Fall In Love With New Orleans: The Ultimate October Festival Guide

Photo Courtesy of Gentilly Festival  With so much captivating history, culture, and vibrant energy, falling in love with New Orleans is an easy thing to do. The autumn season renews the beauty of this fantastic city. With the sweltering temperatures simmering down, it’s the perfect time to thoroughly enjoy all this city has to offer—one of those activities being festivals. New Orleans is world-renowned for its unique festivals that feature delectable foods, fantastic music, and lots of fun. Here is the ultimate guide to festivals happening around New Orleans this October. Gentilly Festival October 11th-13th Music, food, and community are the heart of the Gentilly Fest. Gentilly Fest celebrates all things Gentilly. Held in the Historic Pontchartrain Park neighborhood, attendees will enjoy live music, several vendors, and family-friendly activities. In addition to the fabulous festivities, this festival has complimentary admission. Gretna Heritage Festival October 4th-6th Just across the Mississippi River from Downtown New Orleans is the great city of  Gretna. The Gretna Heritage Festival promotes and supports businesses and organizations in the City Of Gretna. This year’s festival will return with an all-star lineup that includes Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and Kool & The Gang. Tickets are $40 for a single day or $90 for a weekend pass. Ashé Rooftop Festival October 11th-12th The Ashé Rooftop Festival is a weekend-long celebration centering on the African Diaspora. The festival is culturally-curated across beautiful rooftop spaces in Downtown New Orleans. Attendees will experience rooftops that feature art, wellness, social justice, Black literature, and performances from your musical favorites. Tickets start at $50. Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival October 11th-13th  Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival is a three-day extravaganza featuring music, food, and art. Enjoy free admission to the festival all weekend long, which takes place at Lafayette Square Park. Praise Festival October 18th-20th  Every year, Bayou St. John comes alive with Gospel music. Enjoy three full days of soul-touching Gospel music and praise. Festival goers can expect uplifting sounds from local and national Gospel artists, entertainers, and world-renowned speakers. Admission to this festival is complimentary. Photo Courtesy of NOLA Reggae Festival  Oktoberfest October 11th-12th, 18th-19th, and 25th-26th Oktoberfest at Deutsches Haus returns for three exciting weekends of Germany’s beloved celebration. This European-inspired festival features three weekends of German culture, cuisine, and fun. Festival goers can expect a time of authentic German foods, live music, dances, and activities. Tickets are $10. NOLA Funk Festival October 28th-20th Get ready for a time of grooving at the NOLA Funk Festival. NOLA Funk Fest is a celebration of Louisiana’s rich music history showcasing the state’s magnificent musical heritage. Held at the world-renowned New Orleans Jazz Museum. Tickets start at $40. Tremé Fall Festival October 26th Tremé is the oldest African-American neighborhood in the country, and the Tremé Fall Fest is a celebration of the beloved community. The festival serves as a fundraiser for St. Augustine Church and various community non-profits. Attendees can delight in a time of food, live music, art, and performances. This festival is free for everyone to attend. NOLA Reggae Festivhttps://thenolareggaefest.com/al October 25th-27th Enjoy three incredible days of music, food, and energetic vibes at the NOLA Reggae Festival. The festival takes place at the Historic Congo Square and is a harmonious blend of reggae beats and local flavor. Festival goers will partake in a  diverse array of local vendors offering delicious food, unique crafts, and much more. Tickets start at $25.  Photo Courtesy of Tremé Fall Festival  Happy Fall Festin’ Everyone!  *This article was written by Deveney Marshall of Mara Creative Agency

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Are You Prepared to Buy a Home? Find Out Here [Checklist]

