Condo Eric

To me it was a simple story about how someone felt. Many people from New Orleans have not been other places and have problems adjusting. This seems to be the case. New Orleans and Houston are very different. My son just moved back from Houston in June as his job got flooded out here. He had a good time but it was not home for him. He got a raise coming back to New Orleans which is great. There are a lot of changes and most are positive.

Any city that can have a Mayor Nagin and survive deserves to get an award. LSU gets a lot of good football players from Texas for which we are greatful. LSU won the football last year and the Hornets were 50/50 with the top teams in Texas. New Orleans is a small town compared to you guys so say something positive as you may only know part of the story.

The Saints will more than likely have a better team than the Oilers. The area has made a lot of progress. The news media and reports can all be taken with a grain of salt. We no longer get magazines and junk mail.

Walmart stays open till 8pm. Most places to eat have full menus. You rarely see frigs on the street anymore. Over 300,000 have been picked up. New Orleans is much more than central city and the projects. I have black friends also. The schools will be better because most are gone. Charter schools are in. LSU will more than likely not be able to beat Texas and Texas A&M in basketball again in the same year. The fishing is great but have worked almost everyday since the storm. No vacation here. Could you live in a FEMA trailer for 6 months? Your hospital closed down, your doctor retired,your drugstore flooded. You just go find another one with better parking and pray you dont have to use them. Snowballs are back. A lot of the family eateries are back. The chains are having to pay a decent wage. $10 per hour with bonuses. There are a lot of nice spanish speaking people in town working their asses off, some will more than likely stay. Taco Bell opened last week and the crowd was extremely large. Many people have come from other areas to help people rebuild. A large percentage of flooded areas had older people, Hey when you are 70-90 and loose home,house,car, and only have the clothes on your back,you need some help. You want to live with your mother for 6 months and Uncle Ben on the couch. How are we going to cut the grass once its raining again,it could resemble the jungle. Audubon park is open, the aquarium is open, so you can see its an experience for all of us. Thanks for Houston for having me for that week,met a lot of great people. Got the taste of the malls and Merry go rounds with free rides. Got a new computer, learned how to use a chain saw, repaired roofs of a cuple of friends. My hat goes off to those guys in this heat. Lets thanks the National Guard for the MREs and the water. It will take a while, I was one of the lucky ones. This is my home!

Six Flags would have closed anyway or found some way to get out of the lease. Maybe Rep.Bill Jefferson could arrange it for them. It was a political location that made no sense for the New Orleans Market. it was almost given to Six Flags, they take their insurance money and pay off the city and they will come out ahead. A much better ride will be the St. Charles streetcar and its much cheaper when they get up and running. Six Flags was in financial trouble, Katrina did them a favor. This is just the opening arguement.

It's not going to change any time soon, either.

Skilled carpenters, welders, electricians, etc. are commanding premium wages, and even then, in economic environments like these (lots of home building, solid economic growth, etc.) there's only so much money that you can throw at a project like the NO reconstruction and expect to get anything more done because you've got to compete with the demand for those skills from the private sector in other cities.

It looks to me like what really needs to happen is that Waste Management gets a contract to bulldoze and remove nearly everything with structural damage, leaving only a few buildings designated either as historical or as structurally sound. Going from there, NO needs to reduce the size of its city limits so that it encompasses only those parts of the city that are still economically viable...that way it only has to provide utilities and services to those areas. As forsaken neighborhoods reemerge, they can form HOAs that can negotiate with CoNO to buy utility services from the City and ultimately become reannexed.

Things are a lot better if you live here. There is 100 miles of homes, businesses and infa structure wipped in 24 hours out in a very poor town. Electricity is back to most of the city, people are moving back. Only half will move back. The city is bankrupt, not all the ploiticians are crooks. Texas has just as many and they are most likely smarter than our. Enron? Exxon? Fema is a joke but they are sending loads of money to Texas in the clean up effort at inflated prices that ould make you cringe. The total cost of a fema trailer is costing the USA about 75k and will be trash in 2-3 years. Who comes out ahead in this. This is far worst that our most greedy and crooked leaders which there are far less than advertised. These are exciting times and nothing is dull, there are opportunities everywhere. I have not taken a weekend off since the storm. I may work another year and retire to Houston for the great life. Eric

Thanks, I watched the logs for a few minutes too. I am exhausted so it was fine with me. Happy Holidays to you too. Walmart still closes at 7pm, most fast food places are still closed so there are some silver linings. The Saints are close to Houston in the worst record race. We only need to loose one more.

