Saint Louis Investor Location Inquiry
Hello readers! I'm a new investor who was born in the Saint Louis area and plan to spend the majority of my life in. Saint Louis residents know when we say Saint Louis we're referring to a wide area that can be easily broken down into more specific areas. I live in South County and am fairly close to South County mall and plan to invest in the nearby area's and towns such as Oakville, Arnold, Imperial, Barnhart, and Fenton just to name a few.
So, my series of questions to investors in Saint Louis are: What general area of Saint Louis do you live in, what area do you currently invest in, and are there any area's you avoid investing in or have had bad experiences with? Your answers are greatly appreciated!
Hi Brent! I live in St. Louis city and own properties in Dutchtown, Dogtown, and St. Charles county. When it comes to StL, you likely already know that the blocks can vary greatly from street to street. It’s best to start investing where you’re most familiar. Good and bad tenants live everywhere so make sure you have a robust screening process!
Good afternoon Brent.
I own my 2 properties in Lake St. Louis. I have chosen the locations by proximity to my primary residence. I've always eyed the beautiful multi-family units in South City but can't justify managing them from my home out in Western St. Charles.
I am really limited on multi-family options if I wish to stay relatively close to my area. Downtown St. Charles might be the closest practical place for me to look - it's booming. Wentzville downtown is up-and-coming and when you walk the streets you can feel the change.
I avoid giving any serious consideration to north county (mostly D class) and the ritzy areas around CWE that I'm simply priced out of.
Thanks for starting the discussion.
Hey all,
I grew up around the St. Louis area, but am currently living in Florida. I have one rental property down here, but am looking to move back to Missouri and want to start looking at rental properties in the area. Can anyone recommend a good RE agent in the Saint Louis area?
For investing purposes, I'm currently looking on the South side of the city and the surrounding areas (Arnold, Imperial, etc).
Cheers, everyone!
Ryan, BP won't let me post that I'm an agent in South City (they removed it) so I'm trying to connect with you so we can send each other a message.
@Ryan Schaefer I am closing on my first rental property in St. Louis (Dogtown) tomorrow. I'm also investing from out of state (I live in the California Bay area), although I lived in St. Louis for 10 years so, like you, I know the area relatively well.
I've been working with a really great real estate agent who has made investing from out of state so much easier. If you're interested, PM me and I can ask her if she's okay with me sharing her name.
@Michelle Eisenberg I'm currently living in Dogtown and looking out for my first property, I'd also be interested in her name
I live in Creve Coeur. I own single family homes in Lemay, Maryland Heights, St Charles, and duplexes in Benton Park, and Tower Grove East. My hard and fast rule is that I need to feel good about the property I own. If I can't go to the property after dark, I don't feel good selling an apartment to perspective tenants.
Hi everyone. I’m an out of state investor looking in St. Louis. Anyone have referrals for a great property manager. I’m looking for multi family in the area.
@Account Closed Do you mind sharing why you avoid the north county, and what specific areas? I currently have a property there that has been doing well over the last year. It's a Section 8 and was pretty cheap, so I know that its definitely nothing above a C class. I've heard to avoid the northern part of St. Louis City, but heard that the county north of there is okay.
I am looking to expand my portfolio in St. Louis, but want to make sure I am not getting into too difficult of a market.
Hi Everyone,
I currently live in south county as well. I'm a newbie investor looking in the south city area for a house hack. I really enjoy the charm and history of the south city area as well as the abundance of amenities in the area. Also there is an a abundance of duplexes and other small multifamily homes as well with great potential for an investment. My cutoff for south city (at least as a house hack) would include Dutchtown and further east and towards the Mississippi river for the most part. I do love the Soulard, Dogtown, and the trendy Tower Grove area but these areas tend to be too pricey for me at the moment.
@Derrick Lloyd in general the North St Louis area tends to be a rough area. There is a lot of crime and vacant/bordered up properties. I think investors see this area as a great area to invest due to the low prices but caution must be used as to what part of north St. Louis you are in. I actually work up north near Highway 70 and N Hanley. I know from my experience there that there are good and bad pockets to the area. Florissant tends to be a better area and Ferguson is actually a decent area as well. Ferguson Brewery is a pretty big hot spot for my company :).
I think University city and other areas near the loop would be a good place to look. The new trolley construction at the Loop should hopefully be completed soon and potentially lift the areas value. Also there is a good market for Washington University College students.
@Account Closed are two investor friendly RE agents that have a lot of knowledge and experience in St. Louis. North City is a very tough market, but there are a lot of investors doing very well in North County.
Benton Park, Tower Grove East/South, and Fox Park are all quite hot right now in South City. I would love to get some property in St. Charles.
This is a great thread, thanks for starting it!
Oh no! Whatever you do don't invest in Oakville, Arnold, Imperial and South County!!!
Just kidding. Let me know what you're looking for and maybe I can help.
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@Frankie Woods Thanks for the shout out. I live in Oakville and own and manage mostly in South City. Feel free to PM me to talk privately.
Brent,
I’ve got multi family properties in south city and university city. Both do pretty well and get a decent return. I’m looking to trade up into a bigger property, so PM me if you’re interested.