18833 Magnolia Bend , Baton Rouge 225-234-0022

This lovely Acadian Style home features outdoor living to its finest! Exceptional front and back porches allow for maximum relaxation, as well as the above ground pool! This property even backs up to a wooded area with an abundance of wildlife! The indoor and outdoor space decorate beautifully to create the perfect atmosphere for entertaining. The amount of windows in this home allow natural light to flow through out as well as a glorious view of outdoor areas. Space, space, space! Sizable bedrooms, walk in closets, extra storage attached to carport and above! A home with this much storage, lighting, outdoor living, and character won't last long, so call for an appointment today!

17605 Jefferson Hwy A3 Baton Rouge, 225-234-0022

Fabulous Condo! The floor plan features large dining area open to the kitchen. Living room with vent less fireplace, and large master suite. This is a single story condo in gated community and great location for easy access to Airline Hwy and I-10 near the corner of Jefferson Hwy and Highland Road. The kitchen features Black GE appliances including smooth top range, microwave, and refrigerator. Private master suite with huge shower, whirlpool tub, double vanity and custom shelving in the large master closet. Other two bedrooms are spacious and share a hall bath. Wired for security system. Outstanding HOA covers all exterior maintenance, including roof, termite contracts, gate and common areas maintenance / landscaping. The condo is also located on a private street. Schedule a showing to see just how perfect this home is for you!

6765 Corporate Blvd #1208 Baton Rouge 225-234-0022

Luxurious living at its finest, Reserve at Cedar Lodge condominiums are the place to be in Baton Rouge. Located with in walking distance of Towne Center, this condo couldn't be in a better place! This second story unit features a balcony overlooking the glamorous pool where you can relax on a hot summer day, or soak in the warmth of the hot tub on a cold winter night! Looking for entertainment? This complex has it's very own indoor basketball court, media room, and fitness center. As for the unit itself, it has exquisite wood floors and spectacular granite counter tops! The owner has gone to extraordinary measures to keep this home in top shape. Call for a showing today and I'd be astonished if you weren't blown away by how magnificent this condominium really is!

356 Nancy Dr. Baton Rouge, 225-234-0022

Located in the highly desirable neighborhood of River Oaks, this property is a perfect fit for a family! Spacious back yard as well as mature landscaping are evident from first sight. Seller bought all new window treatment, recently repainted walls in living / dining! This property comes equipped with a separate utility room as well as a storage room off the garage If you are looking for a peaceful, clean, and orderly neighborhood then this is the home for you! Call today for a showing.

16505 Jefferson Oaks Dr, Prairieville, 225.234.0022

Gorgeous home in highly desirable school district! This would make the PERFECT family home. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms with office/nursery. Wood flooring throughout living area, tile in kitchen and bathrooms, and carpet in 2 bedrooms. Tray ceiling in master. Master bathroom offers his/her vanities, stand-up shower, spacious bathtub and a walk-in closet. Large shed/workshop. Gated. Playground/playhouse can remain if buyer chooses. The spacious backyard is great for entertainment or family living. This one will go fast! Priced to sell!

WITHDRAWN, 15558 Riverdale Ave, Baton Rouge, 225.234.0022

Quaint home in conveinent location to I-12! This 3 bedroom/2 bath home has an open living area and provides plenty of space for entertaining. Built-ins for television above fireplace allow for plenty of floor space for furniture. Gorgeous kitchen with new appliances, stained wood cabinetry and tiled counter space. New lighting and plumbing fixtures accentuate the kitchen and remainder of home. Master bedroom has French doors that lead out to back patio, includes fireplace and an extra area for office/exercise/nursery. The master bath features a new vanity, cabinetry and mirrors along with a whirlpool tub. Very spacious 2nd and 3rd bedrooms hat also share an updated bath! New siding private parking with garage door and low maintenance yard. This home is a MUST SEE!

This home is PRICED TO SELL! Visit buyorsellbatonrougehomes.com to learn more!

15558 Riverdale Ave E

High-end home sales increasing in B.R.