Recovery is a long way off , many areas are unliviable and have no power. There are areas where no one knows what will happen. It is a real mess. Some areas are doing great and many are not. No places for people to stay,cars, tents,sleeping with no heat. Fema ran out of money for flood insurance so they didnt mail the checks. Insurance companies not want to pay. People loosing jobs because the business is gone. Fema help is a joke, a lot of 500 dollar hammers going to out of state concerns but they do give locals a couple of crums. Crime is way way down. Many schools cannot reopen. Walmart closes at 7pm. It is really too much to describe but people are angry. its the levees the the federal govt were responsible for failed because it couldnt get the money form congress. Very poor return for our tax money. I can only wonder how money is spent in Iraq. Come for a visit, you can stay downtown or sleep in a tent. Remember the scouts but you cant go home. However things are getting better.

Gee, I live in the New Orleans and enjoy it. it has problems and everyone knows it. They may have a better chance getting solved now. It is only for the people that want to work and try to bring things back. I went to Nicholls High which is really a blue collar area of the city near the industrial canal. all the families from that area that were there in the 1960s are long gone. I am in residential real estate so know a good bit about the area. It will be different, it will be smaller,new peoplw will move in. There will be less welfare, crime,ect.It is an exciting time along with being very stressful. Many people dont have to worry about stuff, what to wear,ect. They can start fresh,its like being fired from a long time job. You strike out for something new and something scarey. You have an intense desire to succeed, a more honest approach,its up to you. We are the type of people staying. it not what you do its how you do it. Meet a guy last week that likes to get the #7 at Buds Broiler, we had a blast talking about it. He is about 30 years younger and we were on the same page. The simple things here are now rewarding. its like circling the wagons and there is passion in the air. Too bad the Saints and Bensen can't buy it. You cannot buyit. Eric

I dont know what it was called just see it labeled on the front. the link did not work. Eric

My Webpage[New Orleans Condos]

You guys seem good with the photos. I didnt know how to get the indiv. photo inserted. Do you know some history behind this building. Looks like a 40-50 building to advertise their name. its something you dont see a lot of. Its Lighthouse Glass and I forget the street. let me know if you have any thoughts

Yah I just read over what I said, and I didn't make sence...

sorry!

being a real estate agent I get a pretty good feel for what goes on. I work with people all day. A lot of people will not come back. Some of the very poor will get a chance elsewhere that will far exceed the chance they have gotten here living on the federal reservation of programs. the schools will get better, atrend to charter schools before the state takes them over next month. New people will come. the old people will generally leave leaving a younger city of spirited citizens. Lets say goodbye to the saints and the corp greed,the NFL is no longer a blue collar sport for the average fan to attend the games. The HUD will and the federal programs will fail because they take so long. Most of live togeather just fine but there are racial overtones. When have you sat down and talked to someone living in a $300 a month apartment. Our society is a wierd mixture of people many creative and many are not normal. This is not Texas nor will it be. Both places are for certain people to appreciate. I hate malls and chain eateries. Could care less about fashion, suits and ties. Having a sandwich and a beer in a neighbor shop with 5-6 nationalities like I did today is not a bad thing. Sit on the side walk if you want. Took some great photos. One guy invited me in to look at his house to look at his renovation. His neighbor and renter of 30 years explained the looting and how he rode out the storm. he was concerned about getting hot water heaters for 2 of his friends that were elderly. figure no hot water for 2 months. Let put life in perspective and hope people have a better chance and things will change fast. New Orleans will never be the Corp. town but it can be many other things and is much bigger than the poor areas that were portrayed on the tv cameras. maybe we dont understand the people like we should. we surely dont understand them in Iraq. This is a builders dream if you like old buildings and old homes. it can become a passion for many of us,because we are stupid maybe. eric

Yah I just read over what I said, and I didn't make sence...

sorry!

