So I fell in love with New Orleans this year..... (Lafayette: rental market, homeowners insurance)

[Miami-dadedread]

....and I know that this probably sounds like the typical thread, but after giving a long hard thought about it, I want New Orleans to be my home

Besides the raggedy streets i love just about everything about New orleans, but i have the typical questions to ask

To those who live by themselves, how much is your typical water/electricity bill? i come from miami (looks at username ) where traffic is probably top 3 worst in the country, but to those who have made their way to new orleans from other larger metro areas how does the traffic compare for you? I planned on staying Uptown where the St. Thomas once was (river garden apts) or new orleans east but how do the two areas compare? How is car insurance to you guys? I work in the healthcare field, to those who work as RNs, respiratory therapist, is/has it been easy job hunting?

I know i have a million questions but I'm trying to be prepared for this move

[Pook77]

I can't answer your other questions but I can tell you that, unless you have significant experience in your healthcare specialty, jobs are difficult to come by. Even then, it's a struggle. It's a bit easier as an RN but the job market for respiratory therapists is rather oversaturated right now. Unless you're a physician, it's slim pickings right now. It's also difficult to even get an interview at a facility unless you know someone there. Not complaining, but just letting you know that I'm fighting that battle right now and it's frustrating. Also, trust me when I say to do your research on the area hospitals/health care facilities.

If you can, hold off moving until you officially have a job. Too many people move here thinking jobs are plentiful (I hear "New Orleans needs my help!" way too often) then struggle for months - just read back on this forum - even people with advanced degrees are having serious issues. I also know people in this situation - not fun.

[Orestes]

I can echo Pook77's post. We (my wife and I) were planning our move back to LA from NV earlier this year. We had most recently been in the Lafayette area before leaving, but since my background is New Orleans, that's where we were headed.

My wife is an experienced RN and was having a ton of trouble actually getting a position in one of her preferred areas. There are tons of positions listed, and she was even offered a couple. However, they were in areas that she would prefer to stay away from (i.e. telemetry or med/surg). Please don't get the idea that she thinks she's too good for those areas. She's done them and would return to them if there were no options. Fortunately for us, her former employer in Lafayette was altogether happy to have her back in NICU (and my work is already based out of Lafayette).

To complicate things, we weren't exactly thrilled with the rents we were finding in New Orleans proper. You can call us picky if you want. I've lived there, have lots of family there and still own a house there (rent to family). All the areas that have the 'amenities' we want were not competitively priced with comparables from other areas (Lafayette or NV).

I still love New Orleans and visit as often as possible. I'm not sure what's responsible for the complications (rents/employment) we encountered. I'd encourage you to give it a whole-hearted shot and see if it works out for you. Your particular circumstances may make it possible. Good luck.

[aab7855]

I wouldn't live in River Gardens or New Orleans East. River Gardens certainly is an up and coming area, but to me it still lacks true New Orleans character. If you really love the vibe of the city and are willling to put up with its cons (well, you do live in Miami so I think you can adapt) to me it doesn't make sense to live in a brand new gentrified complex designed for yuppies. Sure, they recreate the N.O. style architecture, but it's not real. And the immediate vicinity is still ghetto.

New Orleans East, aside from a few gated subdivisions, is a total pit. It's WAY below sea level and even after they rebuilt the levees it's been said that another storm could inundate the East with the same levels of water as Katrina (10-20 feet). Most of the houses are boring generic brick Americana slab homes, and despite its suburban feel the crime is bad there. The East is one of the murder zones. Not to mention Katrina's footprint is still very evident there. Only now is the city trying to reopen a hospital there. Only some businesses are functioning.

If you've got your heart set on River Gardens, then go for it. You could really make a good experience out of it. But avoid the East! True New Orleans areas with character are the university/Audubon area, Algiers Point, Old Gretna (outside of city limits), the Upper and Lower Garden Districts, the Carrolton area, City Park area, the Faubourg Maringy, etc. Hope that helped.

[waitingtundra]

Homeowners insurance has gone threw the roof in the New Orleans area, causing a 4 to 1,000$ increase in rents a month, ask a homeowner if you don't believe me, then property taxes have jumped cosiderable. This is the reason for high rents.

Car insurance is the highest in the country, course many of our former insurance commisioners and a bunch of our elected officials are in the federal pen, someone has to pay for all the money they stole.

The economy has hung in there for a long time as the rest of the country has suffered. The bad economy is finaly here and it's rough, not as bad as miami and florida in general or vegas, but remember Louisiana is generaly the last to go in recession and the last to come out. Good luck with the job hunt, i'd say go for it, the traffic can be heavy but nothing compared to Miami, Houston, or Atlanta except for Hurricane Evacuations which is another topic entirely just know when it's time to leave,leave.

[Pook77]

After Katrina, our homeowners insurance jumped to $4,000/year with an additional $1,000 for flood. With other companies besides the state now writing policies, it's gone down by about $1,000 but this is in the suburbs. Our previous home in the Midwest ran us $500-700/year in homeowners.

I can't remember what car insurance was before we moved here but right now we pay $700 every 6 months for 2 vehicles - a 2004 and a 2007, nothing big or fancy. Keep in mind that moving from out of state, you'll be expected to pay the state tax on your vehicle in order to get your plates here. My 2007 2 door Ford Focus ran me $725 to transfer. I think it's based on what you paid for your vehicle, but it's still a large expense to consider.

[waitingtundra]

My insurance never jumped to 4,000, but this year it went to 3800, got a private company to write for a little over 3,000. My flood has stayed about the same. Before Katrina it was 800 a year. Sure hope to not get another storm, never be able to pay another 3 times what I'm paying now. Hey, OP are you feeling like a naw awleenin yet?

[Orestes]

Good point, I totally forgot to factor insurance into the rent situation. To be fair though, the insurance on the house we own didn't hit us quite as hard as is described here. But I don't doubt anyone else's information.

I can see how insurance in some areas could account for some of the inflated rents. I guess the overall inflation of the rental market is a reflection of those who must charge higher rent combined with those who can charge higher rent to keep up.

[waitingtundra]

Oh it's no joke, and don't forget while my property yaxes have tripled in the las 5 years there still low, as I homestead exempt th first 75,000 , now your landloard can exempt none of this so you can factor in another 1,500$'s or more a year, southeast Louisiana is not a bargain it once was.

[Prytania]

There is nothing wrong with River Garden...eventually you do have to build something new...and River Garden is far better than most.