Spotlight on Paul Dours: Construction, Ida & Northshore Living
Paul Dours may have grown up on the Southshore, but after 20 years of living in Mandeville, he feels like a true Northshore resident!
“Born & raised on the Southshore, I attended and graduated from UNO. I started my career working in Metairie in the financial services industry, but the Northshore is definitely home now,” says Paul.
Paul likes living in Mandeville, near schools and restaurants where he sees a variety of neighbors and friends who, like him, aren’t from the area.
“There are some really well-established neighborhoods where people have lived for years, but there’s so many more people coming to Mandeville now it’s really nice seeing lots of new faces”.
Impact of Hurricane Ida
Like many of us in the metro area, Paul suffered damage to his home as a result of Hurricane Ida. But he considers himself fortunate to have had minimal damage, especially in light of the overall damage to the region.
He also wants to help his clients get help in the form of housing options like the FHA 203(h) loan and renovation/construction loans.
He adds, “You can buy another home in the same area, but the program is still valid even if you wanted to buy somewhere outside the area if you don’t want to deal with hurricanes anymore”.
If you or someone you know was impacted by Ida and may benefit from a 203(h) loan, contact Paul.
Construction on the Northshore
As a Mandeville resident, Paul is very tuned in to the construction market in St. Tammany, helping buyers take advantage of the competitive construction loan programs offered by Gulf Coast Bank.
Paul notes that the bank’s loan program allows for a one-time close, which protects borrowers from interest rate increases. It also allows them to save money on closing costs by having just one loan closing.
There are several large builders on the Northshore with developments where buyers can pick out their lot and customize their home. Other people also choose to buy a lot on their own, then find a builder they want to work with.
Paul says that either scenario works with the one-time close product.
Paul also believes that like Katrina, Hurricane Ida will push many people from affected areas to the Northshore where there is still plenty of room to build, especially around Mandeville, Covington and towards Hammond/Ponchatoula.
The Bank That Really Does Care About You
You may not know this, but Paul has been a mortgage lender for over 20 years prior to joining Gulf Coast Bank & Trust.
Why did he choose to join the bank?
According to Paul - it’s about support and caring.
“The bank gives us incredible support when it comes to processing each transaction, taking care of customers and offering great programs,” says Paul. “But even better than that is the sense that while Gulf Coast is a big company, it feels like a family-oriented business. They’ve done a lot for their employees and customers especially during times of crisis like we’ve been through lately,” Paul said.
We’re so proud to have people like Paul Dours as part of our team, and happy to see our slogan as a company being lived out when our community needs us the most.