_[Editor's Note: Information for this feature is gathered from a variety of sources, including tax assessor and courthouse records.]
While the local economy headed down a slippery slope in 2015, one that has continued into the new year, home sales in Lafayette Parish stayed strong — even increasing slightly from total sales in 2014. Once again, ABiz looks back on the big dollar sales of the year._
While the sale of new homes in Lafayette Parish fell 3 percent from 2014 to 2015, existing home sales rose 2.5 percent, all of which contributed to an overall 0.64 percent increase for the year. Not much to brag about, but 2015 did manage to set another record. And that’s pretty remarkable considering the impact of falling oil prices on the local economy.
What happened toward the end of the year, however, does not bode well for home sales this year. During the first seven months of 2015 home sales trended upward, but toward the end of the year they slowed down significantly, according to Van Eaton & Romero’s year-end report. Home sales reported to the Realtor Association of Acadiana’s Multiple Listing Service from January through July 2015 were up 7.6 percent over 2014, while the sales reported from August through December dropped 8.25 percent compared with the same period a year earlier.
For the first time since ABiz began publishing its list of the largest home sales of the year, one home appears twice on the list because it was sold in two separate transactions, and this year we feature a dozen homes due to a tie in the last place slot.
MISSING FROM THE LIST
All of the homes in this year’s feature were reported to the Realtor Association of Acadiana’s Multiple Listing Service, but one home that qualifies for the list was a private sale. According to Lafayette Parish Tax Assessor records, the River Ranch home of Paul and Laurie Bako at 500 Princeton Woods Loop was sold in November to Tommie and Janice Rogers. Real estate sources tell ABiz the home sold for approximately $3.5 million, which would have earned the No. 1 spot on this year’s list. ABiz was unable to determine the square footage of the home and other details about the sale.
1. $1.85 MILLION
ADDRESS: 109 Thibodeaux Drive
SUBDIVISION: Whittington Oaks
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 5 bedrooms/3 full baths, 1 half
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 5,343
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $346.25
YEAR BUILT: 21-30 years old
SELLER: Merrick and Vernon Valentino
BUYER: Ronald J. Fremin II and Katy Onebane Fremin
LISTING AGENT: Joy Davis, Van Eaton & Romero
SELLING AGENT: Emily Babineaux, Par Realty
CLOSED: 02/27/2015
2. $1.43 MILLION
ADDRESS: 408 Worth Avenue
SUBDIVISION: River Ranch
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 4 bedrooms/4 full baths, 1 half
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,291
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $332.09
YEAR BUILT: 2004/11-15 years old
SELLER: Charlie Moncla
BUYER: Paul Bako II and Laurie Mills Bako
LISTING AGENT: Joy Davis, Van Eaton & Romero
CO-LISTING AGENT: Susan S Strait, Van Eaton & Romero
SELLING AGENT: Non-Member Agent/Seller
CLOSED: 11/09/2015
3. $1.38 MILLION
ADDRESS: 408 Oakleaf Drive
SUBDIVISION: Woodbriar Place
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 4 bedrooms/3 full baths, 1 half
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,777
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $287.84
YEAR BUILT: 1998/16-20 years old
SELLER: Anne Calhoun
BUYER: Merrick Valentino and Vernon Valentino
LISTING AGENT: Charles W. Baudoin, Van Eaton & Romero
SELLING AGENT: Joy Davis, Van Eaton & Romero
CLOSED: 02/27/2015
4. $1.34 MILLION
ADDRESS: 615 Elysian Fields Drive
SUBDIVISION: River Ranch
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 4 bedrooms/4 full baths, 1 half
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,510
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $382.48
YEAR BUILT: 1-3 years old
SELLER: Clifton and Jodi Bolgiano
BUYER: Thomas Kirby Arceneaux and Susan Sheppert Arceneaux
LISTING AGENT: Deborah D. Foreman, Keaty Real Estate Company
SELLING AGENT: Lisa Sheppert, Van Eaton & Romero
CLOSED: 06/15/2015
5. $1.33 MILLION
ADDRESS: 112 Winged Foot Drive
SUBDIVISION: Le Triomphe
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 5 bedrooms/5 full baths, 3 half
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 7,512
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $176.38
YEAR BUILT: 6-10 years old
SELLER: Paul C. Cummings
BUYER: Gilbert Allen Meche
LISTING AGENT: Sharon H. Henderson, Van Eaton & Romero
SELLING AGENT: Sharon H. Henderson, Van Eaton & Romero
CLOSED: 04/13/2015
6. $1.3 MILLION
ADDRESS: 104 Augusta Drive
SUBDIVISION: Le Triomphe
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 5 bedrooms/5 full baths, 3 half
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,729
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $274.9
YEAR BUILT: 6-10 years old
SELLER: Alan Dillaunty and Andrea Dillaunty
BUYER: Brian P. White
LISTING AGENT: Amanda Magnon, Keller Williams Realty Acadiana
CO-LISTING AGENT: Molli Rodriguez, Keller Williams Realty Acadiana
SELLING AGENT: Molli Rodriguez, Keller Williams Realty Acadiana
CLOSED: 04/15/2015
7. $1.3 MILLION
ADDRESS: 408 Worth Ave.
