An Architectural Landmark that’s a Haven for Out-of-Towners

Nine years ago, Aaryanne and Rick Preusch visited New Orleans with friends who owned a condo in the city. Looking back, Aaryanne says now, “We had so much fun that weekend, we decided we needed a condo here, too!”

Soon after, they found my listing at St. Elizabeth’s for a corner condo with breathtaking views, and that’s how we met. The condo offered them the rare opportunity to spend time in a Second Empire architectural landmark in the heart of Uptown New Orleans.

A Get-Away Spot That’s Close to Home, But Worlds Away

Splitting their time between Hattiesburg and New Orleans, they tend to come down for a week or two at a time. Says Aaryanne, “We try to be in New Orleans as much as possible because we love it so much. For years, we’ve used our time there to relax, walk around the neighborhood, sleep in and not have a set schedule. It’s evolved, and we’re looking forward to being there more and getting involved with the community. It’s 1 ½ hours from door-to-door, and it’s been the best decision we’ve ever made!”

Successfully Moving from One Spot in St. Elizabeth’s to Another

When Aaryanne and Rick found out that a condo below theirs would soon be for sale, they jumped on it before it hit the market. It’s rare for a unit in the main building overlooking Napoleon Ave. to become available, and since it had the same square footage but offered one-level living, it made sense. The corner condo I’d sold them had stairs, but Aaryanne had recently had knee surgery and back issues and puts it this way: “We knew we didn’t need stairs in the coming years, and we want to be in this building for many years to come. So, we said let’s act now, because we may not get another chance.”

To make sure that Aaryanne and Rick were in the best possible position to buy the condo downstairs, they turned to me to list the corner condo they needed to sell.

Offers came quickly, and we were under contract in just 22 days. But there was a lot of countering and negotiating back and forth, and the closing date had to be pushed. Aaryanne and Rick needed five weeks to renovate the downstairs unit and wanted to stay where they were until it was ready. The buyers were anxious to get in, but we worked things out and in the end, kept everything on track – which can be a delicate balancing act!

I’m thrilled that Aaryanne had this to say about working with me:

"From the first time I met Tracey, I always had it in the back of my mind – if I needed a realtor again in New Orleans, I was going to work with her. I just liked what I saw. So when it came time to sell our corner condo and buy the unit downstairs, she was my go-to. She’s so well connected and really takes real estate up a notch. The process she goes through to make things go smoothly for you – I had never experienced that before. And when it comes to negotiating, she helps you think through everything and keeps you focused on what’s important.

"Tracey is calm, cool, and collected – which is what you need when you’re going through the process of buying and selling. She’s incredibly responsive, and while you know you’re a client, you feel like a friend. She just lets you into her circle.

"What really blew our minds is that even though we worked out a deal for the downstairs condo without Tracey, she helped us through that process anyway! Because she wanted us to be in a good position so that we could sell the corner condo.

"I love how she doesn’t try to micromanage a situation. She just lets you call the shots and guides you through the process. She doesn't try to force anything, and she’s very honest and straightforward.

"I also love how dedicated she is to her favorite non-profits and how she’s always giving back. She’s just such a caring person and you can see it in everything she does. She obviously loves what she does, loves New Orleans, and loves this community. It’s truly amazing what she did for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – she’s so humble, but she raised a ton of money! I mean, she really goes after it! She’s just fabulous, and I can’t say enough about her!" - Aaryanne