By Dennis Norman, on April 10th, 2025 
Mortgage interest rates have bounced back after briefly dipping earlier this month, but there’s more to the story—especially for St. Louis home buyers. One key factor keeping rates from climbing even higher? The recent postponement of tariffs, which has helped ease economic pressure and may be keeping mortgage rates from surging faster.
As of today, the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate conventional loan is around 6.95%, with FHA loans at 6.42% and VA loans at 6.45%. These numbers reflect an uptick from the recent low of about 6.40% on April 4th, but still sit below the 7.16% average we Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on April 9th, 2025 
If you’re a homebuyer or seller in the St. Louis area, heads up—there’s something going on in Washington that may affect your next move in a bigger way than you think.
The Department of Justice just appointed Roger Alford to a top antitrust role. He’s not a household name, but he’s someone who’s been deep in the fight over real estate commissions and how homes get marketed. He played a key role in the massive $1.8 billion verdict in the Sitzer/Burnett case here in Missouri—where a jury said real estate commissions were being artificially inflated by the industry.
So what’s Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on April 9th, 2025 
The Metro East real estate market has shown subtle yet noteworthy changes as of March 2025. The median sold price for homes reached $184,450, a slight increase of 0.24% from March 2024’s median of $184,000. This also marks a more significant rise of 2.47% compared to February 2025, where the median sold price was $180,000. On the other hand, the median list price in March 2025 edged up to $185,000, reflecting a marginal growth of 0.05% from the previous year.
However, the volume of home sales experienced a downturn, with 530 homes sold in March 2025, down by 9.86% from Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on April 9th, 2025 
As of April 2025, the St. Louis real estate market is witnessing subtle shifts in mortgage rates, critical for both potential home buyers and current homeowners considering refinancing. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has seen a slight increase to 6.85%, a change of +0.03% from the previous figure. Similarly, the 15-year fixed rate has adjusted upward by +0.04%, now standing at 6.24%. These changes indicate a modest tightening in borrowing costs, which could influence buyer affordability and market dynamics in the St. Louis area.
For those looking at more substantial home purchases, the 30-year jumbo loan rate remains steady at Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on April 8th, 2025 
The St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) real estate market demonstrated notable growth in property values in March 2025. Homes sold for a median price of $265,500, marking a significant 6.20% increase from the previous year’s median of $250,000. This price point also reflects a consistent rise from February 2025, which saw the median sold price at the same level, indicating a stable upward trend in housing prices.
While home prices surged, the total number of home sales exhibited a slight decline. In March 2025, there were 2,347 homes sold, down 7.27% from the 2,531 transactions recorded in March 2024. Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on April 8th, 2025 
The St. Charles County real estate market has experienced subtle shifts in pricing and activity as of March 2025. Homes in the area sold for a median price of $370,000, reflecting a slight decrease of 0.24% compared to March 2024, when the median sold price was $370,900. However, this price represents an increase of 1.71% from February 2025, where the median sold price stood at $363,779. The median list price also saw an upward trend, settling at $369,700 in March 2025, marking a 1.29% increase from the previous year’s $365,000.
In terms of sales volume, there were 342 home sales Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on April 7th, 2025 
The Franklin County real estate market experienced notable growth in property values during March 2025. Homes sold for a median price of $267,150, marking an 8.16% increase compared to March 2024, when the median sold price was $247,000. This upward trend is also evident from the month-to-month comparison, as there was a 4.76% rise from February 2025’s median sold price of $255,000.
The median list price for homes followed a similar trajectory, reaching $270,000 in March 2025, which is an 8.43% increase from the previous year’s $249,000. Despite the rise in prices, the number of home sales saw a slight Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on April 3rd, 2025 
There’s been a significant appointment at the Department of Justice that should grab the attention of everyone in the real estate industry. Roger Alford, a Notre Dame law professor with deep antitrust experience and a key expert witness in the 2023 Sitzer/Burnett case against NAR, has been named Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. That’s a strong signal of where things may be heading.
