Palm Terrace: A Mardi Gras Dream Home
A Hidden Gem If you’ve never heard of Palm Terrace, I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s a hidden gem of a street that’s one block long, with ten Mediterranean style bungalows featuring red tile roofs and stucco walls. Semi-private but smack in the middle of all the Uptown Mardi Gras revelry, it’s right off of St. Charles Avenue, nestled between Milan and Marengo Streets, and backs up to The Chloe. Location and Style, Right Off the Avenue Secretly, I’d had my eye on Palm Terrace for years and always wanted to own one of those bungalows. I loved the style, the location, and I’m a big Mardi Gras fan. So being that close to the action was a huge draw. Back in 2012, I put out some feelers. Lo and behold, some friends who lived on Palm Terrace said the owner of #10 might be ready to sell. Turns out the #10 owner had bought the property as an investment, when he’d owned Cannon’s (a restaurant around the corner that as New Orleanians like to say, “ain’t dere no more”). I did some sleuthing – a superpower that I’ve put to good use for my clients – and found that he lived on Bellaire Drive, the street I’d grown up on. Making It Happen So what did I do? That day, I went to his house on Bellaire Drive, knocked on the door, and said I wanted to buy #10 Palm Terrace. He was open to the idea and agreed to show me the house. Turns out it wasn’t in great shape – there was water damage from a roof problem, cracks in the stucco, and the oak floors were ruined by a tenant’s dogs. He was detailing all that he was going to do to the property before putting it on the market, when I stopped him mid-sentence and said, “If you don’t do anything to improve it, would you sell it for 20K less?” He said, “Yes. And I’ll still fix the roof.” New Orleans being the small world that it is, we soon discovered that my cousin had been his long-time golf pro. (In this city, there’s always less than six degrees of separation.) Life on Palm Terrace With various improvements and renovations over the years, the Palm Terrace house was a joy to live in and a perfect spot for Mardi Gras parties of all kinds. And even though it’s small, I never tired of filling it with friends and family who’d sit on the balcony, spill out into the street, and wander down to the corner to watch the parades go by.
Top 500 New Orleans Real Producers
Hard-Working Realtors Across the City Each year, New Orleans realtors with the highest sales numbers (out of 6000 real estate agents across the greater metropolitan area) are recognized as Top 500 Real Producers, and I’ve been one of those Top 500 New Orleans realtors for the past 10 years. So Many Professional Relationships and Friendships I’m happy to say that many other Rêve Realtors are Top 500 Real Producers too, as well as other wonderful agents across the city that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with and get to know over the years. Whether we’ve been on opposite sides of the negotiating table, helped each other figure out how to deal with obstacles in the home buying and selling process, or shared resources to get through sticky situations, I’ve formed great professional relationships (and friendships) with so many honest, hard working people. And it’s those solid relationships for which I’m grateful. Because strong relationships are what ultimately make the process easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable for my clients. It Takes a Village The more realtors I get to know and have the chance to work with, the better I become at my job and the more it helps my clients. Just like in other professions, agents develop reputations — not just among clients, but among their peers. And good agents want to be across the negotiating table from other good agents, who they can count on to be reliable, respectful, and knowledgeable. Sometimes it takes a village to successfully buy or sell a property, and the Top 500 Real Producers list is a great network to rely on and appreciate.
Thankful for This Almost 20-Year Journey
Here I am with Debbie Koppman and my mentor, Louis Velez – many moons ago. A Winding Road to Real Estate Anxious to make my own money at the age of 12, I had the ultimate first job for a kid who grew up in the 1970s: a newspaper route. Because I wasn’t big enough to hold up the delivery bicycle under the weight of 50 newspapers, my mom drove me around to deliver them every afternoon after school and at the crack of dawn on Saturday mornings. It was the first of countless jobs that would lead me down a winding road to real estate. Countless Jobs and Always Hustling I’ve always been attracted to a fun, fast pace, and a way to connect with people. Sometimes it feels like I’ve had nine lives! I’ve worked as a waitress, a receptionist at an ad agency, a personal assistant to famous actors, a dog trainer, a manager of a Ben & Jerry’s, a booker for hair and makeup stylists, and a chauffeur — just to name a few. Hustling is my thing; being “on” and ready to go is my natural state. Tackling so many different kinds of jobs has made me extremely resourceful and taught me how to deal with every personality under the sun. Searching for the Right Fit In 2002, when I was still searching for the right fit, I moved back home to New Orleans from New York and worked as a driver on a film production. I found myself spending a lot of time riding around and looking at real estate, but I didn’t have any money to actually buy anything. Invited to Thanksgiving at my friend Julie’s that year, I met her stepfather Louis Velez — a real estate developer and broker who’d been building and selling homes for over 40 years. He encouraged me to get my real estate license, which I did the following spring; then he took me under his wing, taught me the business, and gave me my first listing (which was a very generous gift). Learning the ropes from Louis during that time was priceless, and I realized early on that I wanted to become a broker in order to start my own company. Finding My Passion My last closing with Louis’ company and my first closing with my own company, Wirth-Moore Realty, took place on August 26th, 2005 — three days before Hurricane Katrina. Those days, weeks, and months following Katrina were like the wild west of real estate. But I worked tirelessly, built a brand over many years, and brought on smart, experienced agents. Then in 2018, I joined forces with Joey Walker, Ryan Wentworth, and Clint LaCour to form the new brokerage Rêve Realtors. The reality is, I might never have gone down this path if it weren’t for Louis, and I’m incredibly grateful that he took a chance on me. It’s led to a fulfilling career, amazing relationships with clients and colleagues, and the kind of success that I’m thankful for each and every day. Which is why I’m expressing my appreciation to him this holiday season (it’s been 20 years since we first met!)– and to everyone I’ve had the chance to work with and get to know on this journey. It’s been a helluva ride, and I’m just getting started.
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