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157 homes for sale
70 homes are under contract or pending sale, with an average list price of $152,624
Based on the number of homes sold in September (16), there is a 9.8 month supply of homes for sale in the area.
Harvey has seen 147 homes sold through September 2009, compared to 200 at the same time last year (a decrease of 26.5%). Like most other areas, the majority of Harvey home buyers are using FHA financing. These loans require the lowest down payment possible (3.5%) and appeal to the first time home buyers who are trying to get closed before the tax credit expires at the end of November.
Of note is the fact that 44% of the September buyers received an average of $2,756 in assistance from the seller with their closing costs and prepaids. If you are considering selling your Harvey home, be sure that the agents you talk to can provide you with adjusted sales prices to take any of this assistance into account when determining an acceptable sales price.
While the average sale price dropped from August to September, the year to date average is still almost 7% higher than in 2008 – a rare occurrence of increasing prices in today’s market! Remember, though, that this average does not take into account any seller paid assistance or allowances provided to the buyers at closing and your agent should be able to provide details such as this for sales in your neighborhood.
All data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed
Related reading:
Harvey LA homes for sale
Harvey LA Real Estate Market Reports
Home Buying Tips
Home Selling Tips
Find out what's going on in your West Bank neighborhood with this week's free market snapshot
Questions? Feel free to contact the West Bank Living Team for any of your real estate needs. It would be our pleasure to assist you.
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It’s pretty hard to impress a New Orleans native with boiled seafood. After all, we learn to peel crawfish and shrimp and pick crabs as soon as we are big enough to sit at the table – mostly because our parents quickly got tired of doing it for us. So while I had heard good things about Perino’s from friends, I didn’t have any really high expectations when we pulled into the parking lot on the West Bank Expressway.
The front of the building is very plain and when you enter there is a to-go counter and a large, open dining room jam packed with cafeteria like tables and chairs for family style seating along with a few arcade games and a claw machine for the kids, big or small. Very 1970s, right down to the neon beer signs and stuffed animals hanging on the walls. Topping each table is a big roll of paper towels, a basket of crackers and butter and a rack of condiments including a huge squeeze bottle of cocktail sauce – the only thing missing is the newspaper covering the tables.
The menu is pretty simple and straightforward. Seasonal boiled and fried seafood and traditional sides such as potatoes, corn and sausage. The specials when we visited were the fried crawfish tails and fried alligator, served in a basket with fries. Since the whole reason we came was because we heard how good the boiled seafood was, we promptly ordered crabs and shrimp and decided to try the crawfish tail basket as well instead of sides.
Thank goodness we ordered the crawfish, because each basket came with a bowl of some of the best gumbo I’ve ever eaten. Filled with shrimp and crab claw meat and perfectly spiced, I think hubby and I set a record for the fastest gumbo eating. We weren’t the only ones impressed, as I heard other diners complimenting it as well. It’s only served by the cup or the bowl, but I’d gladly pay for a gallon of it to serve for dinner at home.
Dear hubby jumped into the crawfish tails (which were pretty darn good) before I could take a picture, but the blue crabs and shrimp were out of this world. Well seasoned and juicy, I knew it was a good meal by the number of paper towels we went through! The wait staff was very friendly, the big screen TV was playing a college football game and there was just a comfortable, old New Orleans feel to the place.
It’s not fancy by any means, but if you are looking for casual, family friendly dining and delicious food, take a drive to Harvey and check out Perino’s Boiling Pot. You won’t be sorry.
Perino’s Boiling Pot is located at 3754 West Bank Expressway in Harvey LA. Open Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 am – 10 pm and until 11 pm on Friday and Saturday. Need more information? Give them a call at (504) 340-5539.
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Another year over and time to once again take a look at the real estate market in on the West Bank.

