The Johnston Team

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One of the things I have loved about my city is the number of educational opportunities available here. Here is a list of some of the institutions in New Orleans. I apologize in advance if I've left any out.

4 year colleges and universities

1. Tulane
2. University of New Orleans
3. Loyola
4. Dillard
5. Xavier
6. Southern University
7. Our Lady of Holy Cross College

Medical Schools

1. Louisiana State University School of Medicine
2. Tulane University School of Medicine

Law Schools

1. Tulane University Law School
2. Loyola University New Orleans School of Law

Now while this depth and breadth of educational institutions is nearly unmatched by any city in America of similar size and population ( I added that last part so I don't get mail from all you people in big cities like Boston and San Francisco). What is sorely lacking here is job opportunities for all the graduates of these fine schools. Well that is about to change.

Now I'm not promising that all the future graduates or even a small percentage (>5%) would be able to stay here, or would even want to, but in the past unless you were doing something in medicine, the hotel & restaurant industry, or to lesser degree in sales your options were limited.

Today Greater New Orleans, Inc., a public-private partnership formed to spearhead economic development, launched a new Digital Media consortium to help jump-start that industry in the area. Here are 2 videos from the CEO of GNO,Inc. explaining what it is and how to get involved.

While sites like Trulia, Zillow, and Roost have served the consumer by making MLS data available to you without having to go through a Realtor a new model is developing online. Sell your home, or find your new one, without a traditional Realtor.

Redfin, a Seattle-based company, has been using Realtors but they do it in avery different way than the traditional model. Here is a video with a little more about them.

There is another company in Boston called CondoDomain that is trying something different. They have a flat fee of $5000 that they receive for every sale and anything over that they refund back to the buyer, and I guess seller if they work that side of the deal. While I love the idea and think the business model is workable I worry about how it will fare during our current real estate downturn.

I’m a real estate agent and if I were like many agents I could see this as a challenge to my very survival but I don’t. On the one hand not everybody wants a hands off approach likes Redfin and CondoDomain offer and I can work with the buyers and sellers that want a more hands on approach. The other side of this is that I’m an entrepreneur and I’ve chosen to work with GenX and GenY clients in my business. If I see that my target market wants that type of service I will change my business model to serve my clients.

I think that the real estate business will change drastically in the next 5-10 years. I have no idea what it will look like but I am certain it will be much different than it is now. The Realtors who can adapt and change with it will survive, those that can’t will perish.

I saw Jason's post on this and thought I would re-blog it. I also have similar alerts setup and have been noticing many hits in my alerts for Active Rain comments. This alone should ahow people the value of commenting here. Remember showing up for your name may not get you business but when people are reasearching you, they will "Google you" and you want to try to control what comes up on that 1st page when they do that.

I'm on the mailing list for our Local Audubon Society and I just got this email. I am only going to share a part of it with you but if you are an outdoors person who enjoys Grand Isle you will like to hear this.

Posted on 12/15/2008 on www.louisiana.gov

Grand Isle: Governor Bobby Jindal announced at a press conference in Grand Isle that Elmer's Island, a once popular destination for coastal fishermen, campers and other outdoor enthusiasts is open again for public recreational use. The state is opening up 250 acres of Elmer's Island for public use after extensive title research found that this portion of the island is the property of Louisiana.

Governor Jindal was joined by Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Robert Barham as well as Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities Director and Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chairman Garret Graves, who highlighted several coastal restoration projects both on and near Elmer’s Island that will work to restore beaches and marshes severely damaged by four hurricanes in the last three years.

"Louisiana is Sportsman’s Paradise – and Elmer's Island is certainly one of our state's jewels – and we are excited to announce that it is now open to the public,” said Governor Jindal. "The state will keep this area as a recreation spot and a wildlife sanctuary – while also allowing fishing and bird watching. Louisiana is committed to making sure the beaches and marshes of Elmer’s and surrounding areas are restored and enhanced.'

Governor Jindal declared that LDWF will manage Elmer’s Island as a Wildlife Refuge with boat access to the beach allowed immediately. Efforts will continue to negotiate a right-of-way for a road that will connect the beach to LA Highway 1 to allow vehicular access to the beach in the future.

“After exhaustive legal research, it has been determined that the Goat Island property, which is the barrier island portion of the property generally referred to as Elmer’s Island, is state land,” said LWDF Secretary Barham. “By designating it a wildlife refuge, the property will be available for fishing and outdoor activities including bird watching, shell collection and nature photography. The only permit needed for site use will be a fishing license for those who choose to do so.”

Elmer’s was a commercial campground and fishing area from 1970-2000. For a small daily fee, fishermen, campers and other outdoor enthusiasts were allowed access to the beach on a narrow road through marsh from Hwy. 1. However, that access was closed following the death of the owner of the access road.

Efforts have been made over the last five years by the state legislature and past administrations to purchase Elmer's Island to allow for public fishing and recreation with no success. The state will continue working with the various property owners in the Elmer's Island vicinity to acquire much of the area for coastal restoration efforts and recreational use.

In addition to opening up Elmer’s Island for recreational use, the Louisiana Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration is also working to restore the beach and wetlands in the area to repair significant damage caused by the four hurricanes that have impacted the area over the past three years.

Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike have all battered the beach, dunes and wetlands of the area known as the Caminada Headlands, a 12-mile stretch of beach and marsh from Grand Isle west to Fourchon.

The Louisiana Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration is dedicating $71 million over the next two years to a large-scale restoration effort for the area.

“Restoring our islands and beaches is of the utmost importance,” said Coastal Activities Director Garret Graves. “These areas serve as our first line of defense for approaching tropical storms and hurricanes and they also provide essential habitat for bird and marine life.”

A $27 million restoration project on East Grand Terre Island, located less than five miles from the eastern end of Grand Isle, is scheduled to begin in April 2009.

In all, state coastal restoration and protection officials have dedicated over $400 million to the restoration of marshes and beaches in this area of Louisiana over the next two years.