SUBDIVISION: River Ranch
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 4 bedrooms/4 full baths, 1 half
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,291
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $302.96
YEAR BUILT: 2004/11-15 years old
SELLER: Andy and Mary Martin
BUYER: Charlie Moncla
LISTING AGENT: Charles W. Baudoin, Van Eaton & Romero
SELLING AGENT: Joy Davis, Van Eaton & Romero
CLOSED: 06/12/2015
8. $1.25 MILLION
ADDRESS: 150 Emily Circle
SUBDIVISION: Beaullieu Place
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 4 bedrooms/4 full baths
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,200
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $297.62
YEAR BUILT: 1997/16-20 years old
SELLER: Wayne Lindemann and Denise Donnes Lindemann
BUYER: Scott Viator and Dionne Elliott Viator
LISTING AGENT: Charles W. Baudoin, Van Eaton & Romero
SELLING AGENT: Charles W. Baudoin, Van Eaton & Romero
CLOSED: 03/23/2015
9. $1.15 MILLION
ADDRESS: 101 N. Riveridge Drive
SUBDIVISION: N/A
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 4 bedrooms/4 full baths, 2 half
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 7,569
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $151.94
YEAR BUILT: 1998/16-20 years old
SELLER: Robert and Mary Verret
BUYER: Darrel Grumbles and Donna M. Fox
LISTING AGENT: Wendy McCombie, Coldwell Banker Pelican R.E.
CO-LISTING AGENT: Tommy P. Hayes, Coldwell Banker Pelican R.E.
SELLING AGENT: Steve Roy, Century 21 Action Realty
CLOSED: 06/29/2015
10. $1.15 MILLION
ADDRESS: 700 Farmington Drive
SUBDIVISION: Fernewood
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 5 bedrooms/6 full baths
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 6,530
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $176.11
YEAR BUILT: 2009/4-5 years old
SELLER: Raghotham Reddy Patlola
BUYER: Charles Bodin and Deanna Bodin
LISTING AGENT: Melanie D. Lunn, Van Eaton & Romero
SELLING AGENT: Christie House, Keller Williams Realty Acadiana
CLOSED: 06/02/2015
11. $1.15 MILLION
ADDRESS: 208 Hidden Grove Place
SUBDIVISION: The Grove
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 4 bedrooms/3 full baths
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,150
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $277.11
YEAR BUILT: 2008/6-10 years old
SELLER: Thomas and Dana LaBorde
BUYER: Cesar Augusto Ramirez Astacio and Brittany Ramirez
LISTING AGENT: Arla Slaughter, Van Eaton & Romero
SELLING AGENT: Mohamad Bahlawan, Van Eaton & Romero
CLOSED: 03/30/2015
12. $1.15 MILLION
ADDRESS: 808 Richland Ave.
SUBDIVISION: River Ranch
BEDROOMS/BATHS: 4 bedrooms/4 full baths, 1 half
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,678
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT: $245.83
YEAR BUILT: 11-15 years old
SELLER: John and Mary Donnes
BUYER: Adam Hebert and Melissa LeBlanc Hebert
LISTING AGENT: Deborah D. Foreman, Keaty Real Estate Company
SELLING AGENT: Tommy P. Hayes, Coldwell Banker Pelican R.E.
CLOSED: 05/15/2015