4 Benefits of Living in an Historic Neighborhood

Whether you're a history buff or just looking for a nice place to settle down, neighborhoods with a rich

historical background carry many benefits for yourself and for children that grow up there. Here are

some of the great things that you may experience by living in a history-rich neighborhood:

Potentially Lower Crime Rates

Finding a neighborhood that's safe is important to anyone seeking a new home. Neighborhoods with

a rich historical background have clearly been around for a very long time, often resulting in older,

lifelong residents that are invested in the maintenance of their neighborhood. Regular maintenance

of the streets, as well as implementation of effective crime-prevention programs by the local police,

are all something that these folks may have voted for in local elections.

More Educational Opportunities

Another benefit of living in a well-established, historical neighborhood is that the schools tend to

be better funded. Generally, residents have been there for a long time, allowing them to build up

financial stability that would contribute to taxes that fund public programs like schools, libraries

and parks. They may also have local events held to celebrate the heritage of the neighborhood,

giving you and your family a peek into history and a greater understanding of the place you

live in now.

Improved Neighborhood Dynamics

Homes for sale in established neighborhoods are often more sought-after because of the ability

to form connections with your neighbors. Tight-knit neighborhoods can be safer in general because,

if a disaster hits, you'll be surrounded by friends who know you and will help you through hard times.

This can also give you greater peace of mind when allowing your children to play in the

neighborhood on their own, because you know the people living in it. With the decreased turnover,

you have the opportunity to form lasting friendships with your neighbors, and be a part of a familiar

community and culture that'll really feel like home.

Grand Architecture

An established neighborhood tends to have a higher density of older homes maintained to preserve

their historical appearance. Depending on the area and history, these homes are likely to have

arching ceilings, pillars, decorative awnings, towers, balconies and other features that will make even

a small home feel like something out of a storybook. Living in an artistic structure will remind you on

a daily basis of the history of your home and neighborhood, as well as give you greater satisfaction

in general in regard to your living situation.

If you're considering moving to a historically-rich neighborhood, whether alone or with a family in tow,

you'll reap many benefits from the culture and the stability that comes with it. Don't turn away a home

solely based on the year it was built, but rather, consider the possibilities that come with superior

architectural design and living in a safe and stable neighborhood.

No matter where you live, your house is only a home if it's where you love to be.

For more information go to https://homesalesneworleans.gardnerrealtors.com/

Building wealth flipping homes

Flipping homes can be good way to build wealth, but there are many pitfalls to consider before plunging into a project.

Always be mindful of what can be expected.

Prepare for the worst. Make sure you include all potential costs into your budget assumptions. Add a minimum 10 percent margin for error. Here are just some of the costs that flippers need to calculate before purchasing:

• Repairs
• Holding costs (taxes and insurance)
• Debt service
• City fees (permits and deposits)
• Sales costs (title, escrow and sales commissions)
• Income taxes
• Price fluctuation (potential 5-10 percent change in either direction).

If you start to see price declines, increased inventory levels or longer days on market, be cautious. It could take longer to sell your property, which would increase your holding costs and eat up your profit. Plus, your final price could end up lower than you initially calculated. Always have plenty of reserves on hand to cover the possibility of extended holding costs.

Research your local city regulations. Nothing can kill a deal faster than a slow permitting process. You've got to understand what the local municipality will demand of you. If you try to do the work without permits, you could be held liable if you don't disclose it to the buyer. You most likely will not pass inspections if you don’t comply with the code enforcement requirements.

Anticipate higher costs. Calculate higher costs of building supplies from recent tariffs, higher labor costs due to a shortage of skilled construction workers, higher permit fees due to increased regulations, higher interest rates, higher gas prices and higher acquisition costs.  

Budget your time. If you have a full-time job, make sure you have enough time left over to manage the purchase, renovation and sale of your flip. Otherwise, partner with someone who has both time and experience to get the job done right.

Know your tax liability. If you're in a high tax bracket, nearly half of your flip profits may go to Uncle Sam.  Consider putting the property in an LLC for both asset protection purposes and increased tax deductions. Always talk to your CPA before making any investment.

Smart investors can certainly make a good amount of money flipping homes today. Those who succeed have systems in place. If you're just starting out, make sure you have an experienced expert/mentor to help you, even if you pay for their time.

