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June 2026 St. Louis MSA Real Estate Market Update: Rising Home Prices and Increased Sales

By Dennis Norman, on June 7th, 2026

The St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) real estate market continues to show robust growth, with the latest data from May 2026 highlighting significant increases in home prices and sales. Homes in the St. Louis MSA sold for a median price of $309,900, marking a 4.63% increase from May 2025 when the median sold price was $296,200. This price also reflects an 8.74% rise compared to April 2026, when the median sold price was $285,000.

The median list price in May 2026 was $305,000, up 7.02% from $285,000 in May 2025. Furthermore, the region saw 3,193 home sales, a 1.72% Continue Reading →

How’s the Market? It Depends on What You’re Looking At

By Karen Moeller, on June 6th, 2026

“How’s the market?”

It’s one of the most common questions I get from buyers and sellers.

It’s also one of the hardest questions to answer honestly.

Not because the data isn’t available. In fact, we have more market data available today than ever before. The challenge is that different statistics, different timeframes, and different geographic areas can all tell very different stories about the same market.

That’s why two people can look at real estate data and come away with completely different conclusions.

And surprisingly, both of them may be right.

Three Charts. Continue Reading →

They’re Really Only Offering $325,000… Right?

By Karen Moeller, on June 1st, 2026

The math behind seller concessions, lender limits, and why appraisers sometimes get involved

Every seller has had this moment.

An offer arrives. The purchase price looks promising. Then comes the request for seller concessions.

Suddenly, the offer doesn’t look quite as attractive as it did a few seconds earlier.

“Wait a minute,” the seller says. “If they’re asking me for $8,000 back, aren’t they really offering $325,000?”

It’s a fair question. After all, if the contract price is $333,000 and the seller is contributing $8,000 toward the buyer’s costs, the seller will walk away with less money than they Continue Reading →

What Happens When the House Is Worth Less Than the Offer?

By Karen Moeller, on May 29th, 2026

Why a low appraisal doesn’t always kill the deal—and why the contract matters more than many buyers realize

A buyer asked me a question recently that perfectly captured one of the most misunderstood parts of a real estate transaction:

“Why do I need an appraisal rider? If the house doesn’t appraise, won’t the lender deny the loan anyway?”

At first glance, that logic seems sound. Most buyers understand that lenders require appraisals, and many assume the appraisal serves as a simple pass-or-fail test. If the value comes in high enough, the loan moves forward. If it comes in low, the Continue Reading →

The Things Sellers Say When They’re About to Overprice Their Home

By Karen Moeller, on May 23rd, 2026

One subtle red flag in a listing appointment is when the price conversation starts before the comparable sales conversation does.

“We need to get at least X.”

“The neighbor got X.”

“We want to leave room to negotiate.”

None of those statements automatically mean a seller is wrong, but they often reveal that the pricing conversation is beginning with a conclusion instead of an analysis. Once someone emotionally anchors themselves to a number early, every later conversation tends to become:

“How do we justify this price?”

instead of:

“What is the market most likely to support?”

That shift Continue Reading →

The Real Difference Between Home Search Sites Isn’t Always the Listings

By Karen Moeller, on May 22nd, 2026

The Zillow/MRED dispute is not currently affecting St. Louis listings, but it does reveal something important about how real estate search actually works.

A recent dispute between Zillow and Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), the large Chicago-area MLS, generated headlines this week after MRED suspended Zillow’s access to its listing data feeds. Until the issue is resolved, MRED listings will no longer appear on Zillow or Trulia in that market, creating immediate confusion among consumers and agents wondering whether listings could suddenly disappear from the websites many buyers rely on every day.

In St. Louis, however, the answer Continue Reading →

Most REALTORS® Aren’t Employees. And That Quietly Shapes the Entire Consumer Experience.

By Karen Moeller, on May 19th, 2026

Most consumers never think about whether their real estate agent is an employee or an independent contractor.

But the structure quietly shapes many of the experiences buyers and sellers encounter every day.

Recently, the National Association of REALTORS® backed a proposed federal rule update related to how independent contractor status is evaluated under labor law. At first glance, that may sound like technical industry policy with little relevance to the average homebuyer or seller.

In reality, it touches the foundation of how residential real estate operates in the United States.

Most real estate agents are not Continue Reading →

Missouri Property Tax Reform Failed. Here’s What Homeowners Actually Need to Know Now

By Karen Moeller, on May 16th, 2026

For the second straight year, Missouri homeowners heard a familiar promise from Jefferson City: property tax relief is coming.