Remember when it was a big deal if a Baton Rouge home was on the market for $1 million or more? Those days are long gone. Consider that so far in 2013, more than three-dozen homes are listed for $1 million or more. That's not including the 12 mansions and one luxury penthouse on the block with price tags of at least $2 million. Then there's Paula Pennington de la Bretonne's 29,500-square-foot estate, which sits on 12 acres at 11001 Highland Road. It has an eye-popping asking price of $18 million, which, at more than $608 per square foot, is a record for this market. But top-dollar agents caution against reading too much into the number of expensive homes on the market. Rather, they suggest that some sellers still have unrealistic expectations about what their homes will fetch. "A lot of people are not realistic about what their homes are worth," says Quita Cutrer of Burns & Co., who handled several of 2012's top transactions. "They're hanging on to what they think they should get for them." If 2012 was not a banner year for high-end home sales in Baton Rouge, it was the best local realtors have seen in a while. Take a look at the most expensive home sales of 2012 in Baton Rouge, as compiled by Business Report, here.

Read more from Business Report here: http://www.businessreport.com/real-estate-weekly/2052013/High-end_home_sales_increasing_in_Baton_Rouge#ixzz2K2ePM3Lu

SOLD, 9518 Meadowdale Dr, 225.234.0022

Amazing newly remodeled home in established neighborhood. Home has been updated throughout and would be perfect for growing family. Eat-in kitchen features new ceramic tile, tile countertops, and beautiful backsplash. The spacious living room has a wood burning fireplace and gorgeous stained concrete floors. The master bedroom has its own bath with walk-in closet. The home sits on large yard with plenty of space. Very easy to show! Call Tim Houk at (225) 301-7467 or visit buyorsellbatonrougehomes.com to learn more!

SOLD, 1535 S Redondo Dr, Baton Rouge, 225.234.0022

This spacious 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home has all the space you will ever need. There are two large living areas which make this one great for entertaining. There is also a huge extra romm that could be made into a mother in law suite or an office. Home is filled with features like wood floors, built-in bookshelves, large open window, and spacious bedrooms. This home would be great for a growing family. Hurry and don't miss out on this great opportunity! Visit buyorsellbatonrougehomes.com for more information or call Tim at 225.301.7467!

B.R. home sales up 16% in November

Strong November home sales in the eight-parish region tracked by the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors have already placed year-to-date 2012 home sales ahead of total sales in 2011, with another month of sales still to report this year. GBRAR reports 566 homes were sold in November in East Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston, West Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Iberville and Point Coupee parishes. That's 80 more home sales than were tallied in the region in November 2011, or an increase of about 16%. The average sale price in November, at $206,249, was also considerably higher than that of the same month last year, when the average home sold for $173,096. Through November, 7,064 homes have been sold in the Capital Region this year, which is roughly 15% more than the 6,122 sold through the same 11-month period last year—and exceeds the 6,604 homes sold in all of 2011. The 11-month total this year is also already ahead of annual sales totals in 2010 (6,386) and 2009 (6,899). And unless December sales this year are far below the 482 recorded last December, 2012 should end up being a stronger year than 2008, when 7,284 homes were sold and the area began seeing impacts from the national recession. Total months inventory—or the number of months it would take to sell all homes on the market at the current sales pace—was also down sharply in November compared to last year. Although the months inventory rose to 7.3 in November from 6.5 in October, it is still well below the 10 months inventory recorded in November 2011.

Read more from Business Report here: http://businessreport.com/daily-report/12172012/Baton_Rouge_home_sales_up_16_percent_in_November#ixzz2FKaZsNNe

Real Estate Investing: Single Family Home vs. Condo

From Fox Business:

If you’re considering getting into the landlord game, you might wonder whether it’s best to buy a single family home or a condominium.

Many people say to stay away from condominiums because of all the issues with homeowners associations, and they have a point. However, single family homes have many issues, too, so don’t make up your mind so quickly.

Here are several things to consider in this “Rumble in the Investment Property Jungle.”

Round 1: Investment returns

When you’re buying an investment property, the first thing you should do is pencil out your real estate deal to see if it has fair cash-on-cash investment returns. As a general rule, you’ll find that single family homes typically have lower cash-on-cash returns than condominium properties. So a fair deal on a single family home might be a cash-on-cash return of 3 to 5 percent, while a condominium might have 4 to 7% returns. The condominium will probably take this round, but every property is different, so you need to pencil out your specific deal to understand the returns.

Round 2: Tenant turnover

Every time your tenants leave, you’ll need to re-rent the property. And it’s a lot of work! You have to advertise, take calls and emails, show the property, draft a lease, do a credit check, move the old tenant out, move the new tenant in, etc. And even if your old tenant left the place in perfect shape, you still need to fix minor issues, probably paint and maybe have the carpets cleaned.
Smart landlords know that you make the most money by keeping your tenants as long as possible. Apartment/condo units typically turn over every other year, while single family homes typically have much longer tenancies of three to five years. Clear winner on this round: single family homes.

