FEMA - St Louis Real Estate News

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 →

FEMA’s New Risk Rating 2.0 Fully In Effect Now and Impacting Flood Insurance Rates

By Dennis Norman, on June 13th, 2023

As of April 1, 2023, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has put into action the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Risk Rating 2.0, a newly devised pricing methodology. According to FEMA, this contemporary approach to flood risk assessment uses state-of-the-art technology and conforms to industry’s highest standards. The aim of this new model is to ensure that FEMA provides flood insurance rates that are not only actuarially justified, but also more equitable and comprehensible, and most importantly, they accurately represent the flood risk associated with a specific property.

There has been a fair amount of negative reports about the Continue Reading →

40 Zip Codes In The St Louis MSA Have 1 Month Or Less Supply Of Homes For Sale

By Dennis Norman, on May 21st, 2020

It’s no wonder home buyers are tripping over themselves and getting into bidding wars to buy a house as the supply of homes for sale is at or near historic lows. As our table below shows, there are currently 40 zip codes in the St Louis MSA with a one-month or less supply of homes for sale (7 of the zips have no homes for sale) and a total of 76 of the 127 (60%) zip codes within the St Louis MSA have a supply of homes for sale of 2 months or less.

This low inventory, along with low-interest Continue Reading →

Mortgage Interest Rates Expected To Continue Falling Until Hitting 2.9 Percent Next Year

By Dennis Norman, on April 23rd, 2020

Fannie Mae issued their monthly housing forecast for April which includes, among other data, a forecast of what mortgage interest rates will be in the coming months. Last months forecast had projected that mortgage rates would continue to decline moving forward but only to a low of 3.1% before the end of 2021 while the April forecast predicted the interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage would fall to 2.9% in the 2nd quarter of 2021 and stay there through the balance of the year.

If you’re able, now’s the time to buy!

While the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Continue Reading →

St Louis Area Population Growth Nearly Flat But Asians and Males on The Rise

By Dennis Norman, on June 21st, 2018

The St Louis 5-county core had a total population of 2,027,996 in 2017, up from 2,000,405 in 2010. The population increase os 27,591 represents a very modest population increase of just 1.36% for the 7-year period, according to the latest date from the U.S. Census Bureau. As the table below shows, the number of Asian people in St Louis grew by 11,913 during the period, an amount equal to 43% of the total St Louis population growth.

The St Louis 5-county core consists of the city of St Louis and the counties of St Louis, St Charles, Jefferson and Franklin. Continue Reading →

Missouri Insurance Department Providing Assistance to Flood Victims With Insurance Needs

By Dennis Norman, on May 10th, 2017

The Missouri Insurance Department announced they will have Consumer specialists in place this week and next at Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARC) throughout the state to assist flood victims with their insurance claims. Continue Reading →

St Louis County Has Highest Natural Hazard Risk For Housing In The Area

By Dennis Norman, on August 25th, 2016

ATTOM Data Solutions just released their 2016 Natural Hazard Housing Risk Report, in which they score counties across the nation on risks posed to housing from natural hazards. As the heat map below illustrates, St Louis County has the highest natural hazard ranking in the St Louis area at 59.8, followed by the City of St Louis at 55.3. Continue Reading →

Cities In St Louis Where Home Buyers Have The Advantage

By Dennis Norman, on February 25th, 2016

The St Louis real estate market is off to a good start for 2016 but that doesn’t mean there aren’t St Louis neighborhoods that are experiencing a buyer’s market giving home buyers an advantage over sellers, at least to an extent. Continue Reading →

FEMA Announces Disaster Assistance Is Now Available to Missouri Flood and Storm Victims

By Dennis Norman, on January 25th, 2016

Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to residents of 33 counties in Missouri that suffered damage as the result of severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding that occurred between December 23, 2015 and January 9, 2016. Continue Reading →

Three Missouri Counties At High Risk For Property Damage From Natural Disasters

By Dennis Norman, on September 4th, 2015

It seems when we think of natural disasters and property damage, most people think of hurricanes and coastal areas which would be true and would certainly not apply to Missouri however, Missouri has threats to property from natural disasters as well. In fact, according to RealtyTrac’s annual U.S. Natural Disaster Housing Risk Report, while Missouri does not have any counties that fall in the “Very High Risk” category when it comes to risk to housing from natural disasters, Missouri does have three counties that are in the “High Risk” category two of which, Jasper and Newton, are in the Joplin area in the southwest portion of the state and the third, Madison, is in the southeast area of Missouri. Continue Reading →

What Does It Mean To Be In A Flood Zone?

By Shelly Clark, on February 3rd, 2015

Flood zones are land areas identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Each area of land is mapped and labeled into a flood zone. FEMA flood maps include zones that are broken into several areas. Here are the most common flood zone areas that you will see in Missouri: Continue Reading →

Who Lives In Ferguson?

