St Louis Real Estate News - Page 4 of 109 - Daily St. Louis real estate news, market analysis, home prices, and mortgage rate updates from local industry professionals.

Can Down Payment Programs Legally Limit Who Qualifies?

By Karen Moeller, on March 30th, 2026

Part 1 of a 2-part series on down payment assistance and fair housing compliance

A program designed to expand access to homeownership is now under federal review, and the question it raises is bigger than any one state.

Can a homebuyer assistance program legally limit who qualifies based on race or ethnicity?

That question is at the center of a recent investigation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development into Washington State’s Covenant Homeownership Program. The program provides down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time buyers, but eligibility is tied to specific racial and ethnic groups.

Continue Reading →

The State Wants This Tree Gone

By Karen Moeller, on March 30th, 2026

Why Missouri Is Asking Homeowners to Cut Down Bradford Pears And What To Plant Instead

If you have a Bradford pear tree in your yard, you are not alone. For years, it was one of the most commonly planted trees in St. Louis neighborhoods. Fast growing, symmetrical, and covered in white blooms every spring, it checked all the boxes.

Now the state of Missouri is asking homeowners to cut it down. Not trim it. Not manage it. Remove it. And in many cases, they are offering to replace it for free.

What Is Actually Happening

The Missouri Department of Conservation, along Continue Reading →

The Hidden Fee Most Homebuyers Don’t Know They’re Paying Is Going Up

By Karen Moeller, on March 30th, 2026

Credit report and scoring costs are rising and now drawing regulatory attention, adding yet another layer to today’s affordability challenge.

The Hidden Cost of Getting a Mortgage Is Getting More Attention

At a time when affordability is already stretched, there is growing scrutiny around a cost most buyers never think twice about: the price of their credit score.

Recent attention from policymakers, including Josh Hawley, has brought new focus to how credit scores are priced and used in mortgage lending. A request has also been made for the Federal Trade Commission to review whether current practices limit competition.

This Continue Reading →

Can You Buy a Home With Crypto?

By Karen Moeller, on March 29th, 2026

For years, the answer has technically been yes, but practically no. Not in the way people imagined.

You could sell your crypto, convert it to dollars, and buy a home. That part was never the issue. The idea of showing up to closing and transferring cryptocurrency directly to a seller has remained more headline than reality. What has changed recently is not the transaction itself. It is what sits behind it, and that shift is worth paying attention to.

The Old Way: Convert then Buy

Up until now, using crypto in a real estate transaction has followed a predictable path. The Continue Reading →

Vacant Land Fraud Is Exploding. And It’s Showing Up Across St. Louis.

By Karen Moeller, on March 28th, 2026

There’s a version of real estate fraud that doesn’t look dramatic on the surface. No broken locks. No forged checks passed across a closing table. No obvious signs that anything is wrong.

It usually starts with a clean, simple request.

“I own a piece of land. I’d like to sell it.”

And more often than it should, everyone believes them.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, reports of vacant land fraud have increased by more than 500% over the past four years. That is not a minor uptick. That is a pattern, and it is reaching markets Continue Reading →

The Most Dangerous Part of Your Real Estate Transaction Isn’t the House

By Karen Moeller, on March 28th, 2026

We spend a lot of time talking about inspections, pricing strategies, and market timing, but the biggest financial risk in a real estate transaction today often has nothing to do with the property itself. It happens quietly, and by the time most people realize what’s going on, it’s already too late.

It’s cybercrime.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s latest Internet Crime Report, Americans lost more than $16 billion to cybercrime in 2024, a 33 percent increase from the year before. Real estate is not a small piece of that problem. It is one of the most targeted.

Why Real Continue Reading →

House Flipping Isn’t Dead… But the Easy Money Is

By Karen Moeller, on March 27th, 2026

If you’ve ever watched a house flipping show and thought, “That looks like a fast way to make money,” the latest data says… not so fast.

New numbers from ATTOM show that home flipping profits dropped to their lowest level since 2008, and it’s not a small dip. It’s a meaningful shift in how this part of the market actually works today.

The Headline Numbers

The typical flip in 2025 returned 25.5%

That’s down from roughly 32% the year before

The average gross profit fell to about $65,981

Flips made up about 7.4% of all home sales

And activity Continue Reading →

St. Louis Mortgage Rates Dip Below 6.5% in March 2026 – Homebuyers See 30-Year Fixed at 6.48%

By Dennis Norman, on March 26th, 2026

In March 2026, St. Louis homebuyers are witnessing a favorable shift in mortgage rates, with the 30-year fixed rate decreasing to 6.48%, down by 0.07% from previous levels. This decline marks a continued easing in rates, offering potential savings for those entering the housing market. Similarly, the 15-year fixed rate has subtly reduced to 6.09%, providing additional options for buyers looking to pay off their homes more quickly. These rate reductions reflect a broader trend of falling interest rates across the board, including decreases in 30-year FHA and Jumbo loans, as well as adjustable-rate mortgages like the 7/6 SOFR ARM.

