Another one Sold! Three bedroom Home Colfax LA! After a lengthy time on the market with two other firms, Bayou Properties Realty was able to bring 900 Sixth Street to a successful closing. Though the rural location made marketing a challenge, the smile on the seller's face made the efforts worthwhile.  The young buyers seemed eager to get started with the home renovations. My guess is they stopped by Lowes AND Home Depot before heading to their new home. And the seller? She was doing the closing happy dance! There's nothing like a happy closing to cap a busy week in real estate land.  Ready to do your own "closing happy dance"? Call Doug Rogers with Bayou Properties Realty today (318) 613-1994.   06/29/2012

Mid-Century Modern Home Alexandria La--Price Reduced--  Searching for a home with character in Alexandria, La? 505 Kimball is a perfect example of Mid-Century Modern architecture. Smooth flow from room to room, floor to ceiling windows, and a nice blend of indoor and outdoor living spaces mark this build style.   Are you fond of built-in cabinets, pocket doors, and really neat period tile? If so, 505 Kimball is a must see. For only 137,500 dollars you could call this Mid-Century Modern home!  Call Doug Rogers with Bayou Properties Realty today (318) 613-1994 for a private tour. 06/27/2012

 I met this young couple at one of my foreclosure listings. After a brief tour, we decided to search for something more move in ready. In a few short weeks, 302 North Spring Drive in Woodworth hit their radar.  And really, what's not to love? Minutes from Alexandria, yet outside the reach of high city utility bills and taxes. The property has been recently updated including a brand new roof!  What was not updated in the home? Well, to be honest the dining room light was straight out of Walmart circa 1997. But a quick stop by Home Depot and this Realtor took care of that problem. Now every time they dine fond thoughts of me will enter their head.  To say they were fun to work with would be an under statement. That's Adam riding the aligtor. His wife Jillian can be seen on the bench, fac... 06/27/2012

 Take a look at this lovely Fall picture. The grass is dormant, there was a chill in the air, and the day mercifully ended before 8 pm.  I type this lovely post at 945pm. The first call came in at 8:03 this morning (required an Iphone scroll to look up), and hopefully the last one just ended. There were showings, property management, a listing call, pretty much a real estate buffet.  Am I complaining? Nope, sure beats NOT being busy. But i'm sweaty, my head hurts, and there is no beer in the house so I have a right to complain.  I'll get some sleep, charge the old Iphone, and hopefully get in a 6am run. And with luck step out of the shower into another busy day. Summer real estate practice: Not for the faint of heart! 06/21/2012

Home For Rent in West Alexandria 71303--  Searching for a three bedroom home for rent in West Alexandria, La? 446 Lula lane offers an open floor-plan, new ceramic tile flooring, and a large backyard for a reasonable price.  The living room and dining area combine for one large space, perfect for entertaining. There are multiple windows to allow plenty of natural light.  The 18inch ceramic tile continues from the living room into all bedrooms. 446 Lula lane is completely carpet free! The location off Jackson Street Extension is also located minutes from shopping and entertainment options. For only 825 dollars per month, you can live in this West Alexandria home. Call Doug Rogers with Bayou Properties Realty today at (318) 613-1994 for your private tour. 06/20/2012

 As I hung up the phone I couldn't help but giggle. The caller was a friend from church who wanted me to list his home. The thought of planting my sign in the yard brought a grin to my face normally reserved for old British comedies. What gives, am I that hard up for listing inventory? Well yes, but that's another blog post...  This listing is a few houses down from one of my competitors. As he lives deeper in the subdivision, he will see my sign every time he comes or goes. How do I know this stings so much? Am I the "Mac Daddy" who goes from subdivision to subdivision planting signs near competing agents? Not by a long shot.  In fact one day the girls and I were sprucing up the front yard. Two houses down one of my agent friends pulled into the driveway and planted her sign. As I pul... 06/19/2012

 People take pride in their homes. There's something about giving 1/4 of your gross pay to a mortgage lender that makes folk proud of their palace. But not all upgrades equal value come time to sell. Let's look at some of the worst offenders... 1) The Above Ground Pool-- Why dig a hole and pour cement when you can go to WalMart and call it a day. Don't forget the upgraded plastic ladder of dramatic effect. Seriously have you seen the ring of death this glorified Zip-lock bags leave behind? 2) "Plush Carpet Padding"-- Why settle for the standard pad when the Home Improvement store has something better? One seller insisted that his plush pad should add ten dollars a square foot. He even persuaded me into taking my shoes off so that I could better experience luxury. Another agent listed t... 06/17/2012

