Yes, it is a real car up in the tree. This car has been there for as long as I can remember (15+years). My husband says that there used to be another car in that tree when he was a child. Why they keep putting cars in the tree, I’m not sure. To make people talk, perhaps?

I was tempted to say “only in Louisiana” but I’m sure there are other cars in trees somewhere. If you want to see the car in the tree for yourself, it is on Hwy 82, just north of Abbeville.

Originally Posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

If you are looking for property in Vermilion parish to build a nice home, you need to consider Bayou Marron Subdivision just south of Abbeville and about 5 minutes from downtown. Located off of S. Henry, Bayou Marron is a small oasis filled with mature trees along Coulee Kinney and just a few feet away from the Vermilion River.

One of the lots I just listed (above) has water frontage and is .65 acre. It is available for $30,000. The lot next to it is also available. It is .81 acre and listed for $14,000. These two lots are on Rue de Bayou, near the cul-de-sac.

I also listed 3 lots on Avenue des Chenes, the other street in Bayou Marron. These lots are about 1/2 acre each and are available for $18,000. If you are a builder, the seller is willing to negotiate a great deal on all five lots.

The minimum square footage in the subdivision is 2000, and 2880 for a two-story home. There are currently two beautiful homes in the subdivision.

Click here for more information about these lots in Bayou Marron Subdivision or contact me.

Originally Posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

There is still quite a bit of sugarcane burning going on in Vermilion parish these days. I’m thinking it’s probably close to the end but every day this week, I’ve seen the dark smoke clouds in the skies around our home in Maurice.

Some of you may wonder why farmers burn the sugarcane in the first place. According to LSU Ag Center, there are several reasons: lower cost of production and more efficient harvesting of the cane, it reduces the amount of cane being transported and thereby reduces the number of hauling trucks on public roads (less wear and tear of the roads), and it also increases the yield of sugar while improving the quality of the sugar.

Farmers have been growing sugarcane for more than 200 years in Louisiana. The sugar industry is important here as more than 30,000 people are employed by it and it contributes about $2 billion to our economy.

Originally Posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

Southern Living is taking your votes right now and until January 31st for the South’s Tastiest Town Award. As I write this, Lafayette is leading by roughly 5,000 votes.

There is no doubt in my mind that we live in food heaven here in Lafayette and Acadiana. As a friend of mine commented, “You can get better food (plate lunches, boudin, meat pies…) at gas stations in the Lafayette area than most restaurants in most US cities….really. Enough said.”

Vote early and vote often! Every one can vote daily on this one.

Visit Southern Living tastiest town award page to cast your vote.

Originally Posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

December was a great month for home sales in Acadiana and in Lafayette parish. In the parish, more homes sold in December than in November or October. This may be a sign of great things to come for this beginning of 2012.

If we look at home sales in Lafayette parish for 2011 when compared to 2010, we see the same trend up towards the end of the year. There were fewer home sales in Lafayette parish in 2011 (2134 vs 2265 in 2010), however, the average sale’s price was up from $192,794 to $199,849.

In Acadiana as a whole, there were 16 more home sales in 2011 than in 2010 (3357 vs 3341) and the average price was very slightly up: $168,673 in 2010 to $168, 877 in 2011. Home sales in volume were up by about $3,5 Million in 2011.

Inventory is down to begin 2012. This is a good time for sellers to list as there is less competition out there and plenty of buyers looking. The black column shows inventory in Acadiana while the white is inventory in Lafayette parish.

There are currently 432 home sales pending in Acadiana and 273 in Lafayette parish.

Originally Posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News