Continue Reading →

Termites in St. Louis: Why Spring Is Prime Time and What Most Homeowners Get Wrong

By Karen Moeller, on March 26th, 2026

If you think termites are a summer problem, you are already a step behind

In Missouri, termite activity starts ramping up as early as March and peaks through May. That timing catches a lot of homeowners off guard, especially in St. Louis where spring also happens to be one of the busiest real estate seasons of the year.

And here is where things get interesting. The biggest surprises about termites are not when they show up. It is how they show up, what they actually damage, and how often people miss the signs.

Surprise #1: The “swarm” is not Continue Reading →

MLS Transparency Under Fire: How Off-Market Listings Hurt St. Louis Home Buyers and Sellers

By Dennis Norman, on March 25th, 2026

In a real estate market where access to information can make or break a deal, a recent statement from the Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) reinforces a critical point: transparency is not optional, it is essential. CMLS, a national organization representing MLS systems across the country, issued a response to what it calls a “false narrative” suggesting that limiting listing exposure somehow benefits consumers. For buyers and sellers here in St. Louis, this hits close to home as discussions around office exclusive listings and off-market properties continue to grow.

CMLS made its position clear: “Real estate competition is built Continue Reading →

Credit Score Costs Surge as Hawley Launches Investigation Into FICO Pricing

By Dennis Norman, on March 25th, 2026

Missouri homebuyers could soon see relief from rising mortgage costs as Senator Josh Hawley takes aim at what he calls excessive pricing by credit scoring giant FICO. In a recent move, Hawley launched an investigation into the company’s pricing practices, citing concerns that sharp increases in credit score fees are contributing to housing affordability challenges, particularly for first-time buyers.

According to Hawley’s office, FICO recently doubled its per-score fee from $4.95 to $10.00, a more than 100% increase in just one year. Since most mortgage lenders rely on FICO scores for underwriting, and borrowers often have multiple credit pulls during Continue Reading →

Can You Hear Me Now? Listening When the Real Estate Market Speaks

By Karen Moeller, on March 25th, 2026

Every home enters the market with a number attached to it. Sometimes that number comes from data. Sometimes it comes from a prior conversation. Sometimes it comes from what a seller hopes the home is worth.

Then the market responds. Showings happen. Buyers walk through. Offers come in. And something interesting often occurs. The offers are not random. They tend to cluster. Different buyers. Different agents. Different motivations. Yet the numbers often land in a similar range. That is not coincidence. That is the market providing feedback.

In one recent situation, a home received multiple offers over time that were remarkably consistent in both Continue Reading →

Why the St. Louis 5-County Core Market Is Outperforming Much of the U.S.

By Cathy Lirette, on March 24th, 2026

By Cathy Lirette

In a national housing environment defined by volatility, affordability challenges, and uneven demand, the St. Louis 5-county core market continues to stand out as one of the most stable and attractive real estate regions in the United States. While many coastal and Sunbelt markets are correcting after years of rapid appreciation, St. Louis is demonstrating something far more valuable: sustainable growth, relative affordability, and long-term market balance.

Affordability Remains a Major Competitive Advantage

One of the most compelling reasons the St. Louis core market outperforms other regions is simple: affordability. The median home price in St. Continue Reading →

Myth: A Finished Basement Is Worth the Same as the Rest of the House

By Karen Moeller, on March 24th, 2026

Reality: Lower-level space adds value, but it is priced differently

That beautifully finished basement may help sell the home, but it is not valued the same way.

“I mean, it’s basically another level.”

If you’ve ever walked through a well-finished basement in St. Louis, you’ve probably heard some version of that comment. And to be fair, some of them feel like it. Full bars, theater setups, extra bedrooms, even second kitchens can make the space feel like a natural extension of the home, but when it comes to value, the market draws a clear line between above-grade and below-grade space.

Continue Reading →

Homeowners Beware: New Fraud Scheme Uses Stolen Identities to Tap Home Equity

By Dennis Norman, on March 23rd, 2026

Real Estate Fraud scheme - targets senior homeowners

There’s a growing type of real estate fraud happening across the country that every homeowner, especially seniors, should be aware of. A recent federal indictment outlines an alleged scheme in which criminals targeted property owners, stole their identities, and tried to obtain loans against homes without the owners’ knowledge. While this case happened outside of St. Louis, the tactics described are not unique to one market and could be attempted here as well.

According to the federal indictment (see full document below), the scheme allegedly involved multiple people working together to gather personal information from victims, create fake identification, and Continue Reading →

Myth: Seller Financing Is Too Risky for Home Sellers… Or Is It?

