Dixie RV SuperStores New Corporate Headquarters

Friends Coastal Restaurant in Madisonville has been an abandoned building for close to two years.  Part of the problem for the seafood restaurant was the parking, noise and litter which hindered the nearby residents.  The community was not a suitable fit for the large restaurant.  Fortunately, the building along the Tchefuncte River was purchased by Greg Lala and Steven Guidry of Dixie RV SuperStores.

The proposal for the 27,0000-square-foot building to be renovated into a multi-use complex was approved at Madisonville’s planning and zoning commission meeting on December 4, 2018. The new

structure will include corporate office space and different types of eateries. Mayor Jean Pelloat is in agreement with Lala and Guidry.

“This type of mixed-use development with offices appears to be our best chance to get this building back into commerce,” Pelloat said.

The two business men plan to move their corporate headquarters to the building. The third floor will house the Dixie RV SuperStores Headquarters while the remaining space will be for the eateries.  The second level will be an upscale restaurant and the lower level will be an open-air venue with casual eating served from Airstream concession trailers.

Unlike Friends, who hosted bands that play loud music late into the night, the new establishment will work under the town’s noise ordinance closing all food service no later than 10pm.  The first level open-air venue would stop serving food at 8pm and the music would not be amplified.

“This is not going to be a fly-by-night restaurateur,” said Lala, a St. Tammany Parish resident. “We don’t want to be Friends (restaurant). We want to be good neighbors.”

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Determined Home Buyers Willing to Wait for the Perfect Home

The results are in, and according to the National Association of Home Builder’s (NAHB) Housing Trends Report, 13% of adults in the United States are going to purchase a home or new home in the next 12 months. The poll was taken during the 3rd Quarter of 2018, so that is the time period covered by the survey. These new home buyers and home buyers are unique in the fact that they are taking their time in making a decision about their home purchase. Some buyers reported already taking more than 3 months to look for a home to buy, and they have not found it yet.

What is interesting about this is that these home buyers state that they will not stop looking for a home if it takes longer than expected – less than 20% to be exact. The reasons why they are having

trouble finding the exact home they want to buy is that 49% of buyers said that affordability is a factor followed by 40% looking for specific features. 38% of home buyers said that they cannot find the home at the right price with the right features in a neighborhood where they want to live.

During the last quarter of 2017 and the first 2 quarters of 2018, over 50% of home buyers said that they have been looking for the right home for over 3 months. The highest percentage was during the 4th quarter of 2017. One reason also that might be affecting the ability of home buyers and new home buyers to find a home they would like to purchase is that supply has been steadily falling in the housing market of the United States. At this time, it has truly been a seller’s market with demand substantially outpacing supply. Because of this, buyers are reporting that they are getting outbid by eager competitors with bigger resources – approximately 21% of buyers reported experiencing this frustration.

So, what will these home buyers do if they cannot find the right home? 61% of home buyers said that they will continue to look in the same location. 27% said that they will look in a bigger are and 23% said they will accept a smaller or older home if the price, location, and features are right. Just 16% said they may consider a higher price range of home to buy to get what they want. Only 18% said they would give up completely.

If you are experiencing the frustration of finding the perfect home to buy with your exact features in West St. Tammany Parish, the good news is that Ron Lee Homes will be able to help you with your purchase. We can even assist you in finding land on which to build, and we can definitely accommodate most requests for features within your specified budget. If the features you are wanting are not within your price range, we have the experience to recommend work-arounds or other options you may not have considered yet. So, to assist with all of your home buying needs, Contact Ron Lee Homes today at 985-626-7619 or email Info@RonLeeHomes.com.



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St. Tammany Parish Hospital – A Great Success

St. Tammany Parish is no surprise a great place to live. The parish houses many great restaurants, shops, communities, top schools and places for residents or visitors to enjoy.  U.S. News & World Report’s listed St. Tammany Parish Hospital as one of the top in the nation in 2014.

St. Tammany Parish Hospital opened its doors in 1954 with only 15 hospital beds and today the hospital holds 232 beds. On November 27, 2018, the public hospital hosted a ground breaking on a $53.4 million expansion. The expansion will add close to 159,000 square feet and will include a four-story build-out. The number of beds will go from 232 to 247 with all private rooms.  Once the project is completed, the semi-private rooms throughout the hospital will be converted to private rooms.

According to Joan Coffman, St. Tammany Parish Hospital President and CEO, the first floor will be where the administrative offices and conference areas are located, the second and third floor will house critical care and medical/surgical beds and the fourth floor will be as she described “shell space” for future growth.

The expansion is going to be designed so that a fifth floor could be supported according to the architect, fl+WB Architects of Covington and the contractor, Milton Womack Inc. of Baton Rouge.  There is a three-year plan, Expansion 2020 Project, that includes the recently added new parking lot, and renovation of existing patient rooms. The expense will be covered by bonds issued by the hospital.

Coffman reports that 85% of the beds at the hospital are always in use. She states, “This is because of the (population) growth of the parish, especially western St. Tammany.’’ Admissions to the hospital rose 9% from 15,656 in 2016 to 17,038 in 2017, surgeries rose 14.5% to 11,000 in 2017 and emergency room visits hit a high of more than 47,000 in 2017 making a 12% increase. The parish has also started to attract more retirees which will put a huge demand on health care in the area.

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New Homes Are On The Rise

The housing market is booming and new home construction is benefiting.  NAHB reports that private residential construction spending has increased.  This increase is across the board from single family

to multi-family homes.

Mulit-family accounts for $64.2 billion which attributes to the majority of the increase. Single family was shown to also hold a steady growth with a 0.9 percent increase in the third quarter of 2018.

The Census Construction Spending data details this strong growth which is from 2010 to April 2017. The rise in construction spending comes from the high spending on multi-family. The annual nonresidential spending increase  was based on class of power which totaled $8 billion, office comes next at $7.6 billion and last is lodging totaling $4.2 billion.

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A Fair Pay Raise for St. Tammany Parish Employees

The economy is on the mend but still has a way to go.  Many people are seeing a pay raise but there are those who still have yet to see one since the up rise in the economy.  St. Tammany Public Works employees are hoping for a pay raise for 2019.

This hope stems from a proposal given by Councilman Richard Tanner during a recent public hearing. Tanner proposed a 2 percent raise to employees that work in the Public Works department. It

would cost the department approximately $273,000 for the 2 percent pay increase minus the department director. He sees the raise is justified because the department has its own funding source.  This source stems from a dedicated sales and property taxes. Many others agreed during the public hearing on the proposed 2019 operating and capital budgets that the employees should be given a raise.

“Public Works does a fabulous job and it would be my pleasure to vote for this,’’ said Councilman Jerry Binder.

Pat Brister, St. Tammany Parish President, feels that giving raises to one department and not the others “is incorrect and wrong.”

“Everybody in this parish works just as hard as Public Works,’’ Brister told the council.
Brister voiced there is very little wiggle room in the Parish Budget.  The proposed sale tax increase was a no go with voters last election. The two sales taxes that were denied would have brought in $22 million dollars annually. The current budget that Brister will be presenting totals to $99 million and will be adopted by December 31, 2018.

An Economic Balancing Act

After the fall of the economy in 2007, policymakers want to keep a healthy balance in today’s economy. The Federal Reserve does not want to repeat what some economist consider to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

According to a statement released by the Federal Reserve, the labor market is continuing to strengthen and the “economic activity has been rising at a strong rate.”

