John Donati - St Louis Real Estate News

We Keep Talking About Housing Affordability Because We Refuse to Ask the Right Questions…

By John Donati, on February 7th, 2026

We have been “debating” housing affordability for years now, but the conversation keeps circling the same drain. There are not enough smaller, attainable homes for first‑time buyers. Nobody disputes that. Everyone agrees it is a problem, most are willing to call it a crisis, and yet, after countless panels, policy papers, incentives, and task forces, the bottleneck is still right where we left it.

If demand for starter housing has been obvious for more than a decade, why does the market still fail to produce it? Is it land costs? Labor shortages? Interest rates? Zoning? Materials? Regulation? Capital? Or is Continue Reading →

Is Your Real Estate Agent Built for Transactions or for Trust?

By John Donati, on January 26th, 2026

Most consumers assume real estate agents build their business through relationships, local knowledge, and referrals. Many do. Others operate very differently.

For years, scores of agents have relied heavily on purchased leads from third-party companies like Zillow, Trulia, etc., often at significant monthly cost. The consumer rarely sees this distinction and likely doesn’t know they are being sold to the highest bidder, yet it quietly shapes how the business operates. Is that approach inherently wrong? Or is it simply a reflection of how the business is structured? And, if structure drives behavior, who is actually in control?

Over time, most Continue Reading →

McBride Homes Just Took a Legal Gut Punch. Here’s What It Means for Buyers

By John Donati, on June 10th, 2025

McBride Homes, the largest builder in St. Louis, is in hot water. A St. Louis County judge just denied their attempt to stop Builder’s Bloc, a major contractor, from going after them for more than $10 million in unpaid work. The result? Legal chaos spilling over onto unsuspecting homebuyers.

The Fight: $10 Million, Dozens of Homes, and No Resolution

Builder’s Bloc claims McBride didn’t pay up. In response, they’ve filed liens on homes in multiple McBride communities. These aren’t empty threats. Some buyers have already closed and now own homes with liens attached. Others are under contract and facing serious Continue Reading →

The First-Time Homebuyer Dilemma: Why Builders Aren’t Meeting Demand for Smaller Homes

By John Donati, on October 31st, 2024

New Construction Red Tape and Regulation

Let’s get into why builders aren’t producing the smaller, affordable homes that so many first-time buyers are seeking. It boils down to a mix of profit margins, rising costs, regulatory roadblocks, challenges from local architectural review boards, and the need for more efficient construction methods.

First off, for builders, the bottom line is key, and smaller homes simply don’t bring in the same returns as larger projects. The costs of materials, labor, and especially land have been climbing steadily, making smaller homes harder to build profitably. Land in decent locations can be incredibly pricey, sometimes feeling as valuable as gold Continue Reading →

Real Estate Commissions: Beyond the Headlines and Hype – What You Need to Know Now

By John Donati, on March 24th, 2024

You’ve probably heard about these changes happening with real estate commissions, right? It’s been all over the news lately. You might have seen headlines like “Real estate commissions are being slashed!” or “Selling your house will now be less expensive!” Sounds pretty exciting, doesn’t it? And the media has a great track record, right? Let me tell you, there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye.

Even the most informed of us agents and brokers out here are scratching our heads because the lawsuit changed gears so quickly. Nobody really knows exactly how it’s all going to work Continue Reading →

Demystifying Aluminum Wiring for Homebuyers: Insights from Industry Expert Mike Ragan

By John Donati, on March 18th, 2024

In a recent informative video, Mike Ragan, a master electrician, and owner of R&M Electric in St. Charles MO, dispels several myths surrounding aluminum wiring, a subject that often causes apprehension among prospective homebuyers in the St. Louis area. With over 18 years of experience specializing in residential wiring and troubleshooting, Ragan brings a wealth of knowledge to the discussion. He offers crucial insights for anyone considering the purchase of a home equipped with aluminum wiring, providing a fresh perspective on what has traditionally been viewed as a potential dealbreaker. Continue Reading →

Does it Matter??

