Ascension Parish’s housing market has shown continued momentum, particularly on the resale side, heading into the summer months, according to Tonya Toups of Keller Williams Realty First Choice in Prairieville.
Toups says the market is showing signs of emerging from the sluggish period that followed the pandemic-era housing boom.
“We’re seeing more multiple offers than we have seen since the COVID rush,” she says, noting that pending sales relative to active listings have also increased in recent months.
The latest numbers from the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors show that new listings, pending sales and closed sales have increased as of the end of April. Looking at year-to-date figures, 523 homes have sold in Ascension through April, a 7.6% increase over the 486 homes sold through the first four months of 2025.
Here’s the full breakdown of how the Ascension market performed in April:
- New listings increased 1.5% to 203.
- Pending sales increased 26.2% to 164.
- Closed sales increased 0.8% to 132.
- Median sales price decreased 3.4% to $314,000
- Percentage of list price received declined by 0.3% to 98.7%.
- Days on market until sale increased 27.3% to 70.
- Inventory of homes for sale increased 5.6% to 471.
- Months supply of inventory increased 5.3% to 4 months.
Toups attributes the recent increase in activity to buyers and sellers re-entering the market after delaying moves during periods of uncertainty. “I think now they’re just ready,” she says. “People were waiting and waiting.”
Gautreau expects activity to continue increasing through the summer, though likely at a gradual pace rather than a sharp rebound. “I really do feel that we are in the upward motion of that shifting market,” she says. “We’re coming out of it.”
Even as homes are spending more time on the market compared to the peak of the pandemic-era seller’s market, home prices have continued to rise across the Capital Region. Gautreau says the average price point across the Greater Baton Rouge region has increased by roughly $10,000 over the past year.
The market dynamics, however, have shifted noticeably from the frenzy seen during COVID, when buyers routinely waived contingencies and competed aggressively for homes.
Today, buyers paying premium prices are expecting move-in-ready homes with updated roofs, air conditioning systems and fewer deferred maintenance issues, Gautreau says. Sellers are also becoming more willing to negotiate on concessions and closing costs as days on market remain elevated compared to several years ago.
Gautreau says Ascension Parish continues to benefit from migration trends tied to school district preferences and industrial growth, with some residents still leaving East Baton Rouge Parish and St. George for Ascension.
She adds that while major industrial announcements such as projects near the RiverPlex Mega Park have generated attention, they have not yet produced a dramatic surge in home purchases, though some increased interest in short-term rentals and multifamily housing has emerged.
According to Tom Cook of Cook, Moore Davenport and Associates, Ascension Parish recorded nearly identical home sales dollar volume in 2025 compared to 2024, totaling about $469 million in both years.
Home prices in lower price ranges increased, while higher-end homes saw declines. Sales in the $158,999-and-under category rose about 22.5% year over year, while homes priced at $348,000 and above fell 5.24% compared to 2024. New home sales dollar volume declined more than 18% in 2025 from 2024 levels.
Cook, who presented at this year’s Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors Trends seminar, says the decline in new home sales in Ascension may reflect not only slowing market conditions, but also challenges tied to subdivision approvals and rising land prices in the parish. He says retention pond requirements and other planning and zoning regulations continue to make residential development more difficult in Ascension Parish.
The sharpest decline came in the $253,000-to-$347,999 price range, where sales volume fell more than 21%. Homes priced at $348,000 and above saw volume decline nearly 18% year over year.
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