Acadiana Business

Lafayette home sales soar to highest level since 2007

by Leslie Turk

Coldwell Banker's Steven Hebert says 2012 is even better than 2010, when the Homebuyer Tax Credit provided a much-needed shot in the arm to the housing market. Coldwell Banker Pelican Real Estate's Steven Hebert says Lafayette Parish is having its biggest year in new construction since 2007, outpacing the first eight months of 2011 by a whopping 28 percent. He says this year is even better than 2010, when the Homebuyer Tax Credit disproportionately assisted new home sales.

Through August, the overall market is up 19 percent in number of homes sold, compared to the same period last year. When it comes to dollar value, however, the numbers skyrocketed even more, with the overall market up 22 percent and new construction up 35 percent.

The average price of new homes, which make up 32 percent of all homes sold in Lafayette Parish this year, rose 6 percent $219,000 compared to $207,000 last year, he says.

Read more from Hebert's just-released report here.