This week Fed policymakers agreed to keep the rates the same for November 2018.  The reason for

this decision was based on the continued growth of the American economy.  The Federal Reserve wants to make sure the growth stays at a healthy rate, neither too fast nor too slow. The benchmark rate, the determining factor for the cost of borrowing on credit cards, mortgages and other loans, will stay between 2% to 2.25%

Markets have gone up this month and the Fed will more than likely raise rates at the final 2018 meeting. This also suggest the rates will raise several more times in 2019. Policymakers explain that this is a standard reaction to the strong economy.  This will give central bankers some cushion if a downturn were to occur.

Not all of the aspects of the economy are at full force. Business investments have risen very little and the investors are curious to see if the Fed officials will anticipate a lower growth in next year’s forecast.

The job market is strong. In October, employers added 250,000 jobs.  Wages have also gone up 3.1% year-over-year. While this is good news for Americans, officials fear that low unemployment and higher wages might speed up inflation which could force the central bank to raise rates aggressively.

A Local Developer’s Unique Twist At Adaptive Reuse

As a community starts to thrive and grow, more and more businesses and residents move into the area.  Along with new growth, comes new buildings and homes in the community. What about the existing buildings in the area that might have lost their tenants due to previous lack of growth?  An Adaptive reuse, the process of reusing an old site or building for a different or new business, is a great way to bring new life into an old building.

existing building is a perfect place for future business owners to begin a new business. 

One community that is booming with growth along the Northshore in the New Orleans area is Mandeville. Barrett and Jill McGuire, of McGuire Real Estate Group, are using adaptive reuse at two sites in Mandeville. Rest Awhile is currently underway and is now a restaurant complex and Band’s Food Store’s old building is currently under review to become a restaurant in Old Mandeville.

Currently under way, is the Rest Awhile restaurant complex.  Originally the Rest Awhile building was the Frapart Hotel in the 1800’s which later became a retreat house for those in need. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the building

was left abandoned and now the project is preserving the old building into a sit-down restaurant.  Two other buildings on the site include the Hadden Cottage, which plans to be a coffee and tapas bar and the Sophie B. Wright Cottage which plans to be a tavern.

The McGuire’s second project is close to Barrett’s heart. Band’s Food Store, in Old Mandeville, was built in the 1940’s and served Old Mandeville for decades.  As a young boy, McGuire remembers sweeping the parking lot of the grocery store, located at Lafitte and Monroe, to earn money to buy baseball cards.  The couple purchased the site for $275,000 and hope to turn the building into a restaurant.  McGuire says they are focusing on “a lunch counter concept at this point” and as for the name, “we haven’t gotten that far yet,” he said.

Adaptive reuse is not only a smart and green way to reuse current buildings, but is also a great way to preserve a community’s memories and history. As for the McGuire’s belief on conserving the old grocery store site, “It’s a great little place. It deserves to be put back into commerce,” he said.

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Patios Make A Great Outdoor Living Space

A homes outdoor space can be just as important as the indoor living space. In fact, there are scientific backed reasons that a homeowner’s outdoor space makes them happy. Several of these include, it is a space for bonding, plants can reduce stress and give off oxygen to help you breathe deeply, it can make you feel younger and it can prevent depression.

Builder’s see the importance in this concept when building most homes. According to the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) out of the new homes started in 2017, 58.6 percent included patios. This is a huge jump from 2011 where under 50 percent of new homes had patios. The SOC (Survey of Construction) also points out that patios were more common than decks by 23.8 percent in 2017.

Patios differ in size and materials throughout the United States. The average size of a patio on a new home built in 2017 was 260 square feet according to the Annual Builder Practices Survey (BPS)

conducted this year. Although patios are not as common in New England and Middle Atlantic, surprisingly when it comes to new homes with patios, they are the largest nationally topping off at over 370 square feet on average. The building materials used in the two regions usual consists of poured concrete with concrete pavers, natural stone or brick pavers. In the West South-Central poured concrete is not used as much as just concrete pavers.

Over the nine Census divisions there are vast differences on the amount of new homes that were built with patios in 2017. On the high end were the West South-Central at 80 percent, the Mountain at 71 percent, the Pacific at 62 percent and the South Atlantic at 62 percent. The division under 50 percent include West North-Central, East North-Central, New England, Middle Atlanta and East South-Central.

The Northshore is definitely a perfect area for a patio and will make a great space for homeowners to relax and spend weekends and evenings in the great outdoors.

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One Student’s Kindness Develops Into A Nonprofit

The holidays are fast approaching and many call it the season of giving. It is a time of not only giving to friends and family but also giving to those in need. One St. Tammany mom has organized a way not only to give during the holidays but all year round. Wendy Keller and her close friend Tina Billiot Our Friends Closet which helps students in need.

started an organization this year called

Although St. Tammany is an affluent area, there are 316 students within the St. Tammany Parish public school district that are currently homeless and a projected 1,000 or more will be homeless by the end of the school year. There are not only homeless students in need, but also students who might not be able to afford essentials.

The catalyst to Keller’s idea was her 14-year old daughter who is a student in the St. Tammany Parish public schools. One day Keller’s daughter asked her for extra hygiene products to take to school for her friends that were homeless. After calling the school office at St. Tammany Junior High, she confirmed that this was a true need.

“It ate at me,” she said. “Then, in church one Saturday the homily was ‘If not me, then who? And if not now, then when?”’

That is when both Wendy Keller and Tina Billiot started to collect basic hygiene supplies and made their first delivery to two schools, St. Tammany Junior High and Salmen High School.  From then on word begin to spread through social media.

Currently the Billiot’s home has a room that is filled with supplies such as socks, deodorant, shampoo, toothbrushes and even quarters for the laundromats. Crews fill the supplies up into bags and they are delivered to the schools. There is no contact with the students, all the work is done through the counselors at each school.

Our Friends Closet is now registered as a nonprofit and now delivers to schools in St. Tammany, St. Bernard, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes and Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

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A Plan For St. Tammany’s Growing Economy

The economy and housing market are the strongest they have been in the past 10 years.  As the housing market and economy thrive so does the ever-changing communities throughout the country.  St. Tammany Economic Development District wants to evolve with the ever-changing market.
The St. Tammany Economic Development District is the forefront of St. Tammany’s economy. As stated on their site, the agency’s objective is to “seek to preserve and promote the quality of life by strengthening and supporting vibrant economies.” Businesses and Residence can follow the community’s economic development, successes and future opportunities found throughout St. Tammany via the agency.

St. Tammany is a great area to both live and work.  With the low cost of living and the strong business climate, the parish is on a growing trend and is home to industries that include advanced manufacturing, corporate headquarter offices, distribution and logistics, oil and gas, information technology, and healthcare and biosciences. The current population of 255,000 and civilian labor force of over 126,000 keeps this strong economy going.

Along with the growth comes competition with other attractive communities throughout the state and the country. Chris Masingill, who leads the St. Tammany Economic Development District, announced a plan to attract and keep businesses in St. Tammany Parish to the St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce, November 10, 2018, at a breakfast held at Tchefuncta Country Club. First on the agenda is to rebrand St. Tammany Economic Development District with a name change to “St. Tammany Corp.” and a new logo.

Masingill explained that along with the name change, the St. Tammany Corp. will have a new framework for how it handles business in the Parish. They will focus on many factors which include how the Parish’s various communities interact with each other to the role of government and tax incentives in economic development.

