If you're moving to St. Louis, or a local looking for a first home or apartment, chances are you'll be pleasantly surprised by housing prices and rental rates. Costs are about 20 percent below the national average, and the diversity of neighborhoods and housing stock mean you should have no problem finding just the right place to fit your style and budget.
According to U.S. Census data, the median home price in the St. Louis region was about $141,000. Obviously that's just the average and options for home buyers start well below that price and soar to many times that amount. Apartment rates are also comparatively low, and vary greatly depending on location, amenities and square footage.
Outside of price, location is probably the most important factor in your search. If you're new to area and don't know where to begin, read my article Deciding Where to Live in the St. Louis Area first. If you already have specific neighborhoods, regions or counties picked out, you're ready to start reviewing properties.
Resources to Find a House
Once you know where you want to live, you’ll want to start reviewing properties. If you’re interested specifically in buying a house, a great place to start is HomeGain. HomeGain lets you search and view homes for sale in whatever area you’re interested in, but it also has a tool to help you find a good real estate agent. The tool pulls in bids from local agents, documenting their area of specialty, commissions and other information. HomeGain also has other tools, including one that lets you review schools in each neighborhood. Schools are ranked on their performance and teacher-to-student ratio, and the site also has reviews and comments posted by parents and alumni.
Want a Fixer-Upper?
St. Louis has some of the best housing stock in the nation. Whether it’s a one story brick bungalow or a three story row house, there are plenty of options for those looking for a bit of character. And, if you’re willing to put some sweat equity into a home, there are thousands of homes just waiting to be restored to their former glory. If rehabbing an old home sounds good to you, one great resource is the Rehabbers Club. The club meets monthly to discuss everything from picking contractors experienced with rehabs to the various local and state incentives available for renovating properties.
Resources for Finding an Apartment
If you’re looking for an apartment, St. Louis has everything from fully-loaded new developments to dazzling spaces within converted school houses. A good place to start is St. Louis Apartments, a free service that maintains an active database of thousands of area apartments.
For personalized (but still free) assistance finding an apartment, contact Apartment Search. You’ll sit down with a consultant and review the amenities you’re looking for, how much you want to spend and where you want to live. Your consultant will then provide multiple recommendations based on your input. I used them to find a rental house when I first moved to St. Louis and believe it saved me days of researching and viewing properties.
A third option for your search is Rent.com. Rent.com is an eBay company, but it does a good job of localizing its content. You’ll find many of the same listings as St. Louis Apartments, but there are listings unique to both sites, so Rent.com is a good option to round out your search. Rent.com also sends you emails as new listings become available, so it’s a good option if your timing is fairly flexible.
Good Luck on Your Search
Moving and finding your new home can be stressful, especially in a city like St. Louis that offers so many options. Just keep in mind that all that variety can be easily sorted and distilled with the tools above. Ultimately, a little research on your part should make the process not only painless, but quite exciting and rewarding.
