Lake Charles, LA metro housing market

What this means

• Valuation. Prices are 29% below this area's pre-2020 price-to-income norm, cheaper relative to incomes than before the pandemic.
• Prices. Home values are up 2.5% over the past year (U.S.: +1.2%), but still 9% below their 2022-23 peak.
• Supply. Listings are 23% below the 2017-19 norm and falling (−29% vs. a year ago), still somewhat tight.
• Negotiating. Buyer leverage is moderate (58/100; U.S.: 54): homes sell for about 2.9% below their final list price; 18% of listings had a price cut (U.S.: 26%).
• Affordability. A mortgage on the typical home takes 24% of the median household income (U.S.: 35%); it takes about $52k a year to keep the payment at 30% of gross pay. That includes about $2,711 a year for home insurance (U.S.: $1,790).
• Buy vs. rent. Owning and renting a typical home cost about the same per month.
• Disaster risk. FEMA expects about $301 a year in natural-disaster damage per $100k of building value (U.S.: $155), mostly from hurricanes. Check insurance costs before buying.
• Outlook. Leaning up: likely −6% to +9% over the next 12 months (71% chance of a rise).

Next 12 months

Leaning up

Prices are more likely to rise than fall over the next year. Likely change: −5.9% to +9.0% (80% range; middle estimate +3.0%), chance of a rise 71%, of a 5%+ drop 12%.

HouseVane's model, refit every month on local market signals and national ones, trained only on data known at the time. How accurate it has been.

Counties in Lake Charles, LA metro