Then the legislative session ended, and once again, most homeowners were left exactly where they started. Confused, frustrated, and wondering whether the next reassessment notice is going to hit like a budget adjustment or a financial gut punch.

The problem is not simply that lawmakers failed to pass broader property tax reform this session. It is that many homeowners still do not fully understand how Missouri’s property tax system works in the first place.

That confusion has become Continue Reading →

Why Buyers Become Obsessed With Homes They Haven’t Even Seen Yet

By Karen Moeller, on May 15th, 2026

How “Coming Soon” listings changed buyer psychology in modern real estate

A home hits the market as “Coming Soon,” and within hours buyers are already emotionally invested.

They zoom in on kitchen photos to see whether the appliances are stainless or paneled. They decide where the Christmas tree would go before they have seen the basement. They drive past the house at night to see what the street feels like after dark. Some know the listing photos better than their own family albums by the time the first showing starts.

And increasingly, buyers are competing emotionally long before Continue Reading →

The House Was ‘Under Contract.’ So Why Is It for Sale Again?

By Karen Moeller, on May 13th, 2026

One of the more confusing moments for many homebuyers happens when they find a house they love online, only to discover it is already “under contract.”

Most buyers assume that means the home is effectively sold.

Not necessarily.

In real estate, “under contract” often means a transaction has started, not that it is guaranteed to close. Between accepted offer and closing sits a stretch of inspections, financing approvals, appraisals, title work, contingencies, and deadlines where deals can still fall apart.

And sometimes, they do.

According to the National Association of REALTORS®’ REALTORS® Confidence Index, approximately Continue Reading →

May 2026 St. Louis MSA Real Estate Market Update: Rising Home Prices and Sales

By Dennis Norman, on May 7th, 2026

The St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) real estate market continues to show strength as of May 2026, with notable increases in both home prices and sales volume. In April 2026, homes in the St. Louis MSA sold for a median price of $285,000, marking a 3.64% rise from the median price of $275,000 recorded in April 2025. This growth also represents a modest 0.71% increase from March 2026, when the median sold price was $283,000.

The median list price in April 2026 reached $305,000, up 7.02% from $285,000 in April 2025, indicating a strong demand in the local real Continue Reading →

Manufacturing Is Coming Back… But Not Where Most People Think

By Karen Moeller, on May 2nd, 2026

There has been a growing wave of reporting and investment announcements pointing to a return of manufacturing activity to the U.S., with over $1.5 trillion in projects announced since 2025.

On the surface, that sounds like the kind of shift that should dramatically reshape local real estate markets. More jobs, more demand, rising home prices. It is an easy story to tell, but reality is more complicated.

Manufacturing is coming back, but it does not look like it did a generation ago, and it does not impact housing the way many people expect.

Modern manufacturing facilities are smaller, Continue Reading →

Why Some Homes Feel “Right” Instantly—And Why That Might Be the Problem

By Karen Moeller, on April 11th, 2026

There is a moment in almost every home search that feels like clarity. You walk in, take a few steps, and something clicks. The space just works. You can see your furniture, your routine, your life unfolding there. You stop analyzing and start imagining.

And almost without thinking, you say it.

“This is the one.”

Buyers trust that moment. They are told to trust it. It feels honest. It feels decisive. It feels like the whole point of the process, but that feeling is not what most people think it is. It is not just instinct. It is recognition.

What most Continue Reading →

St. Louis MSA Real Estate Market Update: April 2026

By Dennis Norman, on April 7th, 2026

The St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) real estate market continues to show a robust performance as of April 2026. Homes in the region sold for a median price of $285,000 in March 2026, marking a 6.74% increase from March 2025, when the median price was $267,000. This figure also reflects a 5.58% rise from February 2026, when the median sold price was $269,950. The median list price for homes reached $299,900, up 5.23% from $285,000 in March 2025.

In terms of sales volume, there were 2,572 home sales in March 2026, a slight decrease of 1.27% compared to 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 →

March 2026 St. Louis MSA Real Estate Market Update: Rising Home Prices and Increased Sales Activity

By Dennis Norman, on March 7th, 2026

The St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) real estate market continues to show strong growth as of March 2026. Homes sold for a median price of $269,950 in February 2026, marking a 7.98% increase from the same period last year when the median price was $250,000. This upward trend is further highlighted by a 5.90% rise in median sold prices from January 2026, which stood at $254,900.

