Top Agents Talk About New Construction in New Orleans

by Clint LaCour

At Rêve Realtors, we’re proud to have agents on our team with extensive experience in new construction, offering their expertise to both builders and buyers. Skilled in everything from construction management and design to understanding market trends and offering aesthetic advice, they pride themselves on helping developers maximize profit by spending where buyers will appreciate it, and helping busy professionals find high quality homes that offer easy, low-maintenance living.

Rêve agent Cody Stringer has a professional background in construction management and design, which is invaluable to his developer-focused clientele. Now that he’s both an agent and a builder himself, he says, “I’m very mindful of budget and wouldn’t advise my clients to do anything that I wouldn’t do myself.” Cody ensures his clients are making the right decisions from the start, offering insight into specific markets and what those buyers are looking for. Working with the creators of Patterson Point and Maritimes in Algiers Point, as well as Croi in the Irish Channel, he provides real working knowledge to ensure successful projects from acquisition, re-subdivision, and schematic design to floor plans and finish selections.

Rêve agents Joe Robert and Brett Blanchard represent several builders and have their own building company, as well. Having worked with Mike Bertel, founding principal and builder at Inhab, they credit that experience with learning and recognizing the finer points of building and knowing quality construction work when they see it. Joe and Brett offer guidance on which neighborhoods to build in based on desirability and value, as well as design consultation, selecting fixtures and finishes for builders and often working with architects throughout the process. Explains Joe, “Builders give us a budget to stay within when it comes to design consultations, and we take care of everything, so they can build and not have to worry about all the final touches.” Understanding what buyers are looking for, and then working with builders to incorporate those things means that builders trust Joe and Brett to make the right choices, and buyers find their dream homes.

Rêve agents Sissy Blewster and Kimy Matthews work with developers, as well as buyers who are interested in new construction. Says Sissy, “New construction speaks to a lot of young, first-time homebuyers in their early 30s. They tend to be newly married or busy professionals who aren’t interested in tackling projects or ongoing maintenance on the weekends. They haven’t sold a home and made a profit from it – instead, they’re putting all of their hard-earned money into a down payment.” On the developer side, Sissy and Kimy are often involved in the decisions made early in the building process – from layout to maximizing square footage to creating attractive exterior spaces. Sissy compares the relationship to the value you’d get from asking questions of your financial advisor or accountant. She explains that the more she’s used as a resource, the more value the builder gets, and the better choices they make. And it often results in Sissy and Kimy’s ability to sell those new homes before they even hit the market.

New construction in New Orleans is often found in up and coming neighborhoods with a lower price point, such as St. Roch, St. Claude, Gentilly, Algiers Point, the Freret Corridor, Central City, the Irish Channel, and the 7th Ward.

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