Whether you didn’t find your dream home this summer or you’re just now considering a move to St. Louis, you may be wondering, “Should I buy a house now or wait?” Fall typically means there are fewer homes to choose from, but it also has the advantage of less competition from other buyers. So is it better to wait until spring when the market heats up again, or keep searching now and hope you find the right fit?

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Real estate listings include a lot of valuable information, like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the home’s age, and the school district. Some listings are straightforward and honest. They tell the sales history, include updates, and even tell buyers if the house needs a little TLC. 

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Real estate listings almost always include school district information, so it's easy to take a glance at it, take someone’s word that the schools are “good”, and then focus on details about the home itself. After all, buying a house is a hectic time, and you may not want to spend hours researching schools. 

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Imagine you're selling your home, and two offers arrive on the same day. One buyer offers $450,000. The other offers $440,000. At first glance, the decision seems obvious…But real estate offers are rarely that simple.

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From Kirkwood and Webster Groves to Maplewood and parts of St. Charles, the most desirable homes still move fast in today’s St. Louis real estate market. In fact, it’s not unusual to see multiple offers within the first few days. For many buyers – especially first timers and relocators – that pressure creates a frustrating illusion: either stretch your budget to win or brace yourself to lose again.

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Whether you’re a new empty nester or you’ve recently retired, you’re likely contemplating the idea of a smaller home. Less square footage typically means less space to take care of, with fewer rooms and a smaller yard (or no yard at all). But is downsizing worth it if it means giving up favorite things about your current house, or having to leave a neighborhood you love? 

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With budgets already stretched thin along with higher interest rates, today’s buyers are more selective than ever regarding homes they’re willing to purchase. They don’t want to get stuck with a home they’ll need to sink even more money into after closing. In fact, according to a recent report from Zillow, buyers are willing to pay up to 4% more (an average of $13,000 for the average American home) for a move-in-ready listing that doesn’t need renovations or repairs. 

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Homeowners who locked into near-3% interest rates during 2020–2021 are now hesitant to sell, because it means buying another property that could require a 6% rate or higher. This “mortgage lock-in effect” is causing many would-be sellers to stay put, which means a smaller housing supply in St. Louis — and fewer options for eager buyers. 

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Everyone knows that buying a house is expensive, but few buyers are well-aquainted with the laundry list of expenses involved. Even if you’ve saved up for a nice down payment on your home, you’ll still have to consider all of the hidden costs to budget in before going through with the purchase.

Here’s a look at some of the costs buyers encounter when buying a house, and some tips for staying within budget.

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Every buyer has a dream neighborhood or dream home, but not everyone has a dream budget. If you’ve been driving by houses for sale that you can’t afford — and feeling defeated — it may be time to figure out what it is that makes it appealing to you. Chances are, there’s a neighborhood in St. Louis that offers something similar to what you desire for a more manageable price. 

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