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Choosing a St. Louis Community Based on Commute Time to Work

Karen Goodman — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:33:43 +0000

Where is the best part of St. Louis to live?

It’s a question that gets asked often when we work with people moving to St. Louis or who are buying their first home.

The truth is that there isn’t just one answer.

There are a lot of great parts of town. The area which is best for you depends on a number of factors.

After working with relocating and local buyers for years, we have a pretty good idea of where most buyers will choose to live once we know the answers to these 6 key questions.

6 Questions to Answer When Deciding Where to Live:

Where is your office located?
How long is an acceptable commute time to work?
What is your price range?
Do you strongly prefer newer homes or historic homes, or are you open to the age of a home?
Do you prefer urban, suburban or rural communities?
Do you have children who will be attending the public schools?

Did you notice that the 1st two questions have to do with your commute time to work?

It doesn’t matter if you are moving to St. Louis and are unfamiliar with the traffic patterns or you are a long-time resident who is willing to consider homes in a number of neighborhoods.

The first step in narrowing down the options of where to live is to decide how long you are willing to spend in the car to get to work every day.

Of course, there are other factors that may be important to you such as:

If you plan to commute via train, where are the MetroLink stations and which ones have a parking lot?
Where are local dog parks?
Which communities are walkable?
Where can you get a large yard?
Where does a particular racial, religious or ethnic group live?
Which areas are up & coming, and offer the best investment potential?
Where can you buy a 2 or 4 family building so you can live in one of the units and have rental income?

The list can go on and on.

Clearly, there isn’t a single answer to the question “Where is the best place in St. Louis to live?”

While there will always be exceptions, we’ve found that commute time is the best place to start when buyers haven’t selected a community where they want to live.

Popular Places to Live If you Work…

To help you get started, we have identified some of the most popular areas to live in St. Louis based on where you work.

Downtown:

Major employers include: Ameren, Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, AT&T, Bank of America, CPI Corp., Fleishman Hillard, HOK, Ralcorp, NestlePurina, Peabody Energy, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo Advisors

Urban: Downtown Loft District, Central West End, Soulard, Lafayette Square, South City
Historic Suburbs: Clayton, University City, Webster Groves, Kirkwood
Suburban: Creve Coeur, Town & Country, South County, Florissant
Affordable: South City, South County, Florissant
Luxury: Central West End, Clayton, Ladue, Frontenac, Town & Country

Clayton:

Major employers include: Centene Corporation, Armstrong Teasdale, Brown Shoe Company, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Washington University, Rubin Brown, Graybar Electric Company, Barry-Wehmiller Companies and Husch Blackwell Sanders

Urban: Central West End, Tower Grove Park area
Historic Suburbs: Clayton, Ladue, University City, Richmond Heights, Brentwood
Suburban: Town & Country, Des Peres, Frontenac, Chesterfield, Creve Coeur, Ballwin
Affordable: South City, Tower Grove Park area, Maplewood, Rock Hill
Luxury: Clayton, Ladue, Frontenac, Town & Country, Huntleigh, Des Peres

Chesterfield:

Major employers include: Pfizer, St. Luke’s Hospital, Parkway School District

Urban: South City
Historic Suburbs: Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Richmond Heights, Brentwood
Suburban: Chesterfield, Wildwood, Ballwin, Ellisville, O’Fallon
Affordable: Ellisville, Ballwin, Valley Park, O’Fallon
Luxury: Chesterfield, Wildwood, Clayton, Ladue, Town & Country

Creve Coeur:

Major employers include: Monsanto, Microsoft, Reuters, Mercy Hospital (formerly St. John’s Mercy Hospital)

Urban: Central West End
Historic Suburbs: University City
Suburban: Creve Coeur, Chesterfield, Ballwin, Maryland Heights, Olivette
Affordable: Maryland Heights, Olivette, Florissant
Luxury: Chesterfield, Wildwood, Clayton, Ladue, Town & Country, Frontenac, Huntleigh

Airport Area:

Major employers include: Lambert International Airport, Boeing, Covidien, GKN

Urban: Central West End
Historic Suburbs: University City, Florissant, Bel-Nor, Pasadena Hills
Suburban: Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights, St. Charles, O’Fallon, St. Peters, Wentzville
Affordable: Florissant, Hazelwood, Bridgeton, St. Charles
Luxury: Chesterfield, Clayton, Ladue

O’Fallon:

Major employers include: MasterCard, CitiMortgage and True Manufacturing

Historic Suburbs: St. Charles
Suburban: O’Fallon, St. Peters, Cottleville, Dardenne Prairie, Defiance, Weldon Spring
Affordable: O’Fallon, St. Charles, Wentzville
Luxury: Chesterfield, Wildwood

For each of the areas above, there are more options that fit into each category. I also left out some areas with big employers including Anheuser-Busch InBev, Maritz, Emerson Electric, Charter Communications, and many more.

