Before You Start Looking
Pre-approval comes before Zillow. Most buyers do this backwards. They fall in love with a house they cannot afford, then scramble to get financing. Get pre-approved first. Know your real budget. Then start looking.
Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage
What lenders actually look at, why pre-approval strengthens your offer, and how to avoid getting your credit pulled by five different banks.
Read Full Guide →How Much Income Do You Need?
The income required to buy in St. Louis at different price points. Real numbers, real DTI calculations, real PITI breakdowns.
Calculate Your Income →What Credit Score Do You Need?
Minimum credit scores for different loan types, how your score affects your rate, and what to do if your credit needs work.
Check Requirements →Conventional vs. FHA Loan
The actual difference between conventional and FHA financing in St. Louis. Down payment, PMI, property condition requirements, and when each makes sense.
Compare Loan Types →How Much Down Payment?
You do not need 20% down. Here is what you actually need for different loan types and how down payment affects your monthly payment.
See Down Payment Options →Buyer Closing Costs in St. Louis
The full line-item breakdown of what you pay at closing. Lender fees, title insurance, prepaid items, and what sellers can cover.
See Cost Breakdown →St. Louis Affordability by Zip Code
Interactive map showing what you can afford in 79+ St. Louis zip codes. Real median prices, real income requirements.
Explore Map →First-Time Buyer Programs
Down payment assistance, MHDC programs, and first-time buyer options available in St. Louis. What you qualify for and how they work.
See Programs →Finding Properties
How Zillow actually works. Why clicking "Contact Agent" connects you to whoever paid the most for that zip code. How to search neighborhoods by data, not hype.
The Truth About Zillow in St. Louis
Zillow is a lead-gen platform. The agents you reach are the ones who paid for your zip code. Here is how it actually works.
Understand Zillow →How to Use Zillow Without Getting Used
Zillow is useful for searching inventory. It is not useful for finding an agent. Here is how to use it smartly.
Use Zillow Smartly →Zillow Pay-to-Play System
How Zillow Premiere Agent works, what agents pay for leads, and why this matters to you as a buyer.
See How It Works →What Happens When You Click Zillow
The exact sequence of events after you click Contact Agent. How leads are distributed, rotated, and sold.
See The Process →Is the Zestimate Accurate in St. Louis?
How Zestimates are calculated, why they are often wrong in St. Louis, and what to use instead.
Check Accuracy →98 St. Louis Neighborhood Guides
Data-driven guides for every St. Louis neighborhood. Schools, affordability, owner-occupancy rates, and what buyers actually find.
Browse Neighborhoods →St. Louis Neighborhood Matcher
5-question quiz that matches you to St. Louis neighborhoods based on your life stage, priorities, and budget.
Take The Quiz →Choosing Your Representation
Do you even need a buyer's agent? After the NAR settlement, buyers are asking this more than ever. The honest answer: what representation costs, what it gets you, and when going without one costs more.
Do You Need a Buyer's Agent?
The honest answer. What buyer representation actually costs post-NAR settlement, what you get, and when it makes sense to go without.
Read Analysis →What a Buyer's Agent Actually Does
Beyond just opening doors. What a good buyer's agent does during search, negotiation, contract, and closing.
See Responsibilities →How to Interview a Buyer's Agent
Questions to ask before signing a buyer agency agreement. Experience, communication style, transaction volume, and red flags.
Get Questions →Red Flags of a Bad Buyer's Agent
Warning signs that your agent is not working for your best interests. Dual agency, pressure tactics, lack of local knowledge.
Spot Red Flags →NAR Settlement: What Changed
How the August 2024 NAR settlement changed buyer representation in St. Louis. What you need to know before touring homes.
Understand Changes →Walking Homes
What to look for when you show up. Foundation, roof, electrical, plumbing. The stuff most buyers miss and end up paying for later.
What to Look for When Buying a House
The walkthrough checklist I use. Foundation, roof, electrical panels, plumbing, HVAC, windows. What passes, what fails, what negotiates.
Get Checklist →St. Louis Home Repair Cost Guide
What repairs actually cost in St. Louis. Roof, HVAC, foundation, electrical, plumbing. Real contractor pricing, not national averages.
See Repair Costs →How Repair Costs Affect Your Offer
How to factor deferred maintenance into your offer price. When to negotiate repairs vs. adjusting price vs. walking away.
Learn Strategy →What Happens at a Home Inspection
The inspection process in St. Louis. What inspectors check, how long it takes, what the report looks like, and what you do with it.