By Dennis Norman, on December 2nd, 2014

I spent most of my childhood as well as my early adulthood living in Ferguson and have fond memories of those days. I remember, as a young child, walking down South Florissant Road, south of Carson Road, past a head shop surrounded by hippies in a building on the east side of the street where now is just a parking lot, thinking how strange everyone looked and wondering what a head shop was. I also remember riding my bike all the way from my parents house on Spring to E.J. Korvette’s in Cool Valley to buy my mom a mothers Continue Reading →

Why did I get a notice that says I have to have flood insurance?

By Shelly Clark, on October 2nd, 2014

You’ve owned your home for 20 years, and you’ve never been required to have flood insurance on your property. So why did you get a notice saying that you are required to have flood insurance or else your lender is going to impose it upon you now – after all these years?

Simply stated, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) believes that your lot is now at risk for being flooded in the event of a 100 year flood. FEMA creates Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) which depict and show where it is calculated that the water will spread in Continue Reading →

Missouri Rank’s 19th On List of States with Highest Natural Hazard Risk

By Dennis Norman, on September 12th, 2014

According to a report just released by Corelogic, Florida has the highest risk of property damage from a natural hazard of any state in the country (shocker, right?). At the other end of the list is Michigan with the lowest risk and Missouri came in at 19th no doubt due to flood risk, tornadoes and the New Madrid fault that makes it’s home in the southeast portion of our state.

According to an updated map published by the folks at U.S. Geological Survey, an earthquake on the New Madrid fault could impact all of the State of Missouri with Continue Reading →

How Will The Government Shut Down Affect The St Louis Real Estate Market?

By Dennis Norman, on October 7th, 2013

As we enter the 7th day of the government shut down, concern grows among home buyers and sellers as to how this may affect the transactions here in St Louis. The short answer is that, fortunately, it appears the impact will be minimal for the most part. This morning at a meeting of the St Louis Industry Forum, which I chair, this topic was discussed and from the input of the real estate-related professions represented, it appears the impact of the government shutdown on real estate transactions here will be minimal.

Shelly Clark, President of Cardinal Surveying, said that there Continue Reading →

Overview of changes to flood insurance program (Video)

By Dennis Norman, on July 24th, 2013

The great flood of ’93 revealed the importance of flood insurance to many St Louis area property owners that found their homes either underwater or threatened by flood though they never before thought it possible. As a result of that flood as well as subsequent floods brought on by hurricanes in coastal areas and other major storms inland, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) found itself in a position where major changes were needed in order to continuing providing flood coverage and at fair rates. Therefore the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 was passed which makes sweeping changes to Continue Reading →

The best cities for romance and real estate

By Dennis Norman, on February 11th, 2013

Before you get all excited, no, St. Louis did not make the top ten list of the best cities in America for young singles to relocate for love. Wait, before you think I have lost my mind, or are using a cheesy seasonal top-ten list for readership, it’s not my doing….it’s actually Zillow’s idea. This week, Zillow introduced their “In the Move for Love Index”, which lists the best cities for young singles to relocate for love. In evaluating locations for their list, Zillow considered the cost of rent versus income, walkability of the city as well as “supply and demand”…well, um, “the ratio of, and abundance of, single males to single females under 35”. Continue Reading →

Does FEMA show your property in a flood zone? How to find out if they got it right.

By Shelly Clark, on January 15th, 2013

Do you have a property in the flood zone? Do you question as to whether or not FEMA “got it right” when assessing the location of your property and if you really are in the flood zone? Typically, in order to find out if your home is located in a flood zone, you have to hire a land surveyor or engineer to perform an elevation certificate on your property. The certificate takes FEMA data and actual elevations of the structure and compares them to the FEMA Base Flood Elevation. If your structure is located above the Base Flood Elevation, then you most likely won’t be required to carry flood insurance. The problem is that FEMA does not store this data, unless you make a Letter of Map Change (LOMC) or Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) request. Continue Reading →

What are going to be the hot St Louis real estate markets in 2013?

By Dennis Norman, on December 28th, 2012

I don’t know that “hot” comes to mind when I think about any St Louis real estate market today, however, relative to the rest of the market, I think I can identify some St. Louis real estate markets that I feel are poised to perform better in 2013 than other St Louis markets. Below are my charts showing some key market data for the top markets. Included in my data are 4 pieces of information that I think are key to determining the health of a local real estate market:

Home prices – I show what prices have done over Continue Reading →

The Argument Against Biocides; Why We Dont Need To Kill Mold

By Jason Earle, on July 23rd, 2012

I’m writing this article because I am constantly faced with this preconception that getting rid of mold somehow involves killing it first, as if you have to sneak up behind it and snuff it out before it knows you’re there. Yes, this stuff can be dangerous, but not like that. Continue Reading →

St. Louis Mortgage Rate Update; What income is required for a mortgage?

