About New Orleans' Algiers

Have you ever walked or ridden along the bike path that runs from Algiers to Gretna?

It's a great ride, with a spectacular view of the city and the skyline serving as a backdrop to your exercise program. Plenty of people would love to be able to continue their ride into lower Algiers, but haven't been able to do so. That's all changing.

Bids will be taken shortly for the planned extension of the bike and walking path in Algiers. With construction expected to begin this spring and be completed before the end of 2012, the path that currently runs from the Gretna ferry landing to the Algiers ferry landing will be extended all the way to the Chalmette ferry landing on the West Bank.

Plans include benches, water fountains, places for people to clean up after their pets and historic markers that share some of the history of Algiers. There is already a shell path on the top of the levee, but the addition of a 10 foot path and several access ramps along the route will make your walk, run or ride even more enjoyable.

Additionally, the section of the levee that was closed to restrict access to the Naval Base is now open and will be included in the path construction. Just that one change makes the entire path more appealing since it no longer dead ends into a restricted area, which forced people off of the levee and around the base.

I can't wait to see the new improvements as they are completed!

Recent article about the bike path at nola.com

Originally posted at West Bank Living

In January, Algiers residents started being charged more for garbage pickup. Substantially more. Like double what we were paying before. Part of the pitch for this increase was that we would see the return of curbside recycling, which has been absent since Katrina unless you paid for a private service. Sure, there are monthly drop off points, but who has the space to save a month's worth of newspapers, soft drink cans and cardboard before loading it all in the car and schlepping it to the drop offs that only operate for a few hours?

I'm personally thrilled to see the return of recycling and I had my first recycling pick up today. (If you haven't signed up to receive your new cart, do it here: http://www.nola.gov/RESIDENTS/Department-Of-Sanitation/CartRegistration/). In the meantime, though, the City Council continues to argue about bar codes, tracking ability, the appropriate size of the containers and whether or not people should be allowed to use the blue bins some still have from before the storm.

There are 2 big complaints I'm reading about:

The new containers are expensive and the city has ordered thousands more of them than people have registered for

I'm no rocket scientist, but why would we need the ability to track a recycling container via embedded chips or bar codes that drive up the cost? It's a glorified garbage can - does it really need LoJack on it?

As an aside, until I read a news story a couple of weeks ago, I didn't realize that I needed to register to receive a new recycling container. When the city rolled out the old bins, they were delivered to each home with garbage pickup - without the need to complete a form and provide the city with my email address or phone number.

I'd happily use my old container if the person that swiped it would kindly return it to my front curb where it was last seen. Since it didn't have a bar code, I'm not able to call on the boys in blue to rescue it from it's current location and return it to me and I'll have to make do with a new bin that holds more recyclables.

The new rolling bins are too big and won't work in older areas like Algiers Point where storage space can be an issue

This is a valid concern for residents who live in our older neighborhoods that often don't have driveways or garages. They are already dealing with finding a spot for the huge garbage cans and may not have any space to spare for another rolling container. This makes forced registration a little more palatable but why not ask just the people who need a smaller bin to register?

Given the computer issues the city has had in the past, I'm not sure I can count on them getting this right if there are thousands upon thousands of registrations. Let's let them deal with the smallest number possible, minimizing the risk of a follow up story about people who ended up with two different size bins.

What are your thoughts on this? Will you register and get a new recycling container or are you opting out of the entire process?

Originally published at West Bank Living

Current real estate activity in Algiers LA 70131 (excluding English Turn):

There are 208 active listings in Algiers

• High list price $895,000
• Low list price $25,000
• Average list price $174,413
• Median list price $152,450

45 homes are under contract or pending sale, priced from $22,500 to $289,000

Based on the number of April sales (14), there is a 14.8 month supply of homes for sale in Algiers

Algiers LA 70131 | Number of Single Family Homes Sold | April 2010

The 70131 portion of Algiers (excluding English Turn) is holding steady, with the exact same number of home sales (57) as at this time last year. Just like most other areas of the West Bank of New Orleans, there are a large number of pending sales – more than likely due to the first time buyers who had to choose a home by April 30th to qualify for the tax credit. This has the potential to create a spike in sales in May and June, but what happens after that remains to be seen.

In April, homes sold were on the market from 5 days to 353 days, with an average marketing time of 103 days. This number varies from neighborhood to neighborhood, so get this week’s home value report to find out the skinny on homes for sale and sold right around yours.

Algiers LA 70131 | Average Single Family Home Sale Prices | April 2010

Average sale prices are up just a smidge, ending April at $156,164. The average home under contract/pending sale is priced at $152,718, so I expect to see the prices drop slightly over the next couple of months.

