The children have grown; home feels…a little empty… Many people assume that an empty nest means it’s downsizing time—time for a smaller house or condo. In truth, for many a homeowner in Metairie, downsizing is just one of a number of appealing directions. It may sound obvious, but it’s your interests and plans that should guide your next step. After a lifetime of deferring to other people’s priorities, many of us are ill-prepared to think creatively about what it is we want. When we do, downsizing might not necessarily be the springboard to life’s next great adventure. For instance: consider Upsizing. Moving a smaller family into a larger home may sound backwards, but if you have special interests or hobbies that call for a lot of space, now may be the chance to add the workshop, rehea... 03/05/2014

  Happy Mardi Gras 2014 I need to get this out fast and get to the Mardi Gras. Zulu is schedule to start @ 8 AM on their traditional route. Although I have a coconut already I need to see my good friend who riding on the Governor Float. Visit the ZULU website  Today we party for tomorrow starts the first day of Lent. Enjoy yourself and stay safe. Next on the calendar, Crayfish Season. Times are great here in the Big Easy. Throw me Something Mister!                                                             03/04/2014

  You can have 100 reasons for wanting to move onto a larger, smaller, or just different house or neighborhood—and 101 why it keeps getting put off. Chief among them for most of us is the hassle factor. You start to run down a mental list of everything that will have to be done, and one of the larger issues stops you cold—just too much sheer hassle! Let’s deal with a typical one: the unfinished room. Staging a Metairie home might seem doable enough, but when a portion of the house is actually unfinished, it can present a barrier that’s too time-consuming and expensive to even approach. In some parts of the country, such a room is usually a basement; in others, a garage that might have been almost converted into a specialty room. A Metairie unfinished room may have to be listed that way... 02/27/2014

  That Metairie real estate prices have been on the rise for a while is certainly one factor that has coaxed some of the more cautious buyers off the sidelines. It’s made the market a much more lively (and happy!) place than it was a few years ago—and forecasters are fairly uniform in predicting continuing growth, though at a less overheated pace. For those who are even more cautious, the question remains whether property values and the Metairie real estate prices that reflect them are likely to hold up over the long haul. They may know that, historically, homeownership has proven to be one of the most reliable investments, but the memory of that financial meltdown from a few years back can be hard to get over… They may be taking heart from an article I ran across earlier this month wh... 02/25/2014

Bears hibernate. Geese fly south. And Metairie home buyers become different people in the winter. During spring and summer months, the competition, speed and market saturation can make selling a home in Metairie an intense experience (in extremes, almost like speed dating!) When the selling season heats up, buyers can come flying through open houses in a veritable revolving door of showings. In the winter, selling a Metairie home is a far more intimate exercise. To make the most of the next few months, it’s useful to recognize some of the hallmarks:  1. Buyers: They Expect a Deal For whatever reason—blame HGTV or the rumor mill—many buyers have come to believe that in the winter and early spring months, there’ll be deals aplenty. To handle that mindset, it’s useful to remember that “de... 02/20/2014

It’s a little like fashion in men’s ties. The really wide or narrow ones you laugh at today will be back in style sooner or later. There’s an analogy in our Metairie listings. After the financial crisis in 2007, the average size of homes began to shrink. One major casualty was the “specialty room.” Specialty rooms (or special function rooms) are any room that serves a non-standard purpose. In the Metairie listings, you find them described as gyms, saunas, home offices, laundry rooms, home theaters, au-pair suites, “man-caves” and outdoor living rooms. These are extras: desirable, but not really necessary. Once home sizes began to shrink, buyers demonstrated that they were willing to do without. But today, as the real estate market recovers and budgets loosen, home sizes are sharply on t... 02/18/2014

4713 Reich St. Metairie, LA 70006 FOR SALE $239,000 This home has great charm! Wood laminate in living, dining room. Four bedrooms! All new windows, home has been renovated. Has a wonderful floor plan, attached double car garage. Home offers a very nice backyard and patio. Very convenient neighborhood. This is a Must see!! View More Information on 4713 Reich St.   Terez Harris NOLA Real Estate Group (504)297-2619 www.TerezHarris.com   Harris.Terez@gmail.com     Connect with Terez HarrisNOLA Real Estate Group on Facebook!     Follow Terez Harris onTwitter!   Keller Williams Realty New Orleans 8601 Leake Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 504-862-0100   Each office independently owned and operated. All brokers licensed in the state of Louisiana.     02/12/2014

