A career opportunity may be what brings you to Lafayette, Louisiana.
But if you’re considering relocating here, you’ll probably discover fairly quickly that there’s much more to Lafayette than work.
Lafayette is the heart of Acadiana, a regional center for healthcare, energy, technology, education, manufacturing and business, with a culture and lifestyle that are distinctly its own.
If you’re an executive, physician, engineer, entrepreneur, manager, or other professional relocating to Lafayette, choosing a home isn’t simply about finding a nice house.
It’s about figuring out how you want to live.
Do you want a shorter commute? A larger property? New construction? An established neighborhood? A pool and outdoor entertaining area? A low maintenance home that makes frequent business travel easier?
Those are the conversations I like to have with relocating buyers before we ever start touring homes.
Here’s what I think professionals moving to Lafayette should know.
Lafayette Is More Than an Oil and Gas Town
People outside Louisiana sometimes associate Lafayette almost exclusively with the energy industry.
Energy remains an important part of the local economy, but Lafayette’s business community is much broader than that.
Healthcare, manufacturing and technology are among Lafayette’s major industries, and large local employers also include healthcare systems, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, technology companies, manufacturers and other private and public employers.
That economic diversity is important for professionals relocating here and for families in which more than one person may be looking for career opportunities.
Lafayette is also a regional hub for Acadiana, so its business, medical, shopping and service footprint extends well beyond the city itself.
Your Commute May Be Different Than What You’re Used To
If you’re relocating from Houston, Dallas, Atlanta or another large metropolitan area, Lafayette may feel considerably more manageable.
But that doesn’t mean location isn’t important.
Where you work should be one of the first things we discuss when deciding where to concentrate your home search.
Someone working near downtown Lafayette may have very different priorities from someone commuting toward Broussard, Youngsville, Carencro, the airport or another part of Acadiana.
And here’s something I tell relocating buyers:
Don’t choose an area based solely on how close it looks on a map.
Traffic patterns, the route you’ll actually take to work and your family’s daily activities matter.
Before you buy, I recommend driving your likely commute during the times you’ll actually be traveling it.
Ten miles doesn’t always mean the same thing at 7:45 Monday morning as it does at 2:00 Saturday afternoon.
Lafayette Offers More Variety Than Many Relocating Buyers Expect
One thing I enjoy about helping people relocate to Lafayette is showing them just how different the housing options can be.
Depending on your preferences and budget, you may find:
Established neighborhoods with mature trees and larger lots
Luxury and custom homes
Gated communities
New construction
Golf-course communities
Homes with pools and outdoor kitchens
Low-maintenance properties
Larger homes designed for entertaining
Properties with more land outside the city’s more developed areas
That’s why I don’t like beginning a relocation search by simply emailing someone every house within a certain price range.
I’d rather understand how you live first.
If you entertain clients or family frequently, that matters.
If you travel several weeks every month and want something easy to maintain, that matters.
If privacy is important, tell me.
If you want a home office separated from the main living area, tell me.
If your dream is a large backyard, outdoor kitchen and swimming pool, tell me that too.
The right Lafayette home isn’t necessarily the biggest or most expensive one. It’s the one that fits the life you’re actually going to live here.
Don’t Judge a Lafayette Home Only by Price Per Square Foot
This becomes especially important as you move into higher end and custom properties.
Two homes with similar square footage can have very different values.
Lot quality, location, age, construction, renovations, architectural details, outdoor living areas, pools, garages, generators and overall condition can all influence how buyers perceive a property.
Some higher end Lafayette homes are also relatively unique, which means there may not be another nearly identical property around the corner to use as a comparison.
That’s where local market knowledge becomes especially important.
A luxury or custom home isn’t a commodity.
I want my buyers to understand what they’re paying for not simply whether the price per square foot looks higher or lower than another house.
Insurance Deserves Attention Early
This is one area where buyers relocating to South Louisiana need to do their homework.
Homeowners insurance and flood insurance can have a meaningful impact on the total cost of owning a home.
Don’t wait until you’re days away from closing to investigate insurance.
When we’re considering a property, I want you thinking beyond the purchase price.
What might homeowners insurance cost?
Is flood insurance required by the lender?
Would you choose to carry flood insurance even if it isn’t required?
What is the property’s flood-zone designation?
Has the property experienced previous flooding?
Are there features such as a pool or other improvements that could affect insurance or maintenance?
These are questions worth investigating before you’re emotionally committed to the house.
