Home Prices and Sales - St Louis Real Estate News

Young Home Buyers: Essential Guide to Picking Your Ideal Real Estate Agent!

By Tim Branneky, on July 18th, 2024

Tim Branneky

Before graduating from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri; I’d had my mind set on my career path which was in real estate! I decided after breaking multiple school and conference football kicking records, to hang up the cleats and focus on handing over keys to new home buyers and game-plan with sellers! In my first full year of working in real estate post graduation; In 2023, I successfully closed on 18 sides totaling $5,355,500 while working with multiple first time home buyers!

As a young home buyer, it might seem overwhelming as you’re given the task Continue Reading →

Metro East Update: June 2024 Real Estate Market Shows Steady Growth

By Dennis Norman, on July 9th, 2024

The metro east area of St. Louis, MO continues to see a strong real estate market, with the latest data from June 2024 showing a steady increase in home prices. According to the chart below, exclusively available from MORE, REALTORS®, the median sold price for homes in the metro east update was $210,000, a 2.44% increase from June 2023. This also represents a 10.24% increase from May 2024, when the median sold price was $190,500.

The median list price for homes in the metro east update was $200,000, a slight increase of 0.05% from June 2023. However, there was a Continue Reading →

St Charles County Real Estate Market Update as of July 2024

By Dennis Norman, on July 8th, 2024

The real estate market in St Charles County has continued to show strong growth and stability as of July 2024. According to the latest data from MORE, REALTORS®, the median sold price for homes in the county during June 2024 was $391,500, representing an increase of 7.26% from the same time last year when the median sold price was $365,000. This also marks a 6.41% increase from May 2024, when the median sold price was $367,900.

The median list price for homes in St Charles County was $379,900 in June 2024, a significant increase of 8.54% from $350,000 in June Continue Reading →

St Louis Metro Area: June 2024 Real Estate Market Update

By Dennis Norman, on July 7th, 2024

As of June 2024, the stl msa real estate market continues to show strong growth. According to data exclusively from MORE, REALTORS®, the median sold price for homes in the stl msa update was $299950, a 9.07% increase from June 2023. This also marks a 9.07% increase from May 2024, when the median sold price was $275000.

The median list price for homes in the stl msa update was $290000, a 9.43% increase from June 2023. Despite the increase in prices, there were 2800 home sales in June 2024, a decrease of 18.60% from June 2023.

The chart below illustrates Continue Reading →

Franklin County Update Real Estate Market Update as of July 2024

By Dennis Norman, on July 7th, 2024

According to the latest data from MORE, REALTORS®, the median sold price for homes in the franklin county update was $240000 in June 2024. This represents a 1.23% decrease from June 2023 when the median sold price was $243000. Additionally, last month’s median sold price of $240000 also saw a decrease of 5.51% compared to May 2024.

Despite the decrease in median sold price, the median list price for homes in the franklin county update saw a slight increase of 0.81% from $247000 in June 2023 to $249000 in June 2024. However, there were 14.95% fewer home sales in June Continue Reading →

St. Louis Metro Area Home Sales See Steady Increase in 2024

By Dennis Norman, on June 17th, 2024

The St. Louis metropolitan area, which covers counties in both Missouri and Illinois, has seen a steady increase in home sales so far this year. According to data from MORE, REALTORS®, there have been 12,130 homes sold in the St. Louis metro area through the end of May 2024. This represents a 5.63% increase from the same period last year, when 11,483 homes were sold.

Compared to four years ago, when there were 13,295 homes sold through May 2024, this year’s sales have seen a slight decrease of 8.76%. However, this decrease is still within a reasonable range and does Continue Reading →

Luxury Living: The St. Louis Zip Codes Are Among America’s Wealthiest

By Dennis Norman, on June 13th, 2024

A recent article in the St. Louis Business Journal highlights the prominence of St. Louis in the newly released Business Journals Wealthy 1000 ranking. Among the nation’s wealthiest ZIP codes, nine from the St. Louis area have made the list, underscoring the region’s economic significance. Leading the charge is Ladue’s 63124 ZIP code, recognized not only as the wealthiest in St. Louis but also a major player on the national stage.

This new ranking takes into account various wealth metrics such as income, home equity, and estimated savings, painting a comprehensive picture of affluence in the area. While Ladue tops Continue Reading →

Metro East Update: Real Estate Market Continues to Thrive in May 2024

By Dennis Norman, on June 9th, 2024

The latest data from MORE, REALTORS® shows that the metro east real estate market is still going strong as of May 2024. According to the chart below, the median sold price for homes in the metro east area was $191588, representing an 8.55% increase from May 2023 when the median sold price was $176500. This also marks a 4.69% increase from April 2024, when the median sold price was $183000.

