Mandeville and Covington Louisiana real estate listings, home buying, selling and relocation information

St. Tammany West offers the rare combination of urban convenience in a resort-like setting graced with magnolia and azalea studded subdivisions, plus unique historical sections of majestic Oaks covered in Spanish moss and farm acreage along gently winding rural roads. A magical feeling fills the air conjuring up a unique blend of cosmopolitan sophistication and country charm. St. Tammany West offers a scenic environment, fine schools, and a vibrant and responsive business community.

The beauty, peace and safety of St. Tammany West lures families looking for a safe place to raise their children, retired couples looking for superb health care facilities combined with an easygoing lifestyle, and business people investing their time and talents here. All of this combined creates an atmosphere that gives the new resident a sense of belonging-a feeling of community. A comfortable living and true joy of life is found here in St. Tammany West.

The area now known as St. Tammany Parish first entered current world history in 1682 when LaSalle took possession of the Mississippi Valley territories for France. During that time all of Southern Louisiana became a pawn in the colonization efforts of France, Spain and England.

The parish's early history was characterized by the domination of European powers. More often than not, New Orleans laid under one flag while the Northshore labored under another. That arrangement may have contributed to the earliest settlement at the mouth of the Tchefuncte River. A trading community in that location would have offered real convenience to merchants seeking to bring goods into New Orleans without the scrutiny of colonial officers.

Although St. Tammany was eventually incorporated into the state of Louisiana, it was not included in the Louisiana Purchase. It existed instead as part of the western panhandle of Florida until 1810. At that time, a well organized group of American insurgents led a violent rebellion against the ruling Spanish authorities, seizing the Spanish fort at Baton Rouge and declaring West Florida an independent republic. In their five months before being assimilated into the United States, this small band forged their own declaration of independence, constitution, bill of rights and even a national anthem.

St. Tammany Parish was named after Chief Tamanend (for reasons that still remain unclear), a Delaware Indian chief, who during the Revolutionary War was adopted by his admirers as their Patron Saint.

Early settlement in the parish took place along the bayous and rivers running to Lake Pontchartrain. The settlers came primarily from the nearly French and Spanish sections of Louisiana and from Kentucky and Tennessee.

The Northshore has been a refuge for wealthy New Orleanians since almost the very beginning as they fled south to escape yellow fever and the stress of urban life. Abita Springs, in particular, was widely recognized for its healing spring water and resort hotels. At one time a trolley car ran all the way from the Mandeville lakefront to the Abita resorts.

The town of Madisonville, situated along the banks of the picturesque Tchefuncte River, served as a roadway to the interior of the parish and was founded in 1811. During both World Wars, Madisonville served as a significant shipbuilding center.

This small community is gaining a national reputation for its seafood restaurants, festivals and easy living. Hundreds of children from throughout the area are drawn to its youth recreation programs. The abundance of marinas and waterfront condominiums make Madisonville a weekend favorite as well as a yearlong residential favorite.

The City of Covington was founded in 1813 on the Bogue Falaya River above its confluence with the Tchefuncte, and became the parish seat in 1829. It contains the courthouse and other parish offices such as the Registrar of Voters, Clerk of Court, Sheriff, School Board and Library offices.

Covington features a large array of pleasant tree-shaded residential areas and offers quaint shopping. Throughout the town are specialty shops, exquisite boutiques and uniquely remodeled cottages selling antiques, art and fine clothing. Covington's well-defined central business district features a heavy concentration of fine restaurants-many with open-air or on-the-street dining.

Just 12 miles north of Covington is the Village of Folsom, which was established in 1904. It is located in the heart of the horse industry and the parish nursery industry. Folsom takes full advantage of its climate and gently rolling terrain, i.e., it is the center for a thriving horse breeding and training area, as well as a multi-million dollar landscape nursery industry. Its residents enjoy a small-town lifestyle while surrounded by expansive ranches, magnificent country estates and serene riverside retreats.

Founded in 1841 by Marigny De Mandeville, a sugar cane farmer, is the Town of Mandeville. Marigny De Mandeville had a 2700-acre sugar cane plantation named Fountainbleau adjacent to Bayou Castine. Fountainbleau State Park now encompasses the entire plantation site. This public park embraces the shores of Lake Pontchartrain and offers citizens the romantic beauty of majestic, live oaks draped with Spanish moss, thick forests and the shoreline.

Lake Shore Drive is the setting for many fine examples of historic resort architecture and ancient oaks. At the eastern end of Lake Shore Drive is a yacht harbor on Bayou Castine. The lakes and seaway of this unique town make a wide range of activities popular-skiing, sailing, fishing, crabbing and even canoeing.

Mandeville began as a residential development on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain and continues today as one of the finest areas in which to live. It offers a quaint old-town atmosphere with coffeehouses and notable restaurants. All of this combined with convenient shopping centers and magnificently designed subdivisions to offer the best in north shore living.

