If you’re searching for a luxury home in Lafayette, Louisiana, you may be wondering:
Where should I look?
The answer isn’t as simple as naming one neighborhood.
One of the interesting things about Lafayette’s luxury real estate market is its variety. Depending on current inventory, buyers may find established estates, riverfront properties, custom homes, newer construction, gated communities, golf-course properties and homes on larger parcels of land.
And luxury doesn’t mean the same thing to every buyer.
One buyer may prioritize a large lot and swimming pool.
Another may be looking for newer construction and modern finishes.
Someone else may want river frontage, a particular architectural style, additional garage space or convenient access to places they visit regularly.
That’s why I don’t believe a luxury home search should begin with:
“What’s the best luxury neighborhood in Lafayette?”
A better question is:
“What features and location characteristics are important to you?”
Once I understand those criteria, I can help identify properties and areas that match them.
Here are several Lafayette-area communities and property types that buyers researching higher-end real estate may want to include in their search.
River Ranch: Distinctive Architecture and Mixed-Use Development
River Ranch is one of the names you’ll frequently encounter when researching higher-end real estate in Lafayette.
It’s a master-planned community in South Lafayette that includes residential properties along with restaurants, retail, offices and other commercial uses.
The architecture is one of the things that makes River Ranch distinctive.
Depending on the property, buyers may find homes influenced by New Orleans, French, Acadian, Colonial, Mediterranean and other traditional Southern architectural styles, along with custom finishes, courtyards, outdoor living areas and swimming pools.
For buyers who want residential property located near restaurants, shopping, professional services and other commercial amenities, River Ranch is one area that may meet those objective search criteria.
Buyers seeking substantially larger parcels of land may choose to compare River Ranch properties with homes in other parts of Lafayette and Acadiana where larger lots may be available.
The important thing is comparing the actual properties with the features you’ve told me matter to you.
Bendel Gardens: Established Homes, Mature Landscaping and Riverfront Properties
Bendel Gardens offers a very different type of housing.
It’s an established Lafayette neighborhood where buyers can find mature landscaping and a variety of architectural styles.
Properties in the area range from older residences to renovated homes and substantial custom properties.
Some homes are located along the Vermilion River, adding another characteristic that can make individual properties difficult to compare.
If architectural individuality, an established property or river frontage is among your search criteria, Bendel Gardens may be an area to include.
Because homes can differ significantly in age, condition, renovations, lot characteristics and construction, evaluating value here may require more than simply comparing square footage.
We need to look at the individual property.
Greenbriar and Greenbriar Estates: Established Homes in Central Lafayette
Greenbriar is another Lafayette area where buyers may encounter larger and higher-priced properties.
Not every home in the area would be considered a luxury property, but buyers can find substantial residences, including some properties near or along the Vermilion River.
Homes vary in size, age, architecture, updates and lot characteristics.
Its location also places properties within established portions of Lafayette with access to major roads, businesses, restaurants, shopping and other services.
As with Bendel Gardens, individual properties may vary considerably, which makes careful comparison important.
The house next door isn’t automatically the best comparable simply because it’s nearby.
South Lafayette: Newer Construction and Custom Homes
Buyers who prefer newer construction may want to include South Lafayette in their search.
Development in this portion of Lafayette has created a variety of newer residential options, including custom homes and gated communities.
Depending on the property and current inventory, buyers may find features such as:
Custom construction
Gated entrances
Larger primary suites
Dedicated home offices
Three-car garages
Outdoor kitchens
Swimming pools
Whole-home generators
Larger kitchen and entertaining areas
Newer building systems
Contemporary floor plans
Some buyers prioritize the architectural character of an established home. Others prioritize newer systems, modern floor plans or recently constructed properties.
Neither is automatically better.
They’re different housing choices, and your priorities should determine which properties we include in your search.
Gated Communities
Gated communities are another option within the Lafayette area luxury market.
Depending on the development, properties may include custom construction, larger lots, water features or other amenities.
If gated entry is one of your housing criteria, I can include appropriate communities and properties in your search. One example of a luxury gated community is Vintage Park in Broussard, LA. Broussard is 7 miles from Lafayette and seamlessly connects to Lafayette and is located in Lafayette Parish.
We’ll still evaluate the same things we would with any other home: HOA requirements and fees, location, lot characteristics, construction quality, insurance, maintenance and comparable sales.
Gated entry is one property or community feature among many that should be considered when evaluating a home.
Golf-Course Properties
Buyers interested in properties located within or adjacent to golf communities can also find options in the greater Lafayette area.
Le Triomphe, for example, is a gated golf and country club development in the Broussard/Youngsville area of Lafayette Parish.
If golf course location or access to particular club amenities is part of your search criteria, we can include appropriate properties when evaluating your options.
If those features aren’t important to you, we’ll concentrate on properties that better match your priorities.
That’s why I don’t believe there is one Lafayette neighborhood that’s automatically the answer for every luxury buyer.
Looking for More Land?
Some higher end buyers aren’t looking for a traditional subdivision at all.
