Archive for the 'New Orleans Condo Reviews' Category
Cotton Mill Condos-New Orleans Warehouse District Condos-Sales Pick up?
May 27th, 2008 categories: New Orleans Condo Reviews
I have sold a lot of condos in The Cotton Mill Condos in the New Orleans Warehouse District. Sales seemed to be stagnant for the last 2-3 months. In the last 3 weeks a lot of the units have sold. From first hand experience we have sold 4 condos in the last 10 days. Lost one in a bidding war that had been on the market for at least 6 months.
You have several that will not sell at their current prices but the ones that were well priced and updated have been moving briskly. You can call this a selling streak as real estate is still very seasonal in nature. All of a sudden people are there to purchase!!!
Of the 29 units for sale this month , 14 units are under contract that I know about today. There are several good units still for sale out of the 15 units left. 7-8 of those units are just too expensive or just are not nice.
The two bedrooms have been hot of late all over the Warehouse District and the same thing has been happening in the Cotton Mills as the prices of the one and two bedrooms have come closer together. You can get a two bedroom in the 220’s to 230’s range. The larger one bedrooms in the two hundred thousand range and below.
There are seasonal reasons for this as this is when people tend to move. This is a favorite place for young professionals starting their career. Its a great place for medical students and residents form Tulane, LSU and Ochsner. It is also because the place to rent are not easy to find and many who may rent end up buying due to the cost and shortage of nice rentals at the lower end. The second home market has also been picking up as people are choosing the Warehouse as a destination.
The Cotton Mills Conodos remains one of the better values. It has the courtyard, pool, security, high ceilings, large windows, wood floors and the condo fees are moderate for the the services.
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One River Place Condos, New Orleans Warehouse District Luxury Condos
May 18th, 2008 categories: New Orleans Condo Reviews, Warehouse District
The One River Place Condos at 3 Poydras Street are one of the few high rise condos in the New Orleans market that takes advantage of the Mississippi River Views. The luxury condos have been around for a while and many of the units have been updated over the last 20 years . The 14 stories features 81 units of varying sizes and views. The first 3-4 stories are parking and a luxury lobby and common areas.
The higher price units are those facing the Mississippi River and have balconies overlooking the River. These were built before the Warehouse District was named. The river views are the more expensive units with those with no river views being the cheapest.
Amenities include valet parking and in house security personnel. The pool and patio over looking the Mississippi River are second to none. There is a fitness and exercise center. There are some great common areas that are often used for entertainment and parties. You have access to the Hilton Hotel where there are 8-10 indoor tennis courts and a full service work area and gym. The fees are reasonable for the gym in the Hilton.
The condo fees are high but so are the services at One River Place. The building is very secure, well managed, and always has security on duty.
You can see the Mississippi River Bridge in the background. Many of the 20 year old units have been upgraded over the years and have some fantastic renovated units. Two of our local sports stars live here. Reggie Bush with the New Orleans Saints and Chris Paul with the New Orleans Hornets.
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Metairie Condos, the Metro View Condos is best bet for one bedroom condos in Metaire!
May 11th, 2008 categories: Jefferson Parish, New Orleans Condo Reviews
The Metro View Condos located at 3805 Houma Blvd in Metairie are new conversions which offer some nice choices in the 120’s range. It has a very nice location in the heart of Metairie, several blocks from Veterans and a couple of blocks from East Jefferson Hospital placing it across the street from the East Jefferson Wellness Center. Plus, there is easy access to I-10 and Lakeside Shopping Center. There is are a total of 199 condo units consisting of mainly one and two bedroom units.
All the units have been redone and they are basically new units. You get almost 800 sq. ft. of living with a large 22×12 den, small patio and large 16×12 bedroom. The kitchen is new and comes with all new stainless steal appliances and granite countertops. The bathrooms are also new and have new plumbing fixtures. There is a small washer and dryer in the master closet. There are larger washers and dryers on premises for the large loads.
The amenities include a fitness center and two outdoor pool. There is plenty of parking near your unit and the spaces are assigned. Some of the larger units have storage sheds. Many of the one bedrooms are on the ground floor for easy entrance and exit.
There are less than 30 0f my favorite style left which is the one bedroom flats. I like these for the large floor plan and resale value. Once the developer has finished his sales these stand a good chance of appreciation in value over the next couple of years. its get down to location and size for future value. Low condo fees are also a big plus. The condo fees cover water, Insurance, upkeep and common areas for about $150 for the one bedrooms.
In my opinion these are the best buys for a one bedroom in Jefferson Parish.
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625 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans Luxury Condos in the Warehouse District.
May 8th, 2008 categories: New Orleans Condo Reviews, Warehouse District
The 625 St. Charles Ave Condos are Luxury Units in the New Orleans Warehouse District. The condos are 7 years old and were built as condos. The 11 story building is in a fantastic location on St. Charles Ave across from Lafayette Square in downtown New Orleans. The 39 units are at least all two bed room plus and two bath starting at about 1300 sq. ft going up to about 3000 sq. ft. units for the four Pent House Condos.
