Louisiana

I'm sure most REALTORS®, lenders, and closing agents have seen an increase in activity as time for the tax credit for 2009 draws to a close. However, good news to the housing market and to buyers who missed the window is the fact that Congress and the president signed a bill extending and expanding the tax credit. News from the National Association of REALTORS®, yesterday:

"More people are now eligible to take advantage of the law, which includes a $6,500 tax credit for buyers who are current home owners and have lived in their home for five of the past eight years.

"Income limits for eligible home buyers were also expanded to $125,000 for single buyers and $225,000 for couples, up from $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples. Qualifying home prices are capped at $800,000."

As I understand it, a contract has to be in effect by April 30, 2010, with closing prior to June 30.

First-time home-buyers have another chance to take advantage of the tax credit, and those needing to move up now get some benefit as well. Interest rates are still very low, so now is definitely the time to make a move!

I'm looking forward to helping many buyers in the coming months. I like to work with buyers!

Living in a sub-tropical climate is a definite plus if you love to spend a lot of time in your garden or yard. Despite the fact that it is November, there are still blooming flowers throughout my West Bank garden.

However, the periwinkles are starting to get leggy, the coneflowers are gone and the basil has started to flower and is done for the year. Before the holiday madness starts, I need to find time to get outside in the gorgeous weather we’ve been having and start the winter garden.

I stopped in to visit my favorite Algiers nursery this week – New Orleans Garden Center and Landscape on Huntlee Drive, just off of General Meyer. The fall and winter plants have arrived and wherever you decide to buy them (although I hope it’s from someone local) there is a profusion of color that can quickly take your garden from the end of summer blahs to the winter aaaaahhhhhs.

What I’m Planting This Winter

Pansies are probably the most traditional of the winter flowers, although we have to be careful not to plant them too early in New Orleans. They will survive the coldest of winters with ease, but our climate can be a little more challenging for them. The lovely ladies at the garden center shared this tip with me: if you want show stopping pansies, they love blood meal as a soil additive.

Most people think of petunias as a spring time flower, but in the south they are a perfect addition to your garden after the long hot days of summer have ended. Cool days and nights allow them to flourish and they can provide blankets of color for the next few months that will make all of the neighbors jealous :)

Snapdragons are one of my favorite winter flowers. A few years ago, I replanted my entire front garden in white – white petunias, white snapdragons and white pansies. I threw in a few sparkly Christmas lights and voila! A winter paradise, right in my own front yard.

I plan to finish off my winter garden with ornamental cabbage. The colors range from almost white to deep green to purple and the texture they bring to the space is fantastic.

Some other winter gardening tips from New Orleans Garden Center and Landscape

• Roses need to be pruned in January, but how much depends on the type of rose. If you are a novice rose grower (like me), check with a professional before you start chopping off branches!
• It’s time to winterize your lawn whether you have St. Augustine sod, centipede grass or even if you’ve seeded with winter rye
• Mulch is just as important in the winter as in the summer and can help protect the roots of your plants during those rare freezes on the south shore
• Once you’ve watered your plants in well, there is no need to water as much as in the summer. Of course, common sense rules and if they are looking a little droopy, give them a drink!

Hopefully, I can get all of this work done before the Thanksgiving holiday, because after that it will be time for a return visit to pick up poinsettias in every color for Christmas. Whew…I better get to work. Happy gardening!

New Orleans Garden Center and Landscape is located at 210 Huntlee Drive in Algiers. Call (504) 366-2017 for winter operating hours or more information and tell Blair HELLO for us!

The Giant Omelette Celebration is going on this weekend in Abbeville. If you've never seen a giant omelette, just imagine a 12-foot skillet with 5,025 eggs in it. Quite impressive, to say the least.

There was a kick-off party Thursday night in the park downtown Abbeville and I was invited to play the T-Fer (triangle) with a couple of my friends (traditional Cajun music). That was a lot of fun!

Here's the schedule for the remainder of the weekend. For more information, visit the Giant Omelette Celebration website.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 9TH, 2009

9:00 - 5:00 Antique Implement viewing

10:00 - 4:00 Historic Tour of Homes

9:00 - 5:00 Arts & Crafts Show

10:00 - 5:00 Kids World

2:00 - 5:00 - Al Berard Family Ban

5:00 p.m. Festival Closes - See you tomorrow

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 8th, 2009

9:00 Giant Omelette/Faith House & Kaplan Food Bank Poker Run Sponsored by The Survivors Riding Club

9:00 Official Mass St. Mary Magdalen NOTE: Due to the work being done in St. Mary Magdalen Church the 2009 Omelette Mass will be held at the Vermilion Catholic High School Auditorium.

9:00 - 5:00 Antique Car/Implement viewing

9:00 - 5:00 Arts & Crafts Show

10:00 - 1:00 Feufollet

1:30 Procession of Chefs and Eggs

1:45 Tabasco Girls Dance Team

2:00 - 4:00 Fa Tras Local Cajun Ban

2:00 Omelette Preparation & Serving

5:00 Festival Closes See you next year!!

Baton Rouge has a hot new real estate company in town called Home After Home. Founded by two REALTORS with a lot of experience in the Baton Rouge real estate market, we expect Home After Home to be a great success. The principle is simple. The way of the Internet is now and far too many real estate companies are falling behind the game when it comes to properly marketing their listings and allowing an interface on the web that empowers home buyers and home sellers. Home After Home is a progressive technology real estate company that will fix that problem in the real estate marketplace.

We'll write another post when the website is launched, but for now, know that something great is about to happen. Phase 1 will be powerful web search allowing home buyers to search for homes available in the market and for home sellers to see what their competition looks like. Phase 2 which we plan to launch towards the end of 2010 will be the most innovative and powerful real estate website available. For that, you'll just have to wait and see!

In the meantime, it's business as usual. As we work to build the web platform we are continuing to help buyers and sellers using a combination of both traditional and innovative methods to achieve their real estate goals.

For the real estate agents who are looking for a better way to serve their clients, our office space is designed differently from most. We have mobile workstations in "The Lounge" and conference space where you may work on the go or meet with clients.

We're ready to help you achieve YOUR real estate goals! Are you ready? Call or text us today at 225-341-2752.

Warehouse District Views, A roof top view of the CBD in New Orleans.

Rooftop views in the New Orleans Warehouse District from the Federal Fibre Mills Condos. Condos make up almost 100% of residential real estate in this area of New Orleans. Most of the condos are conversions from warehouses and old office buildings. It is also becoming an area where people are buying second homes because there is a lot to do in the area. Enjoy the view!