“This is not just an academic exercise,” Masingill said. “We’re looking at everything.”
A study will be conducted on how the agency wants to expand its “regional reach.” Masingill wants to establish a good working relationship with other agencies in the Parish, the economic development group Greater New Orleans Inc. and even over state lines.  The plan for the new framework is slated to be completed by year’s end.

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Home Buyers Enjoying Price Allowances by Sellers

Even though the housing market continues to see rising home prices throughout the United States as supply is shrinking, the demand for buying a new home or buying a home for sale has tapered off slightly because of the rising interest rates. The good news is that the economy has finally rebounded from the devastating effects of the Recession, but that means that in order to stem inflation and keep the economy in check, the Fed had to raise interest rates. Because of the this, buyers are being more careful and thrifty with their money and the amount of money they can spend on their monthly mortgage note which translates for sellers that even though it’s very much a seller’s market, sellers are having to make concessions in order to close the deal with home buyers.

In June, 2018, sellers cut prices on approximately 14% of all home sales in order to close the sale. At the end of 2016, the lowest price cut by sellers was 11.7%, so price cuts are on the rise as home prices, having been on the rise, might be reaching their ceiling.

Simple supply and demand have been factors in the cost of homes and the affordability of homes. Rising interest rates have also affected affordability with the ability of buyers to make a larger monthly note. The supply of houses for sale was affected by two huge factors – the so-called “millenial” generation coming of age to be able to buy a home for sale and the disappearance of homes through the foreclosure process that were then turned into single-family rentals, removing them as purchasable homes on the market.

Also, builders recovering from the Recession were cautious as to how many construction loans they took on, having been burned by the Recession and standing inventory. The slow start of builders to start to get “spec houses” out for sale, sticking to the guaranteed deal of having contracts to build a new home or build a completely custom home also contributed to the lack of supply on the market.

Even though the slowdown of the housing market might seem alarming to some people, economists predict rightly that real estate is finally returning to a normal market. Nationwide, there is not a reflection of a total overall slowdown though. Different markets with different factors including job growth and corporate buy-in’s give different locations encouraging statistics. One such market is Austin, Texas, which is enjoying an incredible housing market because of an influx of technology jobs.

“We saw intense bidding on homes over the past few years, but that is calming down with more inventory in the area,” said B Barnett, a real estate agent at Reilly Realtors in Austin. “Our inventory of homes is going up with new construction, and it is helping transfer power back to the buyer.”

Economic forecasts for 2019 show a slowdown of the GDP as the effects of the tax cuts and stock market surge level off. If you are interested in skipping the challenge of supply and demand in your market and would like to just build your own new home in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Contact Ron Lee Homes, a custom home builder, directly at 985-626-7619 or email Info@RonLeeHomes.com.



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Housing Market in St. Tammany Parish Shows Increases in the Price Per Square Foot

St. Tammany Parish is enjoying a robust housing market when it comes to the value and appreciation of homes for sale and new homes for sale. During the first 6 months of 2018, the price per square foot of homes in the Greater St. Tammany Parish area were calculated and then compared to 2017’s prices and the price per square foot of homes before Hurricane Katrina hit the Greater New Orleans area in 2005. The results of that comparison are spelled out below.

Homes for sale and new homes for sale which have seen a steady increase in value from Katrina to the first 6 months of the year include homes located in Folsom, Covington Central (70433), Madisonville, Mandeville (70471), Lacombe, Slidell (70460), and Abita Springs.

In Mandeville and Madisonville, the price per square foot during the first 6 months of 2018 is actually identical at $143 / square foot. In Mandeville, there was an increase of $31 and in Madisonville, there was an increase of $37 from 2005 to 2018. In Lacombe, there was an increase of $12, in Folsom it was an increase of $15, in Slidell (70460), there wan an increase of $14, and in Abita Springs, there wan an increase of $29.

The city which saw the biggest increase in the price per square foot of a home in St. Tammany Parish overall was Covington Central (70433) with an increase of $41 per square foot since 2005. Other cities saw an increase in 2017 and then a slight decrease in 2018, which is in line with the softening of the housing market as interest rates went up towards the middle / end of 2018. These cities inclued Bush, North Covington (70435), Pearl River, Slidell (70461), and Slidell (70458). In North Covington, the price per square foot of homes for sale stayed exactly the same from 2017 to 2018. In Pearl River, the price increased from $87 in 2005 to $105 in 2017 and then decreased to $100 in 2018. In Slidell (70461), there was also an increase from $87 in 2005 to $105 in 2017 to decrease just $2 to $103 in 2018.

Overall the increase in the price per square foot in St. Tammany Parish increased 3.1% from $118.70 to $122.40 per square foot. Average home pricing went from $253,553 to $264,754, and the city which saw the most amount of growth was in Madisonville. Residency increased in Madisonville to over 11,000 residents in 2018. This small charming town on the banks of the Tchefuncte River began as a town of 4,000 at the turn of the century, just to give context to the amount of growth.

So, if you’re in the market for a home to buy, check out the areas of St. Tammany Parish where you can afford to live. The housing market is hot right now, and available housing is tight – you might want to consider building your own home so that you get exactly what you want for the price you can afford. Call 985-626-7619 or email Ron Lee Homes at Info@RonLeeHomes.com to start your building process today!



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New Homes for Sale Available Come at a Price

After the housing market struggled to make a comeback after the Recession, the supply of homes for sale and new homes for sale available in the real estate market has continued to decline. Because of this the supply of homes and new homes available to buy has decreased to a crucial point. That is that there is now more demand for homes to buy than there are homes and new homes on the market for sale.

Because of the lopsided nature of supply and demand in real estate, home prices have not only continued to increase, but they are still increasing at a rapid pace. According to Core Logic, a real estate analysis company which tracks housing trends nationwide, the price of homes for sale increased by 6.8% in June, 2018, compared to June, 2017. May, 2014 was the last time that housing prices had such a high year-over-year percentage increase, which was during one of the fast-paced recovery years of real estate after the Recession.

The price of homes continuing to go up is unsustainable as mortgage rates are also on the rise, putting

the cost of the monthly note out of reach for some home buyers. However, as long as demand continues to outpace supply, the prices will continue to have a “seller’s market” mentality for home buyers who are able to qualify for loans.

Another factor in the increase in home prices is that prices are now double that of the growth of individual’s growth in salary. However, there are signs that home prices will start to see a slow down as the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city index had less growth during May, 2018 than May, 2017. There are also other trends that show an overall economic slowdown that have probably not translated to the real estate housing market just yet.

What you can take away from this news is that if you have a home to sell and are wanting to buy a new home or a home for sale, you will want to make sure you are able to move quickly on buying a home and actually moving out since it truly is a seller’s market out there. If you are buying a home in the St. Tammany Parish area, Contact Ron Lee Homes about our Homes for Sale or to build the home of your dreams in Mandeville, Madisonville, Covington, Abita Springs, or Folsom! Call 985-626-7619 or email Info@RonLeeHomes.com.



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Additional Home Loan Programs to Complement Current FHA Loan Programs

Home buyers have faced a challenging environment for being able to qualify for home loans since the real estate market crashed over 10 years ago. Since then, the main program offering affordable home loans has been from the Federal Housing Authority which offers FHA loans. Now, government sponsored Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are offering additional loan programs to home buyers with less than stellar portfolios to make it possible for them to buy a home.