Alford has made his views on NAR’s practices clear—particularly the Clear Cooperation Policy and MLS rules that tie access to REALTOR® membership. In his testimony and published work, he’s Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on April 3rd, 2025 
New home construction activity in the St. Louis area shows mixed results for the 12-month period ending February 2025, compared to the previous year. According to the latest data, single-family home permits across the region totaled 3,993, marking an increase of about 13.3% from the 3,525 permits recorded in the prior period.
Notably, St. Louis County experienced a significant increase of 30.4%, rising from 506 to 727 permits. St. Charles County also saw healthy growth, increasing permits by 11.88% from 1,328 to 1,507. The City of St. Louis similarly showed robust growth, jumping 43.48% from 322 to 462 permits.
Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on April 2nd, 2025 
A new national survey of experienced real estate agents sheds light on what’s really happening in the market—and what it means for St. Louis buyers, sellers, and investors. According to the data, affordability remains the single biggest concern agents face when looking ahead. Nearly two-thirds (64.2%) say it’s the top challenge over the next five years. With elevated interest rates and prices still outpacing income growth, the path to homeownership is tougher than ever for many buyers.
But it’s not just affordability. Inventory shortages remain a pain point, with 42.8% of agents citing low housing supply as Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on March 25th, 2025 
Today, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) announced significant changes to its controversial Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP). After months of debate and scrutiny—from brokers, MLS leaders, agents, and legal experts—NAR introduced the new “Multiple Listing Options for Sellers” policy, which aims to address concerns around consumer choice and market fairness.
I’ve written extensively on why the original CCP faced such strong opposition, notably in my recent article highlighting attorney Michael Ketchmark’s explicit warning to NAR brokers: repeal CCP or face legal action. Ketchmark, lead counsel in the landmark Sitzer lawsuit, clearly indicated that maintaining the CCP could Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on March 21st, 2025 
The latest data from the St Louis City real estate market shows a decrease in home prices compared to the same time last year. According to the chart below, exclusively available from MORE, REALTORS®, the median sold price for homes in the St Louis City update was $200,000 in February 2025, a 4.74% decrease from February 2024 when the median sold price was $209,950. This also represents a 10.91% decrease from January 2025, when the median sold price was $224,500.
In addition, the median list price for homes in the St Louis City update was $199,900 in February 2025, a Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on March 20th, 2025 
A growing number of real estate brokerages are steering sellers toward private listing networks rather than listing homes on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). According to a January 2025 Harris/Zillow poll, this shift is happening despite a lack of consumer awareness about what private listings mean—and how they can impact a home sale.
The survey of over 2,000 U.S. adults highlights an alarming trend: most sellers aren’t being given all the facts about listing options. Here’s what you need to know before deciding where to list your home.
Most Sellers Are in the Dark About Private Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on March 19th, 2025 
The real estate market in St. Louis County is continuing to show strong growth, with the median sold price for homes reaching $250,000 in February 2025. This represents a 13.64% increase from February 2024, when the median sold price was $220,000. The chart below, available exclusively from MORE, REALTORS®, illustrates this upward trend.
The median list price in February 2025 was also up, reaching $249,900. This is a 16.23% increase from the previous year, when the median list price was $215,000. Despite this increase, the market remains competitive and homes are selling quickly.
In February 2025, there were 641 home Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on March 16th, 2025 
Are you looking to buy or sell a home in the St. Louis metro area? If so, you’ll want to pay attention to the fastest selling zip codes in the region. According to recent data, the top three zip codes with the shortest average time on the market are 63021 in St. Louis, MO, 62095 in Madison-IL, IL, and 63050 in Jefferson, MO.