The median list price for homes in the metro east update also saw a significant increase, rising 8.51% from $175000 in May 2023 to $189900 in May 2024. Additionally, there Continue Reading →

St Charles County Real Estate Market Update as of June 2024

By Dennis Norman, on June 8th, 2024

The real estate market in St Charles County continues to show strength and growth, with the median sold price for homes increasing by 5.71% in May 2024 compared to the same time last year. According to the chart below, available exclusively from MORE, REALTORS®, the median sold price for homes in the St Charles County update was $370,000, up from $350,000 in May 2023. This also marks a 2.78% increase from April 2024, when the median sold price was $360,000.

The median list price for homes in St Charles County also saw an increase of 5.82% from May 2023, reaching Continue Reading →

Median Home Prices Continue to Rise Throughout the St Louis Metro Area in May

By Dennis Norman, on June 7th, 2024

The latest data from MORE, REALTORS® reveals that the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (stl msa) real estate market is showing no signs of slowing down. In May 2024, the median sold price for homes in the stl msa reached $275,000, a 7.84% increase from the same month in 2023 when the median sold price was $255,000.

Compared to the previous month, May 2024’s median sold price of $275,000 also saw a 5.81% increase from April 2024’s median sold price of $259,900. This steady growth in home prices is a positive sign for sellers in the stl msa.

Additionally, the Continue Reading →

Memorial Day Events: Honoring History and Community in St. Louis

By Dennis Norman, on May 27th, 2024

As we commemorate Memorial Day, it’s a time for reflection on our history and community. In St. Louis, Memorial Day holds particular significance, intertwining with our city’s rich historical tapestry.

The Historical Roots of Memorial Day in St. Louis

Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, was established after the Civil War to honor fallen soldiers. St. Louis, with its strategic location and historical military significance, has always played a pivotal role in these commemorations. Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, one of the oldest military cemeteries in the United States, serves as the final resting place for over 188,000 soldiers, spanning Continue Reading →

St. Louis Metro Area YTD Home Sales Show Steady Increase in 2024

By Dennis Norman, on May 19th, 2024

The St. Louis metropolitan area, which covers counties in both Missouri and Illinois, has seen a strong start to the year in terms of home sales. According to data from MORE, REALTORS®, there have been 9,035 homes sold in the St. Louis metro area through the end of April 2024. This represents a 5.54% increase from the same period last year, where 8,561 homes were sold.

While this year’s YTD home sales may be lower compared to four years ago, with a decrease of 11.78%, it is important to note that the overall trend is still positive. This is great Continue Reading →

Metro East Update: Home Prices Continue to Rise in April 2024

By Dennis Norman, on May 15th, 2024

The real estate market in the metro east area is showing no signs of slowing down. According to the latest data from MORE, REALTORS®, homes in the metro east update sold for a median price of $183,711 during April 2024. This represents a 5.58% increase from April 2023, when the median sold price was $174,000.

However, there was a slight decrease of 0.40% compared to March 2024, when the median sold price was $184,450. The median list price also saw a significant increase, rising by 8.79% from $170,000 in April 2023 to $184,950 in April 2024.

The number of home Continue Reading →

St Charles County Real Estate Market Update as of May 2024

By Dennis Norman, on May 15th, 2024

The real estate market in St Charles County, MO continues to show strength and stability as we head into the summer months. According to the latest data available exclusively from MORE, REALTORS®, the median sold price for homes in the St Charles County update was $360,000 in April 2024. This represents a 2.06% increase from April 2023, when the median sold price was $352,750.

While there was a slight decrease of 2.82% from the previous month, when the median sold price was $370,450, the overall trend for home prices in St Charles County remains positive. Additionally, the median list price Continue Reading →

Franklin County Real Estate Market Update as of May 2024

By Dennis Norman, on May 14th, 2024

The latest data from the Franklin County update shows a continued upward trend in the real estate market. In April 2024, the median sold price for homes in the county was $245,450, representing a 5.34% increase from the same month last year. This also marks a slight decrease of 0.63% from March 2024.

The median list price for homes in Franklin County was $246,450, a 6.02% increase from April 2023. In terms of sales, there were 108 homes sold in April 2024, a significant 54.29% increase from April 2023.

For a visual representation of this data, refer to the chart Continue Reading →

St. Louis Metro Area Real Estate Market Update – April 2024

By Dennis Norman, on May 14th, 2024

As of April 2024, the St. Louis metro area real estate market continues to show steady growth. According to data from MORE, REALTORS®, the median sold price for homes in the St. Louis area was $260,000, representing a 2.36% increase from April 2023 when the median sold price was $254,000. This also marks a 4.00% increase from the previous month, March 2024, when the median sold price was $250,000.

