Home Inspections - St Louis Real Estate News

What Happened to This House? A Real Estate Mystery I Couldn’t Ignore

By Karen Moeller, on June 17th, 2026

One of the things I enjoy most about real estate is that houses still surprise me.

After years of walking through homes, you develop a mental catalog of things that deserve a closer look. Sometimes it’s a crack in a foundation wall. Sometimes it’s an unusual odor. Sometimes it’s a renovation that appears to have been completed by someone who was very confident and only mildly qualified.

Recently, it was a set of dark markings that appeared throughout a home I was showing to a buyer.

The mystery began in the primary bedroom. The room had floral Continue Reading →

Why Some Cities Require Occupancy Inspections … And Others Don’t

By Karen Moeller, on May 11th, 2026

One of the more confusing moments for many St. Louis homebuyers happens shortly before closing, when they learn the municipality wants to inspect the property before anyone can move in.

Then comes the obvious question:

Why does one city require an occupancy inspection while the next one doesn’t?

The answer has less to do with real estate contracts and more to do with how local governments approach housing safety, property maintenance, and code enforcement.

Occupancy inspections developed largely in older municipalities as a way to identify issues involving electrical systems, plumbing, structural concerns, overcrowding, or deferred Continue Reading →

Lead Paint Was Banned Decades Ago. So Why Is It Still Part of Buying and Selling a Home?

By Karen Moeller, on April 25th, 2026

“Why are we still dealing with this form? Lead paint was banned more than 50 years ago.”

It’s a fair question. It’s also based on a misunderstanding.

Most people hear “lead paint” and picture a kid eating paint chips off a windowsill in 1963.

The assumption is understandable. Lead paint was banned for residential use in 1978, and most homes have been painted over multiple times since then. The dramatic stories that shaped public awareness largely faded decades ago. It would be easy to assume the issue faded with them. It’s one of the only disclosures that isn’t Continue Reading →

“Passed Occupancy Inspection” Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means

By Karen Moeller, on April 1st, 2026

You’ll see it in listing remarks all the time: “Property has already passed occupancy inspection.”

For many buyers, that line feels reassuring, but it is also one of the most misunderstood phrases in real estate, and in some cases, it leads buyers to skip one of the most important steps in the process.

What an Occupancy Inspection Actually Is

An occupancy inspection is conducted by a local municipality before a property transfers ownership or a new occupant moves in. Its purpose is not to evaluate the overall condition of the home. Its purpose is to confirm that the property meets minimum municipal 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 →

Do you need a buyer’s agent when buying a home in St Louis?

By Dennis Norman, on April 6th, 2023

Earlier this week I wrote an article addressing some of the current issues that will likely significantly impact the residential real estate business. IIn the article, I suggested that, as a result of the various challenges to present-day practices, sellers may no longer be required to pay commissions to the buyer’s agent in the near future. Does this mean the role of the buyer’s agent in a transaction is going away and that buyer’s agents are not needed? The short answer is no, buyer’s agents are not going away.

So, buyer agents won’t be impacted by these changes?

Wait, I Continue Reading →

National Headlines Say Homebuyers Canceling Deals At Highest Rate Since Start of Covid…Is this true in St Louis?

By Dennis Norman, on July 15th, 2022

If you’re heard it once, you’ve likely heard it a hundred times, “all real estate is local”. This is why you can’t put too much faith in national news or data if you are interested in buying or selling a home in St Louis. This is also why at MORE, REALTORS®, we put so much time, effort and money into producing the best and most accurate local data we can. We think it’s important to bring the data and information down to the local level.

