New Orleans Louisiana Real Estate and Community Blog 

Ready to be spoiled? This move in ready home is only 6 years old. Located across from Turtle Creek subdivision off Military Road and in the Northshore school district, this home offers 3 bedrooms and 2 baths with a modern, open floor plan. Great for first time home buyers or a growing family, the home has a fenced yard so you can entertain while at the same time have a place for the kids and dogs to run free. The master bath is also a delight with a separate garden tub and shower, dual sinks and plenty of storage. There’s also an indoor laundry room, fireplace and pantry to give you an easy lifestyle. Want to see more, call me to make an appointment so we can get you into your next home.

I’d love to hear your comments on this blog! Feel free to contact Trish with questions at 985-707-5035 or by email pbennett@latterblum.com. Let’s get you moving! Anywhere in the country, I can get you there.

Posted by:  Patricia Bennett

Twice a year, Slidell has its antique fair in the Olde Towne area. Sprawled in and around the numerous downtown shops and eateries are booths loaded with various treasures – everything from scented candles to newly crafted woodworking items to custom T-Shirts and of course antiques galore for collectors of all ages. My husband automatically heads to the coin dealers to check out the prices for vintage silver coins while I look to spend my money in more unusual ways. I spotted a few pieces of Roseville pottery tucked in the back of a booth but after looking at the prices (over $350.00 for the piece I liked), I decided it was time to move on down the street to find cheaper entertainment.

This year, there were a number of nurseries present with exotic flora and fauna not found at your typical Lowes or Home Depot garden section. For me, I quickly eyed and bought a dark red canna lily breed known as “auguste ferrier”, a purplish variety of elephant ears and some lovely purple iris. My husband eventually showed up and added two banana trees to the collection, claiming he wanted our backyard to have a more “tropical” look. Although we didn’t plan to come to the antique fair to buy plants, it’s great the Slidell Antique Fair draws a variety of vendors. It’s even better that the fair it reminds us locals that the downtown Slidell area is alive with activity, arts and entertainment.

After exhausting ourselves with shopping, it was time to hit the food booths. A bag of kettle corn was a good appetizer to the pulled pork bar-be-que sandwich, crabcakes and funnel cake that followed. All in all, not only was it a productive afternoon but also an enjoyable one. The weather was a warm 80 degrees with a comfortable breeze that kept you from feeling the sun’s heat.

For more information on Slidell’s next antique fair, as well as other great stores and eateries in our wonderful city, visit www.slidellantiques.com. As you can tell from the photo, the people here are a colorful and crazy bunch of friends!

Call me today at 985-707-5035 for more information. I’d love to hear your comments on this blog! Feel free to contact me also with questions call me at 985-707-5035 or email me at pbennett@latterblum.com. Let’s get you moving! Anywhere in the country, I can get you there.

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

This cute, ready to move in home with 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths has been remodeled top to bottom. With a little over 950 square feet, you’ll enjoy your newly remodeled kitchen with tile countertops and new appliances. Your bathrooms are in great shape as well with new tile, tub, sinks and flooring. Speaking of flooring, it is new throughout, with no carpet to maintain! Located in Audubon subdivision in Slidell, you are centrally located to the restaurants, shopping and interstate so that you can easily make it to New Orleans for work or to the coast for fun in the sun. With a new roof less than 2 months old, a large fenced yard and great landscaping, you’ll have a new home you can relax in and enjoy for only $117,500. These sellers are ready to move, so bring all offers!

Don’t forget, you have until April 30, 2010 to take advantage of the first time home buyers tax credit of $8000. To obtain the credit, you need to have a signed contract by April 30 and close by June 30, 2010. Call me today and I’ll walk you through everything.

I’d love to hear your comments on this blog! Feel free to contact me also with questions call me at 985-707-5035 or email me a pbennett@latterblum.com. Let’s get you moving! Anywhere in the country, I can get you there.

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

At least once a week I receive a phone call from a new client wanting to look at foreclosures so they can get a “deal” on a home. Although there may be a few homes with good prices out there, in my experience they are very rare in this area as compared to real estate investment experiences I’ve had in Florida and Nevada. Granted, I have had a few clients buy well priced foreclosed homes in the Slidell and the North Shore areas. But they were homes that had been on the market for more than three months and were complete gut jobs – something few home buyers or even investors want to take on. (see photo)

Truthfully, in our area I find better deals can be had by working with individuals who have their home for sale – particularly if the home has been on the market more than six months. Individuals feel the pressures of paying a mortgage note, keeping a house clean for showings and the need to move to a new area. They are emotional about the sale and a smart buyer can use this to their advantage.

