Darryl Glade ~ New Orleans Real Estate

New Orleans Real Estate - Are We Close to the Bottom of the Housing Meltdown?

There seems to be some good news about the housing market today. An article I found on cnn.com seems to point to a few signs that we may be near the bottom. Here are a few points from the article that show positive signals:

• March pending home sales rose 3.2%
• Buyers are using the $8,000 tax credit
• Realtors are seeing an attendance increase at open houses
• More homes are being correctly priced and are selling quicker
• Buyers are feeling an increased sense of urgency
• Pending home sales in the South rose 8.5%

These are great signs of a recovering market but it is certainly too soon to call bottom, though. Regardless, if you are considering buying a home in New Orleans, I highly recommend changing "considering" to "working with a Buyer's agent!"

You may also be interested in: New Orleans Real Estate - The Definitive Blog

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This New Orleans real estate blog post was provided by Darryl Glade, Realtor with RE/MAX N.O. Properties. Darryl can be reached at darrylglade@remax.net or by phone at 504.451.8960. Darryl's real estate office is conveniently located in Uptown New Orleans at 8001 Maple Street. Darryl works throughout the Greater New Orleans area including Uptown, Lakeview, Broadmoor, Mid-City, Metairie, Kenner, Westbank, French Quarter, and the Warehouse District.

For New Orleans and the metro area real estate info, please see New Orleans Real Estate.

To search New Orleans Properties, please see New Orleans Property Search.

Click here to view Darryl Glade's Real Estate Profile.

New Orleans Real Estate - Want another way to reduce your energy bill?

The heat is already here in New Orleans. I'm sure that you are like me and are nervous about your summer energy bills. We are not afraid to use a/c down here! I was just reading a helpful article that may help you as well!

When was the last time you thought about your duct system? Did you know that you may be wasting a lot of money because of your a/c duct's? I guess that I never really thought about it! This article by the U.S. Department of Energy says that most duct's are either poorly insulated or not inuslated at all. There also may be leaks that let out cool air into your hot attic. In addition to those pesky leaks, there may be unsealed joints near your air return that allows hot air get into the system. Here are a couple of pointers:

1. While minor duct repairs are easy to make, you should consider hiring a professional.
2. Seal your ducts to prevent leakage. The DOE actually recommends NOT using standard duct tape. They recommend using mastic, butyl tape, or foil tape.
3. If your duct system is in a hot attic, consider wrapping them insulation (You can lose up to 60% of your heated air if your ducts are not insulated).
4. Make sure that you have a carbon monoxide detector installed. Ducts that do not work properly can cause serious carbon monoxide problems.

You may also be interested in: New Orleans Real Estate - The Definitive Blog

__________________________________________________________________________

This New Orleans real estate blog post was provided by Darryl Glade, Realtor with RE/MAX N.O. Properties. Darryl can be reached at darrylglade@remax.net or by phone at 504.451.8960. Darryl's real estate office is conveniently located in Uptown New Orleans at 8001 Maple Street. Darryl works throughout the Greater New Orleans area including Uptown, Lakeview, Broadmoor, Mid-City, Metairie, Kenner, Westbank, French Quarter, and the Warehouse District.

For New Orleans and the metro area real estate info, please see New Orleans Real Estate.

To search New Orleans Properties, please see New Orleans Property Search.

Click here to view Darryl Glade's Real Estate Profile.

New Orleans Real Estate - Energy Bills

Well, it is about that time in New Orleans. Jazz Fest is around the corner...that means the heat is coming! With heat comes high Entergy bills. Did you know that one of the easiest ways to reduce your cooling bills is to seal the air leaks in your home? Without spending much money, you can seal, caulk, and weatherstrip any opening to the outside. Curious about where you can find these openings? Here is a list that I got from Realtor.com that outlines the places where air escapes:

• 31% Floors, walls, and ceilings
• 15% Ducts
• 14% Fireplace
• 13% Plumbing penetrations
• 11% Doors
• 10% Windows
• 4% Fans and vents
• 2% Electric Outlets

This information really shows us how important insulation is to keeping your energy bills down here in New Orleans.

You may also be interested in: New Orleans Real Estate - The Definitive Blog

__________________________________________________________________________

This New Orleans real estate blog post was provided by Darryl Glade, Realtor with RE/MAX N.O. Properties. Darryl can be reached at darrylglade@remax.net or by phone at 504.451.8960. Darryl's real estate office is conveniently located in Uptown New Orleans at 8001 Maple Street. Darryl works throughout the Greater New Orleans area including Uptown, Lakeview, Broadmoor, Mid-City, Metairie, Kenner, Westbank, French Quarter, and the Warehouse District.

For New Orleans and the metro area real estate info, please see New Orleans Real Estate.

To search New Orleans Properties, please see New Orleans Property Search.

Click here to view Darryl Glade's Real Estate Profile.

New Orleans Real Estate - Insulation Information

We all know that a well insulated house is better than a poorly insulated house. Having appropriate insulation helps keep your energy bills down, reduces sound from outside, and keeps you more comfortable. But did you know that only 20% of homes built before 1980 are well insulated? Most of our houses here in New Orleans were built prior to 1980 so many homeowners may need to add insulation!

Insulation can come in a variety of materials but they only come in 4 basic types, each with its own characteristics:

1. Rolls - Sometimes called blankets, rolls of insulation are flexible and come in different sizes. They can fit easily into standard spaces in your walls, floors, and attic spaces.
2. Loose-fill insulation - This type of insulation is blown into place which allows easy installation in even the most difficult spaces. Usually made of fiberglass, rock wool, or cellulose in the forms of loose fibers or pellets.

Keep Reading: New Orleans Real Estate - Insulation

__________________________________________________________________________

This New Orleans real estate blog post was provided by Darryl Glade, Realtor with RE/MAX N.O. Properties. Darryl can be reached at darrylglade@remax.net or by phone at 504.451.8960. Darryl's real estate office is conveniently located in Uptown New Orleans at 8001 Maple Street. Darryl works throughout the Greater New Orleans area including Uptown, Lakeview, Broadmoor, Mid-City, Metairie, Kenner, Westbank, French Quarter, and the Warehouse District.

For New Orleans and the metro area real estate info, please see New Orleans Real Estate.

To search New Orleans Properties, please see New Orleans Property Search.

Click here to view Darryl Glade's Real Estate Profile.

New Orleans Real Estate - 2009 Tax Credit

Many clients have been asking me about the 2009 First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit. This tax credit is different that the 2008 tax credit. Here are the details:

• Maximum $8,000 tax credit.
• Any single family primary residence is eligible.
• Reduces income tax liability for the year of purchase. Any unused amount will be refunded to the purchaser.
• Full amount of credit available for individuals with adjusted gross income of no more than $75,000 ($150,000 on a joint return). Phases out above those caps ($95,000 and $170,000).

Keep Reading: 2009 Tax Credit

This New Orleans real estate blog post was provided by Darryl Glade, Realtor with RE/MAX N.O. Properties. Darryl can be reached at darrylglade@remax.net or by phone at 504.451.8960. Darryl's real estate office is conveniently located in Uptown New Orleans at 8001 Maple Street. Darryl works throughout the Greater New Orleans area including Uptown, Lakeview, Broadmoor, Mid-City, Metairie, Kenner, Westbank, French Quarter, and the Warehouse District.

For New Orleans and the metro area real estate info, please see New Orleans Real Estate.

To search New Orleans Properties, please see New Orleans Property Search.

Click here to view Darryl Glade's Real Estate Profile.