Transfer to New Orleans/Belle Chase (Chalmette, Belle Chasse: condo, townhouse, live)

[Oildog]

I may be looking at a transfer to the New Orleans area, I'll be working with the refineries in the Chalmette/Belle Chasse areas. So I'm wondering where I should live. I currently own a home worth about 250k. I'm interested in a townhouse/condo or home. I'm single, late 30s, and no kids. Any areas to recommend? or to avoid? Prefer newer properties, I can go up on price but would prefer not to. Ability for resale is importatnt since I move 5-7 years.

[Drouzin]

Seeing how you are interested in resale value, I would avoid the Chalmette/St. Bernard area. Katrina wiped the entire parish out and there are tons of gutted/damaged/flipped properties on the market. Not to mention the place is still kinda hurtin' from K, (Do I get an academy award for that subtle understatment?)

If you are wanting to be near the refinaries, I would recommend the Westbank; you could take the ferry to get to Chalmette/St. Bernard. I will advise that there will be days when you'll have to take the bridge because the ferry can close due to bad weather, etc., but for the most part you could take the Belle Chasse or Chalmette ferry to avoid downtown traffic.

[Oildog]

Originally Posted by Drouzin

Seeing how you are interested in resale value, I would avoid the Chalmette/St. Bernard area. Katrina wiped the entire parish out and there are tons of gutted/damaged/flipped properties on the market. Not to mention the place is still kinda hurtin' from K, (Do I get an academy award for that subtle understatment?)

If you are wanting to be near the refinaries, I would recommend the Westbank; you could take the ferry to get to Chalmette/St. Bernard. I will advise that there will be days when you'll have to take the bridge because the ferry can close due to bad weather, etc., but for the most part you could take the Belle Chasse or Chalmette ferry to avoid downtown traffic.

I think I will be working closer to Alliance. I dont want to be near the refineries, hopefully 30 keeping the commute to 30 min or so. Are the ferries faster than the bridge from the Quarter? Im not as much worried about value, just ability to sell should the inevitable transfer come.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

The ferries are much faster. I had an employee who lived on the Westbank near the ferry. When he got called out in the middle of the night, he could get there in 15 min. If it was foggy he refused the call-out as the bridge would take him 45 min. He tought it was worth it on clear nights as he got a 3 hr minimum pay for the call-out.

[lisaheindel]

If you decide on the West Bank, Belle Chasse is a pretty easy resale. There are plenty of military folks coming in and out of there each year to the base.