The St. Louis County real estate market is as eclectic and diverse as the metropolitan St. Louis area itself. The small towns surrounding the perimeter of the St. Louis city limits, and into the county, span the range from suburban bedroom communities to urban centers in and of themselves. The wide range of employment opportunities in St. Louis attracts young professionals from across the nation, which contributes to the sustainable steady growth of the area.

St. Louis County is nationally recognized for its affordable cost of living as well as a high quality of life of its residents, which makes St. Louis attractive for both families and retirees. St. Louis is home to the blues, jazz, and ragtime in addition to being the home of the second oldest symphony orchestra in the country. St. Louis County has well over 100 parks with a broad range of recreational activities. For sports lovers, St. Louis is home to several professional sports teams.

Overview of the St. Louis County Real Estate Market

The conditions in St. Louis county real estate market seem to be recovering after the housing bubble in 2008, with some communities experiencing some devaluation in prices for homes for sale while others remained stable or even appreciated in value. The median listing price of houses in all of St. Louis County in September 2011 is $220,000, which is down 4 percent from the median listing price of $230,000. While there are a number of distressed properties on the market, they do not appear to be exerting significant downward pressure on home values when the properties in St. Louis County are considered as a whole.