_[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