Real estate is something that touches all of us. Even if we don’t own our own home, we have to rent which means the economic forces that impact buyers, sellers, and investors impact all of us.

COVID was a major disrupter of all segments of the real estate market. And the post-COVID era is no less unprecedented. Which makes every day at the office an interesting one for those who work in the real estate business.

Dave Lakvold is a commercial real estate appraiser and owner of The Lakvold Group, which has been appraising apartment complexes, office buildings, warehouses and retail centers in the Baton Rouge area since Dave started the company in 1995. That was around the same time he married his wife, Angie Lakvold, also an appraiser who, at the time, was working for First Commerce Corp, a bank holding company.

Four years later, Angie left the bank and joined Dave at the Lakvold Group.  They’ve been working together ever since.

Dave Lakvold, the key to real estate may be location but the key to the return on your commercial investment is appraisal

Dave focuses on commercial bank and litigation appraisals, and Angie specializes in infrastructure and litigation appraisals. Over the years, their clients have included some of the area’s highest profile businesses and investors.

Andy St. Romain is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of the law firm Jones Walker, who specializes in real estate. Jones Walker is a sponsor of Out to Lunch so we thought we’d take advantage of that relationship and invite Andy to join us to talk about real estate with Dave today.

Andy St. Romain, real estate law isn’t most people’s idea of high drama, but there’s plenty of highs, lows, and human interest

Andy has been with Jones Walker since 2004. In the years since, he has advised clients on the full range of residential, commercial, and industrial real estate issues, representing developers and lenders. Andy is also a CPA and an adjunct professor at the Southern University Law Center.

Stephanie Riegel holds court over business lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard

Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard. Photos by Brian Pavlich .