Home sales in Harvey remained fairly steady from month to month in 2008, averaging 21 sales per month and ending the year with a total of 257 homes sold. This is down 19% from the number sold in 2007. That seems like a lot, until you realize that across the West Bank home sales were down by 23%, so Harvey is performing a little better than the average.
Note the chart below, and you will see that with the exception of 2006 (post Katrina market), sales have been dropping year to year since 2004. Now, this may not be the case in every individual neighborhood, so if your Harvey home is for sale or will be for sale soon, your agent needs to provide the sales data for your specific community.
With fewer homes selling each year, it remains critical that home owners price and prepare their homes before they go on the market in order to be competitive. Home Selling Tips


Harvey ended 2008 with an average sale price of $154,273, down 9.3% from 2007. (The West Bank average decrease in price was 10%) Again, this is an average and your neighborhood may be performing better or worse than this.
For all of the Chicken Little's out there, I would point out that if you bought your home before 2005, then your home is more than likely worth more than you paid for it, provided you have kept up with maintenance issues. If you want up to date information on current listings and sales in your neighborhood, you are welcome to stop by and sign up for a free Market Snapshot.

All data is provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.
If you are considering buying or selling a home in Harvey, please contact Lisa Heindel. It would be my pleasure to guide you through today's real estate market.
Copyright 2009. Lisa Heindel. Originally published at West Bank Living. All rights reserved.
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Originally published at West Bank Living

The number of homes sold in Harvey LA continues to remain stable from month to month, although the inventory (number of homes for sale) still indicates a buyer's market in the community. There are a fairly substantial number of pending sales that are falling apart each month. Many times it is due to the fact that home sellers have not grasped that there is stiff competition for qualified buyers and they must be willing to be flexible - whether on price or on making necessary repairs.
Sellers who are "holding out" for their dream price may be left holding their house for a long time.


What puzzles me is why the average listing price went UP from September to October. Home sellers who are keeping an eye on the market should know that real estate prices in Harvey LA have been on the decline for the last 2 years.
Rather than following the pack and pricing at or above what you neighbor is asking for their home, you should be realistically pricing your home based on real, comparable sales. This remains the best way to get it sold quickly - or if not quickly, at least faster than other competing listings.

All data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.
These reports are intended to provide an overview of the real estate market in Harvey. Your particular neighborhood or subdivision may be experiencing something different. Don't guess at what your Harvey home is worth - use a West Bank real estate professional to determine the right price and the right plan to get you moving.
Related Reading:
Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel and West Bank Living. All rights reserved.
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I've been meaning to get to the new Alligator Pear restaurant in Harvey LA for the longest time, and last week I finally made it.
If I was putting it off for any reason, I don't know why - I loved it!
Just a little more upscale than neighboring Parrot Pete's (they have the same owner), Alligator Pear offers a fresh take on some local favorites with their daily lunch specials along with a delicious selection of salads, pizza, sandwiches, burgers and more.
The menu offers a few nods to well known local politicos too, with the "Harry Lee Chicken Salad" and "Sheriff Newell's Juicy Ribeye".
The set up is different than most of our New Orleans eateries - a mix of self serve and table service. When you enter, grab a menu and then place your order at the counter where you are given a numbered card that gets swiped at the table of your choice. Drinks are self serve, with free refills. When your food is ready, one of the very friendly wait staff bring it to your table. Be sure to note that a 10% tip is already included in your bill.
My selection was the Royal Palm Salad. While I was a little leery about paying $13.95 for a salad, it was worth every penny. A spring mix with red peppers, red onions and a Champagne vinaigrette was topped with a little tower of Alligator Pear dip (homemade guacamole), crab meat, tomatoes, shrimp remoulade and chopped egg and served alongside crostinis. Delicious!
With the weather starting to cool off, I'll be returning soon to dine al fresco at one of the many outdoor tables that overlook the fountains and let you do a little people watching as well. While that salad may be hard to beat, the soup of the day would be a perfect compliment for a beautiful fall day.
The Alligator Pear restaurant is located at 1901 Manhattan Blvd. in Harvey and opens at 11 am daily. For more information, you can call them at (504) 281-4472.
Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel and West Bank Living. All rights reserved.
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