Moving to the NOLA area (New Orleans, Metairie: rent, insurance, houses)

[Bayeaux]

Moving to the northshore - commuting to Metairie daily. Looking at a house that backs up to Salmen High School football field. Thoughts about the area? Was the area flooded in Katrina? Other pros/cons? Thanks.

[aab7855]

YES! Salmen was indundated horribly during Katrina, it by and large fared the worst of all the Northshore schols. Additionally, I would imagine your commute would be horrible to and from those locations. The bridge to Mandeville/Covington leads straight into Metairie and is a feasible commute, but Slidell's bridge across the lake links up to the far reaches of New Orleansd East, which is nowhere near Metairie. You can drive to Mandeville and then cross the bridge, but that is still a really long way. I know I'll get cruxified for saying this but I've always thought of Slidell as being the trashiest city on the Northshore. The irony of this also lies in the fact that most (but not all) neighborhoods on the Southshore that flooded tended to be poorer, but the areas in Slidell closest to the lake are often high dollar but take a massive storm surge during major hurricanes. Some of the areas further inland and away from surges are just plain redneck. I went to Waffle House near Northshore High School once and thought I was somewhere in Missisippi, not 40 minutes from downtown New Orleans. Alright, go ahead and bring the criticism on me, but I'm here to help this poster and tell it how it is.

[ElenaAlexandra]

I personally like your straighforward "it is how it is" style... plus nothing wrong with trashy or redneck, thats just how it is

[aab7855]

Thank you Elena.. but I did a little research and I may have overstated the commuting difficulties, however. Mapquest has Slidell to Metairie at 45 minutes, and Mandeville to Metairie at 37, but that's only because I-10 drivers can go 70+ most of the way and the Causeway from Mandeville is 55 MPH I believe. But you're looking at much higher mileage coming from Slidell, and if there is an accident or something of that nature along such a busy route (you're talking across the lake, through New Orleans East, into Gentilly, past downtown New Orleans, Mid-City, Lakeview, THEN cross into traffic infested Metairie. The Causeway from Mandeville to Metairie is <Mandeville>------Longest lake you will ever drive across--------<"downtown" Metairie>.


That being said, if you really want Slidell there are perfectly fine spots there. I'm not intimately familiar with all the areas there, but I'm pretty certain that the Katrina flooding stopped north of Old Spanish Trail in Slidell. You probably don't want to live in New Orleans proper if you're looking at the Northshore, but if you would be up for city living, I can assure you, living in New Orleans can be one of the greatest experiences ever. The "reverse commute" up I-10 to Metairie for work rather than vice versa isn't too bad. Mandeville is pretty pricey these days, and has become hyper-suburban, with its main drag resembling a giant strip mall with a lot of pine trees.

A good compromise between the city and the Northshore would be to just live in Metairie. It's not a bad area; it's diverse, has somewhat of a city-like feel for being a suburb, and has a lot of shopping (albeit chain) options. It's where Uptown New Orleanians find affordable deals, because you can't find them in the small shops in the city! The rent is much more affordable, I'm sure you can find Slidell prices for places. If you're concerned about schools Metairie/Jefferson Parish has selective admissions public schools that are second to none. The Northshore I don't believe has selective admissions schools per se but their regular schools are really good.

[Bayeaux]

Thanks for your advice - anything I can get is helpful. I lived on the Westbank 20 years ago, but don't think I want to raise my kids there (8 & 9yos). Kenner is a possibility, maybe Metairie ... but most say to move to the Northshore. I'm a little concerned about the commute, but will get up earlier for my family to be in a better place.

I guess some questions I should ask are what to look for in a home that might have been flooded, how high is flood insurance in "A" zones, and what are selective admission schools? Oh, and where should I be for the best kids athletics?

Thanks again.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Jefferson Parish has 2 schools that require testing, Metairie Academy for elementary and a middle school that I can't remember the name of. Admission is based on test scores mostly; the process starts in the Fall for the next year. My granddaughter went to Metairie Academy and loved it; they now live in Texas. Uniforms are required and bus service is provided, but not as extensively as a regular school. It's also free.

I lived in Metairie for 32 years and liked it. Some areas flooded but many did not. Harahan is a popular choice these days.

[Bayeaux]

All this being said, If I were looking for a couple of acres w/ a house that doesn't have a popcorn ceiling (newer build) & a decent commute to Metairie, where should I look?

[aab7855]

You defintely should check out Abita Springs. It's very small, but has a lot of history and a surprising amount of things there given its size. Hell, it has the Abita Beer brewery! There are some really old houses there and places in the area with land. When the rest of the Northshore was just the woods this area was a retreat for New Orleanians, chosen because of its artesan springs (the water in the area is totally pure if you get it from private wells out of town) That commute would be a good solid 45 minutes, going to Covington south through Mandeville and then across the Causeway.

St. Charles Parish is another option. It's on the other side of Kenner, heading out west. When I-10 West splits and has an exit for I-310, that route can get you into towns such as Destrehan and Hahnville between 20-30 minutes. The schools there are really good for the most part, but do your research to make sure the neighborhood's school is good. And sports? Hahnville and Destrehan (the two high schools) are powerhouses. The southern part of the Parish is where Cajun Culture finally creeps into New Orleans. Paradis, "Paradise" (not really) and Des Allemans "The Germans", (named after German settlers under the French crown). But I would avoid those two towns haha. I'm Cajun but I'm not that bayou!

Last and possibly least you can maybe look at LaPlace. I don't have much of an opinion on it..it seems like it has some really nice neighborhoods but my impression is that the middle class there generally invests in private schools, and while the Catholic schools are pretty afforable you're still looking at +/- $5,000 a student. Don't move to St. Bernard Parish. That's all I'm going to say. Good luck!