Round 3: HOA vs. non-HOA

The biggest complaint about condominiums is dealing with HOAs and HOA fees. And while there are many HOAs that are in terrible financial, legal and operational shape, there are also many that are well-managed and in very good shape. HOAs can have strict rules, and if you or your tenant breaks them, you have to deal with the fallout. But those rules also keep harmony in the neighborhood and stops tenants from parking inoperable vehicles, appliances, etc., in their yards as might happen with a single family neighborhood. No clear winner here.

Round 4: Ongoing maintenance and repairs

As a single family residence owner, you would need to schedule and handle all the exterior issues — roofing, painting, landscaping — which is going to take up a lot of your time and energy. These are all tasks the HOA would handle in a condo community. Overall, it’s much less work owning a property in an HOA — and that’s why owners pay HOA fees. It’s a condo “KO” on this issue!
Round 5: Value increase

Many people believe that single family homes go up in value more than condos, but there really isn’t any conclusive proof of that. Most real estate, in a general vicinity, is going to appreciate about the same 2 to 3% per year over the long term. So you should exclude this one as a consideration. For building wealth, forget the appreciation and instead go for the better cash flow as noted above in Round 1.
Summary

So those are some of the items to consider. Either one can be a great investment, or a terrible investment, depending on what you purchase, how much due diligence you do before your purchase and how well you manage the property. Do a lot more research and talk to property owners, and then you can figure out how you will win the heavy weight championship of real estate investing!


Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/11/26/real-estate-investing-single-family-home-vs-condo/#ixzz2DMUn4CT6

Real Estate Recap: October 3, 2012

From the Baton Rouge Business Report, Real Estate Weekly:

Hungry for more: While Galatoire's new restaurant in the Acadian Village Shopping Center on Perkins Road is on target to open before the end of the year as planned, owner John Georges is looking seriously at expanding the venerable New Orleans institution into the Houston market. Georges tells Daily Report he has identified two potential sites in Houston's posh River Oaks neighborhood and that he could open what would be Galatoire's first out-of-state restaurant as soon as next year. Read the full story here.

Industrial giants: LED is working with five industrial prospects that are looking to build projects in Louisiana that are bigger than the Nucor Steel project in St. James Parish, which could be worth as much as $3.4 billion when all is said and done, according to LED Secretary Stephen Moret. Of the five, Moret says, "one, maybe two" could be built in the Capital Region. Those projects could be part of a sustained industrial building boom that might lead to 40,000 new industrial construction jobs in three to five years, he says. Daily Report has the full story here.

On the bright side of the road: Fremin Construction has preliminary plans for luxury townhomes at 3757 Brightside Lane that will be modeled on the company's recent development, Chatsworth Court Condominiums, on South Kenilworth Parkway. The new development is planned for a vacant 2.5-acre tract of land on the south side of Brightside Lane, between the Riverbend subdivision and River Road, but closer to the levee than the adjacent neighborhood. Get more details in the full story here.

Tiger denizen: The 287-unit Tiger Manor apartment complex at State and July streets, not far from LSU's North Gates, has been purchased by a group of investors led by Covington-based Stirling Properties. A sales price was not disclosed. The purchase brings the number of Baton Rouge apartment complexes owned by Stirling Communities I LLC to two, consisting of 367 apartments total. The firm also owns three Lafayette apartment complexes. Stirling Properties will serve as asset manager of Tiger Manor, while Des Moines, Iowa-based BH Management will serve as the primary property manager on-site.

BR port finalizes land deal

From The Adovcate:

The Port of Greater Baton Rouge got the final signature Thursday from a family selling the port a 135-acre piece of property on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

The port agreed to pay $3.1 million for the land, which bundled with previously purchased parcels will be used for future development, ending a long-running dispute over how much the parcel purchased Thursday was worth.

The purchase price of $23,000 per acre for the so-called Mahaffey property roughly split the difference between the $14,000-per-acre port appraisal for the property and the $30,000-per-acre price of the Mahaffey family’s appraisal.

In a letter to the port commission, Executive Director Jay Hardman said both appraisals were fair but used different criteria in valuing the land.

Previous reports on the dispute noted that the higher value was taking into account the surrounding land, which had been accumulated by the port during the last decade.

The port’s contention was that the Mahaffey tract needed to be valued according to what any other purchaser would pay for a piece of landlocked property.

