Located off of Highway 73 just north of I-10 in Prairieville, Waterford Lake subdivision, founded in 2005, is a short drive to many services and the high performing schools in the area. The small established community totaling approximately 75 houses consists of single family homes starting in the upper $200k price range. True to its name, Waterford Lake subdivision is centered around a lake and fountain. This Prairieville subdivision has an active Homeowners Association, an often updated subdivision Facebook page, and website featuring subdivision restrictions for its three filings and its bylaws.

Directions to Waterford Lake subdivision in Prairieville:

Traveling east on I-10, take exit 173 for LA-73 and take a left onto Highway 73 (Old Jefferson Highway). In 0.9 miles, turn right onto St. Marie Avenue in Waterford Lake subdivision.

Distances from Waterford Lake subdivision to places of interest:

• Spanish Lake Primary School: ~2.5 miles, 6 minutes driving
  
• Dutchtown Middle School: ~1.8 miles, 5 minutes driving
  
• Dutchtown High School: ~1.6 miles, 5 minutes driving
  
• Tanger Outlet Stores/Restaurants: ~6 miles, 10 minutes driving
  
• LSU, Baton Rouge: ~19 miles, 30 minutes driving
  
• New Orleans: ~64 miles, 1 hour and 5 minutes driving

Looking for things to do and places to shop and eat in Prairieville and the surrounding area? Check out our blog post of attractions in Ascension Parish detailing the many local options for Waterford Lake subdivision.

If you are searching for more information about Waterford Lake subdivision, contact one of our seasoned real estate agents in the Prairieville area. Additionally, we have several resources available for those who are looking to buy a home including our home buying frequently asked questions and our free ultimate guide to buying a home. You can also browse our list of Waterford Lake subdivision homes for sale as well as the entire city of Prairieville.

As the events of the last few years in the real estate industry show, people forget about the tremendous financial responsibility of purchasing a home at their peril. Here are a few tips for dealing with the dollar signs so that you can take down that “for sale” sign on your new home.

Get pre-approved. Sub-primes may be history, but you’ll probably still be shown homes you can’t actually afford. By getting pre-approved as a buyer, you can save yourself the grief of looking at houses you can't afford. You can also put yourself in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house. Unlike pre-qualification, which is based on a cursory review of your finances, pre-approval from a lender is based on your actual income, debt and credit history. By doing a thorough analysis of your actual spending power, you’ll be less likely to get in over your head.

Choose your mortgage carefully. Used to be the emphasis when it came to mortgages was on paying them off as soon as possible. Today, the debt the average person will accumulate due to credit cards, student loans, etc. means it’s better to opt for the 30-year mortgage instead of the 15-year. This way, you have a lower monthly payment, with the option of paying an additional principal when money is good. Additionally, when picking a mortgage, you usually have the option of paying additional points (a portion of the interest that you pay at closing) in exchange for a lower interest rate. If you plan to stay in the house for a long time—and given the current real estate market, you should—taking the points will save you money.

Do your homework before bidding. Before you make an offer on a home, do some research on the sales trends of similar homes in the neighborhood with sites like Zillow. Consider especially sales of similar homes in the last three months. For instance, if homes have recently sold for 5 percent less than the asking price, your opening bid should probably be about 8 to 10 percent lower than what the seller is asking.

Moving from a small town or suburb to a large city can be an intimidating proposition. Here are a few tips to help make your move as painless as possible.

Research before you move. It’s important to understand the culture you’re joining. Do research online and find out about school systems, neighborhoods, parking, weather, public transportation, and laws that are native to that area. If you can, visit a city before moving and connect with someone who’s lived there before.

Have a plan. There are a lot of steps to go through before you start packing the moving truck. Find housing before you leave, or at least know where you’ll stay while you look for a home. Never sign a lease on an apartment that you haven’t seen. If you can’t get there, find a friend or an employer to check for you. Have a job waiting for you, or if that’s not possible, know what you’ll do for money in the first few weeks of living there. Try to line up things like driver’s licenses, car insurance, renter’s insurance, and parking passes ahead of time as well.

