house hunting.. (St. Louis, Ballwin, Manchester: real estate, apartment, rental)

[jribe]

Hi Everyone,
I haven't lived in st louis very long but will be looking to purchase a home in the next 6-9 months and would like some help with neighborhoods.

Our likes: older homes, brick, leafy shaded streets, close to some shopping (grocery), homes with character, and a yard (rules out condo's)

My husband works at BJC near Forest Park, and i work on Jefferson in the city. We currently live right across the street from Forest Park - and it's a really great resource and we would love to be able to find a house within a reasonable distance to our work places and the park.

I was looking at Clayton, Richmond Heights, and some of the surrounding communities (Franz Park, Clayton-Tamm,Hi-Pointe etc). I don't know anything about Forest Park Southeast (safe?) but there are some really lovely old homes that look just great for well under $300,000. We don't want a condo (have 2 dogs who want a yard) and are open to neighborhood suggestions. We just really want a place that's safe.

We live near the Skinker/Demun neighborhood know and feel safe going out late at night with the dogs or early in the morning and like that.

For instance- i found this lovely little place- 7209 Delta, Richmond Heights, MO - but why is it so cheap? Not a great area?


Suggestions? Comments? If you say yes or know to a particular area- please let me know why!

Thanks everyone!

[inahandbasket]

Originally Posted by jribe

Hi Everyone,
I haven't lived in st louis very long but will be looking to purchase a home in the next 6-9 months and would like some help with neighborhoods.

Our likes: older homes, brick, leafy shaded streets, close to some shopping (grocery), homes with character, and a yard (rules out condo's)

My husband works at BJC near Forest Park, and i work on Jefferson in the city. We currently live right across the street from Forest Park - and it's a really great resource and we would love to be able to find a house within a reasonable distance to our work places and the park.

I was looking at Clayton, Richmond Heights, and some of the surrounding communities (Franz Park, Clayton-Tamm,Hi-Pointe etc). I don't know anything about Forest Park Southeast (safe?) but there are some really lovely old homes that look just great for well under $300,000. We don't want a condo (have 2 dogs who want a yard) and are open to neighborhood suggestions. We just really want a place that's safe.

We live near the Skinker/Demun neighborhood know and feel safe going out late at night with the dogs or early in the morning and like that.

For instance- i found this lovely little place- 7209 Delta, Richmond Heights, MO - but why is it so cheap? Not a great area?


Suggestions? Comments? If you say yes or know to a particular area- please let me know why!

Thanks everyone!

The house you listed above doesn't have central air so that's probably one reason why it was originally listed at $219,000, then, no offers in a reasonable time period so the price was lowered to $209,000.

Now it's listed as "contingent with no kickout" meaning "This property has an accepted contract that includes contingencies but does not include a kickout clause." So, unless financing falls through or the buyers can't sell their current house (the most likely contingency) that house is off the market. It's in a good area, just the house itself may need, in addition to central air, maybe newer windows or a more updated heating system. Stuff like that can really bring down the price of a house that otherwise has good bones and is in a good neighborhood.

What is your price range? Is the school district a consideration? A little more info will be helpful to pinpoint an area that is realistic for you all.

We LOVED U City and Tower Grove South when we were looking to buy ten years ago but had two school age children. We ended up in Ballwin for nine years because of the school issue. Now the kids are in college and we just moved to U City this past May and LOVE IT.

[jribe]

Originally Posted by inahandbasket

The house you listed above doesn't have central air so that's probably one reason why it was originally listed at $219,000, then, no offers in a reasonable time period so the price was lowered to $209,000.

Now it's listed as "contingent with no kickout" meaning "This property has an accepted contract that includes contingencies but does not include a kickout clause." So, unless financing falls through or the buyers can't sell their current house (the most likely contingency) that house is off the market. It's in a good area, just the house itself may need, in addition to central air, maybe newer windows or a more updated heating system. Stuff like that can really bring down the price of a house that otherwise has good bones and is in a good neighborhood.

