About New Orleans' Algiers

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!

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

198 homes are for sale

• High list price $895,000
• Low list price $35,000
• Average list price $188,261
• Median list price $154,950

39 homes are under contract or pending sale, with an average list price of $144,823

Based on the number of homes sold in September (25), there is a 7.92 month supply of homes for sale in the area

Algiers LA 70131 | Number of Homes Sold | September 2009

September saw the highest number of home sales in Algiers for all of 2009 AND the most homes sold since April 2008.  While we are still running behind this same time last year (160 this year compared to 175 in September 2008), it does appear that the market is flattening instead of continuing the steep drops that Algiers has experienced for the last couple of years. 

BUT (there’s always a but), remember that for a period of time this summer Algiers was included in the City of New Orleans soft second mortgage program for homes that suffered more than $5,200 in repaired hurricane damage.  When that money ran out, showing activity softened and slowed.  The majority of those allocations have now been closed, so we’ll have to keep an eye on the trends to see what impact that has on the sales numbers going forward.

Algiers LA 70131 | Average Home Sale Price | September 2009

In another bit of good news, the average home sale price in Algiers is less than $1,000 lower than the 2008 average and is almost on par with 2005 (our last normal market).   The expiration of the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers at the end of November may impact this as well, unless the credit is extended.

The choice of financing can tell you a lot about who is purchasing in a community.  FHA continues to be the choice of the majority of home buyers due to the low down payment requirements and the ability to have home sellers provide some assistance with closing costs.

So far in 2009, 53% of FHA buyers in Algiers have received closing cost assistance from sellers.  The amounts ranged from a low of $2,000 to a high of $11,500.  The average amount of closing cost assistance provided to FHA buyers in 2009 is $5,581 or 3.71% of the purchase price.

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

Related information:

Algiers LA homes for sale

Home buying tips
Home selling tips

If you are considering buying or selling a home in Algiers and have a question or just need a little advice, please contact the West Bank Living Team.  It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your real estate needs.

Current real estate activity in Algiers LA 70114:

104 homes are for sale

• High list price $550,000
• Low list price $22,500
• Average list price $162,589
• Median list price $139,450

13 homes are pending sale or under contract, with an average list price of $134,992

Based on the number of homes sold in September (7), there is a 14.85 month supply of homes for sale in the area

Algiers LA 70114 | Number of Homes Sold | September 2009

Year to date, there have been 58 successful single family home sales in the 70114 zip code of Algiers, compared to 89 at the same time last year. This decrease of 35% is one of the largest on the West Bank, making Algiers the hardest hit areas for declining home sales. While reduced sales in Algiers Point have had an impact, the condition of properties being sold is also an issue, with a substantial number of homes in Poor, Fair and Average condition being marketed.

A large percentage of the 2009 sales in the area have been to cash buyers, and a review of those sales indicates that a large number of them are to investors and buyers who are willing to take on a fixer-upper. It remains to be seen if these properties will come back on the market as renovations or if they are being held as rental units and personal residences.

Algiers LA 70114 | Average Home Sale Price | September 2009

Prices have taken a hit as well – they are down 14% from 2008. Although much of this can be attributed to fewer sales in Algiers Point, which typically has the highest priced real estate in the zip code, the large percentage of homes in need of repair is pushing prices downward as well. If you are considering selling your Algiers home, be sure that your agent is pricing it to compete with other homes in the same condition rather than just using the average sale price.

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

Read more at:

Algiers LA homes for sale

Algiers Point real estate market updates

Home Buying Tips

Home Selling Tips

Have a question about buying or selling a home on the West Bank? Contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your real estate needs.

Current real estate activity in Algiers LA 70131:

163 homes for sale (active listings)

• High list price $950,000
• Low list price $27,900
• Average list price $209,156
• Median list price $175,000

51 pending sales, priced from $33,250 to $299,000

Based on the number of homes sold in March (21) there is a 7.76 month supply of homes for sale in Algiers

Algiers LA 70131 – Number of Homes Sold in March 2009

The number of homes sold in Algiers 70131 more than doubled from February to March 2009, bringing the year to date sales to 38 (compared to 46 at the same time last year). 