“Homebuyers are canceling deals at highest rate since start of COVID” was the headline earlier Continue Reading →

Buyer’s Agents Aren’t Free

By Dennis Norman, on October 21st, 2021

Like the majority of real estate companies in St Louis, our firm, MORE, REALTORS® is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®. One of the things that go along with membership is to agree to abide by the Code of Ethics. Within the code of ethics, is Article 12 which states, in part, “REALTORS® shall be honest and truthful in their real estate communication and shall present a true picture in their advertising, marketing, and other representations.” As with every article in the code of ethics, there are “standards of practice” to serve as examples of how that article Continue Reading →

Sixty-Three Percent Of St Louis Homes Sold In Past 12 Months Sold At Or Above List Price

By Dennis Norman, on June 2nd, 2021

It’s no secret how competitive the St Louis housing market is currently. In effort to get their offer accepted, homebuyers are waiving financing contingencies, building inspections and doing everything they can to convince the seller to take their offer. However, in addition to those aforementioned things, while it’s not necessarily the most important thing, price is pretty close to the top of the list.

As a result of everything mentioned above, almost two-thirds of the homes sold in the St Louis 5-County core market (St Louis city and the counties of St Louis, St Charles, Jefferson and Franklin) during the Continue Reading →

Control your investments with self-directed IRA investing

By Jeremy Vlasich, on March 2nd, 2021

I have a lot of people ask me about what to invest in and how. Not every time, but often, the self-directed IRA investments can be great options for people that are in the real estate industry. For this post, I wanted to go over the basic concept and give some actual real-life examples. Once you read this, if you still need help or have questions, you are more than welcome to reach out. We are here to serve and help!

What is an IRA and what does a “self-directed” IRA mean? This is an Individual Retirement Continue Reading →

New Listings Of St Louis Homes For Sale Trailing Sales Slightly

By Dennis Norman, on November 30th, 2020

Yesterday, I wrote an article titled “St Louis Home Sales – No end in sight?” in which one of my caveats had to do with listing inventory, noting the obvious that no matter how many homebuyers are out there, if there is nothing for them to buy, St Louis home sales will fall. As promised, I did an analysis of new listings and inventory using proprietary software we have developed at MORE, REALTORS to enable our agents to fully comprehend the market and be able to use that knowledge to serve their clients.

The first table below is our leading Continue Reading →

Things to consider when buying a new home

By Dennis Norman, on February 26th, 2020

Buying a new home can be a great experience but it can also be a daunting one as well. For homeowners that have previously only purchased an existing home, they will quickly find the process is much different. From the number of decisions that must be made, change orders and other financial surprises along the way, it can be a little overwhelming for a buyer. Particularly one that went into the process ill prepared or without proper representation by a buyers agent that is experienced in new construction.

What you need to know BEFORE buying a new home…

For more Continue Reading →

Proposed St Louis County Ordinance Would Require Landlords To Accept Section 8

By Dennis Norman, on June 8th, 2019

A bill introduced by St Louis County Councilmember Lisa Clancy would require landlords in unincorporated St Louis County to participate in the Section 8 program as well as pretty much any other rental subsidy program. St Louis County bill number 102 (see complete bill at bottom of article), introduced by Councilmember Clancy, if passed, would amend the existing St Louis County “Fair Housing Code” ordinance adding “lawful source of income” to the list of things that a landlord cannot discriminate based upon.

The St Louis County Fair Housing Ordinance (section 717.020) currently makes it unlawful for landlords to discriminate on Continue Reading →

Should you buy a new home directly from the builder?

By Dennis Norman, on March 25th, 2019

Some new home buyers believe that if they buy a new home directly from the builder or the builder’s sales person, they will get a better price. But is this true? Do you get a better deal buying a new home directly from the builder?

First, we should address a “better deal” and what constitutes a good “deal”. If it is strictly price, then, while I think it is somewhat short-sided on the part of the buyer and falls in that “penny-wise, dollar-foolish” category, in some instances, with some builders, the builder will save some cost by you buying from Continue Reading →

Are iBuyers Changing The Way People Sell Their Homes?

