Who Is Buying Louisiana Commercial Real Estate? Out-of-State Buyers Took 28% of $1M+ Sales
Out-of-state buyers closed 161 of the 582 Louisiana commercial sales over $1 million tracked by ELIFIN® in the last 12 months. That is 28% of the deals and 44% of the dollars: $1.14 billion of $2.61 billion. Texas-based buyers bought the most properties (33 sales), followed by California (19), Florida (17) and New York (12). Twenty-seven states plus Washington, D.C. produced at least one buyer.
ELIFIN® is Louisiana’s #1 commercial real estate brokerage by number of sales. Its research team tracks every commercial sale in the parishes it covers across Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lafayette, along with who bought it and where that buyer is based, in a proprietary database of 59,000+ commercial properties and 41,000+ owner contacts. The figures below come from that database.
Where the buyers come from
Texas-based buyers bought the most properties by a wide margin: 33 sales and $219 million. The next three by count are California, Florida and New York. By dollars, South Carolina ranks second at $118 million, almost all of it one Charleston-based automotive group that bought nine dealership properties on Airline Highway, Siegen Lane and Florida Boulevard in the Baton Rouge area in November and December 2025. Georgia’s $88 million is mostly a single Lafayette apartment community.
| Buyer home state | Sales | Dollar volume |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 33 | $219M |
| California | 19 | $113M |
| Florida | 17 | $82M |
| New York | 12 | $110M |
| South Carolina | 11 | $118M |
| New Jersey | 7 | $34M |
| Arkansas | 7 | $14M |
| Georgia | 6 | $88M |
| Ohio | 6 | $46M |
| Michigan | 5 | $42M |
| Mississippi | 5 | $37M |
What they buy
Retail led out-of-state buying with 67 of the 161 sales. Multifamily was second at 25, then industrial (22) and hotels (13). Office drew only 7 out-of-state buyers; in-state buyers took 72 office buildings over the same period, so office remains a local market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who buys commercial real estate in Louisiana from out of state?
In the 12 months ending November 2026, buyers based outside Louisiana closed 161 commercial sales over $1 million in the state, led by Texas (33 sales), California (19), Florida (17) and New York (12). Buyers came from 27 states plus Washington, D.C. Retail was the most common purchase (67 sales), followed by multifamily (25), industrial (22) and hotels (13).
Do out-of-state buyers pay more for Louisiana commercial property?
They buy bigger. The average out-of-state purchase over the last 12 months was $7.1 million against $3.5 million for Louisiana-based buyers. Out-of-state buyers closed 28% of $1M+ sales but accounted for 44% of the dollar volume ($1.14 billion of $2.61 billion). The difference is asset size and stabilization, not a premium on comparable buildings.
How do I reach out-of-state buyers when selling a Louisiana commercial building?
Through a broker who already knows which out-of-state groups are active in your corridor and asset type. ELIFIN®‘s database records the buyer and the buyer’s home base on every commercial sale in its markets, so an ELIFIN® agent can name the Texas, Florida and New York groups that bought buildings like yours in the last year and go to them directly, in addition to a full market listing.
Want to sell to the buyers on this map? Hire us.
161 Louisiana buildings over $1 million sold to out-of-state buyers in the last 12 months. Your ELIFIN® Block agent already knows which of those groups are still buying in your corridor and runs the sale from pricing through closing.
Source: ELIFIN® proprietary transaction database. Commercial sales of $1 million or more closed November 1, 2025 through November 3, 2026. Dollar volume figures include estimated market values for transactions with undisclosed sale prices. Parish-wide coverage of East Baton Rouge, Orleans, Jefferson, Lafayette, Ascension, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes, plus a number of ELIFIN®-brokered sales in neighboring parishes. Data current as of November 5, 2026.
Disclaimer: This content is derived from ELIFIN®‘s proprietary database and public records and is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Market conditions change. This is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an appraisal, valuation, tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult appropriate professionals before making real estate decisions.