Who is buying in Algiers?

• Buyers with conventional financing:  3, at an average price of $168,333
• Cash buyers:  6, at an average price of $132,416
• FHA buyers:  12, at an average price of $146,291

That large percentage of FHA buyers should be a flag to sellers that assistance with closing costs is a typical  part of getting these deals done.  In March 2009, 38% of the closed sales had the sellers providing an average of $4,361 in assistance to the buyers.  Before you get all upset at the buyer asking for assistance, read Keep Your Eye on the Bottom Line.

Algiers LA 70131 – Average Home Sale Price in March 2009

While the number of homes selling is rising, the average sale prices in Algiers 70131 are decreasing, ending March at $145,476 and bringing the year to date average to $150,516 (down almost 8% from the 2008 average).

What’s selling in Algiers?

• 1 home in FAIR condition, at a price of $35,500
• 5 homes in AVERAGE condition, at an average sales price of $84,600
• 2 homes in VERY GOOD condition, at an average sales price of $123,500
• 13 homes in EXCELLENT condition, at an average sales price of $180,730

Note: these sale prices are not adjusted for any assistance the sellers may have provided to the buyers.  When pricing your home or determining if an offer you’ve received is fair, it’s important to take into account any adjustments to the sale price.  Be sure that your West Bank real estate agent knows the ins and outs of the sales in your neighborhood and can give you the details you need to make an informed decision.

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

Related Reading:

Algiers homes for sale

2009 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit FAQ

Welcome to Algiers

The West Bank Living Team provides local, professional real estate services to buyers, sellers and military relocations to and from NAS JRB New Orleans.  It would be our pleasure to assist you with all of your real estate needs.

Current real estate statistics for Algiers LA 70114:

79 homes are currently for sale (active listings)

• High list price $699,000
• Low list price $23,000
• Average list price $171,143
• Median list price $135,000

18 sales are pending, priced from $19,900 to $269,900

Based on the March sales (7), there is a 11 month supply of homes for sale in zip code 70114

Algiers LA 70114 – Number of Homes Sold in March 2009

March saw another increase in the number of homes sold in the 70114 zip code of Algiers LA, bringing the year to date number of sales to 14 (compared to 20 at this same time last year).

Here is a breakdown of sales in the area for March 2009:

• 2 homes in FAIR condition were sold, with an average sale price of $48,500
• 1 home in AVERAGE condition was sold for $105,000
• 2 homes in VERY GOOD condition were sold, with an average sale price $109,250
• 2 homes in EXCELLENT condition were sold, with an average sale price of $155,500

Obviously, the condition of a home has a huge impact on the selling price. With all of the competition for qualified buyers, it is important that your home is in the best shape possible before putting it on the market. For tips on preparing your home for sale, read Getting Your Home Sold in This Market - 10 Steps to Success According to Professional Home Stagers

Algiers LA 70114 – Average Home Sale Price in March 2009

The average sale price for zip code 70114 dropped off from $122k in February to $104,500 in March, bringing the year to date average to $107,678. The area is unique however, because the higher end homes in Algiers Point are included in the mix. You can review separate reports for Algiers Point home sales.

Seller assistance 3 of the homes sold in March had the sellers providing closing cost assistance to the buyers. The average amount of assistance provided was $4,847.

When pricing your Algiers home to sell, it’s important to take into account the adjustments that may need to be made to the selling prices of comparable properties. Be sure that your West Bank real estate professional knows all of the details on sales in the neighborhood.

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

More information:

Algiers homes for sale

All Algiers Real Estate Market Reports

Find out what's going on in your West Bank neighborhood with a free online market analysis

The West Bank Living Team provides local, professional real estate services to buyers, sellers and military relocations to NAS JRB New Orleans. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your real estate needs. Contact us with any questions you may have about buying or selling in today’s market.