The deal gives the port about 400 acres of developable land between its Inland Rivers Marine Terminal and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

The total amount for all parcels together comes to about $6.4 million, or just under $16,000 per acre.

Hardman noted that’s a fair price for that much land, noting in the letter that its lease rates for undeveloped land is between $4,500 and $6,500 per acre.

In other business, the port’s board of commissioners approved $2.1 million in work to rehabilitate the rail spur at the marine terminal, $1 million of which would come from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

The board also approved 4 percent raises for the 26 port employees, five of them unclassified.

Hardman, who was included in the raises, said staff hadn’t gotten a raise since 2009, though some got raises in 2010.

U.S. housing market on mend, but full recovery is still far off

From the Baton Rouge Business Report, Real Estate Weekly:

Home prices across the country during the first half of 2012 posted their strongest gains in six years, the clearest sign that more U.S. housing markets have hit bottom. But The Wall Street Journal reports the housing market remains far from normal and that hitting a bottom shouldn't be confused with a full-on recovery, which looks a ways off. Today's rising prices have less to do with surging demand—though hard-hit markets in Arizona, California, and Florida have seen significant investor appetite for distressed homes—than with declines in the number of properties for sale. Inventories of "existing" homes—that is, ones that haven't just been built—are at eight-year lows. New-home inventories are lower than at any time since the U.S. census began tracking them in 1963. In some cities, there are one-third fewer homes listed for sale than a year ago. Here's why prices are rising: There are more buyers chasing fewer homes, and—critically—fewer distressed homes, such as foreclosures. Low inventory is one sign that housing markets may have reached a turning point because many want to buy at the bottom but few want to sell. There are several factors behind the low inventory. Banks have slowed their pace of foreclosures. Investors have snapped up discounted properties that they can convert into rentals. Home builders, struggling for several years to compete on price with foreclosed properties, have added little in the way of new supply. Read the complete story for more details and analysis here.

Free Ways to Get Your Home Ready to Sell

From Fox Business: 

Getting your home ready to be put on the market is stressful—but it doesn’t have to be expensive. The longer your house stays on the market, the more likely you are going to have to drop your asking price, but experts say there are a slew of free and low-cost cosmetic fixes you can attract more buyers and sign a deal.

Improving a home’s curb appeal is a must to get buyers’ attention. Experts suggest cleaning up any brush, flower beds and gardens, trimming back trees and throwing a fresh coat of paint on the front door.

“First impressions are everything, and that's no different for our homes,” says Angie Hicks, founder of the peer-review website Angie’s List. “Your home’s interior is important when selling a home, but it’s the exterior that helps get potential buyers in the door – or keeps them from trying to get in it.”

Hicks suggests walking across the street to get a potential buyer’s view of the house—look for anything that is offputing or distracting like broken gutters, overgrown hedges or cracks. You want everything to look clean and simple.

Replacing old mulch, adding bright exterior lighting, power washing the house,   painting the front door and making sure the house number is visible are all do-it-yourself projects that will boost the curb appeal without busting the budget.

Once the outside of your house is enticing, it’s time to make the interior look just as good. Before spending any money on repairs, Dan Fritschen, author of Remodel or Move? www.remodelormove.com, advises removing any extra clutter, knick knacks and photos.

“Empty out the closets, empty the shelves and take away all the personal items.” Buyers want to see themselves in the home so the less personal items and clutter the better.

Another cost-free way to spruce up your home is getting rid of any unappealing or taste-specific window treatments. “It’s better to have no window covering then an ugly window covering,” says Fritschen. Window treatments can also distract from a good view—which is often a major selling point. If you are worried about nosey neighbors, throw sheets over the windows,  just don’t forget to take them down when showing the home.

Painting is another cheap way to make a home look new. A fresh coat of paint covers up any smells and marks on the walls and gives a room more appeal. If you are on a budget, consider just painting the trim or molds, it can give an added pop for very little time and money. At the very least, Fritschen says to paint the front door and entry hall.

Make sure all the bathrooms are mildew free with clean and smudge-free mirrors. Mirrors and bright lights can make a space seem larger.

When it comes to carpeting, Fritschen suggests fixing any holes, tears and stains. “If it’s really ugly carpeting then it’s worth it to change it.”

At the end of the day how much you spend to get your home buyer ready comes down to how much of a return on your investment you want. Be careful and research the cost and return on investment on any upgrades, fixes and repairs

"A really astute homeowner will work with a real estate agent to figure out what the comparables are and what they need to do to the home to bring the value higher,” says Fritschen.

Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/08/08/free-ways-to-get-your-home-ready-to-sell/#ixzz22y7em0oL

Real Estate Recap: July 31, 2012

From the Baton Rouge Business Report, Real Estate Weekly:

By the numbers: The percentage of Baton Rouge homes in foreclosure fell to 2.36% in May, according to a report from CoreLogic, down from 2.39% from the month previous and 2.47% in May 2011. The local mortgage delinquency rate—that is, the percentage of home loans three months past due or more—also fell in May to 5.39%. That's down from 5.54% in April, and 5.59% a year ago. Daily Report has the full story here.

Game on: Pinnacle Entertainment plans to officially open the doors of its $368 million L'Auberge Casino & Hotel in Baton Rouge at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 29. Pinnacle says the grand opening will "feature memorable entertainment, dining experiences and an unveiling ceremony capped off with a stunning fireworks display." Details on entertainment specifics were not released but are expected as the opening date nears.

No finer place for sure: U.S.-based IT services firm Ameritas Technologies plans to open an "information technology center" in the Chase Tower South downtown. Ameritas says it will begin hiring in September, plans to open by October, and hopes to have 300 employees by 2016, with the jobs paying an average of $63,000 annually, plus benefits. The company was lured to Baton Rouge with an incentives package, the full details of which you can get from Daily Report here.

This week's poll question: If you built a new house, would you include energy-efficient and maintenance-free amenities?

Help keep Baton Rouge beautiful

Help keep Baton Rouge beautiful! Clean up day downtown this coming Saturday, July 21st from 8:00-10:00 a.m.

Tips for buying a house

From CNN Money

The top 10 things you need to know when buying a home.

1. Don't buy if you can't stay put.

If you can't commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, then owning is probably not for you, at least not yet. With the transaction costs of buying and selling a home, you may end up losing money if you sell any sooner - even in a rising market. When prices are falling, it's an even worse proposition.

2. Start by shoring up your credit.

Since you most likely will need to get a mortgage to buy a house, you must make sure your credit history is as clean as possible. A few months before you start house hunting, get copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you discover.

3. Aim for a home you can really afford.

The rule of thumb is that you can buy housing that runs about two-and-one-half times your annual salary. But you'll do better to use one of many calculators available online to get a better handle on how your income, debts, and expenses affect what you can afford.

4. If you can't put down the usual 20 percent, you may still qualify for a loan.

There are a variety of public and private lenders who, if you qualify, offer low-interest mortgages that require a down payment as small as 3 percent of the purchase price.

5. Buy in a district with good schools.

In most areas, this advice applies even if you don't have school-age children. Reason: When it comes time to sell, you'll learn that strong school districts are a top priority for many home buyers, thus helping to boost property values.

6. Get professional help.

Even though the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings, most new buyers (and many more experienced ones) are better off using a professional agent. Look for an exclusive buyer agent, if possible, who will have your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process.

7. Choose carefully between points and rate.

When picking a mortgage, you usually have the option of paying additional points -- a portion of the interest that you pay at closing -- in exchange for a lower interest rate. If you stay in the house for a long time -- say three to five years or more -- it's usually a better deal to take the points. The lower interest rate will save you more in the long run.

8. Before house hunting, get pre-approved.

Getting pre-approved will you save yourself the grief of looking at houses you can't afford and put you in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house. Not to be confused with pre-qualification, which is based on a cursory review of your finances, pre-approval from a lender is based on your actual income, debt and credit history.

9. Do your homework before bidding.

Your opening bid should be based on the sales trend of similar homes in the neighborhood. So before making it, consider sales of similar homes in the last three months. If homes have recently sold at 5 percent less than the asking price, you should make a bid that's about eight to 10 percent lower than what the seller is asking.

10. Hire a home inspector.

Sure, your lender will require a home appraisal anyway. But that's just the bank's way of determining whether the house is worth the price you've agreed to pay. Separately, you should hire your own home inspector, preferably an engineer with experience in doing home surveys in the area where you are buying. His or her job will be to point out potential problems that could require costly repairs down the road.

10 Summer Moving Tips

From REALTOR.com

 

How to prepare for a seamless transition

If you're moving this summer, the busiest season for moving, you know how daunting it can be. But if you create a blueprint for your move, the transition from house to house will go more smoothly.

Here are 10 things you can do to prepare for a seamless transition.

