OTHER THAN CRIME, what are the downsides of living in New Orleans? (Metairie: how much, to buy)

[mnr3]

Originally Posted by movinginjune2010

Do you guys get tired of the constant tourists? I personally get tired of tourists even when I'm a tourist myself on vacation.

but the tourists generally keep to the tourist areas, so 90% of the time, I would say not a problem, except when they are stupid and drunk on Bourbon St., but who goes to Bourbon very often?

my biggest complaint is the endemic poverty and anybody with money turning a blind eye, along with corrupt government, but that's just a microcosm of life in the US. in NOLA, there's less sprawl, so it's more in your face. and that's one thing that makes it special

[pleaseletthesunshine]

I live in the tourist area so I DO get tired of the tourists especially during the weekends when it gets crazy. I moved from Boston 2-3 yrs ago and quite honestly New Orleans is like nowhere else in America and I mean that positively and negatively.
Biggest downsides:
- Shady/Corrupt government
- Poor roads
- Endemic poverty (as said above)
- Poor public school system (in Orleans parish)
- Moldy abandoned buildings
- Crime (which, though definitely not as bad as the rest of America is led to believe, is still pretty bad)

[lorilaurielauri]

I'm so glad I found this group! My husband is very possibly going to be transferred to NO very soon. I have been Googling like crazy trying to find nice neighborhoods but I'm having a little trouble. I can find some VERY NICE neighborhoods, especially on the North side of Lake Ponchartrain (sp?) but they are all neighborhoods where you buy a lot, then have to contract with a builder to build your house. That is NOT what I am wanting to do, especially since I have 3 kids and don't want to be living in an apartment with them for 6mos. to a year!

What I am really looking for is something like a "master" planned community, or even just a plain "planned" community, somewhere between NO and Baton Rouge, or, something on the North/NE side of the lake, where they may have new homes that are ready to move into or have a builder that works developing that neighborhood so you can just sorta walk into the model and buy your house...lol...know what I mean? Say, something in the $250K range.

I used to live waaaay down in Buras when I was a kid, and my Dad worked at a refinery in Venice. I'm looking forward to getting back to some fresh seafood!

Any help would be great! Thanks!

[aaronibus62]

1- no Dunkin Donuts here, except for one in Metarie, and who the wants to ride all the way over to Metarie just for Dunkin Donuts?

DD lies in their ads when they say America Runs on Dunkin!

2- USA Today is only sold in vending boxes downtown... I prefer to buy it in a store like we can here in Massachusetts (esp. if all you got to buy it is a dollar bill)!

3- no major banks, because of the poverty. Not even Bank of America has a branch here.... They oughta rename themselves Bank of Part of America

[Micktooth]

Originally Posted by lorilaurielauri

I'm so glad I found this group! My husband is very possibly going to be transferred to NO very soon. I have been Googling like crazy trying to find nice neighborhoods but I'm having a little trouble. I can find some VERY NICE neighborhoods, especially on the North side of Lake Ponchartrain (sp?) but they are all neighborhoods where you buy a lot, then have to contract with a builder to build your house. That is NOT what I am wanting to do, especially since I have 3 kids and don't want to be living in an apartment with them for 6mos. to a year!

What I am really looking for is something like a "master" planned community, or even just a plain "planned" community, somewhere between NO and Baton Rouge, or, something on the North/NE side of the lake, where they may have new homes that are ready to move into or have a builder that works developing that neighborhood so you can just sorta walk into the model and buy your house...lol...know what I mean? Say, something in the $250K range.

I used to live waaaay down in Buras when I was a kid, and my Dad worked at a refinery in Venice. I'm looking forward to getting back to some fresh seafood!

Any help would be great! Thanks!

I think you should post this as a separate question in the New Orleans forum, you would probably get more responses.

[WestbankNOLA]

Originally Posted by aaronibus62

1- no Dunkin Donuts here, except for one in Metarie, and who the wants to ride all the way over to Metarie just for Dunkin Donuts?

DD lies in their ads when they say America Runs on Dunkin!

2- USA Today is only sold in vending boxes downtown... I prefer to buy it in a store like we can here in Massachusetts (esp. if all you got to buy it is a dollar bill)!

3- no major banks, because of the poverty. Not even Bank of America has a branch here.... They oughta rename themselves Bank of Part of America

1. Why go to Dunkin Donuts when you can go to a local Donut shop?

2. Can't help you there.

3. So Chase, Capital One, and Regions aren't major?

[barrylaw]

"What I am really looking for is something like a "master" planned community, or even just a plain "planned" community, somewhere between NO and Baton Rouge, or, something on the North/NE side of the lake, where they may have new homes that are ready to move into or have a builder that works developing that neighborhood so you can just sorta walk into the model and buy your house...lol...know what I mean? Say, something in the $250K range."

It will be hard to find new communities in the area in the $250k range, more likely in the $300k to $400k range. Prices exploded after Katrina. Have come back down, but still a little high. Check your car insurance and homeowners insurance also. They will probably be higher. If you go northshore, go north of I10 or your flood insurance will be high.
Almost no planned, decent, communities in the greater NO area. Just the way it developed over the years.

Look in the Gonzales area also. try latter-blum.com as a real estate reference. We moved to TN after KAtrina. Love the area but sure do miss the food.

Good luck.

[Creativeguy504]

It's not a very active city. My family lives in Oregon, and being active is a big part of the culture up there. If you like outdoor activities, it's MUCH easier to find people up there, to share those activities with.

[Prytania]

1. DD? Krispy Kreme! or Beignets from Cafe du Monde or elsewhere.

2. USA Today? Really? People read that?

3. Chase, Capital One, Regions as talked about before....even Whitney is a regional player and growing. I have a Bank of America account, you aren't missing anything..worst bank ever.

[Minnehahapolitan]

Originally Posted by Prytania

1. DD? Krispy Kreme! or Beignets from Cafe du Monde or elsewhere.

2. USA Today? Really? People read that?

3. Chase, Capital One, Regions as talked about before....even Whitney is a regional player and growing. I have a Bank of America account, you aren't missing anything..worst bank ever.

No. The most common daily in America is read by absolutely nobody. Hows that? People who read their news buy actual newspapers. People who look at their news in broadsheet format buy the USA Today.