One of the programs offered by Fannie Mae is the HomeReady program which allows a credit score as low as 620 or a debt-to-income (DTI) of as much as 50% with only a 3% down payment. While other factors are taken into account of a potential home buyer’s credit profile, these two factors

separately don’t automatically decline the home buyer from being able to buy a home. For people who are within the income limits of this loan program, it is a viable alternative to the FHA loan which can incur high mortgage insurance premiums which can last for 5 to 15 years on payments of the loan. This program also counts rental income as a true source of income and allows co-borrowers to be people not actually residing in the home – think a parent or grandparent co-signing on the loan.

Another program that is available is being offered by Freddie Mac. It is called the HomePossible program. It also allows a 3% down payment, and is specifically designed for home buyers with a lower income level. Repeat buyers qualify for this loan program as well. Freddie Mac is also offering a new loan program called HomeOne. HomeOne’s advantages are that there are no income limits, and there are also no geographic restrictions. A credit score of at least 640 is required for this loan, but that it still well below the “perfect” credit score require by a regular conventional loan.

Where before, home buyers had to account for every penny in their bank account before being able to get approval for their loan, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are now allowing home buyers to crowd source fund a down payment for their loan. With home prices going up, a 3% down payment is turning into a higher and higher amount, so being able to raise money to buy a home, just like you would raise money for other things in your life, is a huge advantage. An program called Loftium actually has a unique “forward-thinking” program for home buyers. They allow a home buyer to rent out a room of their home, calculate the potential income for the rental and then “front” a percentage of that income as part of the down payment on the loan. This is a truly innovative way of “getting a home buyer into a home.”

Fannie Mae is also in the trial stages of a lease-to-own program for home buyers where a buyer begins as a renter and then has a deadline to buy the home for an agreed-upon price in a designated number of years. This program is not an official loan program yet, as it is just in the beginning stages.

So, however you are trying to buy your new home, there are programs out there to assist you if you don’t have the upfront money or need a little “mercy” because of bad credit or a high debt-to-income percentage. Ask your lender about these programs to see if you qualify.

For more information about buying a home for sale in St. Tammany Parish, Contact Us Today at 985-626-7619 or Email Info@RonLeeHomes.com.



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STAA: How It All Began

The emergence of the St. Tammany Art Association (STAA), on December 1, 1958, was just the beginning of the life long celebration in the community of the arts. The idea of the origination’s concept came from the first meeting notes taken August 15, 1957 at a group meeting held at the Covington resident, Mrs. Miriam Barranger. In the notes it stated that their group’s motto was “to encourage education and interest in the fine arts in the community through lectures, panel discussions, exhibits and the screening of motion pictures. To sponsor classes in painting, sculpture, crafts and the fine arts generally.”

In the last sixty years, the STAA has not only lived out this motto, but the nonprofit, has superseded it by supporting local well-known and emerging artists. Throughout the years it has enriched the Covington Art Market, Art Alley, the annual Fall for Art Festival, the annual Spring for Art Festival, both adult and children educational classes, holiday and summer camps, artists’ panel discussions and special programs such as Cancer to Canvas, Sizzlin’ Seniors and Veteran to Veteran.

residents of St. Tammany Parish through cultural programs and activities such as three galleries, six annual art markets, the

With the development of Art Alley that runs along N. Columbia Street between STAA’s Art House and the historic H.J. Smith & Sons General Store, STAA brings a space for community gatherings and cultural commerce space. Kim Bergeron, the former executive director, turned the ordinary alley into a place of art celebration and the home of the Covington Art Market.  According to Bergeron, “Art Alley initiative is a Creative Placemaking effort designed to transform an ordinary alley into a community gathering and cultural commerce space. I intend to continue to work toward bringing that project to its full potential. The harmonica campfire concert with our Culture Camp children, led by GrayHawk Perkins, and the Holiday Children’s Tea in Art Alley were among my favorite events – truly magical. I see so many possibilities for Art Alley as a place to celebrate arts, culture and non-profit organizations.”

STAA will continue to serve the community and reach as many people from all walks of life in the celebration of art. As the nonprofit pursues a new executive director, STAA will remember their motto and all of the programs created by the former leader. Roswell Pogue, president of STAA’s board of directors describes Kim Bergeron by stating, “Her enthusiasm and drive have expanded our community outreach and profile. We are here, as an organization, to reach as many people from all walks of life as is possible, and Kim has been integral to that goal.”

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St. Tammany Parish Publish School District to Give Employees A Much-Needed Pay Raise

One of the most important career paths many can take is a job that helps mold and raise the next generation.  St. Tammany Parish public school district sees the importance of its employees and is proposing an increase by $2.8 million in salaries for the 2018-2019 school year.

The $235 million that will total the salaries in the district is part of a proposed $416.6 million budget that St. Tammany Parish School Board has agreed to and developed alongside the St. Tammany

Federation of Teachers and School Employees.

The district will also use the allotted monies for special revenue funds, capital project funds and debt service funds.  Typically, the School Board accepts a spending plan in September, but this proposed budget is set for the school district’s fiscal year that began July 1, 2018 and will end July 31, 2019.

The money projected for the budget will be granted by the state through the Minimum Foundation Program, State funding, and local funding.  There will be a projected $890,000 increase in the Minimum Foundation Program, with $212.3 million from state funding and local funding will represent $203.8 million of the budget.

This is a reasonable proposal for the St. Tammany Parish Schools.  The district runs 55 schools with more than 5,600 employees and 39,000 students.  According to Superintendent Trey Folse and Director of Business Affairs Terri Prevost, the budget will not affect local sales or property tax revenues.

To learn more information or for any questions you might have about the proposed budget, the School Board has scheduled a public hearing Thursday August 23, 2018 at 6pm. The hearing will be held at the School Board’s office located at 321 N. Theard St., Covington.

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A New Levee for Lake Pontchartrain

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) and Army Corps of Engineers shows an abundance of hurricane activity along the Southern Shore of Louisiana.  In fact, the Army Corps of Engineers created a map of potential stillwater elevations for a storm surge from a hurricane with a 1% chance

of occurring that has a possibility to hit the New Orleans area in 2070. The 100-year storm would be a devastation to all areas surrounding Lake Pontchartrain if proposed new levees are not built.

Congress has before them $100 billion dollars in various flood protection projects that the corps plan to build nationally. Many of the projects would greatly help and reduce tragic loss during hurricane season in the Greater New Orleans area. Fortunately, in 2014, Congress approved the 2014 Water Resource Bill which was the first step in the process of authorizing a levee to be built. Due to an emergency supplemental appropriation that is linked to the recent devastation from hurricanes and floods, the West Shore levee has been approved and fully funded. The West shore project makes up only 1 % of the $100 billion in projects before Congress.

According to U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, the fast pace of the Congressional approval and funding for projects such as the West Shore levee is unheard of. Graves believes funding projects such as this should be the norm.  It is reported that the nation spends billions on restoring homes,

businesses and infrastructure loss due to hurricane flooding. If the nation spent just millions on flood projects beforehand many of the devastation could have been avoided. “This project pays for itself,” Graves said. “Think about the cumulative money spent picking up the pieces from Hurricane Isaac,” he said. “We cannot continue to spend billions in the aftermath of disasters. We have to spend millions in advance.”

