About Lafayette Parish, LA

In July, the inventory for single detached home in River Ranch was high with 50 homes available on the market. Currently, the inventory is down with 41 single family homes now available.

Three homes sold in River Ranch between July and August with an average price of $794,467 ($222.90/sqft) and they spent an average of 154 days on the market.

What mostly made the total inventory go down in River Ranch is the fact that 9 properties were taken off the market (withdrawn) and 3 listings expired. Only 3 homes are currently under contract (pending) with an average price of $444,833 ($204.64/sqft) after spending 142 days on the market.

Of the 41 homes available in River Ranch, 21 are new or proposed constructions while 20 are pre-owned properties. Prices vary from $249,900 to $1,350,000 with the average price being $607,987. The average days on the market for available homes is 151.

Overall, when comparing statistics from 2008 and 2009, the average price for a home in River Ranch is slightly up from $651K to $658K while the price per square foot is down from $212 to $210. Days on the market have jumped from 87 in 2008 to 159 so far this year.

Click here to view all available homes and condos in the Village of River Ranch

After rising for three months in a row, Lafayette and Acadiana home sales were down in August. In Lafayette parish, home sales went from 263 home sold in July to 194 in August and in Acadiana, 363 homes were sold in July compared to 264 in August.

There are currently 351 pending home sales in Lafayette Parish and 497 pending home sales in Acadiana.

If we take Lafayette Parish and compare this year's home sales to 2008, we see that sales were up last year in August after being down in July. So far this year, between January 1st and August 31st, 1507 homes have sold in Lafayette Parish. In 2008, for the same period, 1672 home sold in Lafayette parish.

There are currently 14 homes for sale in Sugar Mill Pond in Youngsville, LA. Prices vary from $229,000 for a 3 bedrooms, 2 baths home with 1488 square feet of living, to $439,000 for a 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths home with 2681 square feet of living.

Surgamill Pond, in Youngsville, LA (located in Lafayette Parish), offer residents a more traditional way of life with all the modern amenities people have come to expect. Brought to us by the developer and architect of the Village of River Ranch, Robert Daigle and Steve Oubre, Sugar Mill Pond is a charming little city within a city.

This wonderful planned community is on a property totalling 509 acres. There is a 10-acre lake near the entrance of the subdivision, and a town center, which serves as a gathering place for the residents. Here, like in River Ranch, the street are narrow and sidewalks are large. Homes all have porches, encouraging residents to visit with their neighbors.

The architecture in Sugar Mill Pond is definitely southern. The colorful cottages lining the streets here are a true pleasure for the eyes.

The homes in the picture below are across the street from the pond. The red home on the right is currently on the market for $393,336 and features 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and 2428 square feet of living area. Click here to view more detail about this property.

In the past 12 months, 12 homes have sold in Sugar Mill Pond between $175,950 and $418,700. The average price/square foot was $153.

Here, like in River Ranch, there are apartments by the lake available for lease.

If you are interested in a home in Sugar Mill Pond, email me or click here to view all currently available homes in the neighborhood.

There are always homes for sale in what we call the Saint Streets area in Lafayette, LA. The area is in high demand and homes that are priced right, do not stay on the market very long. I recently listed a home on Duclos Street and we had multiple offers after 5 days on the market. Buyers need to understand that if they see a good home in the saint streets, several other buyers have probably seen it, too. Waiting for a price reduction here is often not an option.

While the "Saint Streets" is not the official name of a particular neighborhood, it came about because several streets have saints' names: St. Patrick, St. Thomas, St. Mary, St. Catherine, St. John, St. Louis, St. Joseph, and more. To search by subdivision names, one would have to look for Souvenir Heights, Oaklawn & Oaklawn Heights, Fairfield, Suzanne Heights, Cornay Addition, Elmhurst Park, or Comeaux Place. For us agents, when a client says that they would like to buy a home in the Saint Streets, we know exactly where to look. If I had to draw it on a map, I would say from Johnston Street to a little past Congress street and from Cajundome Blvd to University Ave.

So why is the Saint Streets area always in demand? One of the reasons is no doubt that it borders the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus. Another is that it is close to downtown and centrally located in Lafayette; it is simply close to everything one might need.

Another important reason, which makes the Saint Streets area popular, is the type of homes found there. Most of them are charming cottages that just always seem to appeal to buyers. Many of these homes have original wood floors, high ceilings and front porches, where it is not uncommon to see a swing or one or two rocking chairs for those cooler Louisiana evenings (not so many cool nights this time of year, though). Traffic in the neighborhoods is limited, which also makes it perfect for people with children. In fact, there are always people, young and old, walking or riding bicycles in the streets.

Home values in the Saint Streets vary greatly based on condition. For a home with limited upgrades, price should be between $80 and $110 per square foot. A completely remodeled cottage with (top of the line upgrades) will usually command a price between $125 and $135 per square foot. In fact, the area is always popular with investors who flip properties because of the demand for homes in the Saint Streets.

There are currently a couple of homes available in the Saint Streets and prices vary from the $150,000s all the way up to about $500,000. If you own a home in the Saint Streets and are thinking about selling, contact me for a detailed market analysis of the value of your home. I have several (pre-approved) clients waiting for the right home to come along. It might be yours!

If you are thinking about buying a home in the Saint Street, feel free to send me an email and I will send you detailed listing information and keep you up to date when new homes come on the market. Just understand that the game here is often "wait & hurry up." Wait for the right home to appear on the market and then hurry up to put it under contract!

There are currently 5 homes for sale in Frenchmans Creek subdivision in Lafayette, LA. Prices vary from $273,520 for a home with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths (2104 square feet of living area) to $494,900 for a 4 bedrooms, 3 baths home with 2882 square feet of living area.

In the past 12 months, 6 homes have sold in Frenchmans Creek between $229,000 and $305,900. The avearage price per square foot was $103.80.

The home pictured below is currently for sale for $339,900. it is approximately 5 years old and it features 2550 square feet of living area with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths.

For more information about this home, click on this link.

If you prefer a more contemporary home and you like to look of a stucco home, consider the home pictured below currently offered at $406,900 and featuring 3170 square feet of living area with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. For more information about this home, click here.

One thing is for certain, not all homes look alike in Frenchmans Creek. Consider this next home in true New Orleans style. This home was recently on the market for $269,800 and it sold in May for $259,800 ($108.93/sqft). This one has 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths and it was built in the 1980s.

No matter what style home you prefer, you are sure to find it in Frenchmans Creek, although you might have to be a little patient for your home to be for sale. To view all available properties in Frenchmans Creek Subdivision Click here.

Frenchmans Creek is located in Lafayette, just south of the Acadiana Mall. From Lafayette, take Johnston St. (Hwy 167) heading south, turn left on East Broussard Rd, right on Robley Dr. and left into the subdivision.

The schools associated with this area are Ridge Elementary, Judice Middle, and Lafayette High. For more information about these schools or other schools in Lafayette Parish, visit the Lafayette Parish School Board web site.

Contact me if you would like more information about Frenchmans Creek Subdivision or any other area in Lafayette and the surrounding parishes. I would welcome the opportunity to help you find the right home for you.