being a real estate agent I get a pretty good feel for what goes on. I work with people all day. A lot of people will not come back. Some of the very poor will get a chance elsewhere that will far exceed the chance they have gotten here living on the federal reservation of programs. the schools will get better, atrend to charter schools before the state takes them over next month. New people will come. the old people will generally leave leaving a younger city of spirited citizens. Lets say goodbye to the saints and the corp greed,the NFL is no longer a blue collar sport for the average fan to attend the games. The HUD will and the federal programs will fail because they take so long. Most of live togeather just fine but there are racial overtones. When have you sat down and talked to someone living in a $300 a month apartment. Our society is a wierd mixture of people many creative and many are not normal. This is not Texas nor will it be. Both places are for certain people to appreciate. I hate malls and chain eateries. Could care less about fashion, suits and ties. Having a sandwich and a beer in a neighbor shop with 5-6 nationalities like I did today is not a bad thing. Sit on the side walk if you want. Took some great photos. One guy invited me in to look at his house to look at his renovation. His neighbor and renter of 30 years explained the looting and how he rode out the storm. he was concerned about getting hot water heaters for 2 of his friends that were elderly. figure no hot water for 2 months. Let put life in perspective and hope people have a better chance and things will change fast. New Orleans will never be the Corp. town but it can be many other things and is much bigger than the poor areas that were portrayed on the tv cameras. maybe we dont understand the people like we should. we surely dont understand them in Iraq. This is a builders dream if you like old buildings and old homes. it can become a passion for many of us,because we are stupid maybe. eric

I'd love to see more of your comments and observations from your perspective, Eric!

It will take time but many people will have to move on. I believe the population will be older. The schools cannot get worse,the public schools are horrible in Orleans with the exception of the magnets schools. This is a result of the Great Society Keepers and their programs. Many people are willing to take over schools but the racial politics keeps it from happening. There is money and companies that will contribute and make it better if the schools are for kids learning and not a form of cash for freinds and cronies. Whites left the system years ago and did middle class blacks. Spending 9k per kid and getting very little return is a crime. The state sticks it head in the sand because not wanting to offend the black voters. This is an honest evaluation of a major problem that needs to be solved. Most people want their kids to improve but dont have the chance. Its a crazy dilema that the solutions are simple,disolve the present system as nothing works. This problem faces many cities but few have solutions to actually solve things. I am a simpleton and can see the solution. that is the school issue, educate your people to stand on their own. eric

Eric-

Thanks for your opinions. I did look at your website and had a couple of questions/comments:

1. On the first page, the word "New Orleans" is spelled incorrectly

2. You ask people to query past clients, but there's nothing on the testimonials page

3. I didn't see any updated information for the area regarding effects of Katrina & Rita

Other than that, it's an interesting source of information regarding New Orleans, thanks.

Thanks I will check that out. Concentrated content and photos of areas and info and not puffing my self as most agents will do. In some areas you would not know there was a hurricane. Other areas look like a plague came and went. I have been so busy that updates are harder to make these days, it takes much longer to do simple things most take for granted. Phone calls, lack of mail, traffic, eating lunch,dealing with sellers that want too much and buyers that have been wiped out. I get on edge and complain too but have to help right the ship and hustle my butt off while there is business for me. Starting over from scratch is a life changing experience for many of my friends and co-workers. Words and simple things do matter. Back to work and find my mispellings,wow. thanks eric

As I (kinda) said earlier, it looks like the New Orleans Gestapo is back to normal.

I found your forum looking for some condo information. You guys must live in a real paradise and sound like some of the brightest people in Texas. I have lived in New Orleans and surounding area my adult life and have traveled extenively yet I am still here. My kids were raised here, my grand kids are going to be rasised here and somewhere. You can and put the city down because you dont know how it became this way. We are not going to drown or be washed away. Show me a black city that you would like to live in. We dont want or need Federal help except to clean up and give us some money back to make the levees strong again. The Oil companies have made billions off this state and most are in Houston. We were stupid to give it away,democratic corruption. The less money we get from the feds the better off we will be. Food stamps, section 8, social security crazy checks, welfare, free school, free medical care, and the totality of the failed programs ruins lives and cities. Something free has strings,you vote for me. This is a small segment of our society and am amazed that we do as well as we do with this handicap. How much progress have we seen on the Indian reservations with the feds in control for the last 100 years? Gaming of all things is freeing them.

Living in a small historic town isnt a bad idea. Most of the area is family oriented, interested in each other, love football, eating, drinking, fishing,music, politics and the outdoors. Rich live with poor. The problems are right there not shuffled off where people cant see them. A lot of people like the area because you dont have to keep up with the Jones' just catch more fish that Boudreaux. I think we will be better and still be different. we can have a Cinco De Mayo too. You guys can get a person on a role. Visit my condo site and buy a condo from me, free beignets,hurricanes and gumbo with each purchase. www.neworleanscondos.net