A bank, however, has a fatter wallet to support the carrying costs of a foreclosed property for a few months. For them, it’s a numbers game – everything is black and white with no emotion involved. Since there aren’t comparatively many foreclosed properties in the Slidell and North Shore areas to drag home prices down, banks don’t feel as much pressure to get rid of homes at bargain basement prices. Too, since most financial institutions pay for an appraisal prior to listing the home, they know what the market values the house at – and they can wait to get it.

I’d love to hear your comments on this blog! Feel free to contact me also with questions call me at 985-707-5035 or email me at pbennett@latterblum.com. Let’s get you moving! Anywhere in the country, I can get you there.

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

One of the great amenities Slidell has to offer is location, location, location! Nestled at the crossroads of I-59, I-10 and I-12, it’s a breeze to make it daily into New Orleans for work with a 40 minute commute, hit the casinos in south Mississippi in 45 minutes, the beaches along the Alabama/Florida coast in 1 ½ hours, and the quaint North Shore charm of Covington and Madisonville in 30 minutes.

Slidell’s great location and real estate variety is also a draw to many locals, New Orleanians and other transplants who move from all over the country to this great area. You can live on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain in the Eden Isles/Oak Harbor area and have a boat docked in your back yard or you can live in the bird sanctuaries of such subdivisions as Stonebridge and the Bluffs. There are developments with homes on one or more acre lots to make sure you have the space you need to live or you can live in the quaint Old Towne area to soak up the local charm.

Anyway you look at it, Slidell give you a quality of life that makes sure you can get where you want to go.

I’d love to hear your comments on this blog! Feel free to contact me also with questions call me at 985-707-5035 or email me a pbennett@latterblum.com. Let’s get you moving! Anywhere in the country, I can get you there.

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

There are some wonderful homes for sale in the Slidell area. Here are just a few:

A Glorious Slidell Craftsman Home

On a spacious corner lot in central Slidell sits an old style craftsman cottage that has been modernized to the hilt– new wiring, plumbing, floors, siding, windows and roof – so that it gleams in the sultry Louisiana sun. With a chef size kitchen and all stainless steel appliances which are included in the sale, a large open floor plan and a huge outdoor deck, it’s a wonderful home to entertain and live in. Wood floors cover the oversized spacious living room, as well as the three bedrooms. One of the bedrooms can easily double as a study. Both bathrooms have new fixtures and tile. The master has its own bath suite with a separate shower and clawfoot tub. Located at 1208 St. Tammany, call Trish at 985-707-5035 at any time to make an appointment and see your next home. Priced at $144,900, with the seller offering to pay $3000 in buyer prepaids and closing costs, it’s a wonderful property for those ready to relax and enjoy life.

Charming Raised Acadian Home

Nestled in the back woods of Lake Pontchartrain near Coin de Lestin sits a majestic Acadian home that rises above the world into the peace and quiet on half an acre. A grand entry with heart of pine floors and a stately dining area greet you when you first walk into the home, followed by an open floor plan designed for living enjoyment. A large kitchen with granite counters, a center island, a full set of appliances, which are included in the sale, are waiting for you to come and play. The master suite sits privately on the first floor while the remaining three large bedrooms with plenty of storage space are located on the second floor. A large, open landing is also upstairs which can be used as a study, playroom or extra entertainment space. All this is wrapped by a picturesque front porch and a large back deck on which you can sit and what the world go by. Priced at $249,700, this home is located at 57411 Claiborne. An open house will be held on Sunday, August 31 from 12:00-2:00 or call Trish at 985-707-5035 and we can schedule a viewing when it’s convenient for you. Come make a deal and move into your next home!

As always, if you have any questions call me at 985-707-5035 or email me a pbennett@latterblum.com. Let’s get you moving! Anywhere in the country, I can get you there.