The building on the far right is Gallier Hall and the bleachers in the foreground were getting ready for the Mardi Gras parades to roll this past season. The streetcars roll by your front door and you can walk to many a high class meal from this location. Its an easy walk to the Louisiana Super Dome, New Orleans Arena, Federal Courts and the French Quarter.
The 625 St. Charles Ave. Condos features include 2 parking spots in the garage for each unit. The security is 24 hours and very secure. There is an indoor lap pool and fitness room. There is a common area conference room, catering kitchen and reception area on the second floor. Most of the units are custom built outs by the owners so very few or none are going to look the same.
There are currently 5 units for sale ranging in price from $635,000 to 1.9 million. All the units have been listed in the last 60 days. The complex has have 6 sales since 2006 as the condos tend to have long term owners and some been forced to move due to Katrina. The views are going to vary by the story and the direction of the units.
The units generally start in the upper five hundred range up to million plus for the large pent house units. I have seen a couple that I have really liked and some that had no appeal at all. It all depends upon how the units were finished off by the original owners. Read the rest of this entry »
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Warehouse District Condos, Sugar Plantation Condos at 840 Tchoupitoulas Street
May 4th, 2008 categories: New Orleans Condo Reviews, Warehouse District
The Sugar Plantation Condos were a new condo development that opened for pre-sales in the Spring of 2005. The condos were basically new construction with the exterior walls of an old warehouse. The 43 units sold with the first week of being offered. At the time they were about 80% complete. Most of the units were 2 bedroom units. All the units had garage parking and a storage area.
The Warehouse District condos featured granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, polished concrete floors, open kitchens with plenty of cabinets, full size washer and dryers, high ceilings, crown molding and large master suites. The more expensive units had patios, street views, balconies and were larger. Most of the units had at least one exposed brick wall for that New Orleans Warehouse feel. The units had an upscale feel to them. The developer did not put up enough lights in the units but people have chosen their own lights to brighten things up.
The developer finished off all the units in the same fashion and the buyers were not allowed to pick and chose their colors and cabinets.
The common areas included a pool with a courtyard. There are 2 elevators. The garage entrance is on Commerce with inside access to the lobby and thge condos. Each unit had a large storage area on the first floor. There is a first class party and meeting room. There is also a small gym looking out onto the pool area. The courtyard is and pool are surrounded by units and the excercise room on the gound floor.
Today’s pricing is giving the initial investors a tidy profit. The smaller units are going in the upper 380K range and the nicer units right under 500k depending on size, views and the location with the complex. The prices have remained steady for the most part of the last 2 years. There normally seems to be about two condos in the building for sale at any given time. The less expensive units do not have any great views and you often face a brick wall.
The new kitchens were large and generally opened into the living areas. There is ample cabinets and counter space in all the units. Some of the larger 2 bedroom units will have a small study. These are the units over 1500 sq. ft. The smaller units are in the 1200 to 1300 sq. ft. range. The building itself is very quiet and the units are quite spread out. There are no units on the first floor. Read the rest of this entry »
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River Ridge Condos, Steamship Circle- Another New Orleans Condo choice
May 2nd, 2008 categories: Jefferson Parish, New Orleans Condo Reviews
The New Orleans Condo market has condos in areas where people like to live outside the city of NewOrleans. There are not a lot of condos in River Ridge which is in Jefferson Parish. The Steamship Circle was developed for condos and currently has about 7 to 8 condo associations in the Steamship Circle area. The area is a high demand area next to River Ridge homes, Elmwood Business Park and near the entrance to Earhardt Expressway which is about 15 minutes to town. The prices will vary for 140’s to the 180’s range for a two bedroom unit. There are much fewer one bedroom units. This 2836 Steamship Condo is priced at $179,625.
This is an example of a current listing that I have at 2836 Steamship Circle in the River Ridge area. The 2836 Steamship Circle is in one of the best complexes. Parking is easy. Many long time residents love living in the tree shaded area of River Ridge. There are 20 units in this complex with all being townhouse style condos with large bedrooms, plenty of closet space, easy layout, fireplace, patios in rear, vaulted ceilings in bedrooms, and below average condo fees of $150 per month. The large rooms and windows let in plenty of natural light giving the rooms an even larger feel.
These condos are not new but have been kept up extremely well over the past 20 years. The area has appreciated very well over the years. This unit has a loft which can be used for an office or storage. The second bedroom has a large picture window overlooking the private patio that is fenced in from the public. Read the rest of this entry »
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Uptown Condos Update, New Orleans Condos
April 21st, 2008 categories: New Condo Projects, Uptown NOLA
New Orleans Condos in Uptown New Orleans are in good supply. There are currently 325 condos in all price ranges and types on the market. There are several complexs that got listed twice in the MLS as they are with two agents giving the raw numbers a rethinking. There are 85 sales and units currently under contract this year. This is the time of years students, residents, and people in general put their places up for sale. These figures contain new conversions, some pre-sales and mainly resales. This is also the time of year that creates the most interest.