For more good information or to search for homes go to https://homesalesneworleans.gardnerrealtors.com/

Planning to Sell your Home Without a Realtor

There are quite a few home owners who believe they can sell their home without the help of a real estate agent. Some are trying to save money, while others simply want greater control over the process. However, they often experience more stress than those that hire an agent. Here are some challenges people face when they try to sell their home on their own:

Getting the highest price based on market conditions. Many homeowners due to their feelings and emotional attachment to the house, are unable to price their home objectively, often valuing it for more than it's worth. When the price is too high, fewer buyers will be interested and the sale will take much longer. Statistically For Sale By Owners net considerably less than what their home is worth.

 Understanding and Executing Paperwork. Selling a home requires more paperwork than most homeowners think. Some of it can be difficult to understand and complete. A real estate agent has the training to comprehend all the legalese and explain it to you. Plus, they can remove this unnecessary stressor from the selling process.

 Preparing and Fixing a Home for Sale. Addressing deficiencies, creating curb appeal and staging a home is an essential step that most homeowners overlook when selling on their own. Potential buyers judge the house by the photos posted with the ad, and if the photos don't show a clean and beautiful home, they will keep on scrolling.

 There are so many more obstacles that come with selling your home if you choose to do it on your own. Make selling real estate easier and stress-free by working with a real estate agent!

For more information visit https://homesalesneworleans.gardnerrealtors.com/

The color of a home can be a decisive factor when selling

The first thing a buyer will see and comment on is your home’s exterior color. When preparing a home for the market, the most recommended shades are within the sage, tan or gray color families.

Understated browns (including the aforementioned tan) signal security. Homes painted in sandy or mushroom hues read comfort and warmth. Colors like taupe, which falls somewhere between brown and gray, call to mind traditional values. Earthy tones like sage, laurel green or artichoke can not only highlight a verdant landscape, but also evoke a sense of tranquility.

Homes in other colors may sell successfully – our retinas tend to register yellow before any other color, so a buttery yellow exterior could be an attractive option for buyers – but non-traditional colors, like oranges and purples, appeal to very specific personalities and can significantly shrink the pool of interested buyers.

It’s important for sellers to consider the home in relation to the neighborhood before swapping out the exterior color or refreshing an existing paint job. Do nearby homes share a distinct color scheme? Is each home uniquely colored? Evaluating the home’s surroundings can help sellers determine what’s most popular in their market.

For more tips visit http://findneworleansproperties.gardnerrealtors.com/

Are You The Host With The Most for Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite Holidays. Having family and friends over, and being thankful for all the wonderful things in life is what it’s all about.

Now, cleaning up after is a different story. Here are some tips that'll make your Thanksgiving kitchen cleanup faster and easier.

Cut down on cleanup by selecting cookware that can go from oven to table to freezer.

Before beginning Thanksgiving prep, pick up depressing home clutter and clean out your fridge to make room for ingredients and leftovers.

Plan a potluck: Let your guests share the fun and bring dishes to share. Then make sure they take home their serving bowls and platters, which will cut down on dishes to wash and put away.

 You won't have to clean what you don’t get dirty. So line your turkey roasting pans with heavy-duty aluminum foil, or cook the bird in a bag.

Double- or triple-line garbage cans, which saves time when the cleaning campaign begins. After you toss a trash bag, there’s another waiting for action.

Soak pots and pans as soon as you transfer food to platters. Designate a small trashcan as the soaking spot, fill it will soapy water and dirty pots, and hide it under a sink or in a mudroom. That way, your sink is free throughout the evening to clean as you go and rinse dishes on the way to the dishwasher.

Happy Thanksgiving!

For more helpful information visit http://findneworleansproperties.gardnerrealtors.com/

Must Know!

http://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/new-orleans/the-25-new-orleans-commandments

Want more?  Visit 

                                               http://findneworleansproperties.com/

IF YOU ARE TRYING TO FIND A HOME...

                 COME JOIN US FOR AN OPEN HOUSE ON SUNDAY, 4/27/14, 1-2:30 PM!

HOUSING GAINS PREDICTED

More modest gains are likely this year, according to the most recent Kiplinger Letter forecast. The national average of appreciation in home values will be up 4 percent-4.5 percent, compared with a gain over 11 percent in 2013.

The top stated reason for this increase is rising mortgage rates, will increase to 5 percent or so for 30-year fixed rate loans by the end of the year. Another possible is that fewer investors are offering all-cash deals, with bargain prices and.