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

I recently moved to Slidell, Louisiana, after marrying the love of my life. Growing up, I had rarely thought of Slidell except as a possible bathroom stop on my way to Florida. But my husband was adamant about moving to Slidell. And over the past year, I’ve noticed that he was right to love this area. Slidell is a great place to live.

Why is it good to be a Slidell local (aka a “Slidellian”)? Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. There’s no doubt about it. Compared to other North Shore communities and especially New Orleans, you get a good “bang” for your housing buck in Slidell with safe neighborhoods, an easy commute to New Orleans and great schools to boot.



2. Being so near New Orleans, it’s easy to find great restaurants in the Slidell area with restaurant talent pouring in from the Big Easy. Nathan’s is a great example of this trend, with it’s tasty cuisine that makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Palmetto’s, Southside Café, Young’s, T-Leblanc’s Creole Kitchen, and Camellia Café are other local favs that only make my hunger pangs worse.



3. There’s a great community vibe here. Heritage Park has many events – concerts, fairs, and fireworks – throughout the year that allow people to mix in a great cultural and relaxed atmosphere.



4. Don’t forget about the top notch schools in Slidell and the low crime rate. Who wouldn’t want to live here!



5. Olde Towne Slidell is another great feature of the city, which hosts numerous antique shops, cafes and art galleries, as well as a weekly fair where you can buy everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to collectibles.



6. You can let the good times roll in Slidell as well, just by heading over to Olde Towne and stopping by for a drink at Heidelbergs or Time Out. There’s also the Wine Market, where you can sample the latest vintage of your favorite wine. If you’re more adventurous, New Orleans is only 40 minutes away so you can eat and drink ‘til you’re heart’s content.



7. With the new twin span bridge about to open, it will be even that much faster to get to New Orleans for work or play. If you want to head to the Gulf’s shores, you can easily make it to Biloxi in 45 minutes to win big bucks at their many casinos and catch a show, or go another one and a half hours to layout on the pristine beaches of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and catch other nearby Florida sites.

As always, if you have any questions call me at 985-707-5035 or email me a pbennett@latterblum.com. Let’s get you moving! Anywhere in the country, I can get you there.

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

We’ve all heard horror stories about closings on a home sale that never occurred or were seriously delayed. The title on the home was never cleared properly or the buyer’s loan was not approved or something on the HUD settlement statement is wrong. And these are the easier problems to fix.

What can you do to help the closing on your new home purchase or sale go more smoothly? Here are some helpful tips:

1. As a buyer, call your bank frequently prior to the closing date to make sure they have everything they need to keep your loan moving through the underwriting loan approval process. Often mortgage companies are overwhelmed and understaffed, not calling you about issues that you must resolve until it’s too late to close on schedule.



2. As a seller, talk to your current mortgagee and ensure you understand what funds they need to clear your current mortgage and what proceeds should come to you once the sale is finalized.



3. Try to schedule your closing earlier in the day as compared to later in the afternoon. That way if issues arise during the closing, your lender, their support staff and other businesses involved in the transaction will still be open to help you solve problems and close that day.



4. Bring a driver’s license or federal identification to the closing. In Louisiana, the closing company will need to have a copy so they can prove you are authorized to sign.



5. Make sure whatever funds you need to bring to the closing are in the form of a cashier’s check. Often the cashier’s check must be made out to the company handling your closing. Verify with them who to make the cashier’s check out to and the amount you need to bring prior to the closing.



6. Review your HUD Settlement Statement BEFORE the closing. Often there can be mistakes about insurance information, loan payout amounts, taxes to be collected and what closing costs the seller is paying for on behalf of the buyer. Correct these issues before you sit at the table during the closing to save time.



7. Finally, talk to your real estate agent about all of the above. We’re here to help and can often spot potential issues that we may need to solve together to get you into your new home.

As always, if you have any questions call me at 985-707-5035 or email me a pbennett@latterblum.com. If you’re moving anywhere in the country, I can get you there. Let’s get you MOVING!

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

One of the first questions I get after signing a listing agreement with a seller is, “What improvements can I make now to help sell my house faster?” Often the homeowner then rattles off a long list of expensive, time consuming and house altering projects that would be wonderful to do but would also prevent home showings for weeks as construction occurred. Except in that rare case where work is needed to make the house livable, I never encourage a seller to move forward with these types of projects when they first put their house on the market.