One of the unusual situations that sometimes crops up in Metairie real estate is one where the buyer purchases a house without ever seeing it. This may sound nuts—but there are circumstances (more than you’d think) where it can be the only practical solution. Wholesalers and house-flippers, for instance, sometimes simply haven’t time to visit every property they suspect is a great buy. Other times, buyers might be relocating to Metairie from out of state (or even out of the country) under a timetable that doesn’t allow them an extra visit—or even a first visit! According to the latest full-year data from the National Association of Realtors®, home sales to foreign buyers amounted to $68 billion! As you’d guess, the risks of purchasing a house sight-unseen when relocating to Metairie re... 02/10/2014

With cars, TVs—even watches—getting connected through WiFi and wireless telephones, it’s small wonder that “Smart Homes” are here, too. According to Forbes, companies offering smart homes technology will be a $35.6 billion industry within just three years. They already offer Metairie homeowners an array of connected appliances, security systems and even HVAC systems. From what I’ve seen, their marketing has highlighted the convenience factor—but if that seems to be more sizzle than steak, here are some surprisingly substantial reasons why you might consider upgrading your own place into one of Metairie’s smart homes: Your current security system gives you peace of mind whenever you’re out of town. But have you ever wondered whether you remembered to lock the back door? Smart homes let ... 02/05/2014

 Staging your Metairie home for showings will always be a time-eater. The word itself is indicative: “staging” means transforming your busy household into a theatrical set. In addition to thoroughly cleaning every nook and cranny, it usually means spending on paint and a variety of minor supplies to tweak the production. Then comes the actual visits by potential home buyers, sometimes interrupting your schedule (sometimes with very little notice). If you have kids, keeping the staging in pristine condition must clear an extra hurdle. When the kids spill food on the floor (or leave toys underfoot for potential home buyers to trip over), selling your home can turn into a hand-wringing ordeal. It needn’t be. Here are a few sanity-preserving pointers: Designate one room for the kids While ... 01/30/2014

There are currently 156 active listings for single family homes and condos in Metairie (70003). Only 7.7% of those are distressed listings (short sales and forclosures). The average number of days on the market is 66. The median, or average, listing price is $159,830.       Understand the difference between "listing prices" (what sellers are asking for) and "sold prices" (what buyers are willing to pay).     By comparing these price trends, you'll have a good idea of where the market is heading. The median listing and sold property prices are calculated based on the market activity each month.   http://www.TerezSellsNolaProperties.com/mimarket/zip/70003/         The number of active listings in Metairie (70003) increased by 6.4%from the previous month.   The median number of days active... 01/26/2014

There is less guesswork than you might think about establishing an on-target Metairie real estate listing price. There is really very little mystery: Comps and CMAs When you hear your Realtor™ refer to ‘the comps,’ you probably think of them as the printouts of the Metairie real estate listings which are comparable to your own property. More comprehensively, a CMA, or Comparative Market Analysis, also includes a broad look at pending and completed sales, as well as withdrawn listings. That analysis will also include and account for differentiating factors, such as upgrades you have made to the home, location, and other features that make your home unique. Market Conditions Market conditions will also play a strong role in developing a real estate listing price that’s likely to attract ... 01/16/2014

METAIRIE LA 70006 RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT DECEMBER 2013 MONTH NEW LISTINGS % CHANGE HOME SOLD AVG. PRICE % CHANGE MEDIAN PRICE DAYS ON MARKET                 DECEMBER 2013 7 -53% 10 $254400 +16% 224000 50                 DECEMBER 2012 15   11 219100 0 209000 107                  YEAR TO DATE 2013 201 -6% 133 242800 +7% 218000 66                 YEAR TO DATE 2012 214   126 226000 0 209500 89                               Average Days on Market: (For all Homes Sold): 130 Days Average Days for Sale (Frank Rubi Real Estate): 102 Days Months Supply of Inventory (# Homes Sale/ # Homes Sold): 3 months Supply                                                                         Click Here  Search New Orleans Real Estate vis MLS  Statistics are compiled base on figures and data g... 01/10/2014