This small village was built around old mineral springs and has been a health resort since its first inhabitants, the Choctaw Indians. The artesian well and spring water from Abita Springs was considered to have medicinal qualities. This area became a historic resort and recuperation spot, particularly for victims of mosquito borne diseases in New Orleans.

The Abita Pavilion stands on the site of the earliest springs to commemorate the bygone days of hotels, inns and bath houses. The Village of Abita Springs has gained worldwide recognition as a health Mecca and is now a thriving center for musicians, sculptors and other creative artists.

The Tammany Trace Recreational Trail which passes through the center of this village brings multitudes of visitors every month, as do the festivals, the local cafes, and the quiet, laid back lifestyle. The quality of this small community is high, and its natural beauty continues to attract new residents.

The proximity of St. Tammany West to New Orleans, coupled with its own suburban, even rustic amenities, account for its uncommon appeal to native residents, as well as transferees. It has easy access to metropolitan New Orleans being just 30 minutes to the south, via the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway (the world's longest bridge over open water). Thirty minutes to the west is Hammond, the major distribution and educational center, and thirty minutes to the east is the city of Slidell.

St. Tammany West is easily accessible to all major markets, as Interstate 12 traverses our Parish east to west and affords easy access to three Interstates-10, 55 and 59. We are fortunate to be less than an hour away from the New Orleans International Airport to the south. For convenience, the Greater St. Tammany Airport, just east of Abita Springs, accommodates corporate jets and smaller commercial aircraft.

St. Tammany West lies 65 miles from the capitol in Baton Rouge and 55 miles from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Lake Pontchartrain separates St. Tammany West from New Orleans, giving us the best of both worlds: proximity to the amenities of a large city as well as the leisurely pleasures of country living.

Our parish offers more miles of scenic waterways than any other parish in the state. Due to its excellent water supply and proximity to New Orleans, Baton Rouge and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, St. Tammany West is ideally situated for industry. A mild climate, low taxes and wealth of health care options make it a common listing among America's finest retirement locations. Excellent schools, low crime rate and diverse recreational opportunities make it a great place for relocating families.

With elevations ranging from 6-25 feet, geographically, St. Tammany begins with coastal marshes along its southern coast; it then becomes flat, alluvial plains dotted with pines which rise to small rolling hills in the northern part of the parish. Embracing an area of approximately 908 square miles, most of St. Tammany is ABOVE sea level, heavily treed, and enjoys an enriched "Ozone Layer" of oxygen. (The only other area to have this unusual phenomenon is in Germany). Forest covering 47% of the state of Louisiana consists mostly of pine, oak and cypress in St. Tammany.

St. Tammany West offers a mild, subtropical climate, with annual temperatures averaging 68 degrees. January is usually the coldest month and July the warmest. The average annual rainfall is 61 inches.

Although breezes from Lake Pontchartrain cause the north shore of St. Tammany to be cooler than New Orleans, the summer months are marked with relatively high humidity. Winters are short and mild. St. Tammany residents are usually picking flowers from their garden, while Midwesterners are still shoveling snow. Freezing temperatures in this area are rare, and snow is very unusual. Spring has periods of heavy showers, while summer means hot days and warm nights. October is the driest month, offering beautiful days with mild temperatures and a lower than normal humidity.

St. Tammany residents enjoy long, pleasant springs and extended, relaxing fall seasons with short, mild winters. The sun shines an average of 220 days a year. Typical summer weather features hot days, afternoon showers and warm nights. Beauty is abound when heavy spring showers bring about an explosive color display of blooming azaleas.

After a stressful day at work, there is no better place than St. Tammany West to enjoy the various pursuits of leisure. Nature has blessed St. Tammany West with a multitude of recreational activities. There are several major parks, a vast expanse of rural highways, rivers, bayous and Lake Pontchartrain so you can easily pursue your interest. There are large venues for cycling, canoeing, tubing, kayaking, runner, water skiing, power and sailboating, hiking, bird watching or just hanging out in the woods.

Enjoyed by many parish residents are its excellent restaurants, shopping centers, entertainment and diverse cultural opportunities. St. Tammany West has a very active art association, symphony, theaters and historical society. Plus, the excellence of the public school system is legendary; this point alone accounts for much of the phenomenal growth of the Parish. The entire area has numerous golf clubs, polo fields, sky diving facilities, marinas, three state parks and yacht clubs.

The area is home to dozens of riding stables for those who like to keep and board horses for a refreshing afternoon ride in the woods. The most serious riders can take part in hunting and jumping competition, fox hunts, or even polo at one of the finest polo facilities in the Gulf South, located just northeast of Covington. Several accredited regional horse shows are held annually in Covington featuring western-style quarter horse events.