Believe it or not, it’s the most basic of actions that have the biggest impact on getting a home sold. My first and strongest recommendation with each new listing is to clean and declutter. These two simple things have the greatest impact on a home selling. A clean, fresh smelling house reduces worries about how well the home has been maintained over the years. Pet odors, mold in the tub and dust bunnies in the corner are some of the basics that must be taken care of if you want a buyer to pay attention to the house itself and worry less about your home maintenance habits.

Decluttering the home also is a simple yet effective way to help get your home sold. You want potential buyers to focus less on your decorating tastes and spend more time envisioning how they could place their furniture in each room. So clear the way for a buyer to see themselves living in your home by clearing off counters, clearing out excess and/or bulky furniture, cleaning out closets and any other eccentric decorating that doesn’t help show the home in a simple, neutral manner. Repainting walls to make sure they are warm, neutral colors is also a cheap way to make sure a buyer spends less time wondering why you chose bright orange to paint your living room and instead focus on the home itself.

As always, if you have any questions call me at 985-707-5035 or email me a pbennett@latterblum.com. If you’re moving anywhere in the country, I can get you there!

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

Recently a friend shocked us with the news that her home was in foreclosure. The reality of her situation hit home – literally - when she was served papers from the local sheriff’s department notifying her that her house was to be auctioned next month as part of a sheriff’s sale. She called us in a state of panic, asking what she should do.

After she explained what had happened, it was clear that fear had gotten the best of her as the late notices began to pile up. She never called the bank when she missed payments to see if she could work out some arrangement to get caught up. Lenders can offer potential alternatives in these situations but you must ask questions to get information from them. She never thought to ask her lender about a short sale or find out if she had enough equity in her home to sell it outright. In a nutshell, she was too afraid and too ashamed to do anything for almost a year.

Now she’s worried about not only losing her home, but the impact a foreclosure will have on her ability to buy a home again in the future. Carol Adams with Essential Mortgage offers this advice. “If applying for a conventional home loan, a foreclosure must be at least 5 years old and [for] FHA loans, it must be at least 3 years old. Very often when [foreclosure] happens, a person wants to pay cash and not become indebted [again]. Your credit score will not improve, however, unless you reestablish credit.” You also need to make sure this new credit is paid timely.

We’re hoping our friend can find a path through this mess and re-establish her family in a new home someday. But if you find yourself in this situation, don’t put your head in the sand when you fall behind on your mortgage payments. Take action now because if you don’t deal with it, you’ll lose your home and potentially even more.

As always, if you have any questions call me at 985-707-5035 or email me pbennett@latterblum.com. If you’re moving anywhere in the country, I can get you there!

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

On a spacious corner lot in central Slidell sits a craftsman cottage. It has been spruced up to the hilt over the past three years – new wiring, plumbing, floors, siding, windows and roof – so that it gleams in the sultry Louisiana sun. With a chef size kitchen and all stainless steel appliances included in the sale, it is a wonderful home to entertain and live in. Wood floors cover the oversized living room, as well as the three bedrooms. The master has its own bath suite with a separate shower and claw foot tub. Did I mention the storage this house holds? A huge laundry/storage area, large walk-in master closet and sizeable outside cottage shed give you all the room you need for you and your family to grow.

Located at 1208 St. Tammany, stop by our open house on Sunday, June 7 from 3-5:00pm. Priced at $149,900, it’s a wonderful property for those ready to relax and enjoy a home.

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

You save and save for a down payment to purchase your new home. You and your agent then scour the globe for the perfect place that meets all your dreams. You put an offer in, it gets accepted, the home passes inspection and then you jump through hoops to get your final loan approval! The day of your Closing is in sight and then….you receive a draft of your HUD Settlement statement which shows all the monies you need to bring to the closing to complete your purchase. You see it shows not only your hard earned down payment, but then….what’s all this other money you have to bring with you?

Often home buyers forget to put aside money, outside of their down payment, to pay for their closing costs and prepaid items associated with their purchase. What are closing costs? These include fees your lender will charge to establish your loan, fees to a title company for the title search and title insurance, and fees to the closing company to handle not only the closing, but also record your purchase and your mortgage at the local courthouse.