In 63021, homes are selling at lightning speed with an average of only 13 days on the market. This zip code also boasts an average list price of $527,146, making it a desirable location for both buyers Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on March 12th, 2025 
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is on the verge of making a pivotal decision about its controversial Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP)—a rule requiring listings to be submitted to a multiple listing service (MLS) within one business day of public marketing. Now, attorney Michael Ketchmark, lead counsel in the landmark Sitzer lawsuit, has issued a stark warning: if NAR brokers vote to maintain the rule, he may take legal action against them.
Ketchmark, in an interview with Inman News, made his stance clear: “It’s my expectation that after this meeting, when this comes to a NAR Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on March 12th, 2025 
Are you looking to buy or sell a home in the St. Louis metropolitan area? If so, you’ll want to pay attention to the fastest selling school districts in the region. According to recent data, the top three school districts with the fastest home sales are Valley Park in Valley Park, MO, Wood River-Hartford DIST 15 in Wood River, IL, and Crystal City 47 in Crystal City, MO.
In Valley Park, homes are flying off the market with an average of just 1 day on the market for 4 active listings. With an average list price of $239,475, this district Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on March 9th, 2025
The metro east real estate market continues to show steady growth in February 2025, with a median sold price of $180,000. This represents a slight increase of 0.06% from the same time last year, when the median sold price was $179,900. However, there was a decrease of 3.74% compared to January 2025, when the median sold price was $187,000.
The median list price in February 2025 was $189,900, a 5.56% increase from February 2024’s median list price of $179,900. This indicates a strong demand for homes in the metro east area.
According to the chart below, provided exclusively by MORE, Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on March 8th, 2025
The real estate market in St Charles County continues to show strength, with a median sold price of $362,559 in February 2025. This represents a 1.87% increase from the same time last year, when the median sold price was $355,900. Additionally, February’s median sold price is up 2.13% from January 2025, when it was $355,000.
According to the chart below, provided exclusively by MORE, REALTORS®, the median list price also saw a slight increase, going from $359,800 in February 2024 to $360,000 in February 2025. However, there were 233 home sales in February 2025, a decrease of 18.25% from the Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on March 7th, 2025
As of February 2025, the St. Louis real estate market continues to show strong growth. According to data from MORE, REALTORS®, the median sold price for homes in the stl msa update was $250,000, a 5.71% increase from the same time last year when the median sold price was $236,500. However, this month’s median sold price also represents a slight decrease of 2.53% from January 2025, when the median sold price was $256,500.
The median list price for homes in the stl msa update was also on the rise, with a 4.21% increase from February 2024, reaching $250,000. This indicates Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on March 6th, 2025
As of March 2025, the median sold price for homes in the Franklin County area was $255,500, according to the latest data from MORE, REALTORS®. This represents an 8.72% increase from February 2024, when the median sold price was $235,000. However, there was a 6.92% decrease from January 2025, when the median sold price was $274,500.
The median list price for homes in Franklin County was $258,500 in February 2025, a 12.39% increase from the previous year when it was $230,000. There were 67 home sales in February 2025, a 16.25% decrease from February 2024 when there were 80 sales.
Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on February 25th, 2025 
January 2025 saw the lowest average number of showings before a home went under contract in over a decade—just 12 showings per pending sale. This marks a significant shift in the St. Louis real estate market, signaling strong demand and motivated buyers. To put this in perspective, the average number of showings needed in January has historically ranged from 13.1 in 2024 to as high as 15.9 in 2022 and 15.8 in 2015. This downward trend suggests that buyers are acting quickly and decisively, making it a prime time for sellers to enter the market.
For Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on February 22nd, 2025 
The latest interest rates as of February 21, 2025, bring good news for homebuyers in St. Louis. The 30-year fixed rate has dipped to 6.89 making it more affordable for potential buyers to secure a mortgage. The 15-year fixed rate is now 6.37%, offering even more savings. Jumbo loans have seen a significant drop, with the 30-year jumbo rate7.7.227.22 by 0.08%. Adjustable-rate mortgages like the 5/1 and 5/6 SOFR ARM are relatively s5.52 with minor decreases. FHA and VA loans have also seen reductions, making them attractive options for For the St. Louis real estate market, these changes present opportunities Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on February 21st, 2025
The St. Louis City real estate market continues to show strong growth in the new year. According to the latest data from MORE, REALTORS®, the median sold price for homes in the St. Louis City update was $224,000 in January 2025. This represents a 12.03% increase from January 2024, when the median sold price was $199,950. Additionally, last month’s median sold price of $224,000 saw a 1.21% increase from December 2024, when the median sold price was $221,325.
The median list price for homes in the St. Louis City update also saw a significant increase, rising to $225,000 in January Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on February 21st, 2025 
Zombie foreclosures—homes abandoned during the foreclosure process—remain a rare issue nationwide, according to ATTOM’s latest Q1 2025 report. Nationally, only one in every 14,700 homes sits vacant due to foreclosure, holding steady from last quarter and slightly improved from a year ago. While overall foreclosure activity has declined for five consecutive quarters, the share of zombie foreclosures remains a fraction of the U.S. housing market.
In Missouri, the number of zombie foreclosures rose 85% over the past year, from 27 to 50 homes, while St. Louisrecorded an 8.9% zombie foreclosure rate among properties in foreclosure. Peoria, Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on February 19th, 2025
The St Louis County real estate market saw a strong start to the new year, with a median sold price of $234,450 in January 2025. This represents a significant increase of 17.81% compared to January 2024, when the median sold price was $199,000. However, there was a slight decrease of 9.79% from December 2024, when the median sold price was $259,900.
The median list price also saw a substantial increase, reaching $235,000 in January 2025. This is a 20.51% increase from January 2024, when the median list price was $195,000.
Despite the high prices, there were 624 home sales in Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on February 19th, 2025 
According to CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index (HPI) Forecast, U.S. home prices are expected to rise 4.1% year-over-year through December 2025. Nationally, home prices rose 3.4% from December 2023 to December 2024, showing a steady upward trend despite affordability concerns. In Missouri, home values have already reached record highs, and with mortgage rates still elevated, local buyers and sellers should prepare for a competitive market.
In the St. Louis metro area, the median home price was $255,000 in December 2024. Applying CoreLogic’s 4.1% projected price increase, that would push the median home price to approximately $265,500 by December Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on February 16th, 2025
Are you looking to buy or sell a home in the St. Louis metropolitan area? If so, you’ll want to pay attention to the latest real estate data. According to recent statistics, the fastest selling zip codes in the area are 62035 in Madison-IL, IL, 63021 in St. Louis, MO, and 63055 in Franklin, MO.
In 62035, homes are selling at lightning speed with an average of only 15 days on the market. This district boasts 6 active listings with an average list price of $324,250. Close behind is 63021, where homes are selling in an average of 17 days. Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on February 15th, 2025 
The real estate market in Jefferson County, as of February 15, 2025, is showing promising signs of growth. According to the latest data from MORE, REALTORS®, the median sold price for homes in Jefferson County during January 2025 was $270,000, up 2.27% from the same time last year when the median sold price was $264,018. This also marks a 1.89% increase from December 2024, when the median sold price was $265,000.
The median list price for homes in Jefferson County also saw a significant increase, rising 4.69% from $257,900 in January 2024 to $270,000 in January 2025. This indicates a Continue Reading →
By Dennis Norman, on February 12th, 2025
Are you in the market for a new home in the St. Louis metropolitan area? As you search for the perfect place to call home, it’s important to consider the school district that your future home will fall under. Luckily, we’ve done the research for you and have compiled a list of the top three fastest selling school districts in the area.
Topping the list is Wood River-Hartford DIST 15 in Illinois, where homes are selling at lightning speed. With only 2 listings on the market, the average time on the market is just 4 days. This district boasts an Continue Reading →
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