St. Louis City Real Estate

Founded in 1764 and incorporated in 1822, the “Gateway to the West” offers fun, family-friendly activities, great entertainment venues, an ardent devotion to its professional sports teams, and an exciting nightlife. The Greater St. Louis area has over 2.8 million inhabitants, making it the 16th largest urban area in the United States. St. Louis has a long and rich tradition in music and the performing arts, especially known for its blues, jazz, and ragtime. Classical music in St. Louis is also significant – St. Louis is home to the second-oldest symphony orchestra in the United States. Visitors and residents can take advantage of wonderful cultural attractions such as the Gateway Arch, the St. Louis Zoo, the Magic House (a great Children’s Museum) and the St. Louis Science Center. Yet despite its size and considerable cultural attractions and activities, the city and most of its surrounding suburbs are able to maintain the feel of a much smaller town. 

The city of St. Louis was founded in 1764; after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 it became a major port on the Mississippi River. Its population expanded rapidly after the Civil War, and by the end of the 19th century St. Louis was the fourth-largest city in the country. In 1876, the city became an independent city, splitting off from St. Louis County. In 1904, St. Louis hosted the 1904 World's Fair and the 1904 Olympic Games.  While the city's population was in decline from the middle of the 20th century, St. Louis has experienced a renaissance in the past 20 years and realized steady population growth since 1990. Today, Greater St. Louis covers over 8,000 square miles and as mentioned above has a population approaching 3 million. Greater St. Louis is unique in that it spans two states – while most of its population resides in Missouri, nearly one quarter of Greater St. Louis’s residents live in Illinois. The economy of St. Louis largely relies on service, manufacturing, and tourism. The region is home to several major corporations, including Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Scottrade, Anheuser-Busch and Energizer.

One of the great things about owning real estate in St. Louis today is the city’s ability to offer a housing option for just about every lifestyle. Maybe you like the excitement and feel of downtown city life and want to be able to walk to museums, sporting events, and concert venues; perhaps you work downtown and simply don’t want a long commute. Or maybe you want to be a bit further away from the action in a quieter, more suburban location. Don’t worry, St. Louis and the Top Real Estate Professionals team have options for you!

Prospective residents seeking urban-living will find a multitude of attractive and affordable downtown living options conveniently located near public transportation. With gorgeous residential lofts and an exciting nightlife, downtown provides plenty of big city fun. The Central West End is home to the stunning Cathedral Basilica, many year-round festivals, and lots of stunning architecture – you can lunch at a corner cafe or browse for hidden treasures at an eclectic street fair.  Cherokee Street offers plenty of history, from Lemp Mansion to the world-renowned Anheuser-Busch Brewery.  You can walk along St. Louis’s famous antique row, explore unique shopping districts and enjoy plenty of specialty dining. Or cruise on over to Clayton for specialty boutiques, high end shopping and fine dining. Clayton also hosts local art galleries, farmers markets and plenty of places for a cocktail gathering. 

If you prefer the serenity of suburbia, there are a variety of options in Greater St. Louis. St. Louis prides itself on being a “20 minute city” – the average commute in the area is 24 minutes, so you’re never far from the action! Wonderful options such as Chesterfield, Kirkwood and Webster Groves offer a “slice of life” community with beautiful homes, excellent schools, prospering businesses, a proud history and diverse culture.

For the outdoors enthusiast, Greater St. Louis has more than 100 public and private golf courses. The area is also home to some of the best trails for cycling, running, and walking, and 600 mile network of hiking and bicycle trails and greenways that follows the area’s great rivers (“The River Ring”) is currently being developed. And of course there is the nationally acclaimed Forest Park – one of the largest urban parks in the country that includes the St. Louis Zoo,St. Louis Art Museum and Missouri History Museum – as well as Tower Grove Park as well as the adjacent Missouri Botanical Garden. And if you love sports, you will fit right in. St. Louis has three professional sporting teams – the Rams, the Blues and the reigning world champion Cardinals – and St. Louis is widely regarded as one of the top sports cities in America. No matter your preferred hobbies or desired lifestyle, St. Louis has something to offer the enthusiast of every type!