The West Shore Lake Pontchartrain hurricane levee project is set to be completed by 2023 hurricane season. The $760 million-dollar project includes 17 miles of levee and a mile of concrete T-wall. It will mostly be located in St. John the Baptist parish which will include berms around Gramercy and Lutcher, a separate berm around Grand Point North and smaller berms around other smaller non-residential buildings. The 17-mile levee will separate populated areas west of I-10 from storm surges moving inland from Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas and adjacent wetlands.

The New Orleans Army Corps of Engineers’ office announced the project will begin construction by early 2021. According to Col. Michael Clancy the project will be divided into 11 smaller projects and will be under the local sponsor, Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. According to the federal law, the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority will pay 35% of construction cost, however the Army Corps of Engineers will pay construction cost upfront and will allow the local sponsor to repay them over a 30-year period upon completion of the project.

Once the project is complete the Pontchartrain district will control and operate the levees. St. John Parish President Natalie Robottom looks forward to what the future holds for this project.  She feels it is the parish responsibility to allow its residents and business owners to participate in the $760 million-dollar project so the dollars spent will stay within the parish.

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Bed & Breakfast Proposed Restrictions

Sometimes wording can easily get lost in translation. Thursday, August 9, 2018 questionable wording was the reason for a proposed ordinance to be placed on hold.  Councilman Mike Pulaski stated, “I have no idea what we’re voting on.” According to Mayor Donald Villere, the current way it is written will create unintended problems for residential zoning districts. The Mandeville City Council struggled with what to do with the proposed ordinance that prohibits bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) in a single-family residential neighborhood.

Several community members voiced their concern saying it brought about unnecessary restrictions on use of private property. Even though there were concerns, most of the community are in favor of the

prohibition. According to Council Chairman Clay Madden, who sponsors the ordinance, the majority of residents who reside in residential neighborhoods do not want B&Bs in their subdivision.

Currently Mandeville’s Comprehensive Land Use Regulation Ordinance allows B&Bs in residential zoned districts. Under the proposed ordinance, B&B’s are prohibited in single-family residential zoning districts, with the exception of Old Mandeville’s Historic Preservation District. The B&B’s that currently reside in residential areas will be grandfathered in.

Councilman John Keller voiced his concerns on “another restriction on people’s property,” and has never heard of any complaints regarding B&Bs until recently.  City officials commented that the issue arose when a recent B&B was permitted by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission in the New Golden Shores subdivision.

Keller’s comments led to a discussion on individual neighborhood associations allowing B&Bs through convents.  Madden however, says that is not feasible because many of the city’s neighborhoods have allowed their convents to expire or the associations are now inactive.
Once the ordinance is redrafted, the city council will revisit any action on the ordinance.
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Fountain at the Entrance of River Club in Covington, Louisiana

Waterfront Home Living in St. Tammany Parish

Owning a home in a waterfront community in St. Tammany Parish is a wonderful experience. Having access to a river or a lake provides a peaceful and restful environment that is also kind of freeing, especially if you are a “water person.” With the environment of a river or lake also comes the lush vegetation and wildlife, such as water fowl, turtles, and frogs. There is just a different kind of feel and sound when living on or near the water.

Being near the water also allows a homeowner to be able to enjoy recreational activities, such as water sports, boating, canoeing, swimming, floating, and fishing. Many waterfront communities also carve out walking or hiking paths around the water area for residents to enjoy. Having a home with a water view is also a tremendous advantage, both while you are living there and also as a benefit of selling your home.

Homes in waterfront communities tend to come at a higher price range because the lot on which they are built are often priced higher because they are a prized commodity.  With the right care and attention, a home on the water can be an incredible real estate investment.

Homeowners of waterfront homes must be sure to look out for damage that can be done to a home because it is located on or near the water. Problems caused by moisture in the air such as mold, degradation of stone, metal or wood, bug issues, and water intrusion can take a toll on the quality building of a new home for sale. Staying on top of the maintenance of your home by painting and sealing the exterior of your home often, keeping a current termite contract, and investing in sturdy building materials to begin with can go a long way in ensuring that your home stays in good shape both for you and your family and for if or when you ever decide to sell.

Ron Lee Homes is now offering a new, custom home for sale in a waterfront community in Covington, Louisiana, in River Club. This new home is just a brief walk down the street to an extensive boat dock, boardwalk, and pavilion on river. If you haven’t yet had the chance to tour this new community or our new home for sale, Contact Us at 985-626-7619 or E-mail Info@RonLeeHomes.com to schedule your private tour today!


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School Districts Can Affect the Value of Your Home

Anecdotal evidence shows that home buyers will pay up to 10% more for a home that they buy that is in a good school district.  In fact, many people buy homes in good school districts even in the family planning stages before they ever have kids.  Therefore, if you have children or are planning to have children, and you are interested in your children being able to get into a good school, you will need to make sure you have the time and budget to plan your home or new home search.

The first thing you need to do is to decide whether you want your kids to go to public or private schools.  Private schools don’t have districts, so buying a home in order to be close to a private

school or knowing that your child will be attending private school will make your home buying decision more flexible.  If you are planning on sending your kids to public school, then you need to get serious about figuring out which is the best school district for you, your kids, and your family. It’s not just about test scores and ratings when it comes to schools. There are other factors to consider such as extracurricular activities, sports, clubs, friends and lifestyle expectations.

Once you have narrowed down the school district in which you would like to live, be sure that you have allocated enough time before the next school year to find a new home to buy.  Expect there to be competition for homes going on the market in a good school district.  Because, not only are the homes going to probably sell quickly, there are other benefits to buying in a good school district such as home values which make the homes more desirable and a better real estate investment.

When choosing the right home to buy, make sure that all of your finances are in order.  Get pre-qualified with a realistic lender, so that you look better to the seller once you make an offer.  Being able to close quickly on a home can make a seller more interested in working with you.

Be ready for the price tag of living in a better school district when it comes to property taxes.  Property taxes help pay for your kids’ public school education, but when your home is located in a better district, you “get what you pay for.”  Other than that, buying a home in a really good school district is a way to invest in not only your childrens’ futures but also in your financial future with great equity in the resale value of your home.

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Decisions to Make When Installing a Fence

Sometimes you like the idea of having a yard with no boundaries, where you can see everything from your front or back porch with nothing obstructing your view.  Or, if you have pets who also like freedom or maybe neighbors you’d rather not have seeing you, you might want to install a fence in your front yard or backyard.  Believe it or not, getting a fence installed can take quite a bit of work on your part when it comes to selection of material, parameter of the fence, and finding the right fence contractor.

Here are some tips that will help you get started on the process. The look of your fence and its requirements are totally up to you!

Fence Purpose
What is the purpose of your fence? Do you want more privace and need a wood-slatted or vinyl privacy fence? Do you have pets that are just as smart as you are and need a secure fence to keep them from “visiting” everyone else in the neighborhood?  Do you need boundaries for your neighbors where they can see you and you can see them, but they can’t just walk on over?  Whatever type of fence you need, you need to begin there when making the next decision steps of your process.

Materials & Aesthetics
The next thing you will need to decide is how you want your fence to look.  There are several decorative fence styles that are popular in St. Tammany Parish. There is the “farm fence” which is a

1/2 to 2/3 tall fence with horizontal poles or boards, typically painted white.  There is the popluar picket fence which is seen around many homes in Madisonville and Mandeville.  There is the horse fence with is like the “farm fence” but is actually used as a fence to keep horses or cattle in.  This fence typically is taller with more horizontal rails.  It is also popular in north Covington and Folsom.  There is the 6′ or 8′ privacy fence which completely covers the area to make it…private.  You can also upscale your fence with a mixutre of materials including stone columns and wood slats or brick columns and wrought iron pickets.  Whatever type of fence you choose, be sure to be budget conscious and buy what you can afford.