By Karen Moeller, on March 21st, 2026

Seller financing is one of those ideas that tends to get dismissed quickly. For many homeowners, the reaction is immediate. It sounds complicated. It feels uncertain. And in some cases, it raises concerns about what could go wrong if a buyer does not follow through. But like many things in real estate, the perception and the reality are not always the same.

What Seller Financing Actually Means

Seller financing simply means the seller acts as the lender.

Instead of receiving the full purchase price at closing from a bank-funded loan, the seller allows the buyer to make payments over time based Continue Reading →

Can You Buy a Home With Gold? A Look at Non-Traditional Payments in Real Estate

By Karen Moeller, on March 21st, 2026

From time to time, a question comes up that sounds more like a thought experiment than a real estate transaction, but recently, a St. Louis area buyer asked me whether it would be possible to purchase property using gold instead of dollars. It is not as far-fetched as it sounds. In fact, the short answer is YES. But the longer answer explains why it rarely happens in practice.

What the Law Allows vs. What the Market Uses

At its core, a real estate transaction is a contract. The buyer and seller agree to exchange something of value, known as consideration, Continue Reading →

The Saturday Morning Test Most Buyers Don’t Know to Do

By Karen Moeller, on March 21st, 2026

Buyers spend a lot of time evaluating homes. What they often miss is evaluating the neighborhood itself.

What is it actually like to live here? Not what the listing says. Not what the photos show. Not even what the data suggests. What does it feel like on a normal day? One of the simplest ways to answer that is something I call the Saturday Morning Test.

The Test Is Simple

Go to the neighborhood around 9:00 a.m. on a Saturday.

Don’t schedule anything. Don’t rush it.

Just be there.

Walk a few blocks. Sit for a minute. Pay attention.

You are not evaluating Continue Reading →

Missouri’s Tax Shift Proposal: What It Could Mean for the Housing Market

By Karen Moeller, on March 21st, 2026

Recent discussions in Missouri have focused on a proposed constitutional amendment that would gradually phase out the state income tax and shift more of the state’s revenue toward consumption-based taxes. If advanced, the proposal would ultimately be decided by Missouri voters through the ballot process.

While proposals like this often generate strong opinions, the details are still evolving. As with any policy change, the structure of the final legislation would determine how it plays out in practice.

From a real estate perspective, the more useful question is simple: how could a shift in how the state collects revenue influence buying, selling, Continue Reading →

March 2026 St. Louis City Real Estate Market Update: Rising Home Prices Amidst Decreasing Sales

By Dennis Norman, on March 21st, 2026

The St. Louis City real estate market continues to experience dynamic changes as of March 2026. In February 2026, homes in the St. Louis City area sold for a median price of $222,000. This represents a notable increase of 9.63% from February 2025, when the median sold price was $202,500. The median sold price also rose by 10.45% compared to January 2026, when it was $201,000.

Despite the increase in selling prices, the median list price in February 2026 was $220,000, marking a decrease of 6.38% from $235,000 in February 2025. Additionally, the number of home sales in February 2026 Continue Reading →

Most People Who Move from St. Louis Don’t Go Far. The Data Still Says So.

By Karen Moeller, on March 20th, 2026

There is a narrative that comes up again and again. People are leaving St. Louis. It sounds convincing. It shows up in headlines and conversations. But when you look at the data, the story is far more local.

Most people who move from the St. Louis area are not heading across the country. They are staying within Missouri or moving to nearby Midwestern states. That was true when this topic was first analyzed years ago, and it remains true today.

The Moves Are Closer Than You Think

Migration data, including IRS records that track address changes on tax returns, consistently Continue Reading →

Federal Court Blocks FinCEN Rule on Cash Real Estate Deals…Big Win for Investors

By Dennis Norman, on March 20th, 2026

A major federal court decision just delivered a significant win for real estate investors and anyone involved in cash transactions. A U.S. District Court has vacated the FinCEN rule that would have required nationwide reporting of most non-financed residential real estate transactions involving entities and trusts, effectively shutting down the rule before it could fully reshape the investment landscape.

The rule, finalized in 2024 and effective December 1, 2025, would have required reporting on an estimated 800,000 to 850,000 transactions annually, with projected compliance costs ranging from approximately $428 million to $690 million in the first year alone. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} The Continue Reading →

Home Prices Have Soared…But Have They Really? A Deeper Look at the Data

By Dennis Norman, on March 20th, 2026

When people say home prices are out of control, they are usually looking only at the price in dollars. Your chart shows why that can be misleading. In St. Louis, the median home price rose from about $39,000 in 1975 to about $340,000 today, and gold also went up about 8 to 10 times over that same period. That does not necessarily mean houses became dramatically more expensive in real terms. It shows how much buying power the dollar has lost.

