Tour the Little Red Caboose in Gretna, Louisiana, January, 10, 2015
Tour the Little Red Caboose
4th St & Huey P Long Ave.
Gretna, LA 70053
Saturday, January, 10, 2015
9:00AM – 12:00PM (Noon)
Crescent City Tuesday Farmers Market – January, 2015
New Orleans Tuesday Farmer’s Market
Tulane University
200 Broadway St.
New Orleans, LA 70118
Tuesday Dates in January, 2015
January 6, 2015
January 13, 2015
January 20, 2015
January 27, 2015
9AM – 1PM
Crescent City Saturday Farmers Market – January, 2015
New Orleans Saturday Farmer’s Market
700 Magazine St.
New Orleans, LA 70130
Saturday Dates in January, 2015
January 3, 2015
January 10, 2015
January 17, 2015
January 24, 2015
January 31, 2015
8AM – 12PM
Pending Contract Forecast Good News for Home Sales
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) maintains a Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) which keeps tract of approximately 20 representative markets throughout the United States. The Index monitors signed contracts on existing homes because research has found that 
keeping tabs on contracts that have been signed usually translate in numbers and statistics to closed home sales approximately 1 to 2 months after the contract is signed. Using this index, The NAR can predict home selling trends as the real estate industry slowly and steadily recovers from the Recession. The PHSI has shown that pending home sales have been increasing over the last three months. The Index showed a .8% increase in November bringing it to 4.1% higher than November, 2013. This is the largest increase since over 15 months before when there was an over 5% increase in August, 2013.
“The consistent economic growth and steady hiring we’ve seen the second half of this year is giving buyers enough assurance to consider purchasing a home before year’s end,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist. “With rents now rising at a seven-year high, historically low rates and moderating price growth are likely to entice more buyers to enter the market in upcoming months.”
Another factor that has greatly helped with consumer optimism is the drastic fall in gas prices. While the durability of this decrease is still very much in question, it has definitely help ease potential home buyers’ monthly expenses, making it possible in some cases to be able to afford the 6% average down payment that is currently required by lenders to get into a home. However, programs are being implemented by Fannie Mae 
and Freddie Mac that will back loans with a 3% down payment making it even more affordable for buyers and first-time home buyers to be able to enter the market for the first time in 7 years.
“There’s still misperception out there that a much higher downpayment is needed, while that’s not the reality,” adds Yun.
In the South, the PHSI went up 1.3% to 119.7, which is 5.1% higher than this same time last year. Even though home sales overall are expected to be “down” (494 million homes sold) by the end of 2014, there is expected to be an increase to home sales in 2015 because of low interest rates, loosening credit requirements, and stabilizing home prices. In order to regain its footing after the Recession, home prices went up by over 11% in 2013, but they only rose moderately overall in 2014 and are expected to grow at an average rate of 4% – 5% over the next two years, which is the sign of a healthy housing market. If the pending home sales are any indicator of the health of real estate (which statistically, it is!), then there is every indication that the housing market is continuing to move forward and upward in growth and recovery into 2015.
Plaquemines Parish School District Moves to 8th Highest in Louisiana
Climbing a record 5 places from the 2012 – 2013 school year to the 2013 – 2014 school year, the Plaquemines Parish school district moved from 13th in the state of Louisiana to 8th in the state. The school district is graded on school test scores, and in addition to making such an amazing jump in ranking, the school district itself also achieved enough points to move it from a B grade last year to an A grade this year. The school’s 2014 annual district performance score was 104.8 overall out of 150 compared to a 95 last year. Even though Common Core standards are being hotly debated and even set aside by some state government, the Plaquemines Parish school district had gone ahead and implemented the standards, and the schools achieved high scores despite the new system.
Zeroing in on the best performing schools in the district the report found that 3 out of 7 school systems in Plaquemines Parish received an A grade on their performance scores as well. Belle Chasse Primary School became the 5th best school in the New Orleans area based on the scores of non-magnet schools and placed 17th best in New Orleans overall. Not to be outdone, the Belle Chasse Academy charter elementary and middle school was just .1 point behind Belle Chasse Primary School in the scores – Belle Chasse Primary received 115 points, and Belle Chasse Academy scored 114.9.
For Plaquemines Parish public schools both Belle Chasse Primary and Boothville-Venice Elementary School showed about a 10-point improvement year-over-year. The biggest improvement in the Plaquemines Parish school district was the 21.6 point increase of scoring for Phoenix High School which moved from a D grade last year to a B grade this year. You can search for and view individual schools in Plaquemines Parish by visiting this link.
“Plaquemines Parish ranked in the top 20 districts on growth in students at Basic and above and the top (sic) 10 districts on growth in students at Mastery and above,” the annual report said.
While district performance scores were released one day earlier, teacher evaluations showed that maintaining high expectations for teachers, especially in leadership were the key to success in Plaquemines Parish. Teacher evaluations are based 50% on student academic progress and the rest on actual classroom observation. The report claims that the high standards for leadership and results placed on the teachers in Plaquemines Parish directly resulted in the school district’s 10% increase in test scores. The report went on to say that 40% of parish teachers were rated highly effective, 55% were scored as effective: proficient, 3% as effective: emerging, and only the last 2% as ineffective.
If you are considering moving to the Greater New Orleans area, consider Plaquemines Parish for its growing and continually improving school district as well as lower taxes, and the convenient proximity to the City of New Orleans – just 10.2 miles to the Central Business District. To purchase a new home in the area, Visit The Parks of Plaquemines by scheduling a tour. Call 504-364-2350 or E-mail Info@TheParksLifestyle.com.
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