As for your prepaid items, these are often three to six months of your homeowner’s insurance, flood insurance and taxes your lender requires you pay up front to establish your escrow accounts. (The money accumulated in your escrow accounts over the coming year will then be used to pay these same items as they come due the following year.) On top of that, you need to pay your homeowners and flood insurance for this year to cover you for the next 12 months until you’ve built up enough funds in your escrow account to pay for next year’s premiums. Ugh!

Sound like a lot of money? It can be, which is why many buyers try to negotiate in their purchase agreement that the seller pay for some or all of the buyer’s prepaids and closing costs as part of the deal. If not, most buyers can expect to bring, on average, an additional $5,000 to $10,000 to the Closing to cover these items.

Prior to the recent housing crunch, many lenders would let the buyer roll some of these fees into their loan amount. Very rarely does that happen any more. To get an idea of what you’ll need to bring to the Closing, make sure your lender provides you a Truth-In-Lending statement when you apply for your loan. This should give you an estimate of not only your closing costs and prepaid items you’ll need to fund at Closing, but it will also give an estimate of what you’re monthly mortgage payment will be.

As always, if you have any questions call me at 985-707-5035 or email me a pbennett@latterblum.com. If you’re moving anywhere in the country, I can get you there!

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

A local favorite of mine is Southside Bar & Grill located on Ponchartrain Drive in Slidell. I enjoy its laid back atmosphere and mouth watering food served up daily. You can sit at the bar and watch some sports with a beer in hand or sit at a table and do some good eating. Some favorites of mine include the “killa fries,” a mound of fries slathered in cheese and other toppings that make me salivate just thinking about them. Although they’re listed as an appetizer, I’ve had many a friend get them for their entire meal. Another good appetizer is the spinach and artichoke dip, with those extra crispy chips doused with parmesan cheese.

But these are just the warm-ups to the variety of hot sandwiches and plated dishes that Southside has to offer. My recommendations for hot sandwiches include the Honey Island Chicken and the Pontchartrain Pig. You also can’t beat their seafood poboys, especially when they’re filled with fried oysters, shrimp or soft shell crab. I had the fried catfish and sweet potato fries on my last visit and I just about licked the plate when I was done. So stop by if you in the area and taste a little of Slidell. It’s just that good!

Posted by:Patricia Bennett

I work with a number of first time home buyers. There’s no doubt that buying a home is a learning process – learning what you’d like to have, what you need to have and what you are willing to pay a little extra for as you assess your choices. So don’t feel bad if you need to look at one or two or even more than three dozen homes before getting comfortable enough with the process to make an offer.

Usually, a new buyer can quickly tell me how many bedrooms and bathrooms they want, and maybe even the school district. But does it need to have a split floor plan? Do you need a separate dining room? How large does the backyard need to be? Do you mind doing a little or a lot of renovation work to the home? Does it matter if it flooded during a rare, one time event such as Hurricane Katrina?

Regardless of how many homes you’ve bought, the key is to be patient. Look at a home’s details and prioritize what features are most important to you. Sure, you’d like a covered patio but is it more important than having granite countertops? Is a kitchen that is open to the living area more important than that fourth bedroom? Helping your agent understand your priorities helps us find what is right for you. Call me today at 985-707-5035 and I’ll be happy to help you take that first step into your new home.

Posted by:Trish Bennett

This is the time of year when people start to think of the glories of living on the water, specifically along the wonderful shoreline of Lake Ponchartrain. They see their boat sitting right outside their back door tied to their own, private boat dock or envision themselves lounging near the water as they sip a little something and watch the sunset. They hear the seagulls echo in their mind as they dream of getting on their sailboat and out onto the water at the drop of a hat.

The calls I get to look at homes in Eden Isles and the Oak Harbor communities, which sit on Lake Ponchartrain’s shores in Slidell, sky rocket during this time of year and with good reason. There are many great deals out there for homes on the water or a golf course in this established community. The variety of homes for sale give you plenty of options and price ranges as you decide to purchase either your primary residence, investment property or a vacation home in this area.

Features homes in this area have to offer include navigable waterways, pristine water views, open floor plans, direct access to golf courses, and nearby country clubs. There are also a cornucopia of townhouses and condos that sit near the local marina and are in excellent condition ready to be yours. Give me a call today at 985-707-5035 and I’ll be happy to send you more information on a wonderful, relaxing area to live in and enjoy.

Posted by:Trish Bennett