The gold comparison is what really changes the picture. In 1975, it took about 274 ounces of gold to Continue Reading →

March 2026 Franklin County Real Estate Market Update: Rising Prices and Sales

By Dennis Norman, on March 20th, 2026

The Franklin County real estate market continues to show signs of growth as we move through March 2026. In February, homes sold for a median price of $262,500, marking a 0.96% increase from both February 2025 and January 2026, when the median sold price was $260,000. This steady rise in home prices reflects a robust demand in the area.

Additionally, the median list price in February 2026 was $303,000, representing a significant 13.91% increase from $266,000 in February 2025. This surge in list prices suggests sellers are optimistic about the market’s strength and are positioning their properties accordingly.

February 2026 Continue Reading →

You’re Not Just Listing a Home. You’re Deciding Who Sees It

By Karen Moeller, on March 19th, 2026

If you have been following the recent headlines about a legal dispute between a major real estate platform and a national brokerage, it is easy to dismiss it as another round of industry tension. Different business models, different philosophies, and a disagreement over how listings should be handled. That would be missing the point.

What is actually happening is a shift in who controls how homes are introduced to the market, who gets to see them, and when that exposure happens. That is not an industry issue. It is a homeowner issue.

The policy at the center of the dispute attempted Continue Reading →

Myth: “Flood Plain” Means You Should Walk Away

By Karen Moeller, on March 19th, 2026

Reality: Some flood zone designations raise questions. Others simply need clarification.

Seeing “flood plain” on a disclosure can feel like an automatic no. In some cases, it is just the beginning of the conversation.

“House is in flood plain.”

A buyer recently said “hard pass” within minutes of reviewing a seller’s disclosure with that exact note without so much as a follow-up question. In a market where we are still seeing bidding wars and steep competition, a house they were excited about was off the table in seconds.

It is a common reaction, and an understandable one. Flooding is serious, Continue Reading →

St. Louis Mortgage Rates Climb to 6.36% in March 2026 – 30-Year Fixed Sees Notable Rise

By Dennis Norman, on March 19th, 2026

As of March 19, 2026, St. Louis homebuyers are witnessing a continued upward trend in mortgage rates, with the 30-year fixed rate mortgage now reaching 6.36%, marking a 0.07% increase. This moderate rise in rates signifies a broader pattern of escalating costs for financing in the region. The 15-year fixed rate also experienced a slight uptick, now standing at 5.97%, an increase of 0.04%. These changes are part of a larger trend affecting various loan products, including the 30-Year FHA and Jumbo loans, as well as adjustable rate mortgages such as the 7/6 SOFR ARM, all of which have seen Continue Reading →

The Neighborhoods Where Homes Are Still Under 200K – A St. Louis First-Time Buyer Map for 2026

By Dennis Norman, on March 19th, 2026

Exploring Affordable Neighborhoods in St. Louis for First-Time Buyers

In a housing market that’s constantly evolving, finding a home within budget can be a daunting task for first-time buyers. Fortunately, even in 2026, the St. Louis metro area offers dozens of neighborhoods where median home prices remain under $200,000. This provides an accessible entry point into homeownership without breaking the bank. We have pulled the latest 12-month sales data from the MLS to identify the best options, scattered across the entire MSA on both the Missouri and Illinois sides.

To explore the full interactive data for every municipality and zip Continue Reading →

March 2026 St. Louis County Real Estate Market Update: Rising Home Prices Amid Decreased Sales

By Dennis Norman, on March 19th, 2026

The St. Louis County real estate market continues to show resilience as home prices rise despite a slight dip in sales. In February 2026, homes in the area sold for a median price of $250,001, marking a 3.79% increase from February 2025, when the median sold price was $240,875. This price also represents a negligible increase from January 2026, where the median was $250,000.

However, the median list price saw a significant decrease, dropping 14.29% to $240,000 from $280,000 in February 2025. This shift indicates a potential adjustment in seller expectations or market conditions. Additionally, there were 768 home sales Continue Reading →

Missouri Homeowners Hit With Nearly 34% Insurance Spike…Lawsuit Abuse May Be Part of the Problem

By Dennis Norman, on March 18th, 2026

lawsuit abuse and homeowners insurance cost

Homeowners across Missouri, including many in the St. Louis area, are feeling the squeeze from sharply rising insurance premiums, and a newly released report suggests legal system abuse may be playing a bigger role than many realize. According to the report, Missouri homeowners insurance premiums have jumped 33.9% from 2021 to 2024, adding yet another affordability challenge for buyers, sellers, and real estate investors.

While severe weather and rebuilding costs are often blamed for rising premiums, the report points to increasing litigation tied to property claims, particularly involving roofing, wind, and hail damage. These lawsuits can drive up claim costs Continue Reading →