http://www.zacharylouisianarealestate.info/ – Zachary Louisiana Home Appraisers: Castle Place Mid Year 2010 Housing Report

Castle Place was developed in the mid to late 1980s with a few homes built. New home construction resumed in approximately 2004-2005 with two quality levels: modular home construction (mostly in the rear section) and conventional home construction. There are still a significant amount of vacant lots in this development with some foreclosure activity noted in Legal News.

Solds In Castle Place from 1/2009 to 7/6/2010 revealed:
Average Sales Price: $138,683
Average Sold Price Per Sq. Ft.: $99/sf
Median Sold Price: $145,700
Number of Sales: 12
Low To High: $92,000 to $155,000
Number of Sold REO/Foreclosures Noted In MLS: 1
Current # Listings: 3, 2 Are Foreclosures
Current Listings Prices: $119,900 To $171,900

Author’s Bio:

Bill Cobb is Greater Baton Rouge’s home appraiser frequently called upon by banks, homeowners, and savvy real estate investors to assess property values. A home appraiser with 18 years experience, Bill Cobb brings a wealth of knowledge to the table as a home appraiser.

Bill’s company, Accurate Valuations Home Appraisal Group, serves Greater Baton Rouge (East Baton Rouge Parish, West Baton Rouge Parish, Western Livingston Parish and Northern Ascension Parish).

Contact Bill Cobb and Accurate Valuations Home Appraisal Group for your next home appraisal:

Office: 225-293-1500, Cell: 225-953-0638

Fax: 1-866-663-6065

info@accuratevg.com

http://www.accuratevg.com/

Data Used With Permission of the GBRAR MLS. Data was extracted on 7/6/2010 from periods 1/1/2009 through 7/6/2010.

http://www.batonrougebpoappraisals.info/ - Home Of The Greater Baton Rouge Similar Sales Desktop Valuation Reports (SSDVR) – Compliant With USPAP & Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac, 225-293-1500

Welcome To The $100. 00 Greater Baton Rouge Comparable Sales Reports! Greater Baton Rouge Comparable Sales Reports Is A Desktop Appraisal Service Performed By William D. Cobb with Accurate Valuations Group, Serving East & West Baton Rouge Parish, Northern Ascension Parish and Western Livingston Parish. William Uses An Approved Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac Appraisal Form (SSDVR) To Complete This Report.

What Is An SSDVR Report? A desktop appraisal report conducted by Louisiana State Certified Appraiser, William D. Cobb, CREA, License #R0851. Bill will drive-by the home being appraised, rely upon the physical data the client provides, research the MLS database, select the 3 most similar and competitive sales/comps and render a value opinion.

http://www.zacharylouisianarealestate.info/ – Zachary Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers: Info on Granite Countertops

http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/ Real Estate Baton Rouge Buzz: Zachary LA Ravenwood Market Report 2010

In 2009 For Ravenwood, There Were 7 Sales With A Median Sales Price was $190,000, Average Sold Price $116/sf, Average Days On Market 79 days. In 2010, There Haven’t Been Any Recorded MLS Sales.

http://www.denhamspringsappraisers.com/ – Video: Zachary Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers – Accurate Valuations Group 225-293-1500

http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/ - Preparing Your Greater Baton Rouge Home For Home Appraiser – The Exterior Inspection. In this video, Baton Rouge Home Appraiser, Bill Cobb, discusses how to prepare your home for the appraiser’s visit.

http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/ - Preparing Your Greater Baton Rouge Home For Home Appraiser – The Interior Inspection. In this video, Baton Rouge Home Appraiser, Bill Cobb, discusses how to prepare your home for the appraiser’s visit.

http://www.accuratevg.com/ - Greater Baton Rouge Real Estate 2009 Declines -4.3% Year Over Year

Zillow.com is reporting that Baton Rouge Metro (Greater Baton Rouge) had a -4.3% decline since 1/2009, see the charts below. The Zillow report can be read here! Also according to Zillow, the Shenandoah market, comprised of approximately 2,800 homes, experienced a -2.3% decline in the same period.

