urbanSTL

You might find the map at http://stlouis.missouri.org/neighborhoods/neighmap.html helpful.



As a Skinker-DeBaliviere resident I can't recommend it highly enough. It's about as close to Wash U as you can get and still be in the city. You have the Delmar Metrolink station, the DeBaliviere station, and sometime next year you'll have the Skinker station. You're within walking distance of Forest Park and all it has to offer. You're within walking distance of the ever-expanding Delmar Loop. There's a wide range of housing stock, so you could start small and move to massive someday and never have to leave the neighborhood. It's a wonderfully diverse neighborhood. You're close to just about everything. I could go on, but I'll just say click on the map above, then click on #46 and see for yourself.

Feinberg Realtors seem to sell a lot in the neighborhood and they have an office on Skinker. I think they specialize in city listings in general.

Aha! Now that stlrox has brought up realtors, I'd like to mention the guy we're working with, who is very knowledgeable, endlessly patient and seems to understand intuitively what we're looking for. He is also MAJORLY committed to the revitalization of the city in general and North St. Louis in particular. We consider ourselves very lucky to be working with him.



STEVE PATTERSON

Schaller Realty

steve@stevenlpatterson.com

314.752.5331

I have my difference with the guy (some pretty major, but oh well, everyones different), but if you do need a realtor that knows the city, especially if you don't know it, it probably is Steve Patterson.

Another website that I use that is exclusive to St. Louis is www.stlouismls.com



You have to register, but its free and no big deal. I am constantly looking for good investment properties and I surf the site weekly.



Good luck with your move!

Matt Drops The H, while I think it's important to stay on topic, I think that attitude is one of the reasons why St. Louis has racial problems. It sounds like you have had limited exposure north of Delmar or have been socialized to have a one-dimensional perception about north St. Louis or "north of Delmar". No offense intended.

None taken. And I hope you don't take offense at my comments either.



I do think that the problems of the North Side are a bit leaning towards perception more than reality. The pictures of North Pointe and Walnut Park show that the North Side can look as nice or nicer than the South Side. You are correct to assume I have had little exposure to north of Delmar, but that is not something I am proud of. Ever since my car got stolen at SLU (not on the North Side, I know, but close enough for some), my parents always tell me that they won't help me out of the next car stealing if they found out I was in a neighborhood "I didn't need to be." In regards to the North Side being diverse...I know that all of the Neighborhoods north of 40 minus the central corridor neighborhoods add up to 95% black population. I had to calculate it for a report I did in school. There are diverse pockets in the North Side, but it has a way to go.



However, I have been taking random driving trips up North, and most of what I have seen has impressed me very much. I think there's a very large hill to climb in the marketing of North St. Louis to whites (and to other races and backgrounds), but I think it could happen in time.



I'm very South/Mid oriented as far as the area goes, so I don't know if I'd like to live too far North, but, assuming I could pick anywhere to live in North St. Louis, I think I'd like the Hyde Park or Old North neighborhoods.

I'm so glad that I saw your post. bencharif, and told Steve about it. Seems like you guys are making a lot of progress. That's no surprise, given the intensity of your interest and Steve's tireless efforts to make this city better.



As for the racial divide, it's way too exaggerated. There are plenty of exceptions to the "rule" -- for instance, a lot of my white friends are timid to visit me in my section of Forest Park Southeast south of Manchester. We have had trouble getting people to visit the St. Louis Building Arts Foundation shop on 39th Street in McRee Town because people think that McRee Town is an unworkable slum with high crime (note that the crime rate rose during demolition/displacement there). There are other areas south of Delmar that suffer from bad reputations, but none of them deserve it. Nor do the northside neighborhoods.



I have photographed in some of the roughest parts of this city -- including interiors of abandoned buildings -- and must say that I feel safer in almost any St. Louis neighborhood than I do when photographing in Chicago's rough neighborhoods. Random crime has never seemed like a big problem in the city -- I'm far more worried about the big dark parking lots at the Galleria than anything east of Skinker.



Some places are safer than others _statistically_, but everywhere can be safe if you act smart.

Thanks, Michael, for your post--and for the clarification. And you're right about being alert in unfamiliar places and situations. But I think that you're able to make that very sage observation because you've ventured out to see those unfamiliar places for yourself.