There are 134 units under 200k for sale. This is an odd figure in that they are 67 units priced under 160k which is a very hard price range normally to find things in. There are several larger complexes where there are many units for sale. In the 1750 St. Charles Ave. there are 21 units for sale currently. 1205 St. Charles has 14 units for sale. This is a converted hotel near the Warehouse District.
There are several new complexes of 8-10 units along with several four plexes that are also new. The L’Orange at 1544 Camp has 10 units. The new constructions at 1633 First Street has 11 units. The historic conversion at 1520 St. Mary has 8 units. The 1717 Religious condos in the Lower Garden District has 10 units. You can combine all the new condos and you have at least 50 new units.
The new units put pressure on the older units that have not been updated. That is why I think there are such a large number of units below 200k for sale. Location and condition is still the key for future appreciation. There however will not be that many for a criteria that you may have as we cull out the bad locations and overpriced units. With this said there are some deals to be had. Numbers are numbers unless you get a true insite inot the niche markets such as the New Orleans Uptown Condo market.
Todays Uptown Flowers add to enjoyment of the showings in these historic neighborhoods.
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New Orleans Condos, the New Orleans Uptown late model apartment conversions!
April 14th, 2008 categories: New Orleans Condo Reviews, Uptown NOLA
A good example of a 1970’s apartment conversion in Uptown New Orleans is the condo development at 3201 St. Charles Ave. near Napoleon Ave. The 70 unit complex is a 3 story high is centered around a rather nice open courtyard with a pool, fountain and plenty of room. Parking, located in the rear of the building, is gated with an assigned spot for each unit. The complex seems to be well managed and maintained and offers a quiet place to live.
You get a lot of space for your money as this type of condo is not going to cost as much as the more recent renovations. The one bedroom prices will range in the 160-170k range for a 700 sq. ft unit and moderate condo fees in a nice location. There are laundry facilities on site. Some units have installed washers and dryers in their units but not all. There are also going to be two bedrooms with the same basic layouts.
The units are going to be in various stages of being updated by the owners. Do not expect granite counter-tops and stainless steel appliances. These were built as apartments in the 1970’s where all the units open onto the courtyard. They are going to have that apartment feel to them. There is security for the parking and the front gate which is a great feature. The security person is always on duty.
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New Orleans Condos, 4 Plex Conversions in Uptown New Orleans
April 13th, 2008 categories: New Orleans Condo Reviews, Uptown NOLA
One of the more common types of New Orleans Uptown Condo conversions has been the replacement of 4 plexes with 4 unit condos. Most of these conversions are generally older buildings which started out as large single family homes,forced by economic conditions into multifamily rental property, more often than not, a 4-plex. The more recent conversions will be updated with all new things. Those built as 4-plexes will be less expensive, newer but lacking in historic significance. Both types can be found in great neighborhoods.
The above conversion on Magazine Street had extensive renovations done and it ended up much like new Construction. The front 2 units that featured balconies and porches were sold quickly for the 350k range. It had parking which is the hard thing to find but you should have it in this price range. The balconies and the porch mean much more than most people think and you pay a premium for those. Taking the best unit is generally the best way to go as it will pay in the end. This was a home of over 100 years that was completer with all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed.
This four plex that was turned into a condo directly form a four plex. This recent sale on Prytania was much cheaper as less work had to be done for the conversion. When you see all the units in a four plex look very similar it was generally built as a four plex. You will still get some of the nice historic features as you would get in an older home it will just be less expensive. Read the rest of this entry »
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New Orleans Uptown Condos, The apartment conversions circa. 1920, Alameda Condos, 7014 St. Charles Ave.
April 10th, 2008 categories: New Orleans Condo Reviews, Uptown NOLA
The New Orleans Uptown Condo market offers a unique variety of historic properties which have been converted into condos. The Alameda at 7014 St. Charles Ave. is an example of an historic apartment complex converted into condos. Each of the 1920-30’s complexes has its own character and features. A popular design of that period was that all the units are off a central hallway with a secure entrance off the street. Many will have porches. The central hallways are wide with all the unit doors opening into the hallways.
This 2 story building had all the great old features of wood floors, high ceilings, large windows, crown molding and limited parking. People at the time used the St. Charles Ave Street car line as a main means of transportation and did not have cars. Most of the historic features were left intact and repaired which gives the condos much more future value especially in New Orleans where history can add thousands to a sales price.
The 2 story conversion has 12 units all of various sizes and configurations. You could have bought the unit as it was or in an updated condition with new kitchens and overall improvements to the individual units. You could have bought a parking spot for 10k and they were limited. Do not think twice everyone should have bought one at this price. You will have several of these types mainly on St. Charles Ave as this was the premier street in Uptown New Orleans.
This location was ideal as it was walking distance to Audubon Park, Tulane University, and Loyola University. The historic features will always make this type of conversion much more value than those of the 1960-70’s conversion. Being on the Street car line is also a big plus. This should have been very appealing to college students and second homers. These smaller units will not have very many amenities but all you need is to walk out the front door. Read the rest of this entry »
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