New Orleans is undergoing a profound renaissance, as even parts of the Lower Ninth Ward are reopening for a growing population. Today, the housing market is considered by many experts in the field to represent a major growth opportunity for dedicated investors. The principal reason is its enduring ties to a bygone architectural era some consider the South's Golden Age.

Founded in 1718 long before our own Constitution was drafted, New Orleans has always represented America's richest mix of French and Spanish influences. The 18th century saw 40 years of Spanish rule, followed by another few years under the thumb of Napoleon. The Louisiana Purchase finally brought this part of the nation under our flag, but not before a number of dazzling buildings and the birth of Creole culture left their mark on this landscape forever.

At the turn of the 20th century, New Orleans led the charge into the Big Band Era and thence to the birth of jazz. Head into the French Quarter today and you may still be met with Spanish buildings, soaring mansions and the kind of soulful music that makes this neighborhood one of America's most distinctive. No wonder New Orleans has long been considered one of the great cultural hubs of the South.

Today New Orleans is on the rise again, and the real estate opportunities have never been more promising. Whether you are looking for downtown loft space or something altogether historic on the town's agrarian fringe, you may be thrilled with the listings this resolute city has to offer.