1. Full serve, partial serve or a do-it-yourself move. Can you do it alone or should you hire a licensed moving company for a full-service or partial-service move? This is one of the first and often most difficult questions soon-to-be moving households face. The answer depends on your lifestyle, household size, budget and amount of time you have to get everything accomplished. Get written quotes from at least three licensed moving companies so you know you’re getting the best deal based on your specific moving needs. Moving yourself or doing a partial-service move? Packing calculators can make it easier to estimate the amount of boxes and packing materials needed.

2. Plan to unpack BEFORE you pack. Take photos of each room in the new home before you arrive with furniture, plants, appliances and family in tow. Write down on a clip board where each item should go in your next home before packing, and carry it with you on moving day. List out the major items that need to be assembled first. As you place each item in its new room, cross it off the list and you will be one step closer to enjoying your new home.

3. Be strategic about packing. If you have more than a month to ‘pick up and move’, start early. Complete a free change of address and schedule utilities ahead of time at Moving.com. Start packing early. Whether it’s one room, one cabinet or a drawer at a time, weed through what may be years of accumulation. As you’re going through your belongings, divide everything into these helpful categories: donate to charity, give to a friend, recycle, trash, pack now, or keep handy until moving day. You’ll be surprised at how much you can donate, recycle or give to friends. And, you’ll not be overwhelmed with the task at hand three days before you move.

4. Moving is NOT child’s play. Plan ahead. Consider daycare on moving day, or get help from a friend or family member. Provide lunch or some other appropriate thank you gesture if you do call in a favor. If that’s not an option, prioritize setting up safe places for your children to play in the new home on moving day so they’re not underfoot. This will help everyone remain happy and calm on moving day.

5. Don’t fight with Fido. Sometimes we forget that all the packing and constant in-and-out of visitors is stressful for animals. Consider checking your pet into a daycare facility, or setting up a time for a friend to take them or check them into petday care. Don’t let your four-legged best friends get lost in the shuffle and remember to make day-of moving arrangements.

6. Keep track of small parts. Some items need to be broken down into pieces when moving, but do you know what to do with the small screws and washers that you end up with? Rather than tape them to the furniture, which can result in losing them, put everything in a baggie that is clearly marked and sealed. Keep all of the separate baggies together in one box on moving day and personally take it with you to your new home.

7. Take pictures of electronic hook-ups. Hooking up TVs, DVRs, home theater systems and computers can be challenging. Before unplugging any wires for the move, take a photo of the connections, print them out and label them in detail. This will create fewer headaches when setting up technology in the new home. Keep track of all loose wires using baggies or boxes that are clearly labeled, and personally carry these easy-to-lose items on moving day.

8. Packing cleaning products and toxins. Products such as detergents, pesticides and paint are heavy and unwieldy to pack. Dispose of as many as possible before the move in an eco-friendly way. Call your city’s waste disposal department for guidance on proper disposal. For items that must be transported, pack them in a small box within a larger box for protection against leaks. Don’t overstuff boxes with these items! Consider marking these boxes in a different color, and seal them extra tight. Keep them separate from the rest of the boxes, particularly if you have kids and pets.

9. Consider getting full value insurance protection. If using a professional mover, it may cost a few dollars extra, but it provides peace of mind and eliminates later annoyances. Investing in full value protection means any lost or damaged articles will be repaired or replaced, or a cash settlement will be made at current market value, regardless of age. It's important to note that the required minimum coverage of 60 cents per pound would not cover the replacement cost of more expensive items such as a flat screen TV if damaged in transit.

10. Know your rights. If using a professional mover, research your rights as a consumer with either the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for interstate moves or contact the state agency within the state in which you reside for moves within state. Also, enlist the help of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or local law enforcement if the moving company fails to live up to its promises or threatens to hold your belongings hostage. FMCSA requires interstate movers to offer arbitration to help settle disputed claims.

8718 Old Hammond Highway Home For Sale. 3583 sq ft - $489,900

This 4 bedroom 4.5 Bath home is simply a buyers dream. Open floor plan with a beautiful spacious kitchen with stainless steel appliances, brick floor pavers, tons of cabinet space, and a 47 ft granite counter top. The spacious living room has a wall of windows which allows a lot of natural lighting. Also has an office downtstairs. The master suite opens into a large master bath with a garden tub, separate shower, separate vanities and large walk in closets. Each additional bedroom is large with lots of closet space. There is also a bonus room upstairs perfect for children to play. New Orleans style back patio also makes this home great for entertaining. There is so much space and luxury in this home you won't want to miss this opportunity. Call Tim at 225-301-7467 to schedule a private showing.