Get involved. Meeting people in a big city can be daunting. Don’t expect the neighbors to knock your door down with a casserole when you arrive: city life is often too noisy and hectic. Take the initiative. If there are things you liked to do in your town, find ways to do those things in the city. Try new things. Volunteer. Big cities offer so many opportunities to engage other people, so find what you like.

Mind your wallet. City life is expensive. Everything costs more: food, insurance, clothes, rent. There are also a lot more ways to get ripped off, whether legally or criminally. Be careful how you spend, and know where your money is going.

Growing at an enormous rate, Ascension Parish is considered to be prime real estate in Louisiana. The area is equipped with excellent schools and countless dining, entertainment, and shopping options. Its beautiful neighborhoods are only short drives from the cities of Baton Rouge and New Orleans and its yearly festivals bring numbers of people to the area to enjoy all kinds of fun. Let's look at a few different reasons many are looking for homes for sale in Prairieville, Geismar, and Gonzales.

Schools

Ascension Parish is known for its high performing schools. Niche ranks Ascension Parish Public Schools #7 overall in the state with an "A-" rating taking academics, administrative policy, educational outcome, extracurriculars, resources and facilities, teachers, and other categories into effect. Niche ranks Ascension #4 in college readiness and #7 in best teachers. Dutchtown High School was nationally recognized by the US News and received a bronze rating.

As a parish, Ascension received an "A" rating in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 according to the Department of Education. You can view their rating for each individual school in the district by choosing it from the dropdown menu here.

Dining & Shopping Establishments

Dining and shopping in Ascension Parish is convenient. The sizable Tanger Outlet holds a number of stores and a few restaurants and is located right off of the interstate in Gonzales. Cabela's is essentially right across the street from Tanger Outlet and can fill your hunting, fishing, and outdoor needs. Additionally, the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge is not a far interstate drive from Ascension.

Albertson's (Prairieville), Winn Dixie (Prairieville), Walmart (Prairieville, Gonzales), LeBlanc's Food Store (Prairieville, Gonzales), and Alexander's Market (Prairieville/Baton Rouge border) make finding groceries extremely convenient from anywhere in Ascension Parish.

The Cabin is a unique place to eat in Gonzales. Once a plantation, the converted restaurant, with walls decorated with local memorabilia and collectables, is home to delicious southern cooking. It is also an excellent venue for banquets and events. View their menu here.

Son's Seafood and Steak House is located off of Airline Highway in Gonzales. The restaurant, which also caters and hosts banquets, is an excellent option for local seafood taste. View their menu here.

Mike Anderson's Seafood is a local chain with a location next to Clarion Inn Conference Center in Gonzales. They also provide banquets, receptions, and business meeting services. View their menu here.

Sammy's Grill in Prairieville is also a local restaurant chain that provides cajun-style sandwiches, steaks, and seafood behind a fountain and pond off Airline Highway. View their menu here.

Prairieville's Commerce Centre shopping center includes Geisha Sushi & Hibachi Grill as well as Agave Blue Tequila & Taco Bar complete with an outdoor patio.

Frank's Restaurant on Airline Highway in Prairieville is a great dining option with home-style cooking for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Cypress Hall & Pavilion is on-site and hosts wedding events.

On The Half Shell Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant is also located on Airline Highway in Prairieville. It combines tasty bites with live music. View their menu here.

Located off of Perkins Road in Prairieville, Tommy's Fish House is a family-run restaurant with many cajun-creole dishes. View their menu here.

Looking for a place to watch the big game? Slider's Grill & Bar provides several TVs to root your team on while enjoying food and drinks. It is located off of Airline Highway in Prairieville.

Looking to cool down on a Louisiana summer day? Grab a snack at Cade's Frozen Custard in Gonzales.

Entertainment & Festivals

There are many things to do and events to enjoy in Ascension Parish.