The Kiplinger letter forecasts that new-home building will accelerate again, helping to offset the construction drought of 2008-2012. Keep an eye out for housing starts this year to climb by 15 percent and top 1 million for the first time since 2007. Sales of new homes are predicted to be a bright spot.

Another prediction: More existing homes will go up for sale, as price hikes pull homeowners out from mortgages that are underwater, making them more willing to sell. Sales will climb by 4 percent, but inventory won’t be as tight.

Affordability, though declining, is still better than the historical norm: A median-price home costing 20 percent of household income. In 2013, it took just 15 percent of income to buy an equivalent home. When mortgage rates rise to 5 percent, it will cost 17 percent of income.

More moderate growth this year is not necessarily bad news, it signals a more sustainable, long-term growth trajectory that will help quell fears that another bubble is arising.

For information that you need to sell or buy a home visit http://findneworleansproperties.com/

ENJOY!

THIS IS AMAZING...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZkHpNnXLB0

For more information visit findneworleansproperties.comc

What a year for home design it’s been! A recovering housing market has led more home owners to spruce up their interiors. As designers take a look forward of what will be trending in 2014, let’s take a look back at the design trends that caught on this year that will likely stick around.

Wooded decors: Natural-looking wood grains showed up in more home décor, particularly the kitchen – from the cabinets to butcher block counters. The greater use of natural-looking wood grains offered a light, modern feel while still adding a homey comfort.

Traditional Kitchen by Salem Photographers Tess Fine

Larger sinks: Farmhouse utility sinks have been gaining popularity over the last few years but really caught on in 2013. The deep, double sink offers up clean lines and a classic use.

Traditional Kitchen by Portland Interior Designers & Decorators Garrison Hullinger Interior Design Inc.

Flexible furniture: Furniture that can be shifted, moved, and customized gained popularity. For example, kitchen islands that could be expanded like a dining room table for family gatherings. Regardless of small spaces or large, more home owners also looked to incorporate more multifunctional pieces too, such as an ottoman that could also double up as storage.

Craftsman Kitchen by Portland Photographers Whitney Lyons

Tile explosion: The use of nontraditional tile surged in 2013. Tile with a natural touch continued the wood trend, with grain and uneven edges that mimicked boards. Faux wood tile was incorporated throughout the house too – kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, and even bedroom walls.

For more information visit http://findneworleansproperties.com/

The Marigny Special...

Faubourg Marigny was laid out in the first decade of the 19th century by eccentric Creole millionaire developer Bernard Xavier Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville on land that had been his family plantation just down river from the old city limits of New Orleans.  In the early 19th century, New Marigny was where white Creole gentlemen set up households for their mistresses of color (and their offspring) in the tradition of "plaçage."

Wide Elysian Fields Avenue, named after the Champs-Élysées in Paris, was designed to be the main street of the Faubourg Marigny. It was the first street in New Orleans to extend all the way from the riverfront straight to Lake Pontchartrain 8 km (5.0 mi) away.

The neighborhood declined badly in the mid 20th century, and the area around Washington Square was nicknamed "Little Angola" (after the prison of that name) for the dangerous criminals there. It came back strongly in the late 20th century. Profiteering around the 1984 World's Fair drove many long-term residents from the French Quarter into Marigny. Frenchmen Street developed one of the city's premier collections of live music venues and restaurants, and is a popular destination with music lovers from other parts of the city and knowledgeable out-of-town visitors in the early 21st century.

Faubourg Marigny is one of the centers for homegrown New Orleans Mardi Gras . The neighborhood is also home to the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts Riverfront facility.

Faubourg Marigny is one of the most colorful neighborhoods in New Orleans, the architecture borrows heavily from the colonial French and Spanish and has elements of the Caribbean, this unique blending of architectural elements over the last three centuries has resulted in an architectural style unique to the city of New Orleans.

For more information visit http://findneworleansproperties.com/

ENJOY...

Visit http://findneworleansproperties.com/

French Quarter 10 days before Christmas

Such a great time!

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7521 Dominican Street

This 1955 Mid Century Modern by renowned San Francisco architect and Dean of Tulane School of Architecture, John Dinwiddie came up for sale and almost immediately went under contract.

 Recently restored by local architect with multiple upgrades and luxury finishes. Stunning pool (heated and cooled), landscaping and lighting. Published numerous times and soon to be featured in Rizzoli International book on Designers' Own Homes. Rare opportunity for this pedigree in this location.
To search for homes and condos go to http://findneworleansproperties.com/

A SHOW NOT TO BE MISSED!