Fencing Cost & Care
Which brings us to the next point – cost. Not only do you need to consider the cost of the materials but also the cost of installation. In Louisiana especially, you need to consider the elements when installing your fence because the weather here can wreak havoc on your materials.  Vinyl, aluminum, brick, & wrought iron will definitely last longer than wood (even treated wood) any day.  Going with a cheaper product, such as landscape timbers, may save you money in the short term, but you will definitely be replacing that fence in the near future.

Map Your Fence
If you are located in a neighborhood, you will want to be very clear where your property lines are located so as not to intrude on your neighbor’s property. That is a definite way to keep the peace between you and your neighbor.  You will also want to walk the proposed fence line with your installer to be sure that he or she is very clear as to where the fence needs to be installed.

Homeowners Association
Some homeowners associations have very strict rules as to where a fence can be constructed and even what materials may be used.  Be sure to check with them before beginning your project to make sure your fence proposal falls into their guidelines.  In some areas, you may have to get a letter from your HOA to get a permit from the city or parish before you begin.

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Pelican Park to Redevelop Old Baseball Field

Trying to keep it “in house,” Pelican Park is looking to redevelop an unused baseball field called Green 5 into something else either recreation or fitness that might target adults. The budget for this redevelopment will come from the operating budget of Pelican Park, and will be an investment of $500,000 – $800,000.

Comments were solicited from the public, and recommendations included an indoor Olympic-size swimming pool, complete with diving.  However, the estimated cost of that type of project could be

upwards of $25 million, and that would not work within the park’s budget.

Green 5 is a 4-acre area which used to be used for baseball, but with over 30 athletc fields, it now stands “idle.”  It is situated around the center of the complex, and the lights that used to light the field no longer meet the safety requirements, and the cost of bringing them up to standard would be too expensive.  Also, baseball programs for older kids are no longer offered at Pelican Park.

A study to determine the best use of the 4-acre plot was awarded to Neel-Schaffer, Inc., an engineering, planning and construction management firm, at the cost of $20,540. Ideas of what might replace the field included pickleball outdoor courts, bocce, horseshoes or shuffleboard, outdoor fitness area with exercise equipment, a shaded picnic area, or a walking track.

A board of directors meeting held February 28th took the recommendations of Neel-Schaffer, Inc., and decided to use the space for an exercise / activity area with walking trail, outdoor fitness equipment, a 3/4 acre pond and six pickleball courts.

“Other elements of the project include areas for bocce, horseshoes, shuffleboard and a small section where poles will be erected for ‘hammocking.’ The plan also involves razing one maintenance barn near the ball field and converting a second barn into a pavilion,” park director Kathy Foley said.
“We’re moving forward with it,” Foley said. “We think it will offer something for people who might otherwise not use the park.”

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Architectural Styles When Building Your Custom Home

When building a fully custom home, the sky’s the limit as to what type of features, customizations, materials, and new home design you would like to use.  One of the options that home buyers forget they have is the exterior and interior architectural style that is available to them when designing the facade and different rooms of the home. Architectural style can truly define the way a home looks and feels both on the outside and the inside. The outside look is more obvious, such as the French and Spanish architecture you see on the many homes and townhomes in the French Quarter.  The interior architecture can be more subtle and less well known to other people and even your builder.  If you have your heart set on a specific architecture or floorplan layout based on an architectural style, don’t hesitate to let us know during the floorplan design of your custom home.

Several architectural styles are well-defined and easy to recognize and are listed below:

Mediterranean
Just like it sounds, this type of home makes use of exterior spaces in order to soak up the feel of the Mediterranean (or in this case, the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Pontchartrain in the Greater New Orleans Area).  These types of floorplans will have extensive verandas, courtyards, patios, sun rooms, or covered screened porches. The exterior finish typically includes plaster or stucco with low slope or flat roofs.  Interior details include decorative tile and exposed wood beams.

Southern
In order to compensate for the extreme heat of southern climates, southern architecture emphasizes

protecting the exterior of the home with wide covered porches around the entire home, long overhangs, functional shutters, covered verandas, elevated, open living spaces and sometimes decorative columns in the front.

Modern
Introduced during the ’50’s and 60’s, modern architecture becomes more simplistic with less ornamental design.  Horizontal windows, plain fireplace surround – basically ranch-style homes with low roof lines.  However, this simplicity is offset by high-quality material finishes, such as stone, wood flooring, and marble.

Cottages
Just like they sound, cottages are designed to be smaller, lower maintenance homes with incredible use of square footage space.  The term cottage brings to mind a cramped, small home with a lower mortgage, but builders have been quite innovative in building cottages with excellent use of space in the floorplan. Built-in window seats and shelving utilize empty walls to create more space for “stuff.” A spacious front porch also adds to the size of a cottage home.

At Ron Lee Homes, we have built numerous styles of architecture and have many different floorplan styles from which to choose.  You can bring us your ideas and pictures, and we can design the style of home that you want.  Call 985-626-7619 or E-mail Info@RonLeeHomes to make an appointment to create your floorplan design today!

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Builder Tips When You Build a New or Custom Home

As a builder, we offer an in-depth building process from design and layout to the final punchlist.  We try to put ourselves in the shoes of our home buyers to make sure we anticipate the questions and needs you will have during the home building process, especially if this is your first new home build or custom home build.  However, we also want to give you as much industry advice as possible to make sure that you feel comfortable with working with us as a builder. Below are some tips to following when working with a builder.

Use a Realtor Who Represents Your Interests
While we, as a builder, don’t use an on-site sales representative, some builders and developments do.  Make sure that you find a Realtor who is used to working with new home sales and knows the ins and

outs of information that you, as a home buyer, will need to know during the building process.  That way, if your builder does not explain something to you in full or there is missing information, your buyer’s representative will know the questions to ask and information to get.

Research Your Builder
One way to know if you are using an excellent, quality builder is to view their work, while it is under construction. As we constantly have new or custom homes under construction, we can take you on a tour of our homes to show you the craftsmanship and quality construction in person and answer any questions you may have. Another way to vette your builder is to read any testimonials or reviews. We have multiple testimonials on our website as well as reviews on social media of our satisfied customers. Finally, we have an extensive list of Completed Projects on our website which show in-depth pictures of the finished homes and remodels we have done.  You can get a a good idea of the features and fixtures that we offer in all of the new homes and custom homes that we build.

Know Your Specs
When you view a completed home or model home of a builder, there may be upgraded features or thoughtful extras which may or may not be included in the floorplan that you select or design.  As a

builder, we try to be as thorough as possible to cover every detail in your new or custom home, so that you know exactly what types of features, fixtures, and trim that your home will have once it is built.  However, if you want to go room-by-room asking about the features of each room to ensure that you understand all of the specific details that will be built in your home, we have no problem with that either.

Written Agreement
Once you are comfortable with everything that will be included in your home, make sure that everything we put in our agreement with you is to your complete satisfaction.  We pride ourselves on finishing our projects on time and on budget, barring any unforseeable weather events. Therefore, our agreements have specific budgetary and timeline parameters that are defined specifically in our contracts.  Make sure that if you are working with another builder that they offer you the same.