If the area you work is not listed, or you would like assistance in identifying the best places to live, contact us for a personal consultation.

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Shaw Neighborhood Restaurant ~ Mama Josephine’s

Karen Goodman — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 02:25:01 +0000

Deciding where you want to live is more than just picking a new house.

When we were hired to sell the home at 3861 Botanical in the Shaw Neighborhood, I really got to know the neighborhood. While I had spent a lot of time in the neighborhood before, I didn’t know about Mama Josephine’s until I was out taking pictures for our marketing.

Knowing that I had to give it a try, I talked my friend Todd Jordan into scheduling one of his summer weekly tweetup lunches at Mama Josephine’s so a bunch of us could try it out.

To our surprise, the owner Mary took time out of her busy day to visit with us, returning to our table over and over again. She explained that she didn’t like to serve “leftovers”, even though they were still quite tasty the next day, and offered to bring out a few things that she had in the kitchen but she wasn’t willing to sell to her customers. She kept going back to the kitchen and bringing us extras items to taste. It’s been a few months now, and I don’t remember everything we ate, but I do remember she brought us her popular banana pudding and some cheese ravioli on the house.

We talked about her mother’s recipes, why she started the restaurant and how it has become a part of the Shaw Neighborhood.

Mary really made us feel welcome. I can only imagine how it would feel if you lived in the neighborhood and popped in regularly. My guess is that she would know all of your favorite foods and what is happening in your lives.

Mary was a good sport and agreed to do a quick video interview on the spot when I asked. What a great lady!

If you are looking for more than just a house, and instead want to live someplace where your neighbors become your friends and business owners know your name, you really should consider Shaw for your next home.

Our client’s house is still available. With 3 stories, 4 bedrooms and tons of history, it’s ready for a new family to make their own memories.

To learn more about the Shaw Neighborhood in St. Louis, check out this video I put together.

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What are the Best St. Louis Urban Neighborhoods?

Karen Goodman — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:53:54 +0000

St. Louis offers many options for people who want an urban lifestyle that allows them to walk to restaurants and coffee shops, hop on a train to get around town or walk the dog in the city park just outside their door.

There really isn’t one BEST neighborhood.

The best urban neighborhood is the one that gives YOU everything YOU want.

If you want to live in a walkable community in St. Louis, the areas below offer the best possibilities. Each community offers it’s own unique personality and perks.

Want to walk to the grocery store? Consider the Downtown Loft District or Maplewood.

Want a neighborhood that is anchored by a park? Consider Shaw or Lafayette Square.

Want a community where you can walk home after seeing a band? Consider University City or Soulard.

Want a walkable community that feels like a quaint small town? Consider Kirkwood or Webster Groves.

We specialize in helping buyers sort through the options to find the community that is right for them.

Urban Homes for Sale – St. Louis City:

The City of St. Louis offers many popular communities for singles, couples, families and empty nesters looking for an urban lifestyle.

Search by Neighborhood:

Keep in mind that searching by neighborhood only gives you the homes that listed the neighborhood name correctly. Since the neighborhood name is entered manually by the listing agent, many properties for sales in these areas are not included in the above searches.

In addition, there are many other popular city neighborhoods such as Tower Grove South, The Grove, The Hill and Dogtown. The homes in these areas list the neighborhood name in multiple ways in the MLS so searching by neighborhood is not effective for these areas.

To be sure to see everything for sale in your favorite neighborhood, check the zip code search below or contact us for help in setting up a personal search.

Search by Zip Code:

Urban Homes for Sale – St. Louis County:

St. Louis County has many historic suburbs that offer urban living without actually living in the city limits. These communities are a great option for families looking for good schools, along with singles and couples who want walkable communities.

Search by City:

Urban Homes for Sale – St. Charles County:

While most people don’t think of St. Charles when they think of urban living, downtown St. Charles is a walkable community with historic homes plus tons of dining and nightlife options. Historic St. Charles offers all of the convenience of living in the suburbs with the charm of historic homes and a cobblestone Main Street.