For Your Greater Baton Rouge Home Appraisal Needs, Give Accurate Valuations Group A Call at 225-293-1500

http://www.accuratevg.com/

http://www.zacharylouisianarealestate.info/ - Zachary Louisiana Real Estate: Ascension and Livingston Parish Home Sales Increase In January 2010

According to the 2/16/2010 Baton Rouge Business Report Real Estate Weekly, home sales were up in January 2010 in Ascension and Livingston Parishes. Read the complete report at the link above. The short article states:

“The number of houses sold in Ascension and Livingston parishes in January was higher than what was recorded the year before. There were 73 houses sold in each parish, according to figures from the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service. In January 2009, there were 64 homes sold in Livingston and 63 in Ascension. Ascension even saw a modest increase in the average sale price, up from $203,016 in 2009 to $203,400 in January. Livingston saw a significant drop in average sale price, down to $148,587 from $175,459 in January 2009.

MLS home sales were down 16% in East Baton Rouge, from 242 in 2009 to 203 in January. The average sale price went up, from $194,209 to $195,101. In the category that includes MLS sales in parishes such as West Baton Rouge, Iberville and the Felicianas, there were 22 houses sold in the first month of the year, compared with 25 in January 2009. The average sale price rose to $144,984 from $105,076 the year before.”

http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/ - Baton Rouge Real Estate: Greater Baton Rouge Homeowner Should Not Have Added $60,000 Pool In A $150,000 Subdivision

I ran across a situation in the Greater Baton Rouge Housing Market where a homeowner, located in a subdivision where the average home is worth $150,000, installed a $60,000 Gunite Inground Pool recently. Now, their home is on the market and they are about to be taken through the “school of hard knocks” when the appraiser doesn’t give them any more than $5,000 to maybe $7,500 contributory value for their pool. I’ve been appraising now for 18 years and see these types of situation several times per year and just shake my head when I see this happen.

Why only $5,000 to $7,500 contributory value for a $60,000 “gunite” pool? It’s not that “blankety blank” appraiser’s fault. It’s actually the market, the buyers, that don’t reward such expensive overimprovements. And mortgage underwriters that scrutinize the appraisals when appraisers do.

Is It Common For IG Pools In That Market? Let’s venture this thought process in the eyes of the appraiser! You have to look at the overall market and ask if it’s common for $60,000 inground pools to be installed in subdivisions where the homes are $150,000, which it’s not. Then ask yourself if the average owner in Such-And-Such Subdivision has an inground pool and the answer is no. Look at an aerial map for proof. Is it common for any buyer in the general Greater Baton Rouge market to pay more than $7,500 for a pool on an existing home sale where the price of the home is below $200,000? That answer is generally no as well. There may be exceptions, but they would be very rare.

Mortgage Underwriting Questions? What happens if the appraiser gives more than $5,000 to $7,500 on a pool is the underwriters coming back with a request for comps where the market actually gave that much for a pool. It’s at that point where the sale may fall apart because the appraiser can’t support giving the subject home that much value for that $60K pool in a $150,000 subdivision. I’m sure from the photos that it’s a nice pool, but in this national mortgage meltdown market where this loan may be underwritten in New Jersey, Manhatten NY or California or elsewhere where pools don’t carry much value, then giving too much value to the pool may even cause the lender not to want to do the loan and/or throw up red-flags.

There’s two lessons here!

1.) If you plan on remaining in your home until you die, then live it up and build whatever you want in your backyard (ig pools, metal workshop, that covered patio, wood decking, stone walk-ways, etc..).

2.) If you don’t plan on remaining in your home until you die, and your investment dollars must be wisely spent, then be very cautious about installing ig pools, metal workshops, covered patios, wood decks, stone walk-ways, etc.. because they don’t bring much return on investment. The lesson here is not to invest money in the your backyard and expect to receive dollar-for-dollar return on your investment. The lesson is to invest on the home itself before investing in your backyard.

Greater Baton Rouge’s Home Appraiser – Bill Cobb! Your Local Home Value “Trust Agent”! http://www.accuratevg.com/

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