Relocating to LA - need some help :) (New Orleans, Baton Rouge: real estate, houses)

[Seabreezeme2]

Need some help from some locals. We are being relocated due to my husbands job (he works for a large phosphate company) from Central Florida (outside of Tampa). I need help in deciding where to look for homes. We are in our early 40's with two kids (ages 9 and 11). We currently live a terrific neighborhood with top schools in the state.
So far my search includes Gonzalez, Prairieville, Dutchtown. We are looking the at homes in the $250,000-$300,000 range. Of course, the most important thing is to find a great school for the kiddos.
Any help in narrowing down our search and any general tips to ease our transition would be greatly appreciated.

[annie_himself]

I lived in Prairieville for about 9 years. great schools. As well as Dutchtown. I went to Prairieville Middle and Dutchtown High. Lots of building in that area too. Close to amenities in south Baton Rouge and on the closer side of the metro to New Orleans. If you don't mind suburbia, great place to live.

[Seabreezeme2]

Thanks Annie-Himself for the reply. How big are the schools in that area? Where we live now the middle school has about 1300 kids and the elementary about 1100. But they are really great schools. We live in surbubia now, I think. Big master planned community set in a rural area. It takes us about 20 mins to get to a mall or large shopping center. I grew up in a really rural area in the mountains of West Virginia so I know what real rural is. Any suggestions for communities there?

[MetroBTR]

Originally Posted by Seabreezeme2

Thanks Annie-Himself for the reply. How big are the schools in that area? Where we live now the middle school has about 1300 kids and the elementary about 1100. But they are really great schools. We live in surbubia now, I think. Big master planned community set in a rural area. It takes us about 20 mins to get to a mall or large shopping center. I grew up in a really rural area in the mountains of West Virginia so I know what real rural is. Any suggestions for communities there?

Gonzales has a large Tanger Outlet Mall. Being in Ascension Parish would also put you at a pretty easy drive to the amenities in southeast Baton Rouge like the Mall of Louisiana and Perkins Rowe (during non-peak travel times, of course). It sounds like you are looking in all the right areas based on what you want out of a home.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Seabreezeme2

Thanks Annie-Himself for the reply. How big are the schools in that area? Where we live now the middle school has about 1300 kids and the elementary about 1100. But they are really great schools. We live in surbubia now, I think. Big master planned community set in a rural area. It takes us about 20 mins to get to a mall or large shopping center. I grew up in a really rural area in the mountains of West Virginia so I know what real rural is. Any suggestions for communities there?

I can't remember how big the middle school is. I would say around 1000 students? I could be off by a few hundred though. Dutchtown is the largest, I want to say 4000 for some reason. The school grew tremendously after Katrina.

The Mall of Louisiana is just a short drive away, about 10-15 minutes depending on where you move. Tanger Outlet Mall is about the same distance in the other direction. Perkins Rowe is about 15-20 minutes and is an urban lifestyle center, shopping, theater, live music, and restaurants.

There aren't any planned communities but you could find a nice home in subdivisions like Oaks on the Bluff, Manchac Plantation, and Manchac Harbor. Below is a list of houses on the market in Prairieville subdivisions:
Subdivisions in PRAIRIEVILLE - Baton Rouge Louisiana Real Estate C J BROWN Realtors