Tag Archive for: St. Tammany Parish

The Opportunity to Learn Construction Skills for Students in St. Tammany Parish

/in

World Changers, an entity of LifeWay Student Ministries, provides mission experiences for students looking to serve others and share the gospel.  By interacting with churches in different communities throughout the United States, students have the opportunity to learn construction skills such as sheetrock, painting, siding, roofing, windows & doors repair or replacement, interior repair / renovation projects, wheelchair ramps, fencing, landscaping, and St. Tammany Parish World Changersdisaster cleanup.  They also learn leadership skills which will help them with not only future mission trips but also future education and professional opportunities. The World Changers program began in 1990 and has expanded to 67 North American locations as well as international locations.  In 2011, World Changers  became a part of LifeWay Student Ministries which expanded the number of students involved as well as the church networking opportunities.

World Changers along with Northshore Baptist Association, Southern Baptist Association, Kent Design+Build and the St. Tammany Parish government will aid in this year’s project in St. Tammany Parish. A federal grant through the Community Development Block Grant program will be used to purchase $30,000.00 in lumber, paint, doors, windows and all other materials needed for the volunteers to get the job done.

This is the 4th year in a row that volunteers from around the country will repair and fix up homes for low and moderate income home owning families in St. Tammany Parish. Twelve homes in the community were chosen via an application process and the majority of the homeowners are disabled and/or elderly.

The 150 volunteer teens and adults from around the country will be housed at First Baptist Church in Covington. The volunteers’ week of construction work such as painting, scraping, demo and repair of these homes.

“We welcome the World Changers group back to St. Tammany. They have made such a difference in so many people’s lives over the past four years, and we cannot thank them enough,” St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister said. “Collaborative efforts like these between public, private and faith-based organizations, make our community stronger, improve our quality of life, and benefit everyone involved.”

Click Here and Here for the Sources of Information.

Buy a New Home on the Northshore at Bedico Creek Preserve

/in

Keep Covington Beautiful (KCB) is a non-profit organization led by the community and is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. It is an organization committed to preserving and improving the beauty of Covington, Louisiana in St. Tammany Parish.  Originally formed as the Covington Gardens Partnership, the organization works with others in the community to improve Covington’s quality of life through beautification, litter prevention and recyclingSouthern Hotel Covington, Louisiana activities.

The organization not only helps keep Covington beautiful but it also holds events, educates and partners with the people in the community to encourage neighbors to take responsibility for keeping Covington clean and beautiful. Recently the organization partnered with Louisiana Department of Agriculture to conduct a study to gather data on existing trees, signs, overhead and underground utilities, driveways and parking areas located along the streets in the community.  The data gathered, will be used to determine locations to plant new trees.  A meeting was held with the residents of the community revealing the results of the study and explaining the guidelines and recommendations not only on planting new trees but also removing existing trees on city right-of way’s in residential areas.  Through the hard work and passion of KCB, Covington was named one of the 10 most beautiful towns and small cities in Louisiana.  For more information about KCB’s events, how to become a KCB volunteer or member, visit www.keepcovingtonbeautiful.org or contact KCB at 867.3652 or kcb@covla.com.

When relocating to the Greater New Orleans area, you may want to buy a new home on the Northshore at Bedico Creek Preserve.  If you are considering relocating to the tight knit area of West St. Tammany Parish, you can enjoy the ambiance of downtown Covington, LA, which is located approximately 7 miles from Bedico Creek Preserve.  Living in Madisonville, Louisiana, at Bedico Creek gives you easy access to shopping, entertainment, and dining at the many locations of the two shopping areas Colonial Pinnacle at Nord Du Luc and Stirling Covington Shopping Center off of Highway 21.  In addition to the prolific shopping at mall stores such as JC Penny, Belk, and Lane Bryant, Colonial Pinnacle at Nord Du Luc and Stirling Covington Shopping Center also showcase box stores such as Academy Sports, Kohls, Best Buy, Marshalls, Target, Hobby Lobby, as well as the Hollywood Stadium 14 movie theater.  This Covington, Louisiana shopping area also features restaurants such as Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse, Cracker Barrel, and Panera Bread Company.  For faster food and service, you can visit Steak & Shake, Firehouse Subs, and Dickeys Barbeque Pit.

