09/21/2026
Southeast Louisiana Property Values: What the Last Six Months Are Telling Us
By Wilder Appraisals & Consultants
One of the questions we hear regularly from homeowners, lenders and real estate professionals is whether property values are going up, going down or staying about the same.
Wilder Appraisals & Consultants provides residential appraisal services throughout Livingston, Tangipahoa, St. Helena and Ascension Parishes. Each of these parishes has its own market, and even within the same parish we can see considerable differences depending on location, property type and price range.
A good example is what we have been seeing in Livingston Parish over the last several months.
As part of our appraisal work, we regularly analyze local MLS sales to determine what the market is actually doing. Our recent Livingston Parish analysis included more than 1,100 residential market records, along with a more focused analysis of approximately 455 sales and competing properties from the market segments we commonly work in.
One of the things we looked at was the change in median sale price. The median sale price during the 7-to-12-month period was approximately $291,000. During the most recent three-month period, the median was approximately $297,900. That is an increase of about 2.4 percent between the two periods.
That does not mean every home in Livingston Parish increased 2.4 percent in value. This is something we have to be careful with as appraisers. The type of homes selling can change from one period to another. If more newer, larger or higher-priced homes sell during one period, the median can increase even if the value of an individual property has changed very little.
This is why we don’t rely on one number when determining market trends.
Based on the different indicators we have analyzed, the Livingston Parish residential market has been generally stable with some modest upward movement. We have not seen evidence in the data of a broad decline in residential property values.
Marketing times have also remained reasonable. In the market segments we analyzed, median marketing times have generally ranged from approximately 17 to 24 days.
Marketing time is something we pay attention to because sale price by itself does not tell the whole story. If prices are staying about the same while homes are taking considerably longer to sell, inventory is increasing and sellers are offering larger concessions, those can be signs that a market is beginning to change.
The same analysis is important in the other parishes we serve.
Livingston, Tangipahoa, St. Helena and Ascension Parishes are not one single real estate market. In fact, there can be several different markets within the same parish.
A subdivision home in Prairieville may have very little in common with an acreage property in St. Helena Parish. A newer home in Watson can compete in a different market from an older home in Hammond. Rural properties around Holden, Independence, Loranger or Greensburg can also behave differently from homes located in established subdivisions.
Sometimes we see noticeable differences in buyer demand between areas that are only a few miles apart.
Condition and quality of construction also continue to have a major effect on value. Buyers recognize the difference between a home that has been updated and well maintained and one that needs repairs or modernization. Age, effective age, site size, location, flood considerations, acreage, workshops, pools, waterfront influence and other amenities can all affect what buyers are willing to pay.
Price per square foot is another number we hear discussed quite a bit. We use price-per-square-foot data as one of several tools for analyzing market trends, but price per square foot by itself is not an appraisal method.
A 1,500-square-foot home and a 3,000-square-foot home should not automatically be expected to sell for the same price per square foot. Land value, condition, quality, age and additional improvements all contribute to the total value of a property.
When we analyze price-per-square-foot trends, we also consider reported seller concessions when appropriate. This helps us get a better picture of what buyers are actually paying and whether the market is changing.
So what have the last six months been telling us?
For Livingston Parish, the data we have analyzed points toward a relatively stable residential market with some modest upward movement. The change in median sale price from approximately $291,000 to $297,900 supports that conclusion, but it is only one part of the analysis.
There is not one percentage that can accurately describe what every home in Livingston, Tangipahoa, St. Helena or Ascension Parish has done over the last six months. The answer depends on where the property is located and what type of property it is.
That is why local market analysis matters.
At Wilder Appraisals & Consultants, we work with this data every day while completing residential appraisals throughout Livingston, Tangipahoa, St. Helena and Ascension Parishes. Whether an appraisal is needed for mortgage lending, an estate or succession, private sale, pre-listing purposes or simply to determine a property’s current market value, we believe the starting point is understanding the market the property actually competes in.
Wilder Appraisals & Consultants
Louisiana Certified Residential Real Estate Appraisers
Serving Livingston, Tangipahoa, St. Helena and Ascension Parishes
The market statistics discussed in this article represent general market observations and should not be interpreted as an appraisal or an opinion of value for any individual property.
