BEAUMONT, Texas — Before Hurricane Laura, the rental business was booming for Beaumont.
After Laura slammed Louisiana as a category 4 hurricane, it's left Texas' neighbors scrambling and trying to figure out where to go.
Re-Max Real Estate Agent Kenny Royer says he's already helped 12 families find rental homes.
"We always have people moving in here on a temporary basis as the temporary construction jobs end. So that trend is very normal," Royer said.
He says for many in Louisiana, the move to Beaumont makes sense.
"We do have a lot more of the Louisiana folks coming over and looking for rental properties. We are the closest, I wouldn't say non-damaged area, but we have less damage than they do," Royer said.
He's still looking at a stack of rental applications that need to be processed.
"We are running out of properties pretty fast," Royer said.
Mostly, Louisiana resident are looking for temporary housing. Many have a similar plan. They'll rent in Texas for a year while commuting to work in Louisiana as they wait for home repairs to be completed.
"When your home gets wiped out, it totally upsets your life. So if we can provide that house, that home environment for them to move in to to get their life back together, that's pretty rewarding," Royer said.
FEMA has approved nine Louisiana parishes for aid to individual households.
Royer says if you have a rental property, now may be a good time to put in on the market for displaced families.
He says for some, the move to Texas is permanent. He says some families are asking to buy a home rather than rent, which may point to a long-term stay.