Louisiana Real Estate - A French Influence
By Raynor James, Fri Dec 9th

Obviously, Louisiana had a rough year in 2005 with HurricaneKatrina. The state will recover as will Louisiana real estate.

Louisiana

Louisiana has obviously been in the news because of thedevastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. To say the entireepisode is a tragedy is to understate the obvious. Louisiana isa state that has overcome problems before and it will do itagain. For the purposes of this article, I am going to discussthe state pre-hurricane because, frankly, the state will recoverwithin a year or so. It has done it before.

Louisiana is a state with an absolute ton of character. In fact,you will find no other state in the country that can match it.There is a heavy French influence and the people, towns andcities are eclectic to say the least. From plantations to MardiGras to funky little towns to incredible food and music,Louisiana is state that can capture your imagination.

New Orleans

Yes, New Orleans took a beating in the hurricane and subsequentflooding. This was not the first hurricane to cause damage andthe city will recover. If you base your opinion of the city onthe things you saw on the television or heard in the media, youare making a mistake. This is a city with extremes in manyareas, from food to music to lifestyles and so on.

New Orleans is like no other city in the country. Here you willfind fire-eaters and street artists,

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old river steamboats, foodto die for, old plantation homes and a music scene that can't bebeat. The French Quarter is beautiful and chaotic, particularlyduring Mardi Gras. Walking through the city, you'll find littlestreet markets, walk up eateries and eclectic little spots likethe Voodoo Museum. The redeveloped River Walk area on theMississippi River is a good spot to while away the hours as arethe tours around the city. Keep in mind, New Orleans is the homeof author Anne Rice and the location of her Vampire Chroniclesbook series. Words will never accurately describe New Orleans,it is just a place you have to investigate. You will either lovethe chaos or hate it.

Baton Rouge

The state capitol of Louisiana, Baton Rouge is New Orleanswithout the edge. An easygoing city with a heavy Frenchinfluence, the city feels more like a place you could actuallylive in compared to New Orleans. Although the city was hit byHurricane Katrina, it did not suffer the devastation seen inother locations. Home to Louisiana State University, the cityhas a college feel with college football being the name of thegame.

Louisiana Real Estate

Obviously, figures for Louisiana real estate are irrelevantfollowing the events of this year. Generally, single-familyhomes averaged $200,000 throughout the state prior to thehurricane. Appreciation rates were also a modest 6.5 percent.

If there is a silver lining to Hurricane Katrina, it is theredevelopment that will occur throughout the state. Hundreds ofbillions of dollars are flowing into the state, which will leadto a major makeover. New Orleans, in particular, is going to geta major face-lift with as many as 40,000 structures beingreplaced. As things settle down, real estate opportunities maybe plentiful.

About the author:Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org - FSBO homes forsale by owner. Visit our home buying page athttp://www.fsboamerica.org/buyer.cfm to see homes for sale byowner.