Am thinking about relocating to New Orleans. Any reason not too?

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NOLA guy

The job market in the greater New Orleans area has exploded as companies & organizations re-open and look for staff. Help wanted signs are everywhere - not just for construction jobs.

For example, I was at Saturn of Metairie (800-410-9703 or 504-833-9000, http://www.saturnofmetairie.com/en_US/) yesterday and they have signs posted in the showroom saying "sales associates wanted" (you mentioned car sales).

Do line up a job before you leave home, and visiting before you move would be a really good idea.

The newspaper's website is a good place to start looking for jobs: http://www.nola.com/

Katrina flooded about 80% of New Orleans with salt water, and the water stayed for almost a month. Much of the city is still struggling to recover and all you have to do to see devastation is drive around. It will take years for NOLA to fully recover from Katrina.

However, the parts of the city that tourists usually visit were not flooded. It's not a coincidence - the French Quarter and other old parts of the city were built on relatively high ground and only suffered wind damage from Katrina. Almost all of the damage has been repaired and you have to look closely in the FQ and city center to see that Katrina happened at all. You should visit and see for yourself.

The "greater New Orleans area" is more than just the City of New Orleans. Jefferson Parish (the part of the metro area west of the city) only suffered short-term rainwater flooding during Katrina and has fully recovered. A "county" in Louisiana is called a "parish".

Housing costs spiked during the year after the storm. There is much more housing available now and rents are down. It is still more expensive than before Katrina, but not like NY, LA, or Chicago.

You can drink the water, the electricity & phones work, and services like the post office, hospitals, schools, police/fire/EMS, and stores & shopping centers are operating.

Municipal services like street cleaning & trash collection collapsed after Katrina and that is why you may see answers warning about the â€œsmellyâ€ or "dirty" French Quarter. Those services were fully restored in late 2006 and it is no longer an issue.

Crime tends to become a topic in questions about New Orleans, with highly negative "answers" often posted by people (like osto11) who are not from here and have no idea what they are talking about. Reality is that 98% of the murders in New Orleans are motivated by disputes between drug characters, overwhelmingly involving crack cocaine. Almost all of the other 2% are "domestic" incidents. It was the same before Katrina, but there are now FEWER murders. You really don't have to worry about it unless you plan to buy or sell illegal drugs here.

Use the same common sense you need in every major city in the world and there is little chance you will be a victim of anything except a need to visit the gym: Pay attention to your surroundings. Stay away from anywhere dark & deserted. Pay attention to your feelings - if anyone or anywhere gives you a bad feeling, leave the area. Don't leave something like a camera-bag or backpack unattended on a park bench while you wander off to take photos. Etc.

New Orleans has mild weather from October to May and the city stays green all year most years (rarely freezes and almost never snows). Summers are hot & humid, particularly in July and August - take it easy or stick to indoor activities during the middle of the day at that time of year. The good news for summer visitors is that hotel prices are usually lower.

You would be part of the rebuilding of a great city.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do!

JellyBean Bri

Joba are plentiful in New Orleans so you should not have a problem with that. with your skills you should be picked up in no time. the problem would be hosuing, since rental rates are so high right now. do some research. you and your furture hubby should come down and visit the city. crime rate is high but like said before its in heavy drug areas, so if you don't do drugs you shouldn't have any problems. i suggest looking in the uptown garden district area, as well as, downtown warehouse district, French Quarter, and the areas around Esplande ave. those are wonderful areas. New Orleans will for sure be a big change from Ohio but trust me you will get used to it and love it. also alot of people stay outside the city as well like in Metarie, Kenner, La Place, Chalmette and so on. Met. and Kenner are great places for familes, and also Harahan. all just minutes drive to downtown. you fiance should also not have any problems finding a job if he doesn't already have one lined up. if you have any questions feel free to email me.

Don

The major con to your move right now would be affordable housing. There are very few rental units available, and the rates are high. Home ownership here is getting expensive also as insurance rates keep climbing. It is also very difficult to find a company even willing to write a new policy.
Crime is not so bad in most areas. I have never had a problem in my neighborhood. I live in Algiers, on the West bank of the Mississippi. While the murder rate is high, it is mostly drug dealers killing each other, so stay away from crack and your chances of being involved are slim.
Go to NOLA.com and check out the classified ads for housing, then compare the listings to the google earth crime map, to make sure you don't find a bad neighborhood.
If you find something you like, and are not sure about the neighborhood, E-Mail me. I would be happy to help, if I can.

