Louisiana

The changing climate is increasing insurance rates for residents and cities and lowering property values in areas that face more frequent and intense disasters.

Expected to make landfall as a Category 2 storm, Hurricane Delta's surge is estimated to cause damage to 293,685 residential properties across Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, according to CoreLogic.

The number of homes sold in metro Baton Rouge, La., was 11.2% higher in August than the year before, continuing a hot streak triggered by low interest rates.

If it makes landfall as a Category 3 storm as was initially projected, damage from Hurricane Laura's surge could potentially devastate 432,810 residential properties in Texas and Louisiana, according to CoreLogic.

Louisiana ranks second in the nation in the percentage of homeowners who are late on their mortgage payments, according to Black Knight.

The coronavirus pandemic took a toll on the Baton Rouge, La., area housing market in April, with sales dropping 12.6% compared to last year, but prices are holding up.

The number of home sales in the greater New Orleans area dropped sharply in April as the coronavirus pandemic locked down the economy, but prices mostly held steady as many sellers withdrew their properties and took a "wait-and-see" position amid the unprecedented market conditions.

The hot start to home sales in Lafayette Parish, La., and elsewhere in Acadiana has slowed due to the novel coronavirus and may continue for the next two or three months.

Home sales in Lafayette Parish, La., set a record in February and is outpacing the region when it comes to year-over-year growth.

Baton Rouge, La.-area home sales were up 18% in January compared to the year before when numbers likely were affected by a federal government shutdown.

A city agency that in recent years lost its luster as a place where low-income New Orleanians could go for low-interest mortgages is set to re-emerge as a key player in plans to develop more affordable housing in the city.

Home sales in metro Baton Rouge, La., were 2.2% higher in 2019 than the year before, thanks to a year-end push.

The Acadiana, La., area had a second straight record year in home sales in 2019 in terms of homes sold and total dollar volume thanks in part to a busy December.

The number of homes sold in metro Baton Rouge in November dropped by 2.4% from the year before, while home prices and the number of properties for sale also decreased.

Months after a citywide reassessment caused property values to shoot up across New Orleans, its likely impact on taxpayers' wallets is becoming clearer.

Home sales in October in Acadiana were the highest ever recorded while sales in Lafayette were just shy of a new record.

The share of severely underwater mortgages shrunk by over two percentage points compared with a year ago, as these borrowers benefited from the rise in equity levels, Attom Data Solutions said.

For New Orleans-area homebuyers, the suburbs are calling.

Lower interest rates that have the power to reduce house payments are triggering a surge in mortgage refinancing activity and giving real estate agents hope that more affordable rates can lift area home sales that are barely lagging behind 2018.

Home sales in metro Baton Rouge, La., were practically unchanged for the first half of 2019, with three more houses being sold than during the same period in 2018.