ABiz Columns
Full STEAM Ahead
Adding the arts to the traditional STEM curriculum will enrich Lafayette’s future workforce.
Home Sweet Home
As Lafayette’s mid-year residential real estate report shows, the Hub City’s housing market is going gangbusters.
August 31, 2012
Steven Hebert
The turnaround in our local real estate market is nothing short of dramatic. We’re seeing year-over-year sales increases similar to the effect relocations following Hurricane Katrina had on our market in 2006. The difference is that current growth is organic, and I’m not sure anyone thought our market would recover this quickly.
Occupy Lafayette
Occupancy rates continue to soar in Lafayette’s retail scene, but a lack of new construction puts us at risk of halting progress.
By Ryan Pécot
July 26, 2012
Year over year same store sales comparisons are the standard barometer used by retailers and Wall Street to keep a handle on the health of a company. A similar assessment can be made of a particular real estate market’s condition by evaluating a yearly snapshot of the respective occupancy and pricing levels; both for the entire parish, but also in its sub-markets.
Land Loss, Job Gains
How a new state law plans to link local jobs to coastal projects.
Beginning Aug. 1, contractors overseeing major developments along the coast and closer inshore will be required to take steps to bring local workers onto their job sites. It’s not a blanket mandate, but if the projects are being funded by certain state or federal monies, contractors will be required to make the effort.
From Wishful Thinking to Solid Sales
For the first quarter, sales are up and look to stay that way.
For four years now, real estate practitioners in and around Lafayette have been looking for signs of our market improving. Minor ups and downs and a tax credit here and there have provided for some fits and starts in the market, but overall it’s been flat for some time. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, particularly with what has been going on nationally and with the mortgage market mess still lingering.
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