Relocation advice- Metairie, Slidell, Picayune??? (New Orleans, Marrero: for sale, real estate, 2009)

[10squared71]

I am hoping to get some advice about relocating to the New Orleans area. I have been doing research and there is the fear of the unknown with many questions to be answered.

One of my biggest concerns is being able to get out of the city if a hurricane were to be a threat again. As an outsider looking in and someone that never dealt with hurricanes (I am from WI), Hurricane Katrina seemed to create chaos abound. I don't want to be somewhere where the only way out has been washed away. I read something about "staying above the I-10" for hurricane purposes. What does that mean? On the side that is closer to the Mississippi River or the Lake? In general, what areas flood more (not necessarily from a hurricane)?

As most people post on here...I need a neighborhood that is safe. I have read posts that "Old Metairie" is safe as far as crime stats go. Are there other safe areas? Are there places a single female would be less safe and should not look at?

I have also thought about living in Slidell or Picayune, MS and commuting to work in New Orleans. Slidell, however, seems to be quite a bit pricer than Metairie making it a bit out of my price range.

Picayune seems to be a viable option considering it is about an hour out from New Orleans, however, finding information on apartments/renting in Picayune is nearly impossible. I have found very few. I have also tried searching for a place to rent in Pearl River, LA, but didn't have much luck. Has the I-10 been fixed so that I could even get into New Orleans?

Any suggestions on these locations or any other places to look with reasonable rents (under $800/mo) and safe to live is welcomed. Please note that I am not familiar with the local lingo (i.e. what constitutes the West bank) so you would have to be specific enough by providing a city name so I could look it up on the map. Also, I don't want any place where I would have to travel the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.

[rgreenkrb]

Being above or below I-10 would not make a significant difference in the event of an evacuation. What you probably heard was stay above I-12, which cuts across the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Generally, the area north of I-12 is outside of the hurricane evacuation zone. Evacuations are called well in advance of a hurricane, and I don’t expect that any evacuation route would be washed away until after a hurricane strikes. The weather may be pleasant on the drive out of town. I agree that Old Metairie is one of the safer areas in the metro area. Factor in the price of gas & commute time when comparing against rents in Slidell or Picayune.

[Drouzin]

Hon, the chaos you saw was after the storm and involved those who stayed. The evacuation process for LA is mapped out and timed; Katrina's evacuation was the largest and most successful in US history. If you have a car and a credit card, you'll be fine getting out, (you won't like the traffic & gas lines though). Be sure to keep at least a 1/2 tank of gas or more in your car during hurricane season esp. Aug./Sept. and plan for what you're going to take with you, pics, clothes, etc.

I know this is going to sound insane to other NOLA area posters, but have you considered St. Bernard Parish, (Arabi, Chalmette, Meraux, etc.)? It's one of the safest in the area and is about a 20 min. ride to the CBD (central business district). I will warn you that the place was entirely flooded by Katrina, that it is a mere shadow of what it once was, filled with abandoned houses, and that street flooding in certain areas can occur for a hard rain.

The only reason I mention it to you is because you are single, looking to rent, and safety is an issue. If you got a 2nd floor apt. between St. Bernard Hwy. and Judge Perez Dr. your stuff would most likely survive any Katrina type storms. So for someone adventurous and willing to live in an area heavily affected by Katrina in order to be safe, this may be the place for you.

Honestly, you need to take some time to visit the metro area before you move here. Uptown, Esplanade Ridge, Mid-City, Metairie, and the North Shore are all pretty good options for you as well. Do your research on each area and talk with a local real estate broker for more details. Best wishes!

PS. Another big difference between above I-12 and below I-10, (evacuation vs. non-evacuation aside), are the homeowner's insurance rates.

[10squared71]

Thank you for the advice. I will actually be in NOLA for Jazz Fest and will be hunting around for possible places to live I really appreciate the feedback and any more that can be given.

[Micktooth]

I agree with the above poster. Don't worry too much about evacuations. Thankfully they don't happen too often. Hurricanes are not like tornadoes. There is time for an orderly evacuation when needed. Southern La has some of the best evac plans in the country. If you don't want to drive the Causeway, then I wouldn't recommend Slidell or Picayune for you. You will have to drive the "twin spans" over the water, similar to the Causeway but part of I10. River Ridge is a very nice and relatively safe area in Jefferson Parish. It should be a little less expensive than Old Metairie. I know there are some nice apartments called the "Creeks" there are several of them, just do a search. The zip is 70123.

[ADH1]

Hi there!