 Working with first time buyers, a common request is to pack as many homes into a single tour as possible. After all, we want to buy ASAP, so why not knock out 12 homes in one day. Let's examine why packing that many properties in one outing is a bad idea. 1) There's a reason House Hunters only shows three homes-- Ever wondered why the producers have the buyers pick from the best of three? Any more and features tend to run together. Which house had the nice walk in closet? Who can remember? I have seen such confusion more times than I care to comment on. 2) It's hot in Louisiana-- Showing homes when the sun is up? It's going to be hot and humid, regardless of what the clock says. 3) Showing more than six homes is a logistical nightmare-- When making reservations we request blocks of ti... 06/15/2012

 Later this month Bayou Properties Realty will order another batch of signs. Frankly the listing rush has caught me off guard and I should have ordered some reserves earlier in the year. Oh well, if we must have problems...  At my old firm we used the mac-daddy signs. You know, the ones that had to be disassembled in order to fit in a Jeep. When we opened our shop last year, I grudgingly agreed to use the smaller signs.  Frankly the smaller ones make life easy. Slap one in the back seat and off to listing land we go! And I have yet to have a client complain about the compact design.  Still, there's something about a sign that shows up on Google Earth. Perhaps it's due to being a native Texan, but bigger does seem better. Thoughts??? 06/13/2012

 Depending on the seller's time frame, it may be necessary to move prior to the listing going under contract. With bills from both homes flowing in, the natural tendency is to seek ways to cut cost. Let's examine why turning off utilities is a bad idea... 1) It gets hot in the South-- With the outside temperature over 90, how hot do you think it is inside? I've literally felt the hot air hit me when opening the front door. My buyers aren't sweating because of the fancy crown molding... 2) Dark Rooms are Scary-- During the summer buyers often tour homes after work. As such, we tend to look well into the evening. While a dark house is great for a mystery tour, do you really want your home to be remembered as the one "with the scary bedrooms"? 3) No climate control means your house cooks ... 06/12/2012

 "You told me the inspector was a pro, but you failed to mention that his report is 44 pages long. What the heck am I suppose to do with this"?  Nothing will deflate a buyer faster than a giant inspection report. After all, could anything positive come from a report that resembles a Lord of The Rings novel? Relax, inspection reports are long because, well they need to be. Let's take a look at how to approach an inspection report... 1) Collect more information if needed-- Got a question for the inspector? Don't be afraid to call him/her. Sometimes a quick clarification call can save a good deal of stress. 2) Call in the experts-- The home inspector is a generalist. His job is to point out potential problems and encourage you to them call in an expert. A home inspector will never say, "y... 06/10/2012

3 Bedroom Home For Sale Alexandria Garden District 71301--  Searching for the PERFECT Alexandria Garden District home? 2308 Marye Street features 3 bedrooms, period details, and a fenced backyard for only 132,500 dollars! The wood floors will be a source of pride for the lucky new owner. High ceilings and fresh paint make the living room a focal point for entertaining.  The kitchen at 2308 Marye features plenty of storage space and modern appliances. Enjoy the charm of a historic home but retain the convenience of modern living.  One can own an Alexandria Garden District home without any outdoor entertaining space, but why would you? 2308 Marye boasts a covered back porch perfect for year round entertaining.  Ready to tour this Alexandria Garden District charmer? Call Doug Rogers with B... 06/05/2012

 Please excuse my week-long absence from the ActiveRain community. But with a view like this who could blame me? I honestly brought the laptop with the plan of working a couple of afternoons. Thanks to my great business partner I was able to almost completely unplug for the whole week.  The week featured much fresh ice cream. Mable Slab, Cold Stone, and Shakes offered all sorts of treats. My youngest loved the in-house waffle cones. You won't find anything like this in our home town.  The sugar-white Destin sand was perfect for making your siblings disappear. But the sand was so relaxing she actually fell asleep while her sisters did this!  Did you know that two of my kids are no longer eligible for the children's menu? Me either! A semi-fancy dinner for six was eye-watering expensive.... 06/03/2012

 The negotiations proceeded smoothly and the home sailed through the inspection process without a glitch. Title work is now complete and the two sides are almost ready to close. But wait! Uncle Joe says that prices are about to tank nation wide. According to Joe and his coffee buddies, that home you are buying will be worthless before Thanksgiving.  What's Uncle Joe's advice? Don't sign of course! Just like buying a car, you ain't liable for nuthin until you sign at closing. But much like his Y2k predictions, Uncle Joe is wrong again. Let's see what may happen in Louisiana if a buyer backs out after the inspection period... 1) The seller may agree to cancel the transaction-- If a backup offer is available, the seller may agree to let the buyer go. Of course the agents may still be enti... 05/22/2012

