Sometimes, moving to a new place can change more than just your own life—it can help an entire community. That’s what happened with Sara McDaniel, a woman who left Los Angeles and moved to Minden, Louisiana, a small Southern town with less than 11,000 people.
Sara’s journey shows how passion and hard work can turn old, broken buildings into homes and hope for others.
A New Life in a Friendly Town
Sara, who runs a company called Simply Southern Cottage, described Minden as the “friendliest city in the South.” She fell in love with its charm, old buildings, brick streets, and kind people. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows each other and visitors feel right at home.
But like many small towns, Minden has a problem—not enough affordable homes. Sara said there’s a long waiting list of people looking for rental houses. If she had more money, she would buy more houses to help meet the demand.
Right now, she owns 27 properties, called “doors” in real estate terms. Out of those, 11 are short-term rentals (like vacation stays) and the rest are rented out for longer periods. Most of them are right in Minden.
The Big Project That Changed Everything
Sara’s biggest project started with a phone call from a childhood friend. The friend asked if she wanted to take on something big—restoring a group of historic villas called Spanish Court, which were built in 1931.
These buildings had been empty since the 1980s. They were falling apart, with broken windows, ceilings caving in, and even bullet holes. But Sara saw potential.
She bought all eight villas for just $50,000, even though they needed a lot of repairs. There was asbestos in the walls and lead paint in the rooms, which are both serious problems. She got a loan for $46,000 with no interest, but it wasn’t enough. To cover the rest, she had to sell a house in Texas and use the money to fix up the villas.
After 18 months of hard work, the villas were finally ready in February 2023. They’re now available for short stays and are close to downtown Minden.
More Than Just Business
For Sara, this wasn’t just about making money. She wanted to save the old buildings, clean up a street once known for gang activity and drugs, and give jobs to people in her town. She even said, “It’s more important for me to invest in the community than to make a profit.”
Her hard work paid off. In 2024, the villas brought in $220,000—and she used all of it to improve the villas even more.
Looking Ahead and Giving Back
Sara’s not stopping anytime soon. She believes in helping others and making a lasting impact. She said, “Life is short, and I want to do work that matters. I believe in people over profit.”
To honour her late father, Sara started a nonprofit group called Phillip’s Cottage. It will be a transitional home for women with children who have graduated from a local program called Louisiana Teen Challenge.
She’s currently fixing up a home for them, and she hopes it will be ready by August.
Sara McDaniel proves that one person can make a big difference. By fixing up old buildings and creating places for people to live, she’s helping her community grow.
Her story shows how kindness, hard work, and the desire to do good can truly change lives. Instead of chasing big profits, she focuses on people, purpose, and creating something meaningful that will last for generations.