Jean-Paul Villere

Wow. I haven't posted in forever, not that I'm a prolific blogger to start with. But let's recap, shall we?

When last I wrote summer was ending. Since then New Orleans experienced it's first post-K full scale evacuation courtesy Gustav. We chose to hunker down. Weeks after that, realty paused. Just as all were getting their bearings the lending industry lost its footing. Then the world markets began spinning hither and yon. Oh! And there was a presidential election. And, one last exhale: the holidays. Somewhere in there, we welcomed our 3rd daughter, easily the most important piece to 08. And now here we are in 09, financial bruises and all.

What can we expect this year realty-wise?

Firstly, money will be made. Do not mistake a recession for a time to see only doom and gloom. There are those profiteering now and for the long haul. Part of it is diversification but mostly I'd say it's hustle. If you don't hustle, you don't eat. Even when times are good, those that don't hustle only eat because those that do hustle aren't organized enough to net all their efforts, so you have the sideliners picking up their tossaways. In realty that happens very often in the "I don't do leases, take this client" type agents. I've gotten some great business from agents handing me their clients not because of geography but because leases aren't worth their time supposedly. Pssst! (whisper) People that rent will one day buy.

Secondly, lenders are lending. Granted qualifications are more restrictive. But if you want credit it's out there to be had. Put that together with the inventory of pre and post foreclosure properties, and that spells opportunity. Or yes, you can buy retail too. Goodness knows there is no lack of $200+ sq ft homes selling for list and above in the Uptown and surrounding areas. Desirability is still dictated by location, less so condition. Almost everything can be fixed, right?

Lastly, values are stable. Period. If you buy now, you likely won't lose money if you are in it for at least 3-5 years. Let's be clear. Flipping can be done but again inventory is such that you really want to hold onto whatever it is you are investing in, whether it be a home, second home, or business.

Stable values, the ability to attain a mortgage, and yes, hustle will make 2009 happen. Ready to take part?

IN HONOR OF THIS WEEK, A RECOUNTING OF EVACUATING NEW ORLEANS 3 YEARS AGO:

"HOW I GOT THE GAS TO GET TO TEXAS"

Once New Orleans flooded, and it was apparent returning was not an option I took out my atlas and eyed my quarter tank of gas. We had ridden out the storm in Chattawa, MS at a convent; Renee's aunt is a nun. Like everyone in the region they too had lost power and were running out of food. Staying with my dad in Mandeville wasn't really an option. Again, no power or food. So we set out for Austin, TX. My mom lives just outside in Lakeway in a home way too big for her and Renee and I had lived in the city proper for years where we could assume our old lives, as it were.

Setting out Southbound back into LA to hit IH-10 West it was a Tuesday, the 30th. I had my wife and our two daughters - then 3 and 1 - and while it was a beautiful, sunny day the roads were abuzz with an air of mania. There was no electricity. Anywhere. No electricity to dispense gas. Sell food. A bit of a trigger effect scenario. We pushed on. As we drove across Baton Rouge - also with no electricity - my quarter tank was now on 'E.' I thought if we could cross the Mississippi River we might find services on the Westbank - and we did.

Exiting the interstate I could see West Baton Rouge still had power. Pulling up to the first filling station I found I hopped out to fuel up only to hear over the loudspeaker they'd just run out of gas. Unreal. Like solving the puzzle after the buzzer. Dismayed, I stood there motionless, thinking I would need to find indefinite accommodations in West Baton Rouge for my family, then I heard a voice.

"Hey, I just delivered to the station up the road, and they still had gas," it said. I looked over to see a man delivering beer. Yes, delivering beer. One of the worst events in the history of the region is unraveling, but beer is still being delivered. Again, unreal. I thanked him, shot up the road, and tanked up. We quickly set back out on the road bound for Austin, but not before a brief stopover in Houston. If it hadn't've been for the beer deliveryman's need to share what he knew I couldn't say what may've happened. I may've found that station, but then maybe too late. Just because they had gas didn't mean it was a limitless supply. Just 72 hours before I had laughed at all the people evacuating, waiting in line for gas at Magazine & Washington in New Orleans. My laughter had long since subsided.