Called the “Ultimate American Rock Musical” by New York Times critic Ben Brantley, HAIR is the electrifying musical of teenagers in the 1960s searching for truth, love, and peace during the time of the Vietnam War. With show stopping hits such as Aquarius / Let the Sun Shine In, Good Morning Starshine, Easy to Be Hard, and many more, you’ll quickly find yourself dancing in the aisles (or even up onstage!). This is a show not to be missed! 

HAIR

November 08 – 23, 2013

• Location: Le Petit Theatre
• Address: 616 Saint Peter Street, New Orleans, LA
• Times: Wednesday-Saturday: 8:00pm; Sundays 3:00pm

For information on events in NOLA visit http://findneworleansproperties.com/

Buyers aren't afraid of spooky homes they'll even pay more for one

A few ghosts lurking around in the house isn't likely to deter a majority of home buyers, finds two recent studies.

Realtor.com’s 2013 Haunted House report found that more than half of 1,400 home buyers recently surveyed would be open to buying a “haunted” house. Most home buyers in the survey said that a cemetery on the property and a home over 100 years old makes the home seem “haunted.”

Here’s a surprising finding: A “haunted” house isn't likely to scare away home buyers, and it may even fetch more money when you go to sell it.

Homes closer to a cemetery sell for more money than homes further away, according to a new study. Homes near cemeteries were found to take longer to sell, but homes less than 50 feet away tended to sell for more money per square foot than homes farther away.

“There are pros and cons to living near a cemetery,” says Lynn Ikle, a Redfin real estate professional in Baltimore. “The pros are that most likely there would be no chance of future development on the site of a cemetery, there is usually well-maintained open space, it’s quiet, and many cemeteries are picturesque. The cons would be that cemeteries give some people an uneasy feeling, as it represents mortality, and it might not be an area they want to ‘live’ next to everyday.”

If you are looking for a home or condo in New Orleans search using this link

http://findneworleansproperties.com/

Great Time To be a New Orleanian!

1   

       Did you know? That today:
   Louisiana offers retirees low taxes – the Tax Foundation ranks LA as the 4^th lowest in the nation.

    CEOs ranked Louisiana 11^th best in the USA in which to do business (in 2006 we were ranked 47^th so major improvement)

      New Orleans is considered the #2 “Boomtown” in the country, measured by our rise in population, job growth in heavy construction, and motion picture & TV industry jobs

4 New Orleans is #3 (only behind Silicon Valley and San Francisco) in tech job growth

5 Louisiana is among the top two states for Public School policies

    95% of New Orleans schools are charter

7  New Orleans has risen from a 65% drop out rate to 5%, which is better than the national average

8  New Orleans is #1 in disaster recovery

9 New Orleans rated the best American city to visit by Travel & Leisure

1Port of New Orleans is #1 in the USA

  New Orleans ranks #2 as Most Aspirational City?!?

    New Orleans is America’s Fastest growing city!

625 DAUPHINE ST, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112

Very rare and magnificent Spanish-Colonial Creole cottage dated to 1825 is located on one of the largest residential parcels in the French Quarter. Features elegant gardens, grand pool, gorgeous wood floors, high ceiling, working fireplaces, crown molding, custom cypress kitchen cabinets, elevator, lots of off-street parking, 3BR and 2BA in the main house (approx.3,375 sqft liv.area), 2BR plus loft/3BA guest house with a gallery that overlooks the courtyard (approx. 1,973 sqft liv. area).
http://findneworleansproperties.com/

DREAMING OF A LARGE CONDO IN THE CBD?

Dream no longer. A rare opportunity to combine two condos into a large and very impressive town home with a garage. To find out more open the link below.
http://findneworleansproperties.com/listings/14254/816-lafayette-street-new-orleans#.UjfFj8asg4s

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO LIVE IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, NEW ORLEANS

825 Lafayette Condos are the quintessential warehouse living. If you want a true warehouse look with exposed brick, track lighting & concrete floors, this condo is for you! It has oversized windows with lots of light, polished concrete floors and large bedrooms. Close to all the  hip places to hang out, including  but not  limited to the Arts District, Civic NOLA, Lafayette Square, Rouses - think NYC Soho in NOLA. Includes a rooftop terrace.

For information on Condos in New Orleans visit http://findneworleansproperties.com/