New Orleans, Metairie and Garden District Louisiana real estate listings, home buying, selling and relocation information

I have worn many hats throughout my life. One that I wore for a long time was real estate broker and investor and one I wear now is attorney. In those two professions, I have worked with many persons in the real estate arena and, because of my own expertise, am a difficult and exacting client to please.

I first contacted Miriam Bernstein online, initially choosing to contact her because of her extensive education in her profession. I believe that someone who continually strives to improve their expertise and professionalism evinces a commitment to what they are doing and are “in there for the long run.” Thus, I’ve found, they usually provide good service. That was certainly and absolutely the case w/Miriam!

I have spoken and dealt with a number of realtors since coming to NY two years ago; I would guess at least eight or ten. None compared with the service I received from Miriam, not even close. Miriam knew more about the product in her marketing area –what had sold and was currently for sale, why, for how much, when, who to talk at town planning, etc (all things crucial for me to know what house I wanted to invest in and for how much) than anyone I had spoken with in the last two years. It was truly amazing. But even more amazing was her timely service. She returned telephone calls promptly, answered (inane) email questions quickly and was all around superb in her service. So I offered to write this for her because I don’t come across that level of professionalism, knowledge and service in one person very often and I wanted to say thanks.

About Appraisals >Working With Appraisers

After the buyer and seller come to a "meeting of the minds" on the price of a house, there is one more person who must be convinced that the house is worth the selling price--the mortgage company's appraiser.

The appraiser looks for three similar houses that have sold in the same area within the last several months, and compares the selling prices of these homes with the one that is now on the market. The appraiser makes adjustments to account for the differences in each property, and averages the adjusted prices of the other three homes to arrive at a final opinion of value. In subdivisions or condominium projects where there are many similar properties and numerous recent sales, the appraiser's job is relatively easy. In neighborhoods of older homes that have been renovated or remodeled over the years, it can be like comparing apples and oranges.

If the appraiser's evaluation is lower than the selling price, it can stall the transaction because the lender may decline the buyer's loan because of the discrepancy. A real estate agent can work to minimize potential delays associated with the appraisal process by helping the seller to price the home as close to fair market value as possible.

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Q	What famous Art Deco skyscraper is decorated with eagle hood ornaments, hubcaps and abstract images of cars?
A	New York's Chrysler Building, designed by architect William Van Alen in 1930, was one of the first buildings composed of stainless steel over a large surface area.
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