The median list price for homes in St. Louis was $250,000, a slight 0.04% increase from April 2023. This indicates that sellers are still able to command a strong price for Continue Reading →

St. Louis Real Estate Set for a Comeback: Insights from NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun

By Dennis Norman, on May 8th, 2024

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of REALTORS

In his forecast yesterday at the 2024 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings, National Association of Realtors® Chief Economist Lawrence Yun delivered a promising outlook for the real estate market with expectations for rising existing-home sales. According to Yun, the U.S. is likely to see existing-home sales increase to 4.46 million in 2024, a 9% rise from 2023, and surge to 5.05 million in 2025. Yun highlighted, “More jobs mean more home sales and higher housing demand. You need a strong local economy for a strong housing market.”

Additionally, Continue Reading →

St. Louis Metro Area 12-Month Home Sales Trend Hits Highest Level in Eight Months

By Dennis Norman, on May 7th, 2024

The 12-month home sales trend chart below from MORE, REALTORS® shows a slight upward tick in St. Louis home sales. In April, 32,210 homes were sold during the 12-month period ending in April, marking the highest home sales trend in St. Louis since August 2023. Granted, this is spring—a typically strong selling season for real estate. However, the 12-month sales ending in April 2024 are below the figures from a year ago, which stood at 34,490. Nonetheless, this uptick is a positive sign. It’s also noteworthy that this April marks the first time in three years that the trend has Continue Reading →

St. Louis Metro Real Estate 2024: Key Trends and Market Analysis

By Dennis Norman, on May 7th, 2024

The St. Louis Metropolitan real estate market has experienced notable shifts in its latest 12-month cycle ending April 2024, as compared to the previous year. Firstly, the total number of homes sold in the St. Louis Metro area has seen a decline. Over the past 12 months, ending April 2024, St Louis home sales totaled 32,220 homes, a decrease of 6.58% from the previous year’s 34,490 homes. This reduction in sales volume may reflect a variety of market factors including economic shifts or changes in buyer sentiment.

Conversely, the median sold price for homes has edged upwards, indicating a resilient Continue Reading →

St. Louis YTD Home Sales Rise Over 2023 But Lag Behind Earlier Years

By Dennis Norman, on April 25th, 2024

The St. Louis 5-County Core market, encompassing St. Louis City County, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Franklin County, and Jefferson County, reported a total of 4,518 home sales Year-to-Date through March 2024. This reflects a 4% increase in St. Louis home sales for the same period last year, which had 4,340 home sales. However, as the chart below—available exclusively from MORE, REALTORS®—shows, this represents varied performance compared to earlier years. In March 2022, there were 5,218 sales, a notable peak compared to 5,803 in 2021 and 5,216 in 2020.

This data highlights the fluctuations in the real estate market Continue Reading →

St. Louis Area Home Sales Stabilize to 2015 Levels

By Dennis Norman, on April 17th, 2024

The St. Louis metro area’s real estate market has demonstrated significant fluctuations in home sales over the past fifteen years, revealing interesting trends for both homebuyers and sellers. Analysis of the 12-month home sales data chart, exclusively available from MORE, REALTORS®, illustrates a series of peaks and troughs that correspond closely with various economic factors impacting the region. St Louis home sales fell to the lowest point during the 15-year period in June 2011 when the 12-month period had 23,194 sales. Since hitting that low home sales have steadily increased until the 12-month trend hit 43,689 sales for the period Continue Reading →

Will the NAR Commission Lawsuit Settlement Change Real Estate Practices in St. Louis?

By Dennis Norman, on April 16th, 2024

Since the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the plaintiffs in the following lawsuits—Christopher Moehrl v. The National Association of Realtors et al., Rhonda Burnett (originally Sitzer) v. The National Association of Realtors et al., Dawin Niel Umpa v. The National Association of Realtors, et al., and Don Gibson v. The National Association of Realtors—reached a settlement agreement on March 15, 2024, which is still pending court approval and thus preliminary at this point, the topic has dominated industry conversations. The focus of these lawsuits on buyer’s agent commissions has attracted more media attention since mid-March than it seems to Continue Reading →

St. Louis Metro’s Hottest School Districts: 5 of the Top 10 Located in St. Clair County, Illinois

By Dennis Norman, on April 14th, 2024

As of 2023, according to data from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Illinois State Board of Education, there are roughly 135-145 school districts within the 17 counties of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). This figure includes public school districts but excludes private and charter schools. These districts vary significantly in size, home prices, and demand for homes. While strong school districts and top-rated schools are major attractions for home buyers and may reflect in the prices homes fetch compared to those in lesser districts, they do not guarantee quick sales. However, it is Continue Reading →

