Where to live in BR? (New Orleans, Baton Rouge: apartments, rentals, homes)

[lulu9837]

Hi all!

I am a New Orleans native who has been living in Texas since Katrina. I'd really like to move back to Louisiana, and now I have a job offer in Baton Rouge.

Problem is, I know zero about housing in Baton Rouge. I want to make sure I can find someplace safe and affordable to live before I commit. Can anybody recommend some good areas to check out? Looking for a family-friendly neighborhood (we have a 2-year-old) with decent schools and relatively inexpensive homes/rentals. I would be working at Ochsner on Bluebonnet, so it would be really nice to be somewhere fairly close by in order to minimize the commute.

Thanks!

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by lulu9837

Hi all!

I am a New Orleans native who has been living in Texas since Katrina. I'd really like to move back to Louisiana, and now I have a job offer in Baton Rouge.

Problem is, I know zero about housing in Baton Rouge. I want to make sure I can find someplace safe and affordable to live before I commit. Can anybody recommend some good areas to check out? Looking for a family-friendly neighborhood (we have a 2-year-old) with decent schools and relatively inexpensive homes/rentals. I would be working at Ochsner on Bluebonnet, so it would be really nice to be somewhere fairly close by in order to minimize the commute.

Thanks!

With a child, the issue is whether you want to live in East Baton Rouge Parish NOW (and have to move in a couple of years before school starts) or whether you want to get a place to live in Ascension. I'm saying Ascension right off because it's WAY simpler to commute from Prairieville to Ochsner than to commute from Denham Springs or Central.

If you want to choose Ascension, there are scores of subdivisions along the LA 73 exit in Prairieville, as well as new apartments at LA 30 and I-10 (across the Interstate from Tanger). For Baton Rouge, there are subdivisions up Bluebonnet of varying ages which are pretty decent. There are also apartments down Bluebonnet near Perkins that are pretty nice. And a mixture of apartments and garden homes on Summa Avenue down the street from Ochsner.

[rabbitfish]

I agree with BRMan... Ascension Parish near Dutchtown might be the best bargain combined with decent schools. You might find Baton Rouge a bit pricey compared to Texas (depending on where in Texas). When you find cheaper rentals, you'll usually find a little higher crime.

[lulu9837]

Guys, thanks for the information! I am going to check out the Prairieville/Dutchtown area, it sounds like a good fit for our needs.

BRman, you talked about some good subdivisions near Bluebonnet and some apts/garden homes on Summa -- can you pass on any specific subdivision or complex names? I'd like to check some of these out too. I have been looking at ads for apts and homes in that general area on the Internet, but without really knowing the area it's hard to tell what is good, what is bad, etc.

Thanks again!

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by lulu9837

Guys, thanks for the information! I am going to check out the Prairieville/Dutchtown area, it sounds like a good fit for our needs.

BRman, you talked about some good subdivisions near Bluebonnet and some apts/garden homes on Summa -- can you pass on any specific subdivision or complex names? I'd like to check some of these out too. I have been looking at ads for apts and homes in that general area on the Internet, but without really knowing the area it's hard to tell what is good, what is bad, etc.

Thanks again!

Don't know the apartment names on Summa. The ones near Bluebonnet/Perkins are Turnberry Place and Park On Bluebonnet. For good subdivisions, there is Jefferson Terrace and Westminister. Jeff Terrace is roughly everything bordered by Bluebonnet, I-10, and Jefferson Highway, with a mixture of "old" and new infill development. Westminister is on Jefferson Highway at I-12 at the end of Drusilla.

The only areas I'd watch near Ochsner are seedy apartments on Perkins/Essen behind the Calendars.

[southland]

A child and you work on Bluebonnet....

Go with Ascension Parish after they get old enough for school. Right now, great rentals can be found on Summa that is within walking distance to Oshner.