The divide I've heard so much about doesn't sound vicious. It sounds timid and nervous and fearful and ill-informed--as represented by your white friends who don't dare venture into a neighborhood they think they know but don't. The timidity, nervousness, fear and misinformation are probably equally distributed on both sides of the divide.

I'm far more worried about the big dark parking lots at the Galleria than anything east of Skinker.

This reminds me of the time I went with my friend-who-is-a-girl Amia to see Open Water (the movie) out in Des Peres Cinema at 10 at night. The movie got out at 11:30, and I was going to take Manchester home. Now, we both have lived in the city all of our lives, but I took a left on Woodlawn on purpose because she kept saying she wanted to get home as soon as possible. Well, I ended up in Ladue and she was so scared. I kept telling her I was lost (which, I kind of was, because they had the street I knew blocked off and had this LONG winding detour) and it was so dark and we'd just seen that "scary" movie. You should have heard her. She was saying that we'd never get out and that someone was going to come out of the woods and kill us. I had the radio turned all the way off and I was trying to act scared myself. It was hilarious.



That shows you -- the real fear should not be in the City.

That was a good laugh. Funny how many ways the subburbs are scary.

MattnSTL wrote: That was a good laugh. Funny how many ways the subburbs are scary.

The City should, as a last ditch effort to attract suburbanites back to the city (via reverse pyschology), start an ad campaign that states:



"We're afraid of you!"

The City should, as a last ditch effort to attract suburbanites back to the city (via reverse pyschology), start an ad campaign that states:



"We're afraid of you!"

Our sister-of-sorts Detroit tried something along those lines (but more aggressive) under Mayor Coleman Young, but it didn't work so well.



I have to say, though, I'm definitely afraid of the suburbs.

Well, I'm putting the condo on the market and will be moving to the Northampton neighborhood in the coming weeks. I'm looking forward to the move, but it will feel strange to not live in DeBaliviere Place - I've grown rather attached to it over the last 10 years or so. Not living a block away from Forest Park and just a few blocks from MetroLink will take some getting used to.



Maybe I should change my screen name...

Moving to my hood, ehh. BTW, I think I may have seen you walking on Saturday. Welcome to the area.

Yeah, you probably did. We went through the open house at the two-story that's for sale on Lindenwood the other day - nice house. I don't think we'd buy it though - even though it looks big on the outside, it's actually smaller than our house on Tholozan. We're probably going to stay put and once I get the condo sold, we'll probably convert the attic into a master suite and remodel the basement.

That Plan sound good. I love the attic feel. That's what I have in the part of my room that I sleep in. The other room in my room is a full room. The house down the street is kind of expensive anyway. And is there a rule about two members of the forum living on the same street?

I originally thought that house was overprices too, but then again, we went through a 2br/1.5 bath home on Devonshire in STL Hills that cost even more. The Lindenwood house might be a relative bargain!

I am close to talking one of my friends to move into the city. However he wants to buy a house, not a loft/condo. What are you suggestions for a good neighborhood to live in in the 200-250k range for buying a nice home in the city, South or Midtown would be preferable. Please include area names and zip codes so he can look up properties. THANKS!

Some good choices:



63109 - North Hampton, South Hampton, St. Louis Hills, Lindenwood Park



63139 - Dogtown, Clifton Park, Part of North Hampton



63116 - Tower Grove South, Bevo



63110 - Shaw, The Hill, Southwest Garden

Thanks! I'll forward this info to him, this may make a good sticky topic because being from the suburbs, unless your moving into a loft it's hard to know where to move. Anybody know Soulard and Lafayette Squares' Zip?

63104 - includes areas like Fox Park, Lafayette Square, Soulard, & LaSalle Park.



63118 - includes Benton Park and other areas.



63112 - There are some interesting houses near the DeBalievere station in this zipcode.

63112 is definitely a good choice - it includes all of Skinker-DeBaliviere where you can get a very nice house in that price range, and the location is outstanding.

http://stlouis.missouri.org/neighborhoods



^ This website is useful. I keep it as a "favorite" on my computer.

I just found some interesting ones in fox park that my buddy likes, what do you guys think?



http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1051285680





http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1051285681



Only thing is it isn't really a real stand alone home.

^

That's pretty sweet, and it's a fee simple townhouse, so there's no condo association fees, which is a plus. Looks like a great opportunity.