I know we all are frustrated with the media and their continuing practice
of trying to scare us and our clients away from real estate, but there is
rainbow appearing from the storm. In not one, but THREE places; Louisiana
in general, Baton Rouge and New Orleans specifically have been held out as
the best or most improved market available…nation wide!
What a boost for our spirits, let alone our wallets! Let’s look at what is
being said –
Forbes magazine in their article “10 Best Places to Relocate” listed New
Orleans as a great place for young, new, entrepreneurs. That we have been
seeing an influx of people looking to cash in on the rebuilding of the
city, new businesses that are opening and our great real estate prices. Go
figure…
An article earlier this year named the Thibodaux-Houma corridor as the #1
area in the nation for home value appreciation, close to 10% annually. Some
of our best gems are hidden away in our beautiful wetlands!
And Baton Rouge couldn’t have a better image nationally than if they went
out and hired someone (I thought we did!) to write glowing accolades of our
market. Local Market Monitor declared the Capital Region to be stable for
the next 12 months, much credit to our agents and citizenry since we never
did let our home pricing get as insane as some in California, Florida or
Nevada. First American CoreLogic’s Home Price Index showed a 3.1% increase
in home prices in January and Louisiana overall having a statewide increase
of 4.8% (2.5% if you include distressed properties).
With all of this good news, we need to be sharing it with every client we
have in our database. Who knows whose kid just graduated from college and
is looking for some place different to apply that newly earned degree; or
has a friend or relative that’s lost a job in one of those aforementioned
awful markets that needs a new beginning. There are a million opportunities
out there, our job is to let them know that it’s better here. Hope has
indeed found fertile ground.