The median list price also saw a significant increase, reaching $299,900 in February 2026, up 6.16% from $282,500 in February 2025. Additionally, the market experienced a boost in home sales, with 2,092 transactions Continue Reading →

Meet Me at the Boathouse (Again)

By Sandie Hea, on March 6th, 2026

If you’ve lived in St. Louis very long, chances are you have a Boathouse memory. I know I do. The Boathouse in Forest Park has been part of this city since 1876. The current building was rebuilt and expanded in 2003 so it could be both a restaurant and a place to rent boats. That’s when it really became more than just a stop by the water — it became a destination.

It sits on Post-Dispatch Lake, renamed in 1913 after the St. Louis Post-Dispatch helped fund improvements to the lake. You’re not just looking at water — Continue Reading →

There Is No Such Thing as “Testing the Market”

By Karen Moeller, on February 23rd, 2026

Many homeowners start in the same place. They are not fully committed to moving, but they are curious what their home might bring. Somewhere in that conversation the idea of “testing the market” appears, and it sounds reassuringly reversible. Dip a toe in the water. See what happens. Decide later. But real estate does not really have a preview mode. There is a point where curiosity turns into an official step, and many homeowners do not realize when they cross it.

What Sellers Think It Means

When most homeowners hear “test the market” they assume: No Continue Reading →

The Square Footage Trap: How Layout, Updates, and Livability Shape Value

By Karen Moeller, on February 22nd, 2026

One of the first questions buyers ask about a house is simple:“How many square feet is it?”

It feels logical. More space should mean more value, and for decades price per square foot has been treated as a shortcut for comparing homes. Buyers gravitate toward the number partly because search sites place it right next to the price, making it feel like the most objective way to compare properties. But after walking through thousands of homes with buyers, one thing becomes clear. Two houses can have identical square footage and feel completely different to live in, Continue Reading →

February 2026 Real Estate Market Update: St. Louis MSA Sees Decline in Home Sales and Prices

By Dennis Norman, on February 7th, 2026

The St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) experienced a notable shift in its real estate market as of February 2026. According to recent data, homes in the region sold for a median price of $255,000 in January 2026, marking a 1.92% decrease from the $260,000 median price recorded in January 2025. This decline is further emphasized by a 7.27% drop from December 2025, when the median sold price was $275,000.

Despite the decrease in sold prices, the median list price in January 2026 rose to $295,000, reflecting a 5.36% increase compared to $280,000 in January 2025. However, the number of Continue Reading →

If We Really Want Affordable Housing, Here Are the Levers That Actually Work

By Karen Moeller, on February 6th, 2026

In my last article, we stepped back from the headlines and looked at what really drives affordability. Not political sound bites. Not whether prices should go up or down. Just the fundamentals. Supply, construction costs, financing, and whether the monthly math works for everyday families.

Once you see it that way, the next question becomes obvious. If those are the levers, how do we actually move them? Just “build more homes” sounds simple until you talk to a builder who cannot make the numbers work. There is no big red easy button, but the good Continue Reading →

Everyone’s Fighting About Home Prices. They’re Asking the Wrong Questions.

By Karen Moeller, on February 5th, 2026

Spend five minutes with housing headlines lately and you’ll see the same debate on repeat. Prices are too high. Prices need to stay high. Protect homeowners. Help buyers. Every side sounds urgent, and every side sounds certain. It makes for good sound bites. It doesn’t make for very helpful answers.

Because for most families, housing isn’t a political talking point. It’s deeply personal. It’s whether they can finally stop renting. Whether their kids get their own bedrooms. Whether retirement feels secure. Whether a move across town is possible without blowing up the monthly budget. And when Continue Reading →

St. Louis Housing Market Finds Its Bottom; Is 2026 the Start of a Comeback?

By Dennis Norman, on January 17th, 2026

St. Louis Home Sales Hit Bottom — Will 2026 Bring a Rebound?

The SLT Market Chart below, available exclusively from MORE, REALTORS®, shows a full monthly history of St. Louis MSA home sales since 1999, and if you’re a data geek (like me) or just trying to get a real read on where this market is going, this chart is gold.

Here’s what stands out immediately: 2021 was the peak, no debate. In September 2021, the 12-month rolling total for home sales in the St. Louis metro hit 48,633 homes, an all-time high. For the calendar year 2021, sales totaled 48,328. Nothing before or after even comes close.