Home For Sale In The Alexandria Garden District--Price Reduced  Searching for old world charm, but not ready to sacrifice modern living? 1739 Thornton Court features just the right blend of historic charm and modern updates. Most rooms features stunning hardwood flooring and original fixtures. Imagine the grand parties this home must have hosted. With such elegance, odds are this property will have an active social calender! Imagine strolling down the steps to greet your dinner guests. Just like past owners of 1739 Thornton Court have been doing for generations! Don't let the home's elegance fool you. 1739 Thornton Court is built for living. Light colors and high ceilings make for comfortable day to day living.  Now you know why they call it the Garden District! All that's missing is th... 05/20/2012

3 bedroom Home For Rent in Alexandria La--  Searching for a 3 bedroom rental home in Alexandria La? 3424 Prescott street has been updated with fresh paint, new fixtures, refinished hardwood flooring, and a new central AC system.  Take a look at these hardwood floors. Who wants nasty, rental grade carpet when you can enjoy such timeless beauty? These lovely floors can be found in every room expect the kitchen and bathroom.  Tired of cramped apartment living with no private green space? 3424 Prescott features a large back yard with mature hardwood trees. Crave fresh produce? This home features mature fig and satsuma trees for you to enjoy!  Sky-high utility costs giving you the summer blues? This 3 bedroom rental features a central air condition system that is under a year old! What will ... 05/19/2012

Home For Sale in Good Earth Subdivision, Alexandria Louisiana--  Looking for a houses for sale in Good Earth Subdivision? This West Alexandria home features 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. Combine this with great location/school zones and you have a must see property.  The kitchen features updated ceramic tile counters and plenty of storage space. Bring on the holiday cooking season!  Need a separate space for a home office, or perhaps a dedicated workout room? 5617 Demeter has a lovely sunroom with plenty of windows for natural light. Ceiling fans and a separate air condition system help keep this space comfortable year round.  Homes in Good Earth Subdivision go quickly. Priced at 140,000 dollars the mortgage on 5617 Demeter is likely cheaper than what most people pay for rent.  Ready... 05/17/2012

Mid-Century Modern Home For Sale in Alexandria Louisiana Price Reduced--  Ready to own a home in Alexandria, Louisiana with character? Consider this nice Mid-Century Modern for sale in the Alexandria Garden District. Historic charm, lovely oaks, and loads of character for only 149,900 dollars! With large windows and an easy flow from room to room, Mid-Century Moderns attempt to blur the line between indoors and out. Enjoy the outdoor view and a fresh cup of Community Coffee from the comfort of your living room. Buyers in Alexandria will have a tough time finding such a thoughtful design in this price range.  There's no shag carpet at 505 Kimball! The flooring and walls feature a timeless style. What was hip in 1962 remains classic today. Try doing that with Berber carpet!  Ready to tour... 05/13/2012

Luxury Homes For Sale In Alexandria Louisiana 71303-- Searching for Luxury homes for sale in Alexandria Louisiana? Thanks to a strong local economy and low rates homes in the 245k-360k price range continue to move. Let's see how the luxury home market has fared in the past twelve months. Homes For Sale- There are currently 21 properties for sale in West Alexandria from 245k-359k. With an average price of 294,100 dollars your home buyer dollar goes a long way in Central Louisiana. Homes That Have Sold--   In the past 12 months 37 homes have closed in the 245k-359k price range. Home sellers in West Alexandria are averaging a brisk 136 days on the market. Need more reason to cheer? Homes for sale in West Alexandria are commanding close to 109 dollars per square foot. Welcome to the late Sp... 05/03/2012

 Like salmon seeking their breeding ground, or moths flying to the light, buyers are drawn to the almighty refrigerator. This appliance is the holy grail of home buying. Include it and there will be much rejoicing, excluded it and the listing may be more stale than season 19 of Wheel of Fortune.  And it's not just the refrigerator. How's that sixteen year old Craftsman mower? Think the sellers would "throw it in". And God forbid if you are showing homes in the South. That rusty old boat that hasn't floated since Noah's flood? Better ask for it as well.  Who cares about the brand new thirty year roof. Double-pane windows you say? Those are for liberals! Tell me more about the go-cart in the garage. Think we can find a replacement engine on Ebay?  Even seasoned buyers fall to the siren-s... 05/01/2012