What James & Katie Crosbie had to say about Terez: "We loved how committed she was to helping us buy and sell our homes. She was very responsive and organized." "Everyone was professional." "We loved working with Terez and often talk to one another about what a great agent agent she is." "Terez went above and beyond the call of duty to help us buy a new home and sell the one we had. She was always quick to return calls and resolve issues when they arose. We absolutely felt like she had our best interests in mind and we will recommend her to anyone."   Watch their testimonial video     Terez Harris NOLA Real Estate Group (504)297-2619 www.TerezHarris.com    Harris.Terez@gmail.com    Connect with Terez Harris NOLA Real Estate Group on Facebook!    Follow Terez Harris on Twitter!       Kel... 01/03/2014

Many Metairie landlords are automatically less than enthusiastic when they hear a prospective tenant’s question, “Do you allow pets?” Small wonder. The specter of damage from unsupervised four-footed co-inhabitants is a real possibility (despite the assurances of their doting masters).  Yet that kind of automatic landlord reaction might turn out to actually result in a questionable business decision. Some undeniably real benefits can accrue to those who open their Metairierental home to tenants who own pets. Don’t believe it? Here are just some of the reasons why renting a home to a strong applicant with a well-cared-for, healthy pet can benefit both parties: 1.      Widens the Number of Potential Candidates    Allowing pets into a rental home materially increases the eligible applican... 01/02/2014

This year, the first early signs of Metairie’s holiday season didn’t seem to arrive too early, maybe because Christmas rushed in so soon after Thanksgiving (which somehow also landed smack dab at the start of Hanukkah). Still, by now the familiar holiday music has been being played long enough that it’s hard to believe there is a man, woman or child left who hasn’t had at least one moment when some familiar chord didn’t summon up a sudden flood of memories. Whether those memories were of a family gathering just last year, or of one from the distant past, the holiday season means something unique and special to all of us. However your family celebrates their Metairie holiday season, be it Christmas, Hanukkuh, Kwanza or simply the Holidays, you have to agree there is something about this ... 12/27/2013

Understand the difference between "listing prices" (what sellers are asking for) and "sold prices" (what buyers are willing to pay). By comparing these price trends, you'll have a good idea of where the market is heading. The median listing and sold property prices are calculated based on the market activity each month.   Some sales are not immediately available from public records. As they become available, the data are updated.   Get the Full Detailed Report   See What Your Home Is Worth!   (504)297-26119 www.TerezHarris.com Harris.Terez@gmail.com   Connect with Terez Harris NOLA Real Estate Group on Facebook!   Follow Terez Harris on Twitter!     Keller Williams Realty New Orleans 8601 Leake Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 504-862-0100   Each office independently owned and operated. All ... 12/23/2013

The kids are gone. Your big house seems either dreadfully empty or just plain wasteful.  Congrats: you are officially in possession of a Metairie empty nest! Now it’s time to consider where and how you want to live next. When Do You Sell? It's not a bad time to be selling in Metairie—but since you will be buying, too, you would have to deduce that it might not be the perfect time to be on that side of the table. When you are swapping your full-sized family home for a snug nest for two, you want to get full value for your old home without paying too much for the new one. If you can swing it, you may want to buy before you sell. That puts you in control of the time factor, providing freedom to hold out for a prime offer while you find new digs at a reasonable price. What Will You Need? An... 12/18/2013

Condo Market Report Zip Code - 70006                          November 2013                              New Listing                                          %Change      Homes Sold     Average Price      %Change             Median Price     Day on  Maket November 2013 3 -57.14% 0 $0 % $0   November 2012 7   2 $117,500   $117,500 50 Year-To-Date 2013 29 -54.69% 16 $100,731 -15.04% $100,000 95 Year-To-Date 2012 64   18 $118,566   $112,500 108 www.SearchNewOrleansRealEstate.com   Statistics are compiled base on figures and data generated by th Gulf South Real Estate Information Service.  12/08/2013

In the heart of Metairie a new and first of it's kind boutique has open. Come check out  Fox It UP!     FOX IT UP! Metairie's newest boutique & first DIY boutique ever!   Featuring: *vintage items & unique finds * secondhand items & suggested refinishing projects * a DIY bar, where you can use thousands of dollars in craft materials for just $20 an hour (and we clean up the mess!) *a wrapping paper bar and nail polish bar -- all loaded with beautiful designs!   Check our website out for our schedule of PINTEREST parties!   Whether it's daiquiris and decoupage or scotch and sanding furniture we have parties for everyone! Also bachelorette, birthday, school / church event, and children's parties as well! Don't just pin it, DO IT! No more half finished projects around the house!   5028 Wes... 07/24/2013