Founded in 1718, the French Quarter is one of New Orleans’ oldest neighborhoods. And behind many of the 200 or even 300-year-old buildings – amidst the multi-story structures, cast-iron balconies, pocket doors, wood floors, courtyards, and Creole-influenced architecture – there is often a unique story waiting to be told about the real estate properties. “People interested in French Quarter real estate are fascinated by the history, architecture, and stories behind these properties. They express a culture that is unique and at the heart of our city’s vibrant history, and of course, there is a bonus of living in the French Quarter,” said Lynda Depanicis, Realtor with Shelnutt Real Estate Enterprises. “A lot of my listings are in the French Quarter, and it’s just exciting to meet so many people from out of state interested in living here and also showing the locals what the Quarter has to offer them as well.” So, as people in the French Quarter like to do, let’s take a tour of some of the luxury properties on the market and discover the history behind these storied homes. Depanicis has two properties listed over $1 million in the French Quarter – 1117-19 Bourbon St., listed at $1,645,000, and 1216 Burgundy St., listed at $1.1 million. She shares the Bourbon St. listing with colleague Jeffrey Palmquist, and the Burgundy St. listing with Douglas Price.   1216 Burgundy St. [see the SlideDeck] 1216 Burgundy (2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and 2,037 square feet of living space) is a Creole Townhouse constructed circa 1830 by architect Francois Correjolles as a wedding present for his bride, who owned the building until 1854. Correjolles also designed the 1826 Le Carpentier-Beauregard House (named after wealthy auctioneer Joseph Essau LeCarpentier) on Chartres St. The close to 200-year-old Burgundy St. home includes a wooden cornice, round-headed pilastered dormer, and Georgian-style entrance flanked by Doric pilasters. The kitchen was renovated in 2023 with Quartz waterfall edge countertops. The guest bedroom and bathroom are downstairs, with a washer and dryer. Upstairs features a washer, dryer and office/gym, plus a primary suite with study and wet bar and views of three guillotine windows opening to a streetside balcony. The balcony railing is a cathedral style wrought iron design. There is a courtyard for entertaining, and the home is steps away from Cabrini Park. 1117-19 Bourbon St., [see the SlideDeck] 1117-19 Bourbon St. was built in 1838, is newly renovated, and is a six-unit historic French architecture Creole cottage that features 7 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 3,500 square feet of living space on a 3,999-square-foot lot, and an oversized courtyard. A full renovation took place in 2018 with new washers and dryers, exposed brick, high ceilings, restored wood floors, and freshly designed and painted interiors. Five of the six units are currently rented, and the paperwork is also available for conversion to condominium units if desired, said Depanicis. “It’s located in one of the more residential portions of the French Quarter, in a perfect location between Bourbon and Chartres, and is one of the true gems of the city,” she said. “The sellers have taken amazing care of the property, and it’s a charming historic, yet modern, French creole cottage.”   927 Toulouse St. [see the SlideDeck] Staying in the 1830s and also featuring rental units is the historic Madame X Mansion at 927 Toulouse St., a three-story, seven unit townhouse listed at $1,825,000 by Realtor Steve Richards, of Latter & Blum | Compass. The property features a total of 12 bedrooms, 8½ bathrooms, 8,500 square feet of living space, and a courtyard with a pond. “927 Toulouse is a great seven-unit apartment complex with five car parking and a French Quarter legacy behind it,” said Richards. The mansion was the childhood home of Virginie Amȇlie Avegno (Madame X), a Creole American and daughter of Marie Virginie de Ternant, a descendant of French nobility, and Anatole Placide Avegno, a Civil war veteran of Italian ancestry. In 1883, artist and young socialite John Singer Sargent painted a portrait of Avegno posing in a black satin dress with jeweled straps, and a dress that revealed more than it should have, bordering on risqué for the period. The painting is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. Sargent named the painting Madame X to give it a life beyond its scandal and the broken painter/client relationship. The three-story masonry porte-cochere townhouse features pilasters at the ends of the front façade of the building and between the openings on the upper floors; refined dormers; a second-floor balcony railing; and balconies on the second and third floors. The property was fully renovated and restored in 2012, including hardwood flooring, updated electrical, plumbing, and heating/AC units, and a new slate roof was installed in 2023. The building can be bought as a condo conversion, as existing seven rental units, or a single-family home conversion.   