Building a new home is more complicated than shopping for a previously-owned home. However the flexibility of having choice of selection of flooring, cabinets, countertops, paint colors, fixtures, appliances, and so much more can make the building process a very rewarding experience.  So, whether you use us as a builder or someone else, we hope that you find these tips useful.

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Camp N.O.R.A. Plans to Help Homeless Veterans in St. Tammany Parish

The facility will be situated on 17 acres in Covington, which was once home to Danielle Inn, an orphanage.  This facility has been designed and structured to be a haven for homeless veterans who are located in St. Tammany Parish.  Out of the 200,000 homeless veterans in Louisiana, 20,000 live in St. Tammany Parish.  The name of the new organization is Camp N.O.R.A. (No One Rides Alone).  The founders of the organization and facility is a group named The Ride of the Brotherhood which was originally established to locate and bring back the remains of American soldiers in Vietnam.  This group is a non-profit consisting of veterans who are trying to help others who may be going through what these members have already overcome.

Camp N.O.R.A., upon completion, will be able to house 16 to 17 veterans at a time.  However, when it opens, 4 veterans have been vetted and are ready to enter the program of Camp N.O.R.A. which has

a three-phase recovery program.  The first phase is to sign up the veteran with the Veterans Affairs system, so that they can get all of their medical and physical needs taken care of and get used to be being on a regular schedule.  The second phase will be interviews to find out what the veteran would like to do for a living, whether it be get an education, take courses to specialize in a specific vocation, or to simply get a job.  Resources will then be offered to the veteran to help him or her achieve their goals.  The third phase is to help the veteran transition from the program to real life, find a place to live, figure out how to make money, and then buy necessities needed to survive on their own.

Camp N.O.R.A. in Covington, in St. Tammany Parish needs assistance with getting the grounds ready, getting the building ready, and donations.  Once the facility is open, they will need volunteers to help maintenance the place and keep it going.  Donations needed include men’s clothing, single beds, chest of drawers, and night stands.  Service needs include roofing work and long term sponsors. Future plans include installing a garden and bringing in livestock to make the grounds more self-sustaining.

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Student of the Year Finalists Announced

An award based on the following four characteristics: academic achievement, leadership skills, character and work with the school and community is what was given to Zoe Dieringer, a 5th grader at Lancaster Elementary, Louis Cohn, an 8th grader at Boyet Junior High, and Grace Dragna, a senior at Mandeville High School. There were the finalists for Student of the Year competition in St. Tammany Parish, and they will go on to compete in a regional competition.  The regional competition finalists will be announced next month and include students from seven regions across the State of Louisiana.

Student of the Year awards are chosen specifically from grades 5 (elementary school), 8 (middle school), and 12 (high school).  Students are chosen from both public and non-public schools.  After the regional competition determination has been made, the finalists from that event will go on to be selected as the Student of the Year for the State of Louisiana.  Portfolios by the students, writing samples, and interviews are submitted at the regional level to help in the judging of students.

The chosen students from St. Tammany Parish had numerous accomplishments.  Zoe Dieringer has a 4.0 grade point average, tutors other students, served on the Student Council, is a member of the band, playing the flute, and is  amember of the Nutritional Advisory Club, the Hammond Ballet Youth Ensemble.  She hopes to become a professional dancer and has been invited to attend the American Ballet Theatre Your Dancer Summer Workshop in New York City.

Louis Cohn’s accomplishments include starting left tackle on teh Boyet Junior High football team, a 4.0 grade point average, a member and award recipient of the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, and was named Boyet’s outstanding Student in American History, Life Sciences and Reading.

Grace Dragna maintains a 4.56 grade point average and volunteers for and leads numerous organizations including the Mandeville Youth and Government Club, Political Thinkers Club, the Mandeville High Student Council, Feeding the Needy (Covington Rotary Club), So Others Might Eat Soup Kitchen in Washington, D.C., Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, the Samaritan Center, the Louisiana Youth Legislature, and the 2018 United States Senate Youth Program.  She is also a National Merit Semifinalist.

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Important Home Buyer Walk Through Information

When most people think of a walk-through, they think of buying a new home and walking through with a builder to go over the punchlist of items which need to be completed, tweaked, or fixed before closing on the home.  However, there is another type of walk through that can be done by you as the home buyer which will help you decide if you even want to put an offer in on a home.  And, you don’t have to be an expert at construction to evaluate the merits of the home you are buying – you can just use the common sense tips below and all of your senses!

1. The first thing you will want to notice about a home for sale is how it smells. Some homeowners are smart and will install air fresheners which emit a smell throughout the home, but pay attention to any odors which seem out of place.  This could indicate a long term problem like mildew or decay.

2. Check out the paint job. See how well the paint job has aged and how well it has withstood the test of time.  If it is peeling or chipping, that might mean that there is a problem with moisture or sagging in the construction.

3. Popcorn ceilings COULD be a warning sign, but not necessarily.  Depending on the age of the home, you might want to avoid older homes which have popcorn ceilings because they were

originally applied with asbestos material.  Since asbestos is a cancer-causing agent, you will not want to purchase an old house with popcorn ceilings without either absolutely loving the house or having that checked out.

4. Look around at all of the walls, ceilings, and baseboards for the presence of water stains to make sure that there are no leaks in the roof or the exterior siding.

5. How well is the home maintenanced?  This can be a big indicator as to how well the home was taken care of by the current owner.  Just like you want to buy a car with one owner (who took good care of the car and had it maintenanced often), the same goes for a house.  If the home has long term cleaning problems or simple problems were not repaired before the home was put on the market, the more likely it is that the home was not maintenanced, which could lead to problems for you as the buyer further down the road.

6. Depending on the part of the country in which you live, as well as the season of the year, keep a lookout for bugs.  In Louisiana, many houses, no matter how well sealed and insulated, may have bugs present in the house, just because of the climate and the weather here.  However, if you can tell there are bug “droppings” and spider webs everywhere, there may be more “leaks” in the actual structure of the home which indicate an energy efficiency problem.

7. Pay attention to the type of floors in the house. Even if you fall in love with the house itself, be mindful of the condition of the floors as they may need to be repaired or replaced in the future.  You will want to be ready and realistic about the cost.

8. Renovations can be a good thing or a bad thing for home buyers.  Properly completed renovations in order to sell the home like new carpeting, an excellent paint job, exterior landscaping, and replacing deck boards or trim can be a good thing.  If the homeowner offers the information about renovations, question that information closely to make sure that it was done correctly, not last minute, and is now completed.  Poorly done construction renovations will not last, and unfinished renovations should be required by your contract to be finished before you close on your home.

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Taking Care of the Details During the Closing Process

You’ve found or had a builder build your perfect home for you, and now it is time for you to complete the transaction and close on your home.  Closing day, if you have never done it before, can be a nerve-wracking process, so this article will help you with the requirements for that day.
In the original sales contract, there will be a “close-by” date that doesn’t necessarily mean the actual day that you will close on your home. This date is established to make sure that the contract is completed in a reasonable time period that is acceptable to both the buyer and the seller.  That way, there is a deadline to sell or buy the actual home.  The close-by date can be a “goal” of sorts to close

on your home. Much will determine the final closing date, mostly the time it takes for the appraisal, loan application, mortgage approval, and a final walk-through if you are building a new home.  The title company is the actual entity which sets up the closing for the home.  A title search / abstract is done on the property or the home itself to ensure that you have a clear title upon closing.  This process can also affect the timing of the closing.