St. Louis Home Sales Drop 25% in Latest 12-Month Review Compared to Previous Year

By Dennis Norman, on April 12th, 2024

There were 31,960 homes sold in the St. Louis metro area during the 12-month period ending March 31, 2024, as the chart below from MORE, REALTORS® exclusively illustrates. This represents a 25% decline from the number of sales for the same period a year ago. While this is a slight increase from the 12-month sales low of 31,775 homes for the period ending December 31, 2023, it’s the lowest sales volume for this period since March 2015. Based on the chart, it appears that the trend of declining home sales has ended, as it has remained fairly flat over the Continue Reading →

Luxury Living In St Louis: The Top 10 Cities with Highest Home Prices

By Dennis Norman, on April 11th, 2024

Top 10 Luxury Home Markets in St Louis, MO

The real estate market in St. Louis is notably diverse, featuring homes that are, on average, quite affordable. However, this affordability doesn’t preclude the existence of luxury markets within the city. Presented below is an exclusive list from MORE, REALTORS® detailing the top 10 cities in the St. Louis MSA where homes command the highest average selling prices.

Key takeaways from this list include:

Huntleigh dominates with the highest average sale price of $2,097,249 and impressively quick transactions, with homes spending an average of just 20 days on the market. It’s important to note that these figures are based on Continue Reading →

Refinance Activity Surges Despite Rising Mortgage Rates – Purchase Applications Fall

By Dennis Norman, on April 11th, 2024

Last week, the interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages climbed past the 7 percent mark. Despite this increase, as the chart below illustrates, there was a significant 10 percent increase in refinancing applications. This is in sharp contrast to a 5 percent decline in purchase applications. The growth in the refinancing segment is notable, representing 33.3 percent of the total application volume, up from 30.3 percent the previous week. This surge in refinancing interest is particularly intriguing, given the highest reported 30-year mortgage rates in over a month, at 7.01 percent.

Joel Kan, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist, Continue Reading →

St. Louis Area Residential Real Estate Market Report For March 2024

By Dennis Norman, on April 10th, 2024

The St. Louis MSA residential real estate market is experiencing a phase of transformation. While the sales volume has seen a downturn, median sale prices have held steady, indicating a resilient market underpinned by solid demand. The complete STL Market Reports for the entire metro area as a whole, as well as the major counties, are available exclusively from MORE, REALTORS® and are below.

Key Findings:

Sales Volume Decline: The St. Louis MSA experienced a 9.30% decrease in the number of homes sold during the 12-month period ending March 31, 2024, compared to the previous year. Median Sold Price Growth: Continue Reading →

St. Louis 2024 Housing Market: First Quarter Update

By Dennis Norman, on March 29th, 2024

As we close the first quarter of 2024, it’s an opportune moment to revisit the forecasts I made at the end of last year regarding the St. Louis real estate market. With the data from January through March now available, we can assess the accuracy of the initial predictions and adjust our outlook for the remainder of the year.

Scorecard on December Predictions:

2024 Home Sales Forecast: I projected a slight decrease in the annual sales volume to about 22,400 homes. The data from the first quarter shows a varied trend with the 12-month home sales at the end of Continue Reading →

St. Louis Metro Real Estate Market: Interpreting the Current Trends

By Dennis Norman, on March 27th, 2024

The St. Louis Metro residential real estate market in 2024 is showcasing diverse trends, indicating an evolving landscape for buyers, sellers, and industry professionals. The latest data, detailed in the STL Market Report exclusively from MORE, REALTORS®, offers a snapshot of these dynamics.

Contrasting Sales Trends:

There’s a notable decrease in home sales volume by 16.11% in the past year, with figures declining from 38,173 to 32,022 homes sold.

Home Value Resilience:

Despite the lower sales volume, median sold prices in the metro area nudged upward by 2.44%, moving from $246,000 to $252,000 year-over-year.

Price Per Square Foot (PPSF) Analysis:

Continue Reading →

Smaller, Personalized Homes Dominate 2024 Trends: Insights from NAHB Study

By Dennis Norman, on February 29th, 2024

The dynamics of the new home market are shifting significantly as we advance into 2024, with a clear trend towards smaller, more personalized living spaces emerging nationwide. This evolution reflects a broader change in homeowner preferences and market conditions, according to the latest “What Home Buyers Really Want” study by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

Recent data points to a decline in the average size of new homes, continuing a trend that began following a brief uptick in 2021. The average new home size has decreased to 2,411 square feet in 2023, marking the smallest average size in Continue Reading →