Business Cover

Luxe Living

Thirteen super high-end homes attracted buyers in 2012 - and at least four homes above $850,000 already sold this year.

Lafayette Parish's super luxury housing market in 2012 didn't set the world on fire - certainly not like overall home sales did - but some very pricey homes changed hands. One, 106 Riverbriar Drive, sold for a whopping $3 million.

Homes in the $800,000-plus category sat for an average of almost 27 months, an increase from the 20-month supply in 2011, according to the Multiple Listing Service. "In the very high-end, $800,000 and up, there were 13 home sales reported to the MLS in 2012," says Van Eaton & Romero CEO Bill Bacqué. "As we began 2013 there were 28 active listings on the market in this price range. At that rate of absorption, that equates to a roughly 26-month supply."

The super high-end category seems to be greatly oversupplied with inventory relative to current demand, but Bacqué says that isn't unusual in the local marketplace. While the supply did increase in 2012, the increase was not very dramatic, he adds.

What's more, he maintains, that in no way reflects negatively on the strength of the local real estate market. Moving away from the "very" high to the high end, those in the $300,000 and above range, the trend tracks pretty closely with the overall market's growth.

In his monthly analysis, Bacqué ranks any home in Lafayette Parish that sells for $300,000 or more in the higher-end category. In 2012, the overall number of Lafayette Parish home sales reported to the MLS grew 22.5 percent from 2011 to 2012, while home sales above $300,000 grew by 23.5 percent. "I expect the market dynamics to remain as strong in 2013," Bacqué says.

There is, however, some anecdotal evidence the super luxe category could have a breakout year: At least four listings above $850,000 have already sold this year: 902 Richland Ave. ($1.28 million), 155 Shannon Road ($2.43 million), 115 Brookshire Gardens ($1.16 million) and 201 Sawgrass Lane ($880,000).

[Editor's Note: This year ABiz introduces what will be an annual feature on the parish's most expensive home sales. Primarily based on sales reported to the MLS, the list also includes information gathered from public records at the Lafayette Parish courthouse and the Lafayette Parish Tax Assessor's office, as well as a number of local sources.]

Lafayette Parish's
Top 10 Home Sales
of 2012

1
Address: 106 RIVERBRIAR DRIVE, $3,000,000
Subdivision: GREENBRIAR ESTATES
Bedrooms/Baths: 4 Bedrooms, 5 Baths
Total Square Footage: 6,905
Price Per Square Foot: $434.47
Year Built: 2000
Seller: Dwight Andrus Jr.
Buyer: Benton and Sonya Knobloch
Listing Agent: Matt Andrus
Selling Agent: Kim Dupuis
Closed: July 6

2
Address: 301 BEVERLY DRIVE, $1,805,000
Subdivision: BENDEL GARDENS
Bedrooms/Baths: 4 Bedrooms, 3 Full Baths, 3 Half-baths
Total Square Footage: 6,300
Price Per Square Foot: $286.51
Year Built: 1982
Seller: Jim Adams
Buyer: Brian Keith Vesey
Listing Agent: N/A
Selling Agent: N/A
Closed: June 7

3
Address: 408 WORTH AVE., $1,275,000
Subdivision: RIVER RANCH
Bedrooms/Baths: 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths,
Total Square Footage: 4,291
Price Per Square Foot: $297.13
Year Built: 2004
Seller: Robert Lapidus
Buyer: Andy and Mary Martin
Listing Agent: Melanie Lunn
Selling Agent: Frances Prejean
Closed: March 16

4
Address: 116 JEAN BAPTISTE DRIVE, $1,100,000
Subdivision: VERMILION ESTATES (price includes extra lot)
Bedrooms/Baths: 7 Bedrooms, 6 Baths,
Total Square Footage: 6,087
Price Per Square Foot: $180.71
Year Built: 1986
Seller: Bill and Beth Busbice
Buyer: Technical Industries Inc.
Listing Agent: Deborah Foreman
Selling Agent: Mohamad Bahlawan
Closed: April 30

5
Address: 417 BILTMORE WAY, $1,100,000
Subdivision: RIVER RANCH
Bedrooms/Baths: 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths
Total Square Footage: 4,634
Price Per Square Foot: $237.38
Year Built: 2006
Seller: Shannon Hagan
Buyer: Kelsey E. Roberson Intervivos Trust
Listing Agent: Joan Navarre
Selling Agent: Kenneth Simeral
Closed: June 22

6
Address: 224 BLUE RIDGE DRIVE, $1,050,000
Subdivision: LEXINGTON HEIGHTS
Bedrooms/Baths: 4 Bedrooms, 4 Baths
Total Square Footage: 4,370
Price Per Square Foot: $240.27
Year Built: 2006
Seller: Thomas and Karen Juneau
Buyer: Phillip and Serisa Jaudon
Listing Agent: Tiffany Chiasson
Selling Agent: Ceresa Walker
Closed: Aug. 10

7
Address: 310 OAKWOOD DRIVE, $920,000    
Subdivision: BLUE BAYOU ESTATES
Bedrooms/Baths: 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths
Total Square Footage: 4,032
Price Per Square Foot: $228.17
Year Built: 1982
Seller: Michael and Ongel Aldridge
Buyer: Gregg and Barrow Barre
Listing Agent: Sharon Henderson
Selling Agent: Joan Navarre
Closed: March 15

8
Address: 803 RICHLAND AVE., $910,000
Subdivision: RIVER RANCH
Bedrooms/Baths: 5 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths
Total Square Footage: 4,139
Price Per Square Foot: $219.86
Year Built: 2001
Seller: Joel Angelle
Buyer: Mark Landry
Listing Agent: Charlie Baudoin
Selling Agent: Priscilla Feinberg
Closed: March 5

9
Address: 201 HIDDEN GROVE PLACE, $900,000    
Subdivision: THE GROVE
Bedrooms/Baths: 5 Bedrooms, 4 Baths
Total Square Footage: 4,110
Price Per Square Foot: $218.98
Year Built: 2005
Seller: Karol Fleming
Buyer: Thomas and Kendra Desormeaux
Listing Agent: Tiffany Chiasson
Selling Agent: Charlie Baudoin
Closed: Aug. 31

10
Address: 205 TURTLEDOVE TRAIL, $899,000    Subdivision: AUDUBON PLANTATION
Bedrooms/Baths: 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths
Total Square Footage: 4,265
Price Per Square Foot: $210.79
Year Built: 2012
Seller: Shivers Brothers
Buyer: Mark and Tyla Hudspeth
Listing Agent: Brandon Landry
Selling Agent: Maurice Hannie
Closed: May 24