St. Tammany West has a multitude of delightful experiences for everyone to partake. Whether strolling along the scenic Mandeville lakefront pathway, picnicking under the moss draped oaks in Bogue Falaya Park in downtown Covington, bird watching in beautiful Fontainebleau State Park, dining in some of the best restaurants in the nation, camping in one of the numerous campgrounds, shopping for your heart's desire, or visiting one of the many concerts, fairs, or festivals, you'll find the only trouble you will have, once you have arrived, is finding time to enjoy everything that beautiful St. Tammany West has to offer!

Federal and state wildlife management Tammany West provides excellent hunting and opportunities with conveniently located boat launches, bait shops, fishing and hunting gear suppliers and full-service marinas.

Several large private health clubs offer the finest in personal athletic training and fitness programs to area residents with an emphasis on fun for the entire family. There are several excellent karate schools and other martial arts centers located in St. Tammany West, as well.

Events such as the Wooden Boat Festival, Piney Woods Opry, jazz festivals, and the many regional specialty festivals serve as entertaining, educational resources for all ages. When it comes to festivals, fairs, special events, concerts and arts and crafts extravaganzas the list goes on and on…

The Blueberry Festival brings music and blueberry lovers to Covington once a year for a wonderful combination of delightful music and food.

Abita Springs holds an annual Whole Town Garage Sale, bringing thousands into the community to buy that special knick-knack at bargain prices.

The annual three-day Greater Mandeville Seafood Fest benefits the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, a group dedicated to restoring the ecology of Lake Pontchartrain.

Carnival Krewes help the area celebrate the worldwide reknown Mardi Gras by providing parades during the season. Krewe members ride decorated floats and toss beads and other goodies to the excited crowd.

Then there's the Indian Heritage Pow-Wow where authentic Native American Indians' dance and culture are demonstrated.

There are, of course, all the usual events enjoyed here-home tours, Christmas programs, 5K runs, plays, movies, excursions delving into genealogical information, concerts, parades, including the Pooch Parade, where canines take center stage, antique shows, commercial trade exhibits, Halloween haunted house, block parties, tennis, a day of golf, and well, you name it and St. Tammany West residents are deriving joy from it.

St. Tammany Parish has more recreational mileage than any other parish in the State of Louisiana, and the residents and visitors have enjoyed its winding rivers, farm ponds, canals and beaches for many decades. No matter what water sport, be it tubing down swift, running rivers, canoeing or skiing, St. Tammany's waterways offer the best that can be found.

Lake Pontchartrain attracts sailboats, luxurious pleasure craft, jet skis and powerboats. The rivers-Tchefuncte and Bogue Falaya-offer ideal spots for party barges, water skiers, and fishing enthusiasts. The scenic bayous are dotted with fisherman in flat-bottomed skiffs and provide quiet havens for paddling canoes and kayaks.

The Tammany Trace (rails-to-trails conversion), which presently runs from Lacombe to Abita Springs, provides 31 miles of paved trails for jogging, cycling, skating, rollerblading or hiking. Also a horseback riding trail parallels the trace in many sections.

The Global Wildlife Center is the largest wildlife park of its kind in the U.S. It occupies 900 acres and supports approximately 500 exotic and endangered animals that roam freely.

The Honey Island Swamp in eastern St. Tammany is one of the least explored swamps in America. A 250 square mile primitive wilderness, the swamp is part of the Pearl River Wildlife Management Area.

St. Tammany is becoming a popular location for the film industry. The reason is "variety." Major Hollywood production companies may capture the "look" of oak-draped antebellum charm, rural Southern towns, mysterious bayous, rolling hills and white fences of horse country, a casual lakefront resort, a laid-back river town or a business park like Northpark all without leaving St. Tammany West.

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Home Inspections >Inspection Repairs

When you sell a house, the buyers will probably have a home inspection before they sign a contract to purchase the home. The inspector may turn up something that needs attention or repair, and after the inspection, the buyers may produce a list of items they want repaired as a condition for moving forward on the sale.

When you get the buyers' list, remember that some of the items may be negotiable. Sales contracts usually require that all the systems be in working condition. Some buyers may make requests that go beyond the normal obligations of the seller. They may ask for a new roof or certain structural repairs that you may not want to make. Your agent can help you to assess the risks of just saying "no" to buyers who are making demands you consider to be unreasonable. You may decide to decline the requests, but the buyers may also decide to back out of the deal as a result.

When you agree to make repairs, hire licensed professionals who will guarantee their work, and give copies of the reports to the buyers. Arrange to have the repairs made as far ahead of time to avoid last-minute complications which could compromise the transaction.

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Q	What was a sure way to accumulate wealth through the 1970s and early 1980s?
A	Many people made their fortunes in real estate during this period.
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About the Mandeville and Covington, Louisiana Area