More about Algiers home sales in April:

• 1 sale was a short sale
• 36% of the homes sold were bank owned or foreclosure properties
• 36% of sellers paid for a home warranty for the buyers
• 43% of sellers paid some type of closing cost assistance for the purchaser

All data is provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Algiers homes for sale
New Orleans West Bank homes for sale

Home buying tips
Home selling tips

This article originally published at West Bank Living

Current real estate activity in Algiers LA 70114 (including Algiers Point)

105 single family homes are for sale

• High list price $389,000
• Low list price $10,000
• Average list price $135,394
• Median list price $110,000

20 homes are under contract or pending sale, priced from $14,900 to $299,000

Based on April sales (6), there is a 17.5 month supply of homes for sale in Algiers 70114

Algiers LA 70114 | Number of Single Family Homes Sold | April 2010

After a spike in March, sales fell off again in April in Algiers. Year to date, there have been 30 single family homes sold in the area, compared to 23 at the same time last year. While a drop in the number of sales is not welcomed, the good news for sellers is that there are more homes being sold this year in the community than in 2009.

Days on market is holding steady just above 100 days for the average home sold. Buried in the numbers is some interesting information for sellers. The average active listing has been on the market for 161 days. The average under contract listing has been on the market for 108 days. The average listing sold in April was on the market for 69 days. This tells me that either price or condition needs to be addressed for those properties that have been on the market for an extended period of time.

Algiers LA 70114 | Average Single Family Home Prices | April 2010

After starting out with a bang in January, single family home prices in the 70114 zip code have been hovering closer to the $110,000 mark for the last couple of months. Because of the strong start, the year to date average sale price is still higher than in 2009.

More about April homes sales in Algiers 70114:

• 33% of the sales were bank owned/foreclosure properties
• 33% of sellers provided some type of closing cost assistance to the buyers
• In a break from the rest of the West Bank real estate market, cash and conventional financing are used in 90% of purchases in the area. This is a reflection of the condition of the majority of the homes sold in the area.

All data provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

Home buying tips
Home selling tips

Homes for sale in Algiers LA 70114
New Orleans West Bank homes for sale

This article originally published at West Bank Living

Current real estate activity in Algiers, 70131 (excluding English Turn):

195 single family homes are for sale

• High list price $895,000
• Low list price $22,500
• Average list price $174,729
• Median list price $154,900

37 homes are under contract or pending sale, priced from $26,600 to $367,500

Based on the number of sales in March (18), there is a 10.8 month supply of homes for sale in Algiers

Algiers 70131 | Number of Single Family Homes Sold | March 2010

As of the end of the first quarter of 2010, there have been 42 single family homes sold in Algiers 70131 (excluding English Turn) compared to 38 during the first quarter of 2009. Foreclosures and bank owned properties have definitely had an impact on sales in Algiers, with 15 of these homes sold as of March 2010.

The year to date days on market average has dropped to 99, mostly due to (again) the bank owned and foreclosure homes skewing the average. For non-foreclosure properties, the average days on market was 125, while bank owned homes are selling in an average of 53 days. It can be difficult in some cases for sellers to compete with the value that these third parties can offer, so proper pricing to reflect what is happening in your West Bank neighborhood is critical.

Get this week’s free Algiers home value report

Algiers 70131 | Average Single Family Home Sale Prices | March 2010

While we saw a dip in the average sale price from February to March, the year to date average has increased slightly from 2009 to 2010. As of March 2010, the average Algiers home is selling for $158,912. Again, foreclosures are having an impact and need to be taken into account when pricing your home or considering whether that “bargain” you are considering buying is really a bargain.

Foreclosure properties are selling at an average price of $120,287, while non-foreclosures are selling at an average of $175,924. Not only is this important for home sellers to know, but buyers should be aware that homes that are not owned by banks and in good condition will command a substantially higher price.

More about March 2010 home sales in Algiers:

• 33% of the homes sold were bank owned or foreclosed properties
• 28% of sellers paid for a home warranty for the buyers
• 28% of sellers provided some sort of closing cost assistance to the purchasers
• FHA loans remain the most popular choice of buyers, but cash is not far behind

All data is provided by GSREIN and is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed

You might also be interested in:

• Home buying tips
• Home selling tips
• Algiers Homes for sale
• West Bank Real Estate Market Statistics

For more information about home buying or selling on the West Bank of New Orleans, or relocating to or from NAS JRB New Orleans, please contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to have the opportunity to assist you with any of your real estate needs and have a little fun while doing it!

Originally published at West Bank Living