By Robert Fishel, on January 18th, 2012

What income is required to qualify for a mortgage? That largely depends on your monthly debt payments and the current interest rate. This calculator collects these important variables and determines your required income to qualify for your desired mortgage amount.(click here)

Mortgage interest rates have fallen this year to historical lows and with them so have the costs of home ownership. Regardless of a borrower’s loan amount, bargain-basement interest rates have brought a home buyer’s monthly mortgage payment down to levels never seen in history.

Continue Reading →

St. Louis Mortgage Rate Update; Forgivable down-payment assistance loan available for first-time homebuyers

By Dennis Norman, on January 11th, 2012

First-time home buyers receive a forgivable 3% cash assistance loan for down payment and closing costs. The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) provides a competitive interest rate on a safe 30-year fixed rate 1st mortgage. Your 3% advance loan is treated as a 2nd mortgage and is completely forgivable after five years of continuous occupancy. MHDC will have the monies available for the borrowers regardless of bond issuance through Constant Funding. Continue Reading →

St. Louis Mortgage Rate Update; Trends that will affect the housing market in 2012

By Robert Fishel, on January 4th, 2012

The National Association of Realtors’ research staff recently released its comprehensive annual report: Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers for 2011. Market researcher, Paul C. Bishop, Ph. D., Vice President and Jessica Lautz, Manager of Consumer Survey Research state that they’ve identified “trends that have not been seen in the last 10 years,” which will affect the housing market as we enter 2012. Continue Reading →

St. Louis Mortgage Rate Update; Who are the home-buyers?

By Robert Fishel, on December 28th, 2011

The characteristics of home buyers has changed fairly significantly in just the two past years according to the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) annual Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. In 2009, first-time home-buyers, encourage by tax credits, made up 47 percent of the market and in 2011 made up only 37 percent of the market. Continue Reading →

How To Use The Internet To Perform Due Diligence On Real Property

By Thomas J. Lucier, on October 5th, 2011

As far as I’m concerned, the Internet is one of the greatest inventions of all time, and ranks right up there with flush toilets, sliced bread and basketball! For real estate investors, the Internet is the single best property due diligence research tool available. Especially for investors who are located in counties where property tax rolls are online. Continue Reading →

US Existing home sales in May fall to lowest level this year; St. Louis has largest decrease for third consecutive month

By Dennis Norman, on June 21st, 2011

Today’s existing home sales report from the National Association of REALTORS® shows existing home sales in May were at at a seasonally adjusted-annual rate of 4.81 million units which is a decrease of 3.8 percent from the month before and is a decrease of 15.3 percent from a year ago and is the lowest rate of home sales since November 2010 when it was 4.64 million.

Continue Reading →

Mortgage Relief and Foreclosure Moratorium for Missouri Homeowners Impacted by Recent Storms

By Dennis Norman, on May 11th, 2011

Spring storms in April caused 8 areas of the U.S. to be declared a National Disaster area, and another 9 more so far in May. As a result of tornadoes, severe storms and flooding on April 19th, five counties in Missouri, Butler County, Mississippi County, New Madrid County, Saint Louis County, and Taney County, were declared a National Disaster areas on May 9th, making homeowners eligible for assistance, including possible mortgage payment relief and/or protection from foreclosure.

Continue Reading →

Buying a home more affordable than renting in four out of five major cities

By Dennis Norman, on April 28th, 2011

A report released this morning by Trulia shows that when it comes to the question “should I rent or buy” the answer is to buy in 80 percent of the 50 largest U.S. cities. Trulia’s “Rent vs. Buy Index” compares the cost of buying and renting a two-bedroom apartment, condominium or townhouse and for the 2nd quarter of 2011 this index shows that buying is the way to go from an affordability standpoint for most areas….the only cities where renting was cheaper than buying were New York, Fort Worth and Kansas City.

Continue Reading →

What is the risk of flood for your home?

By Dennis Norman, on March 17th, 2011

As spring approaches (say good bye to winter!! ) many homeowners face the risk of potential flooding of their homes or investment properties. Thanks to the requirements of most lenders for a borrower to obtain a flood letter to determine if their property is in a flood plain and, if so, obtain flood insurance, possible flood damage is a “known” threat to most homeowners affected.

Continue Reading →

Five Insurance Mistakes for Homeowners to Avoid

By Dennis Norman, on March 11th, 2011

The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) just published the results of a survey of homeowners that showed almost half of the homeowners surveyed believe that coverage limits of their homeowners insurance policy are linked to the value of their home. However, this is not the case according to the I.I.I. “The real estate value of a home, that is the price you can buy or sell it for, has absolutely nothing to with the amount of insurance needed to financially protect the homeowner in the event of a fire or other disaster,” said Jeanne M. Salvatore, senior vice president and consumer Continue Reading →