Their property criteria may include:
A larger lot.
Acreage.
Additional buildings, workshops or garage space.
Space for outdoor amenities.
Fewer immediate neighboring structures.
In those situations, the search may extend beyond Lafayette’s more developed residential areas into surrounding parts of Acadiana.
Properties with significant land can also require a different valuation approach because the acreage, improvements, location and residence itself may all contribute to the property’s value.
If land is important to you, tell me early so we can build the search around that objective criterion.
What Price Is Considered a Luxury Home in Lafayette?
There isn’t one official price where a Lafayette property suddenly becomes a “luxury home.”
And price alone doesn’t necessarily describe what makes a higher end property distinctive.
A property may stand apart because of some combination of:
Location.
Lot size or characteristics.
Architecture.
Construction quality.
Square footage.
Custom features.
Outdoor living areas.
River frontage.
Amenities.
Limited availability of comparable properties.
That last point matters.
If a property has characteristics that aren’t easily duplicated such as river frontage, substantial acreage, unusual architectural features or a particular combination of land and improvements, determining its market value may require a much more detailed analysis.
Don’t Shop for a Luxury Home Using Price Per Square Foot Alone
I’ve said this before, but it becomes especially important with luxury properties.
Imagine two 5,000-square-foot homes.
One has a newer roof, updated mechanical systems, high quality custom cabinetry, premium windows, a whole home generator, professionally designed landscaping, outdoor kitchen and maintained swimming pool.
The other is also 5,000 square feet but needs significant updating and major systems replaced.
Should we evaluate them solely by applying the same price per square foot?
Of course not.
Luxury homes require a more detailed analysis.
I want my buyers to understand what they’re actually getting for their money.
Look Beyond the Photographs
Higher end homes can photograph beautifully.
But when I’m helping you evaluate one, I want to look beyond the photographs and finishes.
How old is the roof?
How many HVAC systems are there, and how old are they?
What will it cost to insure the property?
Is flood insurance required by the lender?
What is the property’s flood zone designation?
What should you know about maintaining the pool?
Is there a generator?
What landscaping and exterior maintenance will be required?
Are there HOA dues and restrictions?
Have additions and major improvements been properly documented?
How does the property compare with other homes a future buyer might reasonably consider?
A beautiful kitchen and impressive finishes certainly matter.
But I want you to understand the entire property you’re purchasing.
Luxury Buyers May Need a Broader Search
One challenge with shopping for a higher end home in Lafayette is that inventory can become limited when the property criteria become very specific.
You might be looking for:
Four or five bedrooms.
A swimming pool.
A three-car garage.
A home office.
An outdoor kitchen.
A large lot.
Newer major systems.
A particular geographic area.
Once those criteria are combined, there may be relatively few available properties that match everything.
That’s why I’d rather understand your priorities than simply set up a search based on price.
Which property features are essential?
Which would simply be nice to have?
Would you consider renovating an existing home?
Would you consider new construction?
Would you consider properties outside the Lafayette city limits if they met your other criteria?
Those answers help us create an objective search based on the property characteristics you’ve selected.
So, Where Should You Look for a Luxury Home in Lafayette?
There isn’t one answer and that’s a good thing.
Your search might include River Ranch if its housing styles and proximity to commercial amenities match your criteria.
It might include Bendel Gardens if you’re interested in established homes, architectural variety or riverfront properties.
Greenbriar and Greenbriar Estates may be included if their location, available homes and property characteristics fit your search.
Buyers looking for newer construction and particular modern amenities may find options throughout South Lafayette.
Buyers interested in golf-course properties may consider communities such as Le Triomphe.
And buyers looking for significant acreage or larger parcels may find that the right property is outside Lafayette’s traditional subdivisions altogether.
The important thing is that you decide what’s important to you.
Then I help you find the properties that meet those criteria.
Looking for a Luxury Home in Lafayette? Let’s Make the Search Personal.
If you’re considering purchasing a higher end home in Lafayette or the surrounding Acadiana area, I’d be happy to help you explore your options.
Whether you’re relocating to Louisiana, moving from your current home or simply looking for something different, I’d rather begin with a conversation than send you every property above an arbitrary price point.
Tell me what matters to you.
Established home or new construction?
Smaller lot or acreage?
Riverfront or golf-course property?
Outdoor entertaining space?
Swimming pool?
Particular architectural features?
Proximity to the places you travel to most often?
Once you’ve established your criteria, I can help identify properties throughout Lafayette and Acadiana that meet them.
Because when you’re purchasing a luxury home, the goal isn’t to find the neighborhood someone else thinks you should live in.
It’s to find the property and location that meet the criteria you’ve chosen for yourself.
Melanie Nash, Broker/Owner
National Realty of Acadiana LLC
Lafayette, Louisiana
nationalrealtyacadiana.com
Local Expertise. Personal Service. Proven Results.
Property availability, pricing, HOA requirements, insurance costs, flood information and community characteristics can change. Buyers should independently verify information that is important to their purchasing decision.