Pointe Coupee Real Estate Professionals Ready to Help
The August thunderstorms that dumped more than 25 inches of rain over southeastern Louisiana resulted in widespread flooding and damage to more than 110,000 homes and businesses.
Now that the floodwaters have receded and the cleanup process is underway, families are just starting to get a better picture of where things stand, and are beginning to plan for the future.
With the uncertainty around insurance coverage, federal aid, and changes to local building codes, now may be the time to start a relationship with a licensed real estate agent.
Agents often begin the process by assessing each family's unique situation, and working to better understand their client's needs. From there, agents review the available options with their clients, and help them navigate the process of buying, selling, or renting a home.
Determining the fair price of a home is essential to sellers and buyers alike. Because of their experience in the market, most real estate agents are able to determine a home's value within minutes of walking through the door, and how the neighborhood will influence that value over time.
"If you're selling, a good real estate agent will make sure you get the best price for your home. For those in the market for a new home, we already know what's out there, and will work with you to find exactly what you're looking for - at the right price," according to realtor and chamber member Sara Gummow.
There are several factors people often consider when looking for a home. "It can be intimidating," added Gummow. "...but this is our area of expertise, and we've had our fingers on the pulse of the market long before our clients begin their search."
Licensed agents are not only able to provide data on local home sales, but can also bring assets to the deal that come from years of watching similar transactions in the neighborhood.
Businesses are also faced with the daunting question of whether to rebuild, and in many cases, whether they should look at temporary or permanent relocation.
The advantages of working with real estate professionals are similar for businesses eyeing relocation. Economic Development Director Les Cantrell explains that data influencing the current market value of a site may be misleading "if you don't have the experience to understand the longer-term trends in an area. It's important to be positioned for growth."
"For small to medium sized businesses, we've got an excellent group of real estate professionals in the Chamber that are incredibly good at what they do, and can help you find the perfect location. Larger businesses should also take a look at any of our nine 'Certified Sites' in the Parish. These are properties where we've done all of the due diligence, and streamlined the process from closing the sale to beginning operations. The first step is giving us a call, and we can point you in the right direction," added Cantrell.
"We were relatively fortunate in Pointe Coupee. While there were some neighborhoods and businesses that experienced localized flooding, we didn't experience the widespread damage that occurred other parishes," according to Chamber President Arthur Ewing.
"We want people to know that with both our natural and manmade drainage infrastructure, Pointe Coupee is well-suited to cope with these types of rain events. This is also a great place to live, raise a family, and start a business. It's also convenient that we're only 30 minutes from Baton Rouge, and you can avoid the traffic getting there using the new Audubon Bridge," added Ewing.
To find more information on local real estate professionals, or for more information on the Certified Site program, please visit the Pointe Coupee Chamber of Commerce website at http://www.pcchamber.org. Click on the 'Membership Directory' under 'Membership' on the home page.
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