House Hunt in Ladue and Frontenac

First up this week are closer looks at some homes featured by local agents. Opening up are affordable homes in the Ladue School District, all are not mansions in Ladue and Frontenac. Liz Little of Elizabeth Real Estate LLC. presents 10 Burroughs Lane, a darling two bedroom, two-bath Ladue Cottage listed at $285,000. Contact her at 314-396-8412 for details.

Moving up in price ranges is 11534 Clayton Road in Frontenac offered at $474,900. It is a beautifully updated ranch home on a level, acre lot with three bedrooms and two baths. See this home by contacting Kitsy Sheehan of Jon Mendelson Realtors at 314-922-9069.

Just south of Highway 40 is 9 Deer Creek Woods in Ladue, a traditional two-story colonial home, listed at $798,000. It features hardwood floors  and large rooms, with plenty of extras. Call Katrine Hellauer or Patricia Eggmann of Prudential Alliance Realtors at 314-997-7600 for an appointment to visit.

New on the market is 3 Ladue Acres presented by Mary Lawlor of Dielmann Sotheby’s. A stately Home on two private acres features five bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths. It is listed at $1,199,000. Contact Mary at 314-306-8640 for more details.

Finally, at the top of the range and new on the market is 723 Haverford Road in Ladue. This is a recently renovated ranch offered at $1,295,000. This estate many custom finishes and high-end additions including his and hers dressing rooms in the master, and a pool on 2.7 acres. To set an appointment, contact Steve Breihan or Carolyn Malecek of Prudential Alliance Realtors at 314-997-7600

Now, onto market conditions. National Public Radio reported that home sales were up 2.7 percent nationally over last year during January. In the report was the trend of lower prices revealing that 37 percent of sales were foreclosures. Although it's good information that does not tell you much about what is happening locally and if you ask any agent the three most important components of real-estate are; location, location, location. In this buyers market many people are compelled to take the national news and apply it locally. Foreclosures, for instance, are a large distraction for new people buying into the Ladue School District, although there are foreclosures here, it is now where near the 37 percent quoted in the national numbers.

A report last week by the local affiliate of NPR — KWMU— noted that inflationary pressures in the region are related to the fact that St. Louis largely escaped the real-estate bubble and subsequent downturn. Home prices have not tumbled as they have in other regions nationally.

What does this mean in Ladue and Frontenac? As long as the school district stays strong, and the housing stock remains robust, pricing will be more stable than in other St. Louis communities. National reports must be filtered with our local economic realities.