Houma's House Plantation and Gardens is located in Darrow, Louisiana, right outside of Gonzales. The property features astounding scenery, delicious cafe and restaurant, and a gift shop. Similarly, Tezcuco Plantation is also located in Darrow, and although it burned down in 2002, you can still view its ruins.

Summers in Louisiana can be hot, but not to worry, Blue Bayou waterpark is just a few miles outside of Prairieville in Baton Rouge. Across the street is Dixie Landin' amusement park, boasting a number of rides and roller coasters.

Gonzales is also home to the pristine Pelican Point Country Club which offers a golf course, tennis courts, wading pool, junior Olympic swimming pool, restaurant, and bar. The club also provides swimming and tennis lessons and is an exceptional venue for weddings and events. You can view information regarding the Pelican Point neighborhood here or you can view homes available in Pelican Point here.

Premier Lanes Entertainment Center and Malco Gonzales Cinema are located in the heart of Gonzales off of Airline Highway. A bowling alley, movie theatre, arcade, laser maze, restaurant, and bar make this facility a go-to place for the entire family.

You can catch a concert or one of many shows that can be seen at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

Cajun Village is located in the town of Sorrento in Ascension Parish. Here, you can find boutique shops, an alligator pond, coffee house, and bed and breakfast in restored Acadian dwellings.

The annual Ascension Parish Hot Air Balloon Festival provides excellent entertainment for the whole family at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales each September. This event features balloon rides, food trucks, live music, carnival rides, arts and crafts booths, and a picturesque lighting of the balloons after sunset.

Gonzales is known as the "Jambalaya Capital of the World" and has hosted The Jambalaya Festival every year in May since 1967. The festival includes live music, carnival rides, cooking contests, and of course, plenty of food.

Proximity to Baton Rouge and New Orleans

Another factor that makes buying a home in Ascension Parish attractive is its geographical location in relation to Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Ascension Parish sits just to the south of Baton Rouge as Prairieville borders the state's capital. The southernmost region of the parish is right at an hour's driving distance from New Orleans. Residents of Ascension Parish have easy access to a night of shopping and dining in Baton Rouge or a Saturday day trip to New Orleans with the family. Its access to Baton Rouge also makes it a convenient location in relation to the LSU campus. The options are truly limitless.

Ready to purchase a home in Ascension Parish?

With plenty of places to eat and shop and things to do, it's no wonder many are looking to buy a home in Ascension Parish. Located in Prairieville, Property First Realty Group's agents are very knowledgable about the area and homes available in Prairieville, Gonzales, and Geismar. We have many resources available to make the home buying process smooth, especially if you are a first time home buyer. We previously answered many questions about purchasing a home in our Home Buying FAQs. You can also view our short video on home-buying services or download a free guide to buying a home here. Browse the quick links below to read more information on the areas, subdivisions, and homes for sale in Ascension Parish.

Geismar: City Information | Subdivisions | Homes for Sale in Geismar

Gonzales: City Information | Subdivisions | Homes for Sale in Gonzales

Prairieville: City Information | Subdivisions | Homes for Sale in Prairieville

What makes a good rental real estate property? Is it cash flow? Location? Multi-family or single family?

All great questions and there is no one correct answer. However, when it comes to investing and buying real estate in our market, Prairieville, Geismar and Gonzales all make excellent choices.

Why you ask? Well, let's consider a number of factors here. First off, Ascension Parish is surrounded by a strong economy, mainly attributed to our strong oil, gas and chemical industry. Second, if you had to move somewhere, what criteria would you use? Probably something along the lines of good location/proximity to major highways, good public schools, low crime, close to lots of major services.

Sound familiar? Add it all together and in short, Ascension parish real estate in general answers the mail on all of these important questions.

As a real estate investor in Ascension parish for the past 10 years, we have found a great return on long term growth. Give us a call and we'd be happy to share out knowledge with you!