Chris B

It all depends on what you want. If you want a city life, then New Orleans would be perfect. If not, like someone mentioned above, the northshore of Lake Ponchatrain is on the rise. It's about 30-40 miles north of New Orleans. You'll just have to deal with a LOT of snobby, rude people. Any others areas around the city are probably in a flood area; however, most of the people in these other parishes are very friendly. New Orleans is a mess, but people are dogging it way too much. And as stated above, most of the crime is strictly drug-related. Just don't go into dangerous areas-just like with any city. Moreover, if you choose to live in New Orleans, please be dedicated to it and put some effort into it. No matter what people say, it is a beautiful place that should be cherished! Because one day, no matter if levees get higher and marshes get planted, it could be gone. And what would the world be like without the art, music, care-free lifestyle, and culture of one of the oldest cities in our country? Please consider it. Many people answering this question are not from the city and have no respect for it. Do some research for yourself. www.nola.com www.neworleansonline.com www.frenchquarter.com www.neworleans.com en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans St. Tammany Parish www.stpgov.org St. Bernard Parish www.sbpg.net
HOPE THIS HELPS!!

dead_monkey015

Move to the out skirts, not in new orleans. There are many small towns around the area. It depends on far you want to drive.

jgardn2002

Absolutely - I live in New Orleans, and it's awesome. People are moving back, more jobs are available, and tourism has made a comeback. And let me tell you - there is so much construction around here, and it will continue for years.

Property values can be a little high, but the cost of living is otherwise low. However, I just read in the Times-Picayune (our newspaper) this morning that the housing market is flattening & may become a buyer's market - there are more houses available than sold so far this year. This may also stabilize the rental market

Yes, crime is an issue - just like any other major city. You have to know where to go & where to avoid - common sense. Most violent crimes are connected to domestic issues/violence, drugs, and gangs.

Those who talk of "perversion" (as mentioned by james d) are not done by new orleanians, but from our tourists. New Orleanians do not go to the french quarter to get drunk and flaunt their privates. The only time I go to the quarter is to eat at one of the many awesome restaurants. If I go out, it's usually uptown (where I live) or in the faubourg marigny (just southeast of the quarter). If you want the true experience, then you need to live in New Orleans.

I am biased, but uptown is the best neighborhood. It has all the charm & class that New Orleans has to offer, and most of it was high ground. The majority of uptown New Orleans did not flood after Katrina. I own & live in a condo uptown and my neighborhood is pretty much back to normal.

Don & JellyBean Bri also have some great comments that I aggree with

Hope that helps

osto11

go to the area north of lake ponchartrain. towns like covington, hammond. booming area, lots of jobs. it is safer area for hurricanes, farther inland. much less criminal element types than N.O.

NO is still a mess in many areas. they have not, and will not ever fix the levees to withstand a Katrina-like storm.

nolajazzyguide

Jobs are plentiful in New Orleans now, especially construction jobs due to the rebuilding efforts. Many businesses are very eager to get more employees, as they are open and operating but having to deal with a labor shortage. You would most likely be able to find a good paying job in New Orleans with the job categories you mentioned you could do. The only thing is, housing is expensive in New Orleans since Katrina. You would do better probably looking for an apartment because homeowners insurance is next to impossible to get.
Uptown would be a good choice for an area to settle.
For places for rent, go to nola.com and look there. I would also check the New Orleans Craigslist.
Basic services are available in most parts of the city.
If you are looking at places outside the city, I would not go further than 50 miles out, as there will be traffic concerns commuting into town if you are working typical 9-5 hours.
St. Tammany Parish is popular, and you could also look at St. Charles Parish. I think most parishes (what you call counties) are in need of more workers than are available right now.
Hope this helps.

traveler

I think there are lots of opportunities in New Orleans and think you should seriously consider it. There is lots to do, the people are great. I would definately recommend it.

I B-Rocking

hey, I used to live in Ohio for a little while and its bad if you live in the rural areas. To be honest a move right now would not be good. Our economy is flipped sided. You said your fiance will be making good money then you will be good. But the cost of living has skyrocketed over the past 2 years.

kitty

My advise would be to check it out further before the move. I have been down there before the Katrina hurr. and personally I would never move down there. Been all over the country with hubby in the big 18 wheeler and didnt see anything that appealed to me in New Orlleans. But you might like it as in being from the North. I live in North Ms. and dont like anything about La.But good luck to ya.

james d

I lived there 2 1/2 years and wouldn't go back if they paid me 150K per yr. Although there are many good people there, you can find any type of perversion there. It is a wild, party town.

7dayzaweek

Oh, I don't know, Katrina???

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