What is your price range? Is the school district a consideration? A little more info will be helpful to pinpoint an area that is realistic for you all.

We LOVED U City and Tower Grove South when we were looking to buy ten years ago but had two school age children. We ended up in Ballwin for nine years because of the school issue. Now the kids are in college and we just moved to U City this past May and LOVE IT.

Thanks for the info. We don't have kids- so the school district isn't an issue; although i would probably prefer buying in a least a decent one for re-sell values in the future.

Price range is dependent on the house, but somewhere under $275,000- preferably for a 2bd.

[mklein49]

I live very near there on Arlington. My family has been very happy with the location. I am able to bike to WashU and to the park. Metro link is not far, either. We do not plan to use the public schools in the district.

[aragx6]

Forest Park Southeast (or the Grove as it's often called) is a solid up-and-coming neighborhood. The strip on Manchester has a great number of bars and restaurants along it, though 10 years ago it was essentially empty. Crime has come down, and I think the area still has a great deal of potential upswing, but it's not what I would call an entirely gentrified neighborhood. Manchester is still a significant demarcation line, and I would suggest staying north of it. In my opinion, value for the dollar is very high, but it's not Richmond Heights by any stretch of the imagination.

All the neighborhood public schools in the city of St. Louis are heinous and as such you're likely to see a price drop associated with that in any city neighborhood, but that's not the best reason to avoid the city proper entirely. There are a lot of DINKs (dual income, no kids) type folks in that area -- sounds like you actually! and there are some very solid magnet and charter options available to those parents for whom staying the city is a priority. Additionally, St. Louis' strong parochial school tradition helps to somewhat mitigate the school issue for middle class families. My point being that it will, by no means, make your house unsellable.

An additional perk to the Grove is its easy access to the Central West End -- if you're a biker, you could be there in 10 or 15 minutes without even pulling out the car.

If you're willing to give up some of the easy access to Forest Park, I would also suggest looking in any of the city's southwest neighborhoods including St. Louis Hills, Southampton, Ellendale. All are safe, leafy and well priced.

Best of luck and be sure to ask any follow up questions you might have!

[aragx6]

A couple listings to give you an idea of what you could get in Southwest St. Louis (zip code 63109)

Coldwell Banker Gundaker -- Your site for St. Louis Real Estate
Coldwell Banker Gundaker -- Your site for St. Louis Real Estate
Coldwell Banker Gundaker -- Your site for St. Louis Real Estate
Coldwell Banker Gundaker -- Your site for St. Louis Real Estate

[inahandbasket]

Originally Posted by aragx6

A couple listings to give you an idea of what you could get in Southwest St. Louis (zip code 63109)

Coldwell Banker Gundaker -- Your site for St. Louis Real Estate
Coldwell Banker Gundaker -- Your site for St. Louis Real Estate
Coldwell Banker Gundaker -- Your site for St. Louis Real Estate
Coldwell Banker Gundaker -- Your site for St. Louis Real Estate

Those are some great listings!!! I especially liked the third one. We were looking in Lindenwood for awhile. Nice housing stock, quiet streets, a great place to put down roots.

[moorlander]

One of my best friends and his girl friend just moved to the Forest Park Southest (the Grove). That are is certainly an up and coming area in transition. They got a great deal on 3 bedroom rehabbed rental home with nearly 1500 sq ft for roughly the same as his rent on a 500sqft Richmond Heights apartment.

[billiken]

Agreed, great listings! One of our very good friends just bought a great place in St Louis Hills. Beautiful area, if not a little quiet depending on your preferences.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by billiken

Agreed, great listings! One of our very good friends just bought a great place in St Louis Hills. Beautiful area, if not a little quiet depending on your preferences.

I definitely agree that it's on the sleepier end -- I flippin' adore the housing stock, but most of that area really doesn't offer the kind of walkability I crave. But my thinking is that, for the OP, it's not much more quiet than Richmond Heights would be.