Click here to see homes in Prairieville for sale

Click here to see homes in Gonzales for sale

Click here to see homes in Geismar for sale

Looking to buy a home? Here are five essential tips for making the process as smooth as possible.

Get your finances in order.

Start by getting a full picture of your credit. Obtain copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you find. Next, find a suitable lender and get pre-approved for a loan. This will put you in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house.

Find a house you can afford.

As with engagement rings, there’s a general rule of thumb when it comes to buying a home: two-and-a-half times your annual salary. There are also a number of tools and calculators online that can help you understand how your income, debt, and expenses affect what you can afford. Don’t forget, too, that there are lots of considerations beyond the sticker price, including property taxes, energy costs, etc.

Hire a professional.

While the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings and resources, many aspects of the buying process require a level of expertise you can’t pick up from surfing the web. That’s why you’re better off using a professional agent than going it alone. If possible, recruit an exclusive buyer agent, who will have your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process.

Do your homework.

Before making a bid, do some research to determine the state of the market at large. Is it more favorable for sellers or buyers? Next, look at sales trends of similar homes in the area or neighborhood. Look at prices for the last few months. Come up with an asking price that’s competitive, but also realistic. Otherwise, you may end up ticking off your seller.

Think long term.

Obviously, you shouldn’t buy unless you’re sure you’ll be staying put for at least a few years. Beyond that, you should buy in a neighborhood with good schools. Whether you have children or not, this will have an impact on your new home’s resale value down the line. When it comes to the house itself, you should hire your own home inspector, who can point out potential problems that could require costly repairs in the future.

Looking to get an idea of what your Prairieville, Baton Rouge, Gonzales or surrounding home could be worth but don't want to just register on a site and wait for a realtor to call you?

Then click the link below! You WILL have to give a real email but the report is generated and emailed to you instantly based on the address you put in the form.

The report will contain homes that are active, pending, withdrawn, and sold as well as other info like price per sqft, days on market and more.

Like what you see from the report and want to get a little more detail on how we can help in getting your home sold? Take a look at our home selling video below. We'd love to help.

Our team services homes in the Prairieville, Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Geismar, Denham Springs and surrounding areas.

Don't forget to check out our frequently asked questions (FAQ's) section.

Prairie Oaks is a smaller community of single family homes that features large sized lots. Located off of Highway 73 near I-10 in Prairieville, LA, Prairie Oaks subdivision provides quick and easy access to limitless dining, shopping, and entertainment options as well as the high performing Dutchtown schools. Prices start in the middle to high $200k range. Click the image below to check out homes for sale in Prairie Oaks. If you live in Prairie Oaks subdivision, you can stay in contact with your neighbors and up-to-date with subdivision news via the Next Door social media outlet found here.

Directions to Prairie Oaks subdivision in Prairieville:

Traveling east on I-10, take exit 173 and take a left onto Highway 73 (Old Jefferson Highway). In 0.7 miles, turn right onto Overland Trail.

Distances from Prairie Oaks subdivision to places of interest:

• Spanish Lake Primary School: ~2.4 miles, 5 minutes driving
• Dutchtown Middle School: ~1.6 miles, 4 minutes driving
• Dutchtown High School: ~1.4 miles, 4 minutes driving
  
• Tanger Outlet Stores/Restaurants: ~5.6 miles, 10 minutes driving
  
• LSU, Baton Rouge: ~20 miles, 25 minutes driving
  
• New Orleans: ~64 miles, 1 hour and 2 minutes driving

Looking for things to do and places to shop and eat in Prairieville and the surrounding area? Check out our blog post of attractions in Ascension Parish detailing the many local options for Prairie Oaks subdivision.

If you are searching for more information about Prairie Oaks subdivision, contact one of our seasoned real estate agents in the Prairieville area. Additionally, we have several resources available for those who are looking to buy a home including our home buying frequently asked questions and our free ultimate guide to buying a home. You can also browse our list of Prairie Oaks subdivision homes for sale as well as Prairieville homes for sale.