Historic St. Charles

The search above offers a sample of homes in this historic neighborhood since the listings are entered using multiple neighborhood names. Searching by zip code (63301) will give you homes that are both in the historic district and in the surrounding suburbs.

To see all of the historic homes in St. Charles, please contact us to assist you with your search.

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Make Dinner Reservations in St. Louis via Open Table

Karen Goodman — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:37:32 +0000

Open Table makes dining out in St. Louis easy.

Open Table allows you to go online or use the app on your phone to see the dates and times when reservations are available at specific restaurants and then reserve your table without every picking up the phone.

Currently there are 109 St. Louis area restaurants in their system, but I expect that number to grow as the service becomes more popular in our area.

Whether you are trying to decide where to eat on a specific night, or you are trying to see when you can get into that restaurant that always seems to be booked up in advance, Open Table makes it easy.

To encourage you to make your reservations through the system, you earn points for every reservation that you make through the website and then show up at the restaurant. Points get converted into gift certificates that can be used at the restaurants, and restaurants can boost their exposure by offering bonus points for dining with them.

The site also includes a profile of each restaurant, links to the restaurant’s website and Open Table user reviews.

I first discovered Open Table when vacationing in New York City. It was a perfect solution for eating out while on vacation and can definitely see myself using this website at home too.

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St. Louis in Pictures ~ Old Chain of Rocks Bridge

Karen Goodman — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:15:41 +0000

Explore St. Louis:

With cold weather just around the corner, a friend and I took a drive out the the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge a week ago to take some pictures and explore the area.

On the way, we stopped and snapped a few pictures of Bob Cassilly’s Cementland through this very cool fence made from cement truck mixers and old railroad tracks.

We also stopped at Confluence Park, where the Mississippi and the Missouri River’s merge.

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge:

We crossed the Mississippi River via the New Chain of Rocks Bridge and parked near the Illinois entrance to the historic bridge.

The 1 mile bridge across the Mississippi is the perfect length for a nice walk. I was surprised at how much the scenery changed from one side to the other. On the Missouri side, the bridge entrance quickly has a clear view of the river. In comparison, you walk through trees and lush landscaping for a bit on the Illinois side of the bridge.

I took a ton of pictures. Here are my favorites. Click on the images to get a bigger image.

You can see more of the pictures on my Flickr page.

To reach the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge from St. Louis, take Highway 270 north toward Chicago and exit at the last Missouri exit, Riverview Drive. Or stay on the highway and take the New Chain of Rocks bridge to the Illinois parking area.

See map…

You can seem more St. Louis pictures on my Flickr page.

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St. Louis in Pictures ~ Lindell Blvd

Karen Goodman — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:15:15 +0000

Living on Lindell:

The north side of Forest Park is lined with grand mansions mostly built around the time of the of the 1094 World’s Fair. Yes there is traffic on Lindell Blvd, but you just can’t beat the view and access to the park directly across the street.

A few weeks ago I took a walk and snapped some pictures.

Click on the images to get larger pictures.

While most of the homes are turn of the century mansions, there are some modern structures too.

Home prices range from $750,000 – $1,750,000. There is also an opportunity for one future owner to design their own home on the lot for sale.

The Lindell Blvd stretch is in a great location. It’s wedged between the Central West End, Washington University and is just blocks from Clayton and University City. But the big draw is Forest Park. I would surely get more exercise if this trail was across the street from my home.

And here’s a quick 360 degree view standing in front of the History Museum at Lindell and DeBaliviere.

You can see more pictures of Forest Park on my Flickr page.

Forest Park is just a short walk from many homes and condos that surround the park. From the 1904 World’s Fair mansions on Lindell Blvd to the condos by the DeBaliviere Metro station, there are homes in every budget.

See current homes for sale near Forest Park in the adjacent zip codes:

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St. Louis in Pictures ~ Westport Plaza

Karen Goodman — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 03:42:48 +0000

Westport Plaza:

I spent a lot of time at Westport Plaza when I was growing up. Summer days I would hop on my bike from my Creve Coeur home so I could hit the video arcade or explore Aunt Heidi’s novelty store. I rode the glass elevator to the top of the gold office building and took walks around the lake.

In my post-college years, I returned to Westport for the free happy hour food at Ozzie’s, comedy shows at the Funny Bone and late night dancing at America’s Pub.

All of these businesses are now long gone, but Westport Plaza continues to thrive with new restaurants and businesses.