As you may or may not know this past July Prez Bush signed into law an amazing opportunity for first time homebuyer's. Learn more here.

This is but one of many incentives out there, depending on the community you live as well as other criteria that define each buyer. Are they a teacher? A Veteran? Etc ~

I have seen the future. And it is laced with cold Abita, mint juleps and sazeracs as one stumbles down a reborn Freret corridor. Okay, maybe not so stereotypical on the regional alternative beverages, but you get the idea.

This year will witness a third Freret bar open its doors, this one located on the corner of Upperline and Freret. Rumor has it, it is called Cure, The Cure, or Cur - or some variation therein. Taking over the old formerly white brick two story building that once advertised legal and/or notary services. I think originally it may've been home to a fire dept, but I'll have to confirm that.

Once this 3rd bar opens, Freret will offer a trinity of watering holes, the others being The Box Office and Friar Tuck's. Somehow I think each bar will be just fine insofar as catering to its certain clientele. In other words, I don't know that the frat and soro set will be taking in an evening at The Comedy Conservatory next to The Box Office; conversely, I don't see the patrons of the latter lining up for Minderasers at Friar Tuck's either. But I've been wrong before.

My point is another viable business will soon open its doors to what many would argue is ‘the' corridor to watch and partake in. The annual Freret Fest and now year old Freret Market among other ongoing interests certainly complement these positive elements. And that one may decide to indeed initiate a Freret barhop this Fall is frankly delightful.

Viva rebirth! Viva local, new businesses! Viva Freret!

Despite our awesome heat, ever present humidity, and daily afternoon teeny rainstorms, it is otherwise the end of summer. Lazy, lazy summer. Sad, really. So my kids will be back on a schedule and re-start their academic ascension. Rentals and sales will receive more routine attention. And traffic. Woeful, ridiculous traffic. Will everyone stop driving already? New Orleans is a pedestrian town!

True, I drive more often than I should, but then you'll see me pedaling on any old bicycle about town too. Colleagues and acquaintances that spot me tend to do a doubletake. "Is that Jean-Paul riding carelessly down Freret?" Yes, it's me.

Some question things may not be going so good for me; they say the same thing when they see my truck. I say, things are great, couldn't be better, etc and so on (and my truck rocks, by the way). Truly, if I could take clients around the city via bike I would. But we'd be big puddles of perspiration within minutes of our journey, not the first impression either of us would prefer.

But with the end of summer and the more mild Fall days afoot might I tempt buyers to bike our broken streets with me as their guide? Possibly. My truck has hosted few in that regard, and that's okay. I understand the desire not to be seen in an iridescent housepaint green, bottle cap encrusted, cork boasting, children scrawled Ford that starts with the flick of a flathead; I do. Plus the mileage - oy.

So far I have imparted to only one of my daughters the feasibility of taking two wheels about town. In the Spring my four year old began riding her training wheel enabled purple velo one mile each way to and from her daycare. I can hear your scoff in disbelief as I type this. But she totally did - totally. There was no walking it, and she steadfastly tread forward as if she were Lance Armstrong's long lost something. The backstory is she's 'spirited' and needed some exercise to exorcise her energies. The bicycle did the trick.

Suppose then summer's end marks the beginning of more traffic, but then it also signals opportunity to not follow the herd - s-l-o-w-l-y - around town. That's what drives me craziest. It isn't the traffic per se; it's the pace. I guess I know where my 4 year old gets her 'spirited'ness from then. I never could sit still. And while I didn't ride my bike to school at such a young age, by middle school I was criss-crossing suburban Southeast Texas on my Sears 12 speed.

To the end of summer! To more bike pedals! And less accelerators ~