I lived on the Westbank for a very short time in 2005 until I was forced to leave. I evacuated immediately when first evacuations were called and got out just fine. You can't live your life in fear of a natural disaster. I am planning to move back there in 2009...I've got one year left here in Las Vegas. Belle Chasse is a nice little town considered part of Plaquemines Parish, which would be about a 30 minute commute to the city (if you are willing to drive) if you were on the north end of the town. I lived in the Forest Isle Apartments on the west bank as a single female. The westbank is on the other side of the Mississippi River...there is also a Ferry that you can take from Algiers (has a new charter school system and lots of houses for sale/on the westbank) that drops you off near the Riverwalk on the East Side. I am not sure what the population is like now in that complex, but felt safe when I was there 3 years ago. It is a guarded community. One of my best friends grew up in Marrero which from what she says is a great place too. Hope this gives you a little insight...let me know

[10squared71]

Ok, the fear of not being able to get out in the event of a hurricane has been dulled by the posts. I thank you much.

I did see that there is the drive over on the I-10 if I picked Slidell...I was just hoping that it was a bit more of a structure than the Causeway. From the pictures I've seen that Causeway seems to sit on the water. :-) And if there is a problem...YIKES! I wouldn't want to be on it.

There is still the concern of personal safety. I am not exactly from a small down in WI...we have our share of crime. And I am sure that if I were an outsider looking in, I might be concerned about where I am living too. But I, like any of the readers in NOLA and surrounding areas, know the lay of the land...where to go, what to avoid, places I can stay out later than in other areas. I apologize if I am being overly cautious, but all I have is what I am reading. It's a shame since NOLA is such a charming city....though I've only been to the tourist areas which seem to be the safest. And I loved the Warehouse District, but talk about high dollars for renting.

I thank all the ones that have responded so far as well as invite more comments.

[blueridgemama]

Hi. I don't live down there, but we are considering a move to the area. We visited Picayune and found it to be a decent little small town, but there seemed to be more pawn shops and second-hand stores than I expected for a town that size. Plus, I haven't heard good things about the schools there. Our drive to N.O. from Picayune put us into rush hour traffic, going into N.O. on I-10 when traffic was moving out. I can tell you that we moved relatively smoothly with only one slow down, but the outbound traffic seemed fairly gridlocked. That may be a concern if you are thinking of living out that way. As far as my experience living in (north) MS during Katrina, my friends and relatives in the coastal area were getting pretty dire warnings days in advance. Everything all over the news had warnings to leave, ESPECIALLY if you live in New Orleans proper. So if you heed the warnings, there shouldn't be an issue with getting out. But hurricanes of that magnitude and those very specific circumstances happen extremely rarely.

But anyway, if you like small towns and cheap real estate, you might consider some of the small coastal towns in MS. It would be closer than Picayune.

[Daisy8]

I know you said that you don't want to deal with the Causeway. I'm not sure what the reasoning is, but unless you are just terrified of bridges (in that case, you may want to reconsider south Louisiana!) let me tell you why we chose the Mandeville / Covington area.

Mandeville / Covington is one of the easiest areas to evacuate from. There are many ways in and out. Most of the area is much safer than other areas you mentioned in a hurricane as long as you are not right on the lake. We were here for Katrina just south of I-12, and no one anywhere around us had water or any flooding. Some people did have tree damage, but you can get that in a tornado or even a bad storm. I think most of the weaker trees went down or were cut down after Katrina anyway!

This area is VERY family friendly. The crime here is very low. The commute is one of the easiest, and I have lived in several suburbs here. Yes, the Causeway is long and a little boring to drive sometimes, but you would be surprised how quick that commute can be. Half the time, I'm listening to the radio, and I look up to realize I'm on the other side already.

As far as the price of real estate, right now is the BEST time to relocate as there are tons of homes on the market, and you can get a great deal. (My neighbors bought after Katrina, then had to relocate recently. They LOST $50,000 in order to sell.)

Mandeville and Covington are a little more expensive than Slidell or Picayune, but less expensive than Metairie, in my experience. That may have changed since Katrina, but if you look around here, you should be able to find something. If you do, it is worth not having to live amongst too much traffic, crime, and other things you mentioned.

Definitely don't rule out this area because of the bridge. I would venture to tell you that most commuters would say the same thing.

[ericard]

so if you don't want to cross the lake every day, I agree old metairie is your best bet. As far as where you can stay out late, anywhere!! lol New Orleans french quarter crime is not what you think. You're probably thinking hurricane Katrina,lol. It is fine to go during the day or to go to the clubs or bourbon. There are security outside pretty much every club. Metairie is fine to stay out late too. Not much crime, if any, going on where you would be going out in Metairie.

Hope this helps you.