Continue Reading →

Washington Is Talking About Housing Again. What Could That Mean for St. Louis Looking Ahead to 2026?

By Karen Moeller, on January 8th, 2026

Housing affordability has returned to the national conversation. Recently, a senior White House economic adviser said the entire Cabinet is working on ideas to address housing challenges across the country. No formal policy has been released yet, but the statement itself has prompted questions in local markets like St. Louis.

The most important question for homeowners, buyers, and builders here is not what Washington is saying today, but what could realistically change looking ahead to 2026.

St. Louis Has Housing. The Issue Is Fit.

St. Louis does not face the same inventory crisis as Continue Reading →

Why Switching Agents Won’t Fix an Overpriced Home

By Karen Moeller, on January 7th, 2026

Because changing the messenger doesn’t change the message.

When a home doesn’t sell, the most tempting explanation is also the simplest one.

“It must be the agent.”

That conclusion feels productive. Change the sign. Change the outcome.

But in the St. Louis market, most stalled listings aren’t suffering from a marketing problem. They’re stalled because a hard decision hasn’t been made yet.

Price versus reality.

I recently worked with a seller who had already tested the market once. When we looked at the data together, one Continue Reading →

St. Louis MSA Real Estate Market Update: January 2026

By Dennis Norman, on January 7th, 2026

The St. Louis MSA real estate market demonstrated notable resilience as 2025 came to a close. In December 2025, homes in the region sold for a median price of $275,000, marking a 5.77% increase from December 2024, when the median price was $260,000. However, this figure represents a slight dip of 3.51% from November 2025, when the median sold price was $285,000. The median list price also saw a significant rise, reaching $299,000 in December 2025, up 6.41% from $281,000 the previous year.

The volume of home sales in December 2025 was 2,816, a 1.99% increase from the 2,761 homes Continue Reading →

December 2025 St. Louis MSA Real Estate Market Update: Rising Prices Amid Decreasing Sales

By Dennis Norman, on December 7th, 2025

The St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) real estate market saw notable changes in November 2025, with homes selling for a median price of $285,000. This represents a 7.18% increase compared to November 2024, when the median sold price was $265,900. However, this figure also marks a slight decrease of 1.72% from the previous month of October 2025, when the median sold price was $290,000.

The median list price for homes in the St. Louis MSA also experienced a rise, reaching $295,500 in November 2025. This is a 5.54% increase from the $280,000 recorded in November 2024. Despite the increase Continue Reading →

Real Estate Mythbusters: “Spring Is the Only Time to Sell” — Debunking the Market-Timing Obsession

By Karen Moeller, on November 8th, 2025

The Spring Real Estate Market Myth

Every year, right around Valentine’s Day, someone says it: “We’ll wait until spring to list — that’s when everyone buys.”

It sounds logical. The grass is greener, flowers bloom, and families want to move after the school year. But in reality, this well-worn belief doesn’t hold up in the St. Louis market. Spring might be busy, but it’s not the only season that sells homes — and in many cases, it’s not even the best one.

The Hype

For decades, national media and marketing campaigns have painted Continue Reading →

November 2025 St. Louis MSA Real Estate Market Update: Rising Home Prices and Sales

By Dennis Norman, on November 7th, 2025

The St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) real estate market continues to show robust growth as of November 2025. Homes in the region sold for a median price of $290,000 in October 2025, marking a 3.57% increase from the $280,000 median price recorded in October 2024. This upward trend is further highlighted by a 1.75% rise from September 2025, where the median sold price was $285,000.

The median list price for homes also saw a significant increase, reaching $300,000 in October 2025. This represents a 7.14% growth compared to October 2024, when the median list price was $280,000. Additionally, Continue Reading →

Real Estate Mythbusters: “Buy Now, Refinance Later” — The Fairy Tale That Needs a Reality Check

By Karen Moeller, on November 6th, 2025

If you’ve toured a home lately, you’ve probably heard it: “Don’t worry about the rate — you can always refinance later.”

It’s catchy, comforting, and — unfortunately — a little too convenient.

The “buy now, refinance later” pitch became the industry’s favorite lullaby as rates rose. It was meant to calm nervous buyers, but it’s drifted into wishful thinking disguised as strategy.

The Hype

The logic goes like this: get in the market now, build equity, and when rates drop (soon!), you’ll simply refinance and cut your payment. Easy math, right?

But that promise assumes a crystal ball. Rates Continue Reading →