By Dennis Norman, on July 1st, 2018

One of the “buzz words” you hear often in the real estate industry today is “disrupter“. To disrupt, by definition, is to “throw into turmoil or disorder, interrupt the progress of (a movement, meeting, etc) or break or split (something) apart.” With dozens and dozens of new startups, new business models and new practices coming upon the real estate scene over the last handful of years, it seems practically everyone wants to disrupt the real estate industry. Why not? Afterall, there was some $70 Billion (yes, Billion with a “B”) in commissions made by residential real estate agents last year Continue Reading →

Why You Shouldn’t Use 12 p.m. As A Deadline When Making An Offer On A Home

By Dennis Norman, on June 4th, 2018

When you make an offer on a home, it is normal to include a deadline for the seller to accept the offer by otherwise the offer dies. Deadlines are also used when sellers and buyers make counter-offers and negotiate building inspection resolutions. These deadlines typically include both a date and time. Unfortunately, many real estate agents seem to like using “12 p.m.” as a deadline which, personally, I think is a bad idea and should not be done.

Why is 12 p.m. as a deadline bad to use?

For starters, I’m a big fan of trying to keep things as Continue Reading →

Should Home Buyers Use Price Escalation Clauses?

By Dennis Norman, on May 21st, 2018

St Louis home buyers today face stiff competition from other buyers and often find themselves in a “multiple bid” situations where a seller has several offers to consider. This has led many buyers agents to suggest the use of “escalation clauses” by their clients in order to increase their chances of success. However, not everyone in real estate industry agrees that this is a good practice and some think it is doesn’t serve the buyer well. I tend to fall into the latter camp as I am not a fan of escalation clauses for buyers, however, in the right situation Continue Reading →

Zillow’s “New” Instant Offer Is Nothing New

By Dennis Norman, on May 28th, 2017

I am always marveled by great marketing and promotion therefore I must give a tip of the hat to Zillow® for their new “Instant Offer” program. First, it’s getting them tons of attention and press, particularly within the REALTOR® community, which is probably where it is the most beneficial to them since agents are, after all, Zillow’s® paying customers. Continue Reading →

Should You Investigate Your Home Buyer Or Seller Online?

By Dennis Norman, on May 3rd, 2017

In today’s world of just about anything you would want to know being available on the internet it’s not hard getting information today, it’s everywhere. This includes information on people…where just about anything you would want to know is often available online either on information websites, in blogs or in social media, often even from the person themselves. With all this information so readily available, it has become common for home buyers, sellers and their agents to use the internet to try to get a leg up on the other side in a real estate transaction. Continue Reading →

Why You Need A Private Building Inspection When Buying A New Home

By Dennis Norman, on February 9th, 2017

As a real estate broker and former real estate developer and builder, I’m surprised how many transactions I see in which a new home buyer forgoes a private building inspection thinking, since the home is new, an inspection is not necessary. Continue Reading →

Rule Changes For HUD Home Sales Proposed By HUD

By Dennis Norman, on October 8th, 2015

Since the real estate market bubble burst in 2008, the number of foreclosed homes that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has had to manage and sell to investors and new home owners has increased significantly, averaging around 100,000 homes sold per year and hitting a peak of 111,416 HUD homes sold during fiscal year 2013. Continue Reading →

How To Buy A Home In A Hot Market Like This One

By Dennis Norman, on June 25th, 2015

It wasn’t that long ago that sellers were practically begging buyers to purchase their home but that is not the case today. Today, in some very sought after St Louis neighborhoods the inventory of homes is so low and demand so high that when a new listing hits the market it’s like a feeding frenzy for buyers. This has led to frustration and disappointment for many buyers leading some to become a little too overanxious and buy a home that really is not right for them or overpay for one out of fear of “missing out”. Continue Reading →

St Louis County Residential Rental Property Licensing Ordinance Tramples Property Rights

By Dennis Norman, on April 7th, 2014

A residential rental property licensing ordinance has been proposed in St Louis County by Councilman Michael O’Mara which would prohibit an owner of residential property in unincorporated St. Louis County from renting or leasing their property without first paying a fee and obtaining a residential rental license. The bill, which has been kept relatively quiet and is impossible to find on the website for the St Louis County Council other than listed on the agenda, will most likely be passed at the meeting of the St Louis County Council tomorrow evening.

