Welcome to New Orleans!
Moving into a new area is always a bit of a challenge, especially when you don't have the luxury of a lot of time to decide on a new home. As a military transferee with orders in hand, you are faced with deciding where to live rather quickly. Most people who have never been to the New Orleans area don't know much about us except for what they've seen on TV. Speaking as a native, I can tell you that there is a whole lot more to the city than Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street.
A little about New Orleans
The entire region is steeped in history, great architecture, world class food and an active community of artists and musicians. There are daily opportunities for fun and you will never have to say "There's nothing to do". Bored? No way. Festivals, fairs and family events can fill each of your days, if you are so inclined. And if you are relocating with children, you may be surprised at how many fun family activities there are to take advantage of in the city.
In an effort to assist military families relocating to the area, here is some valuable, local information:
- Free City Profile Reports
- Free City Comparison Reports
- Free School Reports
- Free Community Reports
- Mortgage Qualification Calculator
- Online mortgage applications - my preferred in house lender has a great track record of working with military families and their special needs. He is a VA approved broker and lender.
NAS JRB New Orleans
The Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base - New Orleans is home to approximately 1,400 active duty personnel, the base also has over 3,500 reservists, 895 civilians and 865 family members. An elementary school for military families serving pre-K through 8th grade is located on base, along with 2 child care centers. (For information on other public and private schools in the area, read this.)
Location, Location, Location
The Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base - New Orleans is located about 20 minutes south of downtown New Orleans in Belle Chasse, LA on the West Bank of the Mississippi River. Because of its location, many transferees prefer to live on the West Bank instead of crossing the river during their commute each day. You may want to begin your home search in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey or Marrero...these areas are the closest to the base and will make for the shortest drive time each day.
For an overview of available housing and average prices in each area, recent market reports are a good place to start. Once you have narrowed down your area and price range, you can search online for housing that meets your needs. Be sure you have talked to your lender and determined your 2008 BAH before making that first trip south...even in a buyer's market, being pre-qualified for a mortgage is an absolute necessity. Don't forget to ask me about local title companies that offer a military discount on all closings.
New Orleans and it's surrounding area has some of the most affordable housing in the country, and your military relocation can be made much smoother when you are armed with a little knowledge and some local, expert assistance. As a resident of the West Bank, I take pride in knowing the area. When making your move to Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, please feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to show you around.
When buying or selling a home on the West Bank of New Orleans, you deserve professional, local expertise and advice. Lisa Heindel provides full time, professional real estate services to buyers and sellers in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.
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 2007. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.
I want to visit.... I want to visit... I want to visit....
(My new mantra)
Martin, come see us...come see us...come see us...
Carole, thank you so much! Can't wait to get you down here for a fair :)