Located off of Airline Highway in Prairieville, LA, Bullion Crossing subdivision is a only short drive to the high performing schools in the area. This new subdivision, developed by DSLD, features many amenities that include sidewalks, a walking trail, and a playground. In the front of the subdivision, you will find office buildings, new restaurants, and a new gym that provide convenience that can't be beat. Prices start in the $180k range. Click the image below to check out homes for sale in Bullion Crossing.

Directions to Bullion Crossing subdivision in Prairieville:

Traveling east on I-10, take exit 166 and take a left onto Highway 42 (Highland Road). In 1.6 miles, turn right onto US-61 South (Airline Highway). In 3.5 miles, turn right onto Market Place Drive. Continue straight onto Market Place Drive into Bullion Crossing subdivision.

Distances from Bullion Crossing subdivision to places of interest:

• Oak Grove Primary School: ~1.3 miles, 6 minutes driving
  
• Prairieville Middle School: ~2.5 miles, 6 minutes driving
  
• Dutchtown High School: ~4.7 miles, 9 minutes driving
  
• Tanger Outlet Stores/Restaurants: ~8.8 miles, 15 minutes driving
  
• LSU, Baton Rouge: ~18 miles, 30 minutes driving
  
• New Orleans: ~67 miles, 1 hour and 7 minutes driving

Looking for things to do and places to shop and eat in Prairieville and the surrounding area? Check out our blog post of attractions in Ascension Parish detailing the many local options for Bullion Crossing subdivision.

If you are searching for more information about Bullion Crossing subdivision, contact one of our seasoned real estate agents in the Prairieville area. Additionally, we have several resources available for those who are looking to buy a home including our home buying frequently asked questions and our free ultimate guide to buying a home. You can also browse our list of Bullion Crossing subdivision homes for sale as well as the entire city of Prairieville.

+ Click Image Above to Enlarge

The Hollows of Dutchtown subdivision is located off of HWY 73 in Ascension Parish. Amenities in this new subdivision, located in Prairieville, will include lake front properties, 3 lakes, a community pool, walking trail, and sidewalks. The new subdivision will provide approximately 200 new houses for sale in the city of Prairieville. These new construction homes will be 2200 square feet and above. The Hollows of Dutchtown will be developed in three stages. You can view the plans for the first two stages in the picture above.

+ Click Image Above to Enlarge

This new neighborhood is also located in an exceptional school district which includes Spanish Lake Primary School, Dutchtown Middle School, and Dutchtown High School. All three schools received an "A" rating on the Department of Education's annual report card for the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school years.

Our in-house builders, Property One Group, are constructing five new homes in The Hollows of Dutchtown starting at 2521 square feet with lake views and painted brick available. You can view Property One Group's projects in the Hollows of Dutchtown here or browse through a photo gallery of other homes they have built here. For more information on their homes available in The Hollows of Dutchtown, you can contact builder/REALTOR® Sam Watts.

Directions to The Hollows of Dutchtown:

Heading South on Interstate I-10, take exit 173 and turn left onto HWY 73. Subdivision is on right hand side almost immediately after passing HWY 621. Click the map above for an enlarged view of the subdivision location.

Distances from The Hollows of Dutchtown to places of interest:

• Spanish Lake Primary School: ~1.9 miles, 4 minutes driving
• Dutchtown Middle School: ~1.1 miles, 3 minutes driving
• Dutchtown High School: ~0.9 miles, 3 minutes driving
• Tanger Outlet Stores/Restaurants: ~5.2 miles, 8 minutes driving
• LSU, Baton Rouge: ~18 miles, 20-30 minutes driving
• New Orleans: ~60 miles, 1 hour driving

Contact an agent today to receive more information about The Hollows of Dutchtown and information about purchasing a home. You can also search our live MLS to view other listings in the Prairieville and Greater Baton Rouge area or browse our list of Prairieville subdivisions.