By John Donati, on August 31st, 2023

Definitely a philosophical question but here we are talking about Smart Homes. Indeed, the adoption and implementation of the Matter Protocol could end up having a substantial impact within the real estate industry and all its intertwined industries. Before I get into why that is let me tell you what Matter is. In the context of smart homes, a protocol like Matter would define the rules and specifications for how smart devices, such as lights, thermostats, door locks, and more, communicate with each other over a network within a single ecosystem. So, here’s why I think it could have Continue Reading →

Smart Home, Smarter Seniors

By John Donati, on March 22nd, 2023

What happens when you pair up Ted Gottlieb, Certified Senior Advisor® (CSA®) that’s a real estate broker with a real estate broker (me) that’s Smart Home Certified? You end up with solutions for older adults that allow them to live more efficiently, for longer, in their current home by increasing safety, security, accessibility and independence. Before I get to the Smart Stuff, let me explain what a CSA® is and how rare it is for a REALTOR® to also be a CSA®. Ted is the first, and only as of this article, in Missouri to achieve this.

A Certified Senior Continue Reading →

A Smart Home is an Efficient Home

By John Donati, on March 14th, 2023

As the region’s only Smart Home Certified broker*, I’ve been asked many times how smart technology can benefit a homeowner’s energy usage so here are a few brief examples:

Energy Monitoring: Smart home devices such as smart thermostats, smart lighting, and smart appliances can help monitor energy usage and identify areas where energy is being wasted. Automated Energy Management: Smart technology can automate tasks such as adjusting thermostat settings and turning off lights and appliances when not in use, thereby reducing energy consumption. Energy Efficiency: Smart devices can optimize energy usage by adjusting heating and cooling systems based on occupancy Continue Reading →

Save Big Money with Smart Tech and Reduce Risks!

By John Donati, on October 7th, 2022

Did you know that you can save some serious money on your homeowners insurance with the right combination of smart technology? Not only can you save some money, but you can make your life safer and more convenient. Did you know there are roughly 50 million households with smart tech and the number one device present in these homes has nothing to do with saving money, convenience, or safety? Weird, I know. More on that later. Today, I’ll cover a few of the smarter items that can be integrated into your home that could pay for themselves.

More than 50% Continue Reading →

Stop! Who Goes There? A Smart Lock Knows…

By John Donati, on February 24th, 2022

How ‘smart’ can a smart home be if its locks can’t tell you who is coming and going and when they came and went? In my opinion, that’s not a very ‘smart’ house. Nowadays, we use our phones for much more than talking to other people. To name a few, we use them for directions, email, and paying for groceries. So why wouldn’t we use them to remotely lock and unlock our doors too?

From my previous articles you might remember that one of the primary requirements in a smart home is either smart temperature control or a smart security Continue Reading →

Smart Temperature Control and What Are the Benefits

By John Donati, on November 29th, 2021

Do you like inconvenience? Spending more money than needed? Do you like things to be more difficult than needed? Do you like not knowing how much energy you use and when you use it most? Do you desire suboptimal temperature control? If you answered ‘no’ to these questions then whether you knew it or not, you’re already convinced that a Smart Thermostat is worth a couple of hundred bucks to you.

One of the primary requirements in a ‘Smart Home’ is either smart temperature control or a smart security feature. Of these two, the one to likely Continue Reading →

What Is a Smart Home and What Does It Mean for a Homeowner?

By John Donati, on November 23rd, 2021

Simply put, a Smart Home means your home has a control system that connects with your various appliances, systems, and features to automate specific tasks and is typically remotely controlled. The real estate industry, in conjunction with CNET, accepted definition is:

“A home that is equipped with network-connected products (aka “smart products,” connected via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or similar protocols) for controlling, automating, and optimizing functions such as temperature, lighting, security, safety, or entertainment, either remotely by a phone, tablet, computer, or a separate system within the home itself.”

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Continue Reading →