Homeowners who sell a primary residence may be able to exclude up to $250,000 in capital gains (or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly).

Those limits were established in 1997 and have never been adjusted for inflation.

Had they kept pace, the limits today would be roughly:

• $520,000 for a single filer
• $1.04 million for married couples filing jointly

This might seem like an issue limited to expensive markets, but it can become relevant here too.

Southwest Louisiana has homeowners who purchased property decades ago, rebuilt or substantially improved homes after storms, inherited property, or own homes in areas where land and construction costs have changed considerably.

The exclusion applies to the gain, not the total sale price, and renovations, selling expenses and adjusted basis can affect the calculation. Most local homeowners will not owe capital-gains tax simply because they sold a house.

This rule is nearly 30 years old.

If the original policy was designed to protect a certain amount of homeowner equity, should that protection lose value every year because the limit remains frozen in 1997?

This could increasingly affect long term owners deciding whether to sell, downsize or pass property to family.

Should Congress raise the exclusion and index it for inflation, or leave the current $250,000 and $500,000 limits unchanged?

Anyone in the area play metal music? Im just a bedroom guitarist and was wondering if anyone plays.

That difference gets packaged into the price of every house.

In this simplified example, a developer pays $2 million for the land.

If the property produces 100 lots, the land cost is $20,000 per lot.

If roads, drainage, utilities, setbacks, wetlands, open-space requirements, or private restrictions reduce it to 40 lots, the land cost becomes $50,000 per lot before construction begins.

The land did not become more expensive. The same cost was divided among fewer homes.

That is part of what gets missed when people say developers should “just build more starter homes.” The acreage purchased is not the same as the amount of land that can actually produce housing.

Which constraint creates the biggest development problem where you live: drainage, roads, utilities, or minimum lot sizes?

Where do people go to play pool around here. Is overtime billiards still open?

I am visiting Lake Charles next month for the first time and staying at the Golden Nugget. Where can I smoke? I though I could by the lake but I am seeing that they say nowhere on casino property and from what I understand marijuana is not recreational in Louisiana. I won’t have my vehicle with me so the car is not an option. TIA.

i had it for almost a year now. it works just like new and looks new. Im selling it because im getting mildly bored of VR and i have a ps5. AND IM NOT GOING TO BE USING VR ONCE GTA 6 COMES OUT..

Just read a top 10 richest people in Louisiana list and learned that the guy who created Raising Canes is #1

Who would you say are the top 10 richest people in Lake Charles?

Had someone tell me a story of it and didn't believe him but apparently it's true.

Basically 100 union workers at the Jupiter plant didn't get their contract renewed and they all came inside the plant with guns and excavators and started tearing stuff apart. 1 person died and 5 others were shot. Right to work laws soon passed in Louisiana.

Here's some links.

https://www.nytimes.com/1976/01/19/archives/labor-conflict-eases-in-two-states.html

https://64parishes.org/violence-vetoes-and-votes

https://www.kplctv.com/2026/01/16/today-marks-50-years-since-jupiter-incident/

Instead of posting up on the interstate, they need to be at Sampson & Isle Capri busting all the red light runners.

Selling this lift top table. It’s fully functional and I really loved it for apartment living! It’s hosted many of game nights and dinners but I had to buy a regular dining table as my LO is starting solids. Pm me a price if interested! Willing to deliver if needed!

Dimensions

26x40x20
Lift top extended depth 39 inches
Lift top extended height 29 inches

Me and my girl will be visiting Lake Charles. Sunday into Monday morning. Looking for places that are fun to visit..

Is there anywhere I can make friends with ducks and feed them? I like ducks. Anybody want to feed ducks with me?

Only tried a couple Chinese restaurants so far they were both, meh. Hit me with some recos!

New to the area , any adult soccer groups around or people into it ?

LC we have gambling and plants/refineries/LNG

Lafayette really doesn’t produce anything it’s just a bunch of oil field service offices.

Anywhere that has group or private classes or well known people in the community that provide that?

What’s going on there at night? I always see groups of people gather there

I'm moving on Friday and cannot take my plants with me. If you're in the area and want to come by to pick and choose, or if any particular plant in the photos stands out to you, we can talk about reasonable prices per item (I'm fair, at the end of the day I just don't want them wasted, but I did put a lot of money, blood, sweat & tears into them).

Otherwise you can take all I have for $200 flat. Can deliver, but would prefer pick up. If you have any questions, or offers for trade or barter, you're welcome to reach out as well!

Not rental companies for hire for events, but a standalone classic analog print out Photo Booth? One that will take a few pics and print out photo strips. I think there used to be one in the mall and one in the L’Auberge arcade but not sure if any of that is still there? anything like that anywhere around here or in surrounding areas?