Once the title company and you have received your closing disclosure from the lender, then any financial questions, closing cost questions, or tax questions are answered, and the closing is ready to happen.  The title company and lender work closely together to make sure that both parties are able to make the final closing date. So, ideally, you, as the buyer, should be able to set your closing date, but it typically ends up being more of a lender / title company decision.

In order to avoid additional interest and closing costs, you may want to suggest at the beginning of the process that the closing date be as close to the end of the month as possible.  A closing date after the 20th of the month can move out the date of your first payment and save the cost of daily interest until the first loan payment is due.

Another thing that you can take care of on your end is to make the move from your old place to your new place as smooth as possible. As soon as you can find out your closing date, you can make sure that you will be able to move out immediately afterwards so that you don’t incur anymore charges at the place where you are currently living.

For the closing day itself, you might want to bring your closing disclosure which the lender will typically send you 3 days prior to closing with you on the day of closing.  That way, you can compare what you previously received and the final closing documents to make sure that they match.  Also, if you feel like you will have questions or issues at closing, you can make sure that a representative of the lender and your Realtor (if you used one) shows up at closing to support you.

Buying a new home or a previously owned home can be an exciting adventure, but you will have to be prepared to take care of all of the details of the buying process with the help of your Realtor, the lender and the title company.  Since everyone involved in the transaction benefits financially, don’t hesitate to reach out to them to ask any questions or get the help you need during the closing process.

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Old Covington Courthouse to Go Up For Auction

On a location which was always considered the town center of Covington, there have been 3 courthouse buildings which have stood since 1837 when the St. Tammany Parish Police Jury bought 4 lots for the purpose of “planting” the Covington courthouse.  The original courthouse was demolished in 1884, and in 1886, a new courthouse was built which stood until 1957.  Then, the courthouse that now stands at the location was completed in 1959.  This courthouse is being considered city surplus and will be auctioned to the highest bidder towards the beginning of 2019.

The current building houses the 911 center for St. Tammany Parish.  It has been rented out for this purpose for approximately 10 years. A new 911 facility is being construction north of Lacombe and will be a 16,000 square foot building once it is completed.

Public preference in Covington has been that the current courthouse stay in the purvue of the city and

be converted to a museum or public park space, however, with the budget shortfall coming up for the next fiscal year, an auction will be necessary.  To that end, the Covington City Council appointed a nine-member panel to do a study as to the uses for the building.

The building is 31,000 square feet and it also has a plaza in the front which is home to ancient oak trees, which are part of the charm of many public places on the Northshore. It is located at the corner of Boston and New Hampshire Streets and is currently owned by the St. Tammany Parish government.

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St. Tammany Parish Children’s Museum Opens at Koop Drive

A plan 15 years in the making came to fruition the weekend of January 20-21, 2018.  The Children’s Museum of St. Tammany opened its doors to great fanfare that weekend.  The Children’s Museum which is located near the St. Tammany Trace Trailhead at Koop Drive, will begin to have regular business hours on Tuesday, January 23rd.  The museum has exhibits which are focused on toddler-age children to elementry-age children.

The idea for the Children’s Museum originally began with the Junior League of Greater Covington in 2003.  A non-profit was formed in 2011 called The Children’s Museum of St. Tammany to begin on

fundraising activities to raise money for the new facility. Partners in the endeavor include the St. Tammany Parish government and the St. Tammany Parish school district.

In fact, the St. Tammany Parish school district held its 8th fundraising event on December 1, 2017, which was led by the students to raise money for the museum.  A check in the amount of $19,377 was then donated to the Children’s Museum by school superintendent Trey Folse during a school board meeting on January 11, 2018. A total of $160,000 has been raised using similar fundraising efforts during the last 8 years.

The facility at the Tammany Trace Trailhead at Koop Drive is only an interim location for the museum. The final facility will be built on St. Tammany Parish’ planned cultural arts district on land adjacent to the Colonial/Pinnacle property at Louisiana 21 / I-12 and the Tchefuncte River.

Click Here for the Source of the Information.  

Residential Real Estate Investing Tips & Tricks

They say that investing in real estate is one of the most secure investments you can make. However, many people who have heard this adage and are used to working within the investment system of stocks and bonds can be unsure as to how exactly to go about investing in real estate.  Below are some tips on how, when, and where to begin the real estate investing process.

The first thing you need to do is to make sure that the timing of your investment is right.  For years, since the Recession, and slightly before the Recession, interest rates have been at record low and historically low rates. In fact, interest rates are still at low levels compared to the lifelong statistics of interest rates, so now may be a good time to invest in real estate.

The next thing, as an investor, you need to consider is the health of the market in which you are investing.  The way to tell about the health of the market is the stability of home prices, economic opportunity, and employment rates.  Many investors will start with what they know, in an area that they know.  This sometimes means checking out the opportunities around where they live.  Once an investor has taken the plunge on real estate investment, the same formula can be applied to other markets while doing research.

Simply said, areas in which there is strong economic growth, new commercial construction with chain box stores of new chain restaurants being built in an area, that is where residential real estate may soon move in.  The economic studies done by these big companies indicate the opportunity for growth of people and jobs, which will bring them the business and eventually the home buyers.
Another way to tell if growth is happening is the employment rate of an area. The more jobs offered and the more businesses cropping up, the higher the employment rate. Jobs bring people who need to rent or buy homes, which indicates a great place for real estate investment.

Once you have considered the economic and employment factors in residential real estate, the next thing to do is to find the actual real estate itself.  If you are skilled at construction and renovations, the more profit you can make out of a home that needs a little TLC because the cost of buying and “flipping” the home in a sale will be lower for you if you don’t have to higher a construction manager to do the work.  If you don’t have this skillset, you might want to consider a home that might be in foreclosure or a bank-owned home which doesn’t require a lot to get it sale ready.  Looking for deals where you can purchase a house for much lower than appraised value is the name of the game here.
So, wherever you live and whatever your skills, as long as you have good credit, money to invest, and even potential investment partners, there are opportunities to invest in residential real estate is the market conditions are right.

Click Here for the Source of the Information.

New Restaurant in Old Mandeville Has New Orleans Roots

A sous chef with seven years’ experience working at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans will be opening a new restaurant in Old Mandeville, just 5 blocks off of Lake Pontchartrain.  The restaurant building which used to house Vianne’s Tea House and very briefly the Ugly Duckling Cafe will take on the new name of Hambone and will server breakfast, lunch, coffee and brunch on the weekends.

The fare will include traditional southern and Louisiana food like red beans and rice.  According to the new owner and chef, Luke Hidalgo, the menu will feature southern comfort food and include

specialty sandwiches and small plate meals.

“It’s that little bit of a turn that you put into your food on the front end that makes all the difference in the world,” Hidalgo said of his approach in designing his menu. “It takes a little bit of an extra effort, but it’s worth it.”

The endeavor is being taken up by Luke Hidalgo and his wife Marci, who he met at Commander’s Palace and who also has restaurant experience. The location of the new restaurant is 544 Girod Street.  In addition to working at Commander’s Palace, Hidalgo also has experience working as executive chef at Palmetto’s Restaurant in Slidell.  The new restaurant will have approximately 145 seats – 85 inside and 60 outside.

Click Here for the Source of the Information.