buying a home, help please (St. Charles, Kirkwood: hardwood floors, for sale, real estate)

[stl_63123]

I have been looking for a house to buy in the area. I am interested in the central corridor, in areas like Webster Grove, Kirkwood, Crestwood or Shrewsbury. I am also interested in Hampton neighborhood. I want to be within 20 to 30 minute commuting distance to downtown since I work there. Can you help me find out what areas are under-appreciated these days so a buyer like me can get a great deal? Any helpful hints would help. Also, my budget is right around $200k and I am looking for at least 2 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom, and a one car garage with hardwood floored living room.

[BoomBoxing]

Good choice, the central corridor is a great area. Also by Hampton area I assume you mean Southampton and Northampton? I think you are definitely going to find what you are looking for in the southwest corner of the city. You will get more for your money there since the city schools are undesirable, and those great gingerbread houses almost always have 2-3 bedrooms, detached garage, and hardwood. I can guarantee you will find that for 200k and probably even around 150k. If the schools aren't an issue than I would suggest looking in the city in the 63109 and 63139 zip codes. The neighborhoods along Hampton are all really good, especially south of highway 44.

As for the county, you will find a good small house in all the areas mentioned for 200k. A big plus for Shrewsbury is the metrolink stop there, but the commute from there to downtown on the metro takes roughly 40 minutes. Webster Groves and Kirkwood are highly regarded for their schools and they have a great community feel. Crestwood is a good area, but not as nice as the other county areas mentioned, you can get a great house for your money there - but it's also the furthest away and sometimes Watson can be a headache. Maplewood is also an area you should consider, but the schools aren't as great as Webster Groves and Kirkwood and there are some not so great neighborhoods. But it has a really great restaurant and shopping district and a Metrolink stop.

Overall, I think it would really come down to the schools & lifestyle. If you are doing private schools or don't have kids than I definitely recommend the city or Maplewood. If you want an excellent public school than I think Kirkwood and Webster Groves are the top choices. They are all great areas though, the only one I don't care that much for is Crestwood, mainly because it lacks the character of the other areas mentioned. I can refer you to a Kirkwood based real estate agent if you want to PM me. Good luck!

[wustu87]

A great area to find those cute older 2 bedroom brick bungalows for around $200K is in Brentwood. You get top notch schools, and a fantastic location if you do not mind the highway construction congested until the end of the year. Once Hanley reopens later this summer that will help a bit congestion too, but having Metrolink run right through it makes it very convenient. The prices there have come down some from their peak a few years ago, and you can find quite a few homes there in your price range. Now that it is summer the spring buying rush (which wasn't so strong this year) has slowed down so it is a good time to find a better deal amongst the many anxious home sellers worried about the summer/fall slowdown.

[SouthCityGal]

I live in the North Hampton neighborhood (63139 area code) and there are some nice 4 bed/2 bath brick homes for sale under $200k. Hardwood floors are very common, too. You should have no problem finding a home with your search criteria well within your price range.

My husband works downtown. He takes I-44 and the entire commute is usually 15 minutes. Once I-64 reopens, you can get downtown from Hampton almost just as fast. North Hampton is very walkable, as are the other South Side neighborhoods off of Hampton Ave.

I know areas like Webster Groves and Kirkwood are appealing for other reasons, but you'll get more for your money (real estate-wise) and a faster commute by living in the city. (But I'm biased, of course!)

[stl_63123]

Thanks everyone for replying. I do not have kids, so I don't need to be around a good school district. What do you guys think about buying a condo in this market? I hear you don't want to buy a condo in this economy.

[BoomBoxing]

You're not going to find a ton of condos in the areas you are interested in. There are some, but most condos are in the newer developed areas in far west county and St. Charles county. You will find mostly older, post world war 2 houses since that is when that area really started booming. The condos you will find though are really neat, especially in the city. I'm not much of a condo person myself because of the HOA fees but they usually are cheaper than houses. They also don't appreciate as well and can be tough to sell, so I would recommend sticking with houses if you don't mind some yard work

[stl_63123]

Originally Posted by BoomBoxing

You're not going to find a ton of condos in the areas you are interested in. There are some, but most condos are in the newer developed areas in far west county and St. Charles county. You will find mostly older, post world war 2 houses since that is when that area really started booming. The condos you will find though are really neat, especially in the city. I'm not much of a condo person myself because of the HOA fees but they usually are cheaper than houses. They also don't appreciate as well and can be tough to sell, so I would recommend sticking with houses if you don't mind some yard work

Thank you for the comment. I am considering buying a house right across from Grants Farm on the other side of Gravois. I like the area there. Its within 12 miles of Ameren which is where I work. I think I will put an offer in tonight.