Understand Inspections →True Cost to Own Calculator
Interactive calculator showing the real monthly cost of owning a home. PITI plus repairs, utilities, and surprise costs.
Calculate Costs →Writing Your Offer
How to structure a competitive offer without overpaying. Contingencies that protect you. What happens after the seller accepts.
$30K Price Reduction Case Study
Real St. Louis transaction where we negotiated a $30,000 price reduction after inspection. What we found, how we leveraged it, what the seller agreed to.
Read Case Study →Average Price Reduction After Inspection
What sellers typically agree to pay for repairs in St. Louis. When to ask for a credit vs. repair vs. price reduction.
See Data →Under Contract
The 30 days between offer accepted and closing. Three deadlines running in parallel. Inspection, appraisal, financing. Where most deals fall apart.
Home Inspection Process
What happens during inspection, what the report looks like, how to negotiate repairs, and when to walk away.
Understand Process →Negotiating After Inspection
What sellers typically agree to fix in St. Louis. Major vs. minor items, safety issues, and what kills deals.
See Negotiation Data →Factoring Repair Costs
How to structure repair negotiations. Credit at closing vs. seller completes vs. price reduction.
Learn Options →Final Walk-Through
The day before closing. This is not a second showing. You are verifying agreed repairs were completed and no new damage occurred.
What to Check
Agreed repairs completed, no new damage, all appliances staying are present, utilities are on, and property is in the same condition as when you went under contract.
What If Something's Wrong?
If repairs were not completed or new damage exists, you can delay closing, request an escrow holdback, or negotiate a credit. Do not close if major issues remain unresolved.
Closing Day
What you are signing. Where your money goes. When you get the keys.
Buyer Closing Costs Breakdown
Full line-item breakdown of closing costs in St. Louis. Lender fees, title insurance, recording fees, prepaid items, and what you actually pay.
See Full Breakdown →The Closing Process
You meet at the title company, sign documents, wire your funds, and receive keys. The title company records the deed and you officially own the home. Plan for 1-2 hours for the signing appointment.
What You're Signing
Promissory note, deed of trust, title insurance policy, closing disclosure, and various disclosures. Your agent and the title company walk you through each document.
For VA Buyers
From a Marine Corps veteran (LAV Crewman, 2007-2011) who has closed VA loans in St. Louis: the appraisal traps, electrical panels, and property issues that kill deals before closing.
VA Loans: What Kills Deals
The St. Louis-specific issues that kill VA deals. Federal Pacific panels, peeling paint, handrails, roof, foundation. How to screen before you write an offer.
Read VA Guide →Federal Pacific Panels
How to identify Federal Pacific panels, why VA appraisers flag them on sight, and what replacement costs in St. Louis.
Learn About FPE →Can You Buy a Fixer-Upper?
The honest answer. VA renovation loans are rare in St. Louis. What move-in ready actually means for VA appraisals.
See Reality →VA Appraisal Failed: Your Options
The VA appraisal came back with conditions. The seller will not fix them. Here are your three options and what happens to your earnest money.
See Your Options →Pre-Offer Screening Checklist
The exact 8-point screening checklist I use to identify VA appraisal issues before my veteran buyers write an offer.
Get Checklist →For Sellers
What you will net after closing, cash offers decoded, commission structure post-NAR settlement, and the real cost to sell in St. Louis.
Should You Accept a Cash Offer?
Cash offers close fast. They also usually come in well below market value. Here is how to decide if the convenience is worth the discount.
Evaluate Cash Offers →How Cash Buyers Calculate Offers
The actual math behind cash offers. ARV, renovation budget, holding costs, and the profit margin baked in before they call.
See The Math →What You Lose With a Cash Offer
The convenience premium on a cash offer, calculated in dollars. What you give up to close in 7-10 days instead of 30.
Calculate Cost →What Will I Net Selling?
The number sellers actually care about: what is left after commissions, closing costs, and payoffs. Real line-item breakdown for St. Louis.
Estimate Net Proceeds →Cost to Sell a Home
Every cost that comes out before you see a dollar. Commissions, title, transfer tax, recording fees, staging, repairs.
See All Costs →Who Pays Buyer Agent Commission?
The NAR settlement changed the rules. Here is what sellers in St. Louis actually need to know about buyer agent compensation.
Understand Changes →Ready to Start Your Journey?
No pressure. No lead-gen games. Just honest guidance from someone who has been where you are.
📞 Call George: 314.435.1087