Brick City bound (St. Louis, University City, Center: sale, apartment, for rent)

[jdmeade]

Hi Everyone,

We have been living for almost 10 years in Australia and are moving back over the course of the next year
or so.We own a business here and have the staff in place to look after it allowing us to travel back and forth.

We are from Chicagoland lived for years in Florida and now here.We are sick of perfect sunny days and want some seasons.Our goal is an urban lifestyle and we thought of course Chicago then Milwaukee or Cincinnati
and didn't give St Louis a thought however we have changed our opinion and are now between St Louis and Milwaukee with St Louis leading the way.

We are visiting for a month in July and plan to explore the areas of the city.We are 50 years young and want to spend 200k or less all up with a finished project of some sort like a duplex.This could range from a shell in the right up and coming area for 5k to anywhere in between.

What we would like help with is the area of the city on the cusp of "gentrification" or well on their way.

While we are rehabbing we will need somewhere to rent and can spend between 750 and 1250 a month on that.

So any help with the best areas,properties for rent or sale or hotels for our stay in July would be much appreciated.

[glamatomic]

Hello!

I'm originally from Australia (Brisbane) but have been stateside for 8 years now, and I'm a proud St. Louisan by choice! There are SO many areas that would be suitable for your rehab project, in addition to places for you to rent in the meantime.

When it comes to renting somewhere- are you looking for somewhere urban or suburban? That will dictate the best areas to suggest for your budget. Also, what size of property are you looking to rent, and would you be interested in a house or apartment?

The areas that I would focus on for a rehab project or completed duplex include:

-Central West End
-DeBaliviere Place and Skinker DeBaliviere
-The Grove
-Soulard
-Lafayette Square
-Shaw
-Southwest Garden
-Tower Grove East
-Tower Grove South
-University City

For good overviews of each of these neighborhoods, I suggest taking a look at St. Louis City Talk. Some are at different stages of gentrification than others, but all of these are on the right track.

As a rule of thumb, avoid the neighborhoods in North St. Louis. While the prices are much cheaper, with the exception of Old North St. Louis, gentrification in the area is near non existent and doesn't appear to be on the horizon.

For hotels, I would focus on the major hotels downtown, if your budget allows it, to allow you to make the most of our beautiful city. I would look into the Hyatt, Renaissance, or one of the downtown Hiltons first and foremost. For something a bit edgier (although it's technically in University City) the Moonrise Hotel would also be a fun option.

Also, if you hadn't planned on it already, I would suggest renting a car for the time you're here to best scope out neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are served by the Metrolink (light rail system), but the neighborhoods in South St. Louis only have buses at this stage, and due to the routes, it wouldn't be the most efficient way to see the areas.

I hope that helps narrow down your search a bit! Good Luck and I hope you LOVE it here as much as I do! ♥

P.S. July WILL be hot. Be prepared for Australia-level hotness. The bright side is that Summer in St. Louis generally doesn't last too long. We get four beautiful seasons, and our winters aren't as harsh as Chicago's or Milwaukee's but we still get our fair share of snow

[mufilm]

I'll second everything glamatomic says (except I am not Australian, I'm a St. Louis native), and I'll add this link as well:

Groth Guides to the Neighborhoods of the City of St. Louis - nextSTL

It's a couple years old, but much of the info still holds true.

As for things to do in July, they're are plenty of options. Fair St. Louis is our 4th of July celebration and it is in Forest Park this year. The Zoo, Science Center and Art Museum are free, and also located in Forest Park. The Missouri Botanical Gardens are wonderful and every Wednesday in the Summer they have a free concert after 5pm. If you like baseball then you have to go to a Cardinals game; the team is built into the culture of the city. The Budweiser brewery tour is free and you get a couple free beers at the end.

As for other things, there is plenty to explore in the neighborhoods that glamatomic listed as well as many more. Lot's of breweries (besides Budweiser) and great restaurants. Staying at a hotel downtown would probably give you the best feel for the urban life of St. Louis. There is a lot of great historic architecture and each neighborhood has it's own stories.

Hope you have a comfortable trip here and that you enjoy your time!