I popped into Westport this week to grab some shots for the marketing of my newest listings. Here are my favorites. Click on the images to get a bigger image.

You can see more pictures of Forest Park on my Flickr page.

Westport Plaza is located in Maryland Heights, a West County suburb and offers many affordable housing options.

See current homes for sale in Maryland Heights.

You can seem more St. Louis pictures on my Flickr page.

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St. Louis in Pictures ~ History Museum

Karen Goodman — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:51:00 +0000

Stop in each week to see some of the pictures I’ve taken in my explorations around town.

Missouri Historical Society:

Over the last few years I’ve headed to Forest Park a number of times with my camera. Last weekend I found myself with a few hours to spare and wanted to take some pictures. Of course, Forest Park was the first thing that came to mind given how surprisingly cool it was for a St. Louis August day.

I’ve always wanted to capture the essence of the history museum. I love how one side of the building is classic historic architecture, and the other side is modern metal and glass. History, of course, it both about the past and present.

Here are some shots that show off the building and a short little video that gives you a snapshot of what you would experience if you were standing out front.

Transition between old & new

360 view from the Lindell Blvd side of the museum

You can see more pictures of Forest Park on my prior St. Louis in Pictures post or on my Flickr page.

See current homes for sale near Forest Park in the adjacent zip codes:

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St. Louis in Pictures ~ Bluebird Park

Karen Goodman — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 21:24:11 +0000

Stop in each Friday to see some of the pictures I’ve taken in my explorations around town.

Bluebird Park:

St. Louis is filled with wonderful parks. A couple of years ago I listed a condo that borders the Bluebird Park and shot some pictures for my marketing.

Barn and performance stage

Playground

Pool play area

Pool

Yes, I know that these are winter shots. I need to get back one day and re-shoot the pool in action.

Bluebird Park is located in Ellisville, a West County suburb and offers many affordable housing options.

See current homes for sale in Ellisville.

You can seem more St. Louis pictures on my Flickr page.

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St. Louis in Pictures ~ Compton Hill Reservoir Park

Karen Goodman — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 13:33:45 +0000

Compton Hill Reservoir Park and Tower

When I set up my weekly Friday series St. Louis in Pictures, I knew there would be times when I wouldn’t be able to stick to the schedule. A week ago, I was in the middle of volunteering at a summer camp providing opportunities for low-income kids in Lesterville, MO. I worked really long days and only had the ability to get on the internet late at night, and by then I just didn’t have the energy to put together the weekly post.

While I did miss my weekly Friday post, I did highlight the camp after I returned to show of some of the pictures I took while I was there.

The week away from the office left me bombarded when I returned, and I spent all week focusing on our real estate clients. So while today’s post is a couple of days late, I figure that clients come first and you’ll understand.

In the future, I’ll do my best to stay on schedule so stop in each Friday to see some of the pictures I’ve taken in my explorations around town.

Compton Hill Reservoir Park:

I’ve driven by the Compton Hill Reservoir Park and Tower more times than I can count. This summer, I finally stopped the car and took a walk around with my camera.

The history of the reservoir and tower is fascinating. Not only did the original reservoir have a concrete top with tennis courts on top, but the water tower was constructed simply to camouflage an ugly pipe.

The beautiful Compton Hill Water Tower is really just a brick enclosure around a huge pipe.

In the late 1890s, the population of St. Louis was growing so fast that it was causing problems for the water delivery system. The pumps used to send water through the city created dangerous surges in pressure, making pipes rattle and shake.

In an effort to equalize water pressure, a 5 foot wide, 100 foot tall standpipe was installed. For cosmetic appeal, the structure we now call the Compton Hill Water Tower was built in 1899 to camouflage the standpipe.

The day when I stopped by the park the tower was closed. From July through November, the tower is open monthly on a Saturday afternoon and full moon evenings. I’ll be planning a return visit to climb the tower soon.

Here are some of the pictures from my visit.

Reservoir Park overlooking Grand Blvd

Reservoir

Top of the Tower

Compton Hill Tower

You can see more pictures on my Flickr page.

Compton Hill Reservoir Park and Tower sits just south of portions of the St. Louis University campus and a few blocks from the vibrant S. Grand business district and Tower Grove Park.

See map location

Affordable homes surround the park in the Compton Hill community and 63104 zip code. The subdivision of Compton Heights, just south of the park, offers grand homes that rival the mansions in more exclusive parts of town at a fraction of the price.

See current homes for sale in Compton Heights and the 63104 zip code.

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