Business Travel? Lafayette Has Its Own Airport
For executives and professionals who travel frequently, this can be a significant quality of life consideration.
Lafayette Regional Airport provides nonstop service to major connecting hubs including Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Atlanta and Charlotte, giving travelers access to connecting flights throughout the country and beyond.
That means many Lafayette professionals can begin a business trip close to home rather than automatically driving to another city to catch a flight.
If you’re a frequent traveler, we can also factor airport access into your home search.
Lafayette’s Lifestyle Is Part of the Attraction
This is difficult to explain until you’ve spent some time here.
Lafayette has a strong business community, but it doesn’t feel like a city where life revolves entirely around work.
Food is a big deal here.
So are festivals, live music, Mardi Gras, college sports, outdoor gatherings and spending time with family and friends.
The Cajun influence isn’t something created for tourists. It’s woven into everyday life.
People gather around food. Business relationships often become personal relationships. And there’s a sense of community here that many relocating professionals tell me they weren’t expecting.
You can have a demanding professional career and still live in a community that feels approachable.
You Don’t Necessarily Have to Live Inside Lafayette
This is another important point for someone unfamiliar with the area.
Your home search may include Lafayette itself, but depending on your priorities, we may also explore surrounding communities.
Some buyers want to be close to restaurants, shopping, medical facilities and the center of Lafayette.
Others prefer newer development, larger properties or a different pace outside the central city.
There’s no one location that’s right for every executive or professional.
My job isn’t to tell you where you should live.
My job is to help you understand your options so you can decide which location best fits your commute, budget, lifestyle and priorities.
If You Have Children, Start Your School Research Early
For families relocating with children, schools are often one of the biggest considerations.
School assignments, private school options, commute times and extracurricular activities can all influence where a family ultimately chooses to live.
As a real estate broker, I can provide objective information and direct you to appropriate resources, but I encourage families to research schools personally based on the factors that matter most to them.
Do this early in the relocation process rather than after you’ve fallen in love with a house.
Don’t Try to Learn Lafayette Entirely From the Internet
Online research is a great starting point.
But it has limits.
A map won’t tell you what the drive feels like.
Listing photos won’t show you everything about a neighborhood.
An online home value estimate won’t necessarily tell you whether a unique property is appropriately priced.
And a national real estate website doesn’t know what matters to you.
If you’re making a major relocation, spend some time here if your schedule allows.
I’ll help you narrow the possibilities before you arrive so we aren’t wasting your relocation trip driving all over Acadiana looking at homes that were never a good fit.
Here’s How I Like to Handle a Relocation
Before you come to Lafayette, let’s have a conversation.
Not a sales pitch.
I want to know:
Where will you be working?
How often will you travel?
What’s important to you outside of work?
What type of home are you leaving?
What do you love about it?
What do you wish were different?
Do you need to sell your current home before buying in Lafayette?
Do you want newer construction or an established home?
Would you rather have luxury finishes or more land?
Do you entertain?
Do you want a pool?
How much maintenance do you want?
What’s a comfortable price range not simply the maximum amount you can afford?
Once I understand those things, I can help you make sense of the Lafayette market.
That’s a much better way to relocate than randomly scrolling through hundreds of listings.
Coming to Lafayette for SpaceX or Another New Opportunity?
Acadiana continues to attract new investment and employment opportunities.
The recently announced SpaceX investment in neighboring Vermilion Parish is one example of the kind of development that can bring executives, engineers, technical professionals and other employees into the broader Acadiana region.
If a new position is bringing you or your company to South Louisiana, you don’t have to figure out the housing market from hundreds or thousands of miles away.
That’s where having someone local becomes valuable.
Relocating to Lafayette? Let Me Be Your Local Resource.
Relocation involves much more than purchasing a house.
You’re learning a new city, starting a new job, finding new doctors and services, figuring out schools if you have children, establishing new routines and trying to make a lot of decisions at once.
The real estate portion of your move shouldn’t make that harder.
I can help you understand the different areas, narrow your home search, evaluate properties, coordinate showings around a limited relocation schedule and connect you with local professionals and resources when you need them.
And if you’re still several months away from moving, that’s perfectly fine.
In fact, I’d rather talk with you early.
Tell me what’s bringing you to Lafayette and what you’re looking for.
We’ll start there.
Melanie Nash, Broker/Owner
National Realty of Acadiana LLC
Lafayette, Louisiana
nationalrealtyacadiana.com
Local Expertise. Personal Service. Proven Results.