While there are several municipalities in the St Louis area that currently Continue Reading →

Common Mistakes Made By St Louis For Sale By Owners (FSBO’s)

By Dennis Norman, on July 31st, 2013

Over the years I have seen many “St Louis For Sale By Owners” (FSBO’s), you know those people that decide they can sell their house themselves without the help of a professional, make a variety of mistakes in the way they handle the sale of their property. The mistakes range from minor ones that will probably just cost them some heartburn to major mistakes that could lead to serious legal troubles.

What are the most common mistakes made by FSBO’s?

Continue Reading →

Housing Boom Era Home Buying Strategies Returning

By Tyler Frank NMLS # 942420, on April 19th, 2013

Tyler Frank,Paramount MortgageNMLS ID 942420

Housing Boom Era Type Home Buying Tactics Reappearing in St Louis Real Estate Market

During the home buying frenzy of the housing boom, which peaked in 2006, it was common to see home buyers, in an effort to beat out other buyers fighting for the same home, include price escalation clauses in their offers and make “naked” (contingency-free) offers. It was also common for a seller to purposely price their home low in an effort to rein in multiple buyers and pit them against each other in a bidding war. We are Continue Reading →

What To Look Out For To Avoid A Dishonest Mover

By Dennis Norman, on April 17th, 2013

The thrill of buying or selling a home can quickly come to an end when you have a bad moving experience or, worse yet, get ripped off by a dishonest moving company. How do you avoid a dishonest mover? The U.S. Department of Transportation has published 8 “red flags” to be on the lookout for to avoid getting ripped off:

“RED FLAGS” to be on the lookout for:

Continue Reading →

Do You Need a Building Permit for That?

By Gerry Loesch, on December 5th, 2012

When are building permits needed? That is the $64,000 question. First it may be good to discuss the reason for building permits. Building codes list their intent as “ to insure public safety, health and welfare insofar as they are affected by building construction,…..” The major reason for permits is to therefore, provide safe and sanitary buildings. We have all seen where “Tommy Homeowner” thinks he can do anything and in turn creates problems for himself and any future home owner that may occupy the premises. The building permit process allows the local authority to review what work is planned, check the work is in progress before all the changes are completed to be sure that safe, sanitary and proper procedures are performed in the building/remodeling process. The second reason, albeit less important, is that it allows the governing authority to adjust you property values to be current with the value including any improvements. Continue Reading →

Step by Step Process of Buying a Home; St Louis Mortgage Interest Rate Update

By Robert Fishel, on November 16th, 2012

Determine your “mortgage goals.” What are your expectations? If everything falls into place, what mortgage payment “range” you would be comfortable with? Review your credit history and sources of income. How much money are you willing to commit to buying a home; do you have money set aside for a down payment? Will you get a gift from a family member? Continue Reading →

St Louis Home Inspector Shares Facts Home Buyers Need to know about Mold

By Aaron Mayer, on October 1st, 2012

Most people today know enough about mold to know that it is a potential health problem. You may envision it as a serious respiratory health concern. This mysterious enigma does not wear a skull and crossbones, but some see it as a “deal killer” just the same. Today we’ll share some facts about dealing with potential mold problems in the middle of a real estate transaction. Why is Mold a health concern? Continue Reading →

Should I use a lease option to sell my home?

By Dennis Norman, on September 17th, 2012

Maybe you’re a seller that has found yourself faced with the reality that you can’t sell your house or condo for a price today that will yield enough to pay off your loan, and you are not a candidate for, or don’t want to do, a short-sale? Or, maybe you are a seller with a house or condo that, for one reason or another, there is very limited demand for and, in fact, it seems that perhaps no one wants to buy what you have to sell? If so, maybe someone suggested, or you have considered, using a lease/option or a lease purchase to sell your home? After-all, there is a large demand for lease-options and lease-purchases by buyers but, you are just not sure if it is right for you? Continue Reading →