Finding a Needle In a Haystack Takes Detective Work, Determination, and Creativity

Sometimes The Right Home Isn’t On the Market

When my client Peter came to me looking for a specific type of architecture in a particular neighborhood, I knew I’d have my work cut out for me.

Peter was interested in buying a mid-century modern home in Lake Vista – a great neighborhood near Lake Ponchartrain that features a relaxed vibe and lots of beautiful green space. While it’s not the first style that comes to mind when you think of classic New Orleans architecture, the mid-century modern style made an impression on the city that still exists today. Built by New Orleans modernists like Albert Ledner and the firm of Curtis & Davis, these homes can be found in Lake Vista on the streets named after birds and jewels, as well as in Lake Terrace and Park Island. The problem was, at the time, there weren’t any on the market.

A Little Creative Researching

I pride myself on being a persistent researcher, so I decided to investigate relevant homes that had been on the market in the last ten years but had never sold. In other words, either their listing had expired, or they’d been withdrawn and were no longer for sale. At the time, ‘mid-century modern’ was not a style that was searchable, so instead, I looked for slab foundation houses that were built between 1950-1960 – knowing that was the height of popularity for this style.

Bingo! An Albert Ledner Gem

It paid off, and I found two houses that fit the parameters. The first owner had decided to keep their home, but the second owner was using their house on Swallow Street as rental property. I contacted the realtor who had been the listing agent for the second home, and she was happy to approach the owner. Thankfully, the Swallow Street owner was still interested in selling! Thrilled by the possibility of finding a 1951 Albert Ledner house that he could call his own, Peter made an offer, and it was accepted. The moral is, where there’s a will, there’s a way – it just requires detective work, determination, and a little creativity. Need help finding the right home for you? Let’s talk.