figure out why their house is sitting on the sidelines like a wallflower at the high school dance need to know.

Your new roof is not an upgrade.  Neither is your new hot water heater or the laminate flooring you installed yourself.  Buyers are funny - they expect that the home they purchase will have a functional barrier to keep out the rain, hot water for a shower and flooring that is hopefully younger than they are.  The fact that these items have been recently replaced does not mean that the asking price for your home should be higher than the other 10 for sale in your subdivision.

Curb appeal matters.  When your garden has more weeds than flowers and the shrubbery is so overgrown that we can't see the house, buyers are saying "Thanks, but we'll pass" without ever stepping foot through the door.  It's very awkward to call your agent from in front of your house and tell them that we are canceling at the last minute because your house doesn't say Welcome Home.

Staging matters too.  When you leave your home vacant, buyers have a hard time figuring out just what to do with some of those spaces.  Is it an office or a bedroom?  Where does the table go?  Confused buyers don't buy.  A professional home stager can mean the difference between listing and selling your home.

Most buyers don't want an allowance.  They outgrew that once they got their first after school job.  If you know that the carpet needs to be replaced, the dishwasher is broken and the garage door only rolls up halfway, please fix these items before trying to sell your house.  We have appointments to see 7 other homes tomorrow that don't have any of these problems, all priced in the same range as yours.

Your paneling is ugly and your wallpaper is too.  Nothing turns off a buyer faster than the thought of spending the first night in their new home stripping that floral wallpaper from the bathroom walls or pulling down the 1974 faux wood paneling in the den.  If you think it's too expensive to remove and repaint, just wait until you get that first low offer from a buyer who thinks your house is a fixer-upper.

I know that you are anxious to sell quickly at the highest price possible.  Accomplishing this means that you need an unbiased opinion about the condition of your home and what improvements might be needed to make it more appealing to today's buyers before you put it on the market.  For an an honest assessment of the price and condition of your home and a recommended list of changes, contact your local, professional agent.  In the New Orleans West Bank area, please feel free to contact me.  Together, we can make those buyers ask you to dance!

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 buyer, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.

• Get new West Bank Real Estate articles delivered to your email
• West Bank Homes for Sale - Find a home for sale on the West Bank or other New Orleans metropolitan area.
• Contact Lisa Heindel for help buying or selling your New Orleans area home
• Free Online Home Evaluation of your New Orleans West Bank home

Copyright 2008.  Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

Foreclosures and bank owned properties are now for sale on the West Bank of New Orleans in Algiers, Gretna, Terrytown, Belle Chasse, Harvey, Marrero and Westwego.  While these properties often need a little tender loving care to make them sparkle, they can be an excellent opportunity to purchase a home in an area that might otherwise be outside of a buyer's price range.

Typically, bank owned homes and foreclosed properties are sold in "As Is"  condition, with no repairs being done by the seller and oftentimes, no utilities being provided for inspections.  Fortunately, there are lending programs available to buyers that will allow them to finance not only the purchase of a home, but the cost of necessary repairs as well.  A meeting with your mortgage professional to determine your price range and what loan programs you qualify for should be your first step in the home buying process, whether you are interested in buying a new or resale home or a bank owned or foreclosed property.

The following charts show currently available foreclosures and bank owned properties on the West Bank.

Algiers, LA  (70114 and 70131)

• 13 available properties in Algiers
• This is a reduction from the 18 that were available in January 2008

Gretna, LA   (70053)

• 2 available properties in the City of Gretna
• The same properties were available in January, 2008, but the price on the Creagan St. home has been reduced from an initial asking price of $129,000.

Gretna and Terrytown, LA   (70056)

• 8 bank owned/foreclosed properties unincorporated Gretna and Terrytown
• This is a reduction from the 13 available in January, 2008

Belle Chasse, LA  (70037)

Only 1 available bank owned/foreclosed property is available in Belle Chasse.  This same property has been available since December, 2007 with no change in price.

Harvey, LA   (70058)

• 19 available properties
• Increase from the 16 available in January, 2008

Marrero, LA   (70072)

• 19 available foreclosed/bank owned properties
• The number of available properties did not change from January to February, 2008

Westwego, Avondale, Waggaman and Bridge City  (70094)

• 11 available bank owned/foreclosed properties
• This is an increase from the 8 available in January, 2008

All data was compiled from the Gulf South Real Estate Information Network.  Information is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

While the purchase of one of these properties is not for everyone, buying a foreclosed property offers the opportunity to gain instant equity dependant upon the purchase price and cost of repairs.

For more information on buying a bank owned or foreclosed property on the West Bank of New Orleans, or to schedule a private showing of available properties, please contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR® by phone at (504) 616-6262 or by email at lisa@lisaheindelsells.com.

• Get new West Bank Real Estate articles delivered to your email
• West Bank Homes for Sale – Find a home for sale on the West Bank or other New Orleans metropolitan area.
• Contact Lisa Heindel for help buying or selling your New Orleans area home
• Free Online Home Evaluation of your New Orleans West Bank home

Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

Just a few miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city of New Orleans, on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, Pleasant Ridge Estates is an exclusive, gated community in Belle Chasse, LA.

Developed in 1996, Pleasant Ridge Estates offers upscale, custom homes for discriminating buyers in a secure area with state of the art video camera surveillance that is owner accessible online.  Along with a prime location in Plaquemines Parish, Pleasant Ridge Estates home owners have access to the highly sought after Belle Chasse public schools system.

The Pleasant Ridge Estates Home Owner's Association is the sponsor of varied neighborhood activities such as:

• Garden of the Month awards
• Annual Christmas decorating contest
• Annual Night Out Against Crime
• Annual Easter festivities

Recent Sales in Pleasant Ridge Estates

Sales are few and far between in Pleasant Ridge Estates.  In the last year there have been only 2 sales in the community.  A home on Primrose Drive sold for $490,000 in January 2008 and a home on Pleasant Ridge Drive sold for $552,500 in November 2007.

Buyer Opportunities in Pleasant Ridge Estates

Resale homes - It comes down to three.  There are 3 exclusive homes available for sale in Pleasant Ridge Estates at this time, priced from $425,000 to $799,999.  These custom built homes all have 4 bedrooms and 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 baths with sizes ranging from 2,800 square feet of living area to over 3,900 square feet.

Vacant land - With 2 lots available for sale, there are still opportunities to build your dream home in Pleasant Ridge Estates.  Lots are priced from $138,900 to $150,000 and subdivision covenants and restrictions will apply to any new construction.

Interested?

For more information on living in Pleasant Ridge Estates or for a private tour of available homes, please contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR® by phone at (504) 616-6262 or by email at lisa@lisaheindelsells.com.  I'll be happy to introduce you to this beautiful West Bank community.

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 buyer, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.

• Get new West Bank Real Estate articles delivered to your email
• West Bank Homes for Sale – Find a home for sale on the West Bank or other New Orleans metropolitan area.
• Contact Lisa Heindel for help buying or selling your New Orleans area home
• Free Online Home Evaluation of your New Orleans West Bank home

Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.