1118 Burgundy St. [see the SlideDeck] Richards recently listed an 1832 French Quarter property at 1118 Burgundy St., which sold for $1.5 million on Nov. 8. The sales agent was Rachel Hoag, of Rȇve Realtors. The property was meticulously restored in 2022. It includes a main house, two additional detached homes, heated saltwater pool with a brick courtyard, and custom concrete poured surfaces, and features a total of 4 bedrooms, 5½ bathrooms, and 3,820 square feet of living space. A renovated, mixed use (five residential units and one commercial street-fronting unit) investment property “in the heart of the French Quarter with VCE-1 zoning” describes 315 Decatur St., listed at $2.75 million by Andrew Grafe, of FQR Realtors. The Vieux Carré Entertainment (VCE-1) District zoning, between Decatur and North Peters, allows for entertainment venues, retail stores that attract and serve visitors and local residents alike, and is a regulatory designation where businesses are located on the ground floor and housing units are on the upper floors and in the rear. “The property’s location near the river in the heart of the Quarter, and its VCE-1 zoning — the most favorable of French Quarter zoning types — as well as its recent renovations make it plug and play for any interested investment buyer who does not have to worry about capital improvements,” said Grafe. Currently, three of the five residential units are leased, and Nola Tour Center occupies the commercial space. The property is 8,800 square feet with 10 bedrooms and 9½ bathrooms, broken down into two 2-bed/2-bath units; two 1-bed/1-bath units; one 3-bed/2½ bath unit; and a 700-square-foot commercial unit with a half-bath. The large unit is multi-level between the first and second floors and includes an in-ground pool and charming courtyard. The three street-facing units include balconies overlooking the goings-on of the Quarter. All units have floor plans with independent bedrooms (no pass-through shotgun layouts), in-unit laundry, central HVAC, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors and large closets. The property was fully renovated in 2016, and the most recent gross rental amount with 100% occupancy was $19,600/month. The building is also located next to a fire station. “That adds another level of safety and security with those guys there 24/7,” said Grafe. Grafe said buyer interest on luxury homes in the French Quarter continues to come from both out of state and also local residents. “Investment has really stayed two-fold – local people who are looking to move to the Quarter, have a second home in the Quarter, or invest in Quarter property, and the same for out-of-state investors, they want a piece of history in the Quarter as a second home or investment,” said Grafe. “National investment has dropped a minor tick, but that’s a reflection of the broader market with a shortage of active buyers and higher interest rates, compounded by the higher insurance premiums we are seeing locally.” Depanicis and Richards agree on the insurance challenge. “As far as the real estate market goes, it would greatly help our market if the state would get a handle on the property insurance rates to get some movement in Orleans Parish,” said Richards. Depanicis added: “Insurance has been a thorn in everyone’s side. I own a four-plex on Bourbon St., and my insurance went up,” said Depanicis. “It’s a major problem on the lower-priced properties because those properties are often purchased without as much liquidity and those higher premiums are harder to afford, but if we keep seeing these premiums rise, then it will impact a larger market.” The bright side is all the out of state activity coming into the city over the next several months. The Taylor Swift three-day weekend was in late October. The Bayou Classic is this month. The Sugar Bowl is on New Year’s Day, and New Orleans will host Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9. “We have to capitalize on that activity coming into the city and the people visiting the French Quarter,” said Depanicis. “The crime has been down, we are improving our streets and infrastructure, and we are getting ready for a lot of interest in New Orleans and a lot of people coming to our city. It will be exciting.”