Are You Prepared to Buy a Home? Find Out Here [Checklist] Down in New Orleans, culture is everything. You can hear it in the jazz bands, smell it in the food and see it in the architecture. If you dream of owning one of those fabulous NOLA homes, you may feel like jumping the gun whenever a listing pops up. Are you prepared, though? Use this checklist to gauge if you’re ready to buy a house in the Big Easy. 1. Do You Have Income? Naturally, the first step is to ensure you have a consistent means of paying the mortgage. Even if you have a little saved up, life can get in the way, and handling monthly payments on top of medical bills or repair expenses may dry up the well fast. Whether you’re a hands-off entrepreneur or an hourly employee, a steady paycheck is a major boon. In addition to income, it’s crucial to have emergency funds. You should have at least three months of expenses saved or as much as six months. In 2023, the hidden costs of homeownership added up to over $13,000 — a hard pill to swallow after buying a home. Saving up ahead of time provides a cushion to fall back on and reduces your potential regret of moving too fast. 2. Do You Have Debt? A better question is, “Do you have manageable debt?” It’s still possible to buy a home when you have debt, but it’s an expense you must account for as much as other bills. One way to gauge if you have an appropriate amount of debt is with the debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. Start by adding up your monthly payments, including what your mortgage would be. Then, divide that number by how much you make in a month before taxes and other obligations. Lenders like to see a DTI ratio of 36%-43%, and they prefer that less than 28% of that goes toward your new space. 3. Do You Know What You Can Afford? Now that you’ve taken inventory of your financial situation, you need to identify a house you can afford. Here are the factors you should consider when calculating how big a home you can buy: The property’s price The down payment The interest rate Your loan term Your annual gross income and monthly expenses State taxes Additional fees, such as homeowners’ association or condo fees You could do all the calculations yourself, but luckily, there are a host of free home affordability calculators on the internet. To give yourself a starting place, consider 28% of your total monthly earnings to gauge the mortgage you can afford. 4. Will You Live There for a While? Buying a home in New Orleans makes little sense if you only stay there for a year. One of the best clues of your preparedness to buy a house is if you’re ready to put down roots. Is where you’re staying where you can see yourself in five or 10 years? Only 10% of homes owned for under a year have worthwhile equity. Your equity increases as you stay in a house, pay off your debt and make improvements. It starts to be worth more while how much you owe decreases, so you can earn a decent bit of change when you are finally ready to sell. 5. Do You Know Which Professionals to Work With? Working with professionals who can guide you through the process is the key to buying a house the easiest way possible. You can go into the process independently, but there will likely be mountains of paperwork or questionable electrical work you may miss. Before buying, you need a real estate agent, a home inspector and an appraiser. The agent will help you negotiate and understand the market you’re trying to buy in. Meanwhile, an inspector will ensure there’s nothing wrong with the property or point out potential issues that could lower the price. The appraiser can do the same, ensuring you’re not paying back a bigger loan than necessary. 6. Are You in the Right Headspace? Buying a house can be stressful. Nearly one-quarter of homebuyers said therapy sessions were necessary to make it through the process, and 77% of those with partners said they bickered during it. You should be ready to buy and using professionals along the way will help make the process smoother, manageable and about as stress-free as it can be. Still, being ready to look is a requirement. Many factors add up to a better homebuying mindset. Do you know your must-haves, wants and compromises? Do you really like the place you’re living in? Do you have resources and support when things feel too challenging? A self-check-in on whether you can handle the stress right now helps greatly in the months ahead. Get Ready for Homeownership With Your Preparedness Checklist New Orleans may be known as The Big Easy, but buying a home here shouldn’t be taken lightly! The process requires preparation, including your finances and mental health. Get ready to start browsing the many gorgeous NOLA listings after ticking off each box on this handy checklist.

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Love Your Neighbor, Y’all: A Call To Action To Stand For Change

At Rêve Realtors, we understand that a home is more than just walls and a roof, it's the community that surrounds it. Whether you're in the vibrant streets of New Orleans' French Quarter or the charming neighborhoods of Baton Rouge, community is at the heart of it all. Each city, with its unique tapestry of stories, culture, and, most importantly, people, makes living here truly special. Heartbeat of New Orleans and Baton Rouge New Orleans isn’t just a city, it’s a feeling—a melody of jazz floating through the air, the aroma of gumbo simmering on the stove, and the sight of neighbors waving to each other from their porches. Baton Rouge shares that same spirit, where community ties run deep, and a smile is more common than a passing glance. The magic that everyone adores in these cities doesn’t just happen, it’s crafted by the people who care enough to make a difference. A Call To Stand For Change We’re all about celebrating the good times here, but we also know that our communities faces real challenges. From economic inequalities to housing insecurities, there’s work to be done. Our “Love Your Neighbor, Y’all” initiative is a call to action to stand up for one another and make sure that everyone has the chance to thrive. Whether it’s helping out a neighbor in need, supporting local businesses, or getting involved in community efforts, there are so many ways to make a positive impact. Making Change Together We’re not asking you to change the world overnight, but we are asking you to take a step, no matter how small, towards making our community better. If everyone does their part, even the smallest actions can have a significant impact. Your actions could be as simple as attending a local meeting to voice your support for a notable cause, volunteering your time, or even just checking in on a neighbor who might need a hand. The point is to do something, because together, we can create real change. How You Can Make a Difference? Get Involved! Look for opportunities to volunteer or support causes that matter to you. Your time and effort can have a lasting impact. Support Local! Shopping at local businesses or dining at neighborhood restaurants isn’t just convenient—it’s a way to keep our community vibrant and strong. Be Neighborly!  Sometimes, the smallest gestures make the biggest difference. A kind word, a helping hand, or just being there for someone can mean more than you know. Educate Yourself!  Take the time to learn about the issues facing our community and what you can do to help. Knowledge is power, and it can guide your actions. Keeping Our Community Strong At Rêve Realtors, our motto is “people smart, home savvy, ” and being people smart means more than just understanding the market, we must understand the importance of community and the pivotal role we all play in it. We’re committed to being a force for good in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and beyond, and we invite you to join us. So, let’s come together, y’all. Let’s love our neighbors, stand for change, and make New Orleans and Baton Rouge a place where everyone can feel at home. Here’s to building communities we’re proud to be a part of. *Photos Credit: Zach Smith Photography *Written by Deveney Marshall of themaraagency.com    

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