Bedico Creek Preserve offers lots and homes for sale in its masterplanned community in St. Tammany Parish.  Lots for sale start in the mid $40’s, and new homes for sale begin in the $230’s.  If you are interested in building your own new, custom home or if you are looking to relocate to one of our existing homes for sale, you can find any lot or home in a selection of different neighborhoods in this St. Tammany Parish subdivision.  Contact Bedico Creek today to schedule your tour.  Call 985-845-4200 or E-mail Info@LiveBedico.com.

Click Here and Here for the Sources of Information.

Guidelines to Use When Purchasing a Home in a Seller’s Market

/in

The housing market is hot right now as can be seen in all the statistics gathered from real estate professionals. Multiple offers and shortage of homes on the market along with low interest rates have driven the market to where it is today. This can make for a challenging situation for home buyers. Bidding wars could lead you, as a buyer, to purchase a home priced higher than the appraised value of the home, or you may even spend more than you can1-133-st-calais-place-exterior-front-1 afford. One of the downfalls of the Recession is that homeowners ended up owing more than their home was worth – home buyers don’t want to repeat this trend.

In the market for a new single-family home but are a little apprehensive because of the low inventory, increased prices and bidding wars? Don’t be…here are some guidelines to use when purchasing a home in a seller’s market.

Recognize the Supply and Demand. If there are not many real estate listings, it can be difficult to find what you are looking for when your pickings are slim. When you do find what you are looking for, you can bet other buyers want the same thing which will only drive the price up. You do not want to purchase a home at a higher price when the price rise is determined by low inventory versus a strong economy. A strong economy can support a strong market.

Scout Out the Neighborhood. Are there any signs of new construction or have the housing starts increased? If so, this is a good sign that the local housing market is thriving. Remember, if the local economy is strong it can sustain a rising housing market. Research the market by noting the number of developed lots in the community and the amount of building permits that have been issued. The St. Tammany Parish Residential Permits office provides information regarding the amount of building permits that have been issued in the Greater New Orleans area. Speak to a Realtor in the neighborhood market in which you are interested. They can tell you if new home construction is strong in the neighborhood and how many lots are for sale in the area.

Sometimes Losing Can Be in Your Best Interest. Buyers who push to any limit to win the bidding war can overpay and loose in the long run. Go into the bid with your game shoes on…set a budget and think about getting a preapproval from a mortgage lender. When setting a budget, remember to compensate for living expenses and emergency funds. If the bidding war sets the price too high, walk away!

Do Not Let Your Guard Down. Use smart self-defense when purchasing a home. Many buyers who want to win the bid give up rights that are standard in sales contracts. Contingencies are there to protect the buyer. It is pretty risky to give these up to appease a seller into accepting your offer. Buyers can lose their deposit if they do not have a preapproved mortgage and have been denied a mortgage after they have a house under contract or the inspection comes back with costly repairs. Another way a buyer can lose cash is if an appraisal comes in low and the mortgage lender reduces the loan amount making the buyer put up the cash to compensate for the gap between the loan and purchase price. If you feel you have found the house for you, then determine if the risk of waiving any contingency clauses outweigh any hidden financial surprises you might find.

Now is still a good time to buy as mortgage rates are low. In St. Tammany Parish at Bedico Creek Preserve, we have many new homes for sale from which to choose, including new homes priced from the $230’s – $300’s in two exclusive Neighborhoods called Cypress Crossing and Deer Park. To find out more about our homes for sale, Contact our sales office at 985-845-4200 or E-mail Info@LiveBedico.com.

 

Click Here for the Source of the Information.