Ascension Parish

In May 2018, there were 299 homes listed in Ascension Parish with 182 of those selling. Those sellers received 98.71% of their asking price. The Average Sales price of those homes was $251,970.

There are currently 650 homes available in Ascension with an average list price of $326,837. If you are looking for a 3-4 bedroom house, there are 576 of those with an average price of $303,989.

Last month we stated that we felt we were moving into a more balanced market. This month we really see that happening. The percentage of homes that listed vs those that sold dropped 6%. The inventory is growing. As a seller, that means that you will have more competition out there so expect those sellers to negotiate a little harder with you than…

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Summertime Real Estate

Ah! Summertime…backyard barbeques, pool parties, family vacations, beach trips and my favorite, the smell of sunscreen. (I was a Florida kid)

Summertime is a busy time of year. Most families take their big vacations during the summer since the kids are out of school and the weather is favorable almost everywhere.

All those things are wonderful but can wreak havoc when trying to buy or sell a house during the summer. You see, the seller’s best selling seasons are Spring and Fall. When the summer kicks into gear, sellers want to have their house sold already so they can use the summer to get settled into their new home. This is especially true if they have kids.
As a buyer, you may not have much to choose from if you didn’t…

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If you are a first-time homebuyer, this is a scary time for you.  You are about to make the most significant purchase of your life, and you are probably scared to make a final decision. What home is right for you?

Let us help you here with three powerful points to start:

  1. An ethical real estate agent will NEVER EVER pressure you into buying a house.
  2. You will instinctively know that you have found the right house. Trust your gut.
  3. You may want to “sleep on it” and make your decision the next day. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT do this if your agent advises you not to.

Let’s talk about these three points a little bit more.

Your agent may tell you that there is much activity on the house and you should act fast. This information is not to…

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Ascension Parish

In April 2018, there were 244 homes listed in Ascension Parish with 164 of those selling. Those sellers received 98.65% of their asking price. The Average Sales price of those homes was $251,030.

There are currently 589 homes available in Ascension with an average list price of $327,391. If you are looking for a 3-4 bedroom house, there are 528 of those with an average price of $304,848.

We are starting to see homes sit on the market a little longer than they did last year although pretty even with last month. I feel like we may be moving to a more balanced market and we will feel that more and more as we move through summer.

East Baton Rouge Parish

In April 2018, there were 468 homes listed in areas 4,5 & 6 in East Baton…

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Ascension ParishAscension and East Baton Rouge Parish Real Estate market update March 2018

In February we wondered what March would bring. We guessed it...there was a little leveling in the market. February was HOT y'all! In March we saw a steep decline in sales volume. We believe this is short-lived and may have been caused by a shock to buyers over rising interest rates. They may have held off thinking the rates would go back down. Unfortunately, that is not what we have seen. Rates are still climbing. Median price went down a little as well.

Don't freak out yet. We think this was just a blip recorrecting the big jump in February. Spring selling season has sprung and we are super busy!

East Baton Rouge Parish

East Baton Rouge Parish saw another increase in sales units again in March while their median sales price…

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Ascension ParishFebruary 2018 Market Stats for Ascension Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish

Ascension Parish was HOT in February! Look at the uptick in the median sales price, up 14%! I believe that is because we are still in a buyer's market and with not a lot of inventory, sellers were able to push those prices up. The volume was up and that coincides with the low inventory. BUT... see those days on market? They are inching up. Makes me wonder what is in store for March reporting. With interest rates climbing a little I wonder if we will see a little leveling in the market.

East Baton Rouge Parish

East Baton Rouge Parish had a slight uptick in median sales price in February.  To offset that maintenance, there was quite an increase in volume, 20%  The days on market in EBR remained steady. I believe there is a leveling…

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You have decided to purchase a home. Congratulations!

The first thing you need to do is to hire a real estate agent.
How do you hire the right real estate agent?

1. Ask for referrals

Do you have friends or family that have recently purchased a home? They will have great recommendations for you.

2. Stalk them online!

Yes, you read that right! Look up the recommendations on all the social channels. Are they habitual negative posters? We all have bad days, so one or two venting posts are ok, but every other post is a clue about that person's personality. Purchasing a home is stressful enough, you don't need someone negative on your side.
What about the pictures? Do the images they post of themselves make you comfortable? Do you feel like this is…

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Ascension Parish

Ascension Parish is holding strong when comparing January 2018 to January 2017. The volume remained exactly the same, and the median sales price was down less than 1%. Not even enough to really report about. Median days on the market remained steady at only 14 days. Ascension Parish housing is healthy and we expect it to continue to be strong through 2018.

East Baton Rouge Parish

East Baton Rouge Parish had a Median Sales price of $232,900 in January which was up 22% from $180,500 from January of 2017. While that was great, the market showed a 42% decrease in homes sold in January 2017 to January 2018. Unlike, Ascension Parish, January 2017 still saw flooded/gutted properties on the market from the 2016 Flood. As the year closed…

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One item that we see buyers and sellers squabble over is window treatments.

Buyers expect the window treatments to be in the house after they close and get very upset when they aren't. Sellers are trying to save some money and take the window treatments to their new home. Yikes!

Who is right?

In the Prairieville / Baton Rouge area, the purchase agreement states "all window coverings, blinds and associated hardware" will remain. This is pretty clear language. Maybe we have agents that aren't reviewing the purchase agreement clearly with the seller. With the age of digital signatures, I think that some of the reviews get lost, and some agents are leaving it up to their clients to read the offer in its entirety.

But they match my comforter!

baby hugging window treatments

…

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You are pre-approved and ready to write an offer on the house. This is the exciting part and also the most critical part. Here are some tips to help you write a strong offer.

Listen to your Agent

man and woman talking about a business contract

Your agent will run the comps in the area and review them with you before writing the offer. They will advise you on where to start with the price. Everyone wants a deal, but sometimes you just have to settle for paying fair market value. If you are in a seller's market, making an offer that is too low will negatively impact you. Another offer written more strongly may come in and knock you out of contention.

Do you really need all of those closing costs?

Lots of buyers in the Prairieville / Baton Rouge area are asking for all of their closing…

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