urbanSTL

Have friends there who seem to like it... it is centrally located for sure.

Anymore thoughts on Carondelet? I work in the neighborhood and am a little curious about safety and walkability. I love a lot of the houses and the location/affordability. Just wanted to see what others thought about the area.

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune....Wonder how applicable it is to Saint Louis..


When Scott and Lacey Campbell went searching for their first home, city living was high on their list of must-haves.

"We could have gotten a bigger, newer house in the suburbs for less money, but we didn't want that," said Scott.

Instead, they bought a house in Minneapolis, close to Mississippi River walking trails, restaurants, coffee shops and the Riverview movie theater. Lacey, who is expecting, is pleased that her child will grow up with "access to great things, without being tethered to me or a car," she said.

The Campbells represent a major shift in what home buyers now want and are willing to pay a premium for, according to a recent study by the Brookings Institution. They want "walkability": high-density neighborhoods with nearby destinations, said Brookings senior fellow Christopher Leinberger, a professor at the George Washington University School of Business. "That was not the case 20 years ago."

The Millennials, those born between the late 1970s and the early 1990s, are driving the shift, said Leinberger. "They don't want to live like 'Leave it to Beaver.' They want to live like 'Seinfeld' and 'Friends.'"

Until the 1990s, suburban homes that were accessible only by car cost more per square foot than other kinds of American housing, according to Leinberger. But that equation has flipped, he said. Today, the most valuable real estate is located in walkable locations.

To quantify the value that walkability adds, the Brookings study analyzed housing data from Zillow.com, focusing on the Washington, D.C., area.

The study did not include the Twin Cities, but after analyzing local data at the request of the Star Tribune, Leinberger said that "Minneapolis fits the pattern."

If the price premium Brookings discovered in D.C. is adjusted to reflect Twin Cities housing prices, the value added is at least $35 per square foot greater, up to $175 per square foot greater, depending on the level of walkability, as measured by two indexes

Link to article:

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/ho ... 22116.html

Don't want to get into an argument with onecity about how walkable Minneapolis is relative to Saint Louis. I'm very familiar with both cities. I live here now and I lived there for the previous 40 years.... Still own a duplex there, so the article is good news from my personal perspective. But, I am interested in whether or not the same phenomenon regarding price per square foot for residential is going on here. The article used specific walkable neighborhoods in the city and compared them with specific less walkable neighborhoods in suburbs/exurbs. The same could be done here. I thought maybe someone from the Post Disatch might see the post and possibly follow up on it as a story idea.

Hello,
I'm looking at moving somewhere within a mile or so of the northern part of the CBD.

I don't want to spend more than $750ish/month for rent for a one bedroom. That apparently doesn't leave me many options (I don't qualify for the affordable/income-restricted places).

I'd probably not want a loft, as I'm concerned that the open may not be conducive for my wife and I being on different sleep/work schedules. Someone feel free to correct me on that. I've never lived in a loft.

So as of now, I'm considering CityView. I've also looked (online) at some places around Cass just north of downtown. But I'm not sold on the safety aspect (I'd be walking home from work after midnight).

Any suggestions? Would you walk on or near Cass north of downtown after midnight alone? Anyone have input on CityView?

CityView sounds like a good start. I'd also encourage you to keep shopping in downtown proper. $750 may go further than you think it will. Also, maybe look on Craigslist if you're comfortable with that. With condo prices depressed a lot of owners are renting their places instead of selling them.

Also, if you do find that you're priced out of downtown, try LaSalle Park. It's right between Soulard and Downtown and has some good values. Also, Soulard itself has good values, but it's a bit (about 1/2 mile) beyond the 1 mile mark.

$545 for a one bedroom at Gentry's Landing. Convenient access to Metro, great views, free gym...Most utilities are included in the rent except for water.

Thanks for the input, everyone.

I have been living in the Benton Park Neighborhood for the past 4 months now and I love it. I like all of the French town area Benton Park, Soulard, Lafayette, Lasalle They have great housing stock, sense of community and dense. Great access to highways, Cherokee street and very close to down town: biking distance. I would highly recommend Benton Park if you are looking for a historic urban density with a great mixture of housing, shopping, and entertainment. Benton Park is affordable at the moment and a lot of investment has been put in to the area. I am also an advocate for downtown living because I believe STL could use more residents and action in its core.

If anyone is looking, or knows anyone that's looking for a one-bedroom condo in the heart of the Central West End, please let Ted Wight (314-725-0009) know at Dielmann Sotheby's.
-one bedroom
-large private rooftop balcony
-23rd floor
-24/7 doorman
-5 minute walk to: metro station, forest park, heart of CWE stores/ restaurants
-gated and garage parking

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhom ... 9578-31852

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/Be ... ect/16_zm/

http://www.pasadenahills.com/

We moved to Pasadena Hills about a year ago and absolutely love the neighborhood. It has to be the best kept secret in St. Louis. Natural Bridge Road was recently redeveloped and looks amazing. The houses are mostly from the 1920's/30's and look like they in Clayton or U City. The school route is certainly private schools, as Normandy's District has struggled. The area is safe and easily accessible to Clayton and Downtown within 15 minutes or less. Nearby, UMSL and Express Scripts continue to expand, further strengthening the area. If you want to live in a house that looks like something in Clayton for 1/4 the price, this is it!

Please message me if you have any interest in the area and have questions.

Also, there is a neighborhood house tour on June 11th:
http://www.pasadenahillstour.com/registry/

steve wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's my understanding that Dutchtown got its name from the fact that native St. Louisans mispronounced "Deutsch," what the Germans who moved to that neighborhood in large numbers obviously called themselves. I don't think anything Dutch has anything to do with it.

You're correct.

Another very cool house in Pasadena Hills is on the market. I think it would be hard to find a house as cool and historic for such a good price anywhere in the city or inner ring suburbs.
http://www.zillow.com/homes/7312-Ravini ... -63121_rb/

Can't really offer any banking advice as I've gone other routes, but good luck. That's in my old mosquito control area from back in the days when I worked summers for St. Louis County. There's some good spots up there and some lovely parks: Spanish Lake, Sioux Passage, and even Bellefountaine Park. Brings back some good memories. Looked a little up there myself before I landed down in Carondolet. (I really wanted to be in the city in the end, but I won't blame you a bit for buying in North County.)

pasadenahills1 wrote: ↑

Oct 04, 2016

Another very cool house in Pasadena Hills is on the market. I think it would be hard to find a house as cool and historic for such a good price anywhere in the city or inner ring suburbs.
http://www.zillow.com/homes/7312-Ravini ... -63121_rb/

Wow, still for sale.

chaifetz10 wrote: ↑

Jun 12, 2017

Final question, but has anyone taken advantage of any first time home buying credits? Doing some research and it is quite confusing what's available, what the requirements are, and what is legit vs. marketing scams.

When I bought my first house a few years ago, I found that the first-time buyer incentives were no help to me. They have lots of strings attached and hoops to jump through, and the hassle just wasn't worth it in my case.

Definitely find an experienced realtor, because buying a home is a complicated process. The best part is, the buyer pays no realtor fees; that's all paid by the seller.

Also, go to lots of open-houses. That's the best way to learn whats available in your price range.

Good luck.

P.S. Lots of good bargains on ranch houses in the northern part of U City. I'm just a couple of blocks north of Olive, and I got my house for at least 25% less than comparables in St. Louis (Boulevard Heights, for example).