St. Louis Transplant Says Everyone In The Family Wishes Their House Sat Five Minutes Away And Names The Suburbs Where Buyers Regret The Move

Here is a confession you do not often hear from someone who sells houses for a living. “I love the house that I’m in,” says Spencer, a St. Louis brokerage owner, “but every single person in my family at one point or another has said we wish we could pick it up and put it about 5 minutes away from where it currently sits.”

St. Louis transplant names the suburbs where buyers regret the move, beside a quiet autumn suburban street

Spencer and her family relocated to the St. Louis area 10 years ago because of her husband’s job. She says they feel like they won the lottery with where they ended up, but she would not recommend picking a new hometown that way. Today she runs a brokerage with more than 90 agents across the metro, and she has sat across the table from plenty of homeowners who felt some regret about the house they bought.

Regret is common

If you have buyer’s remorse, you are far from alone. Spencer points to a study from the National Association of Realtors, published in 2024, that found 82% of homeowners have at least one regret about the property they purchased. The regrets range from maintenance and upkeep to location and cost. With that in mind, she walks through some of the most desirable parts of the St. Louis region and the regrets a buyer might run into in each one.

St. Peters: affordable, but fast and car dependent

The first stop is St. Peters, which has plenty going for it. Spencer says the housing is newer than in West County and much of St. Louis County, and the location is central within St. Charles County, which makes it easy to get back into St. Louis County if that is where you work. Neighborhoods are established, and groceries, restaurants, shopping and entertainment are close by. She calls the recreational complex one of the best in the area, with pools, ice rinks, sports programming and fitness facilities.

The regrets start with the car. St. Peters is very car dependent, and Spencer says anyone moving from a walkable town with a true town center may find it lacking. The overall feel is suburban and commercial, without the charm of some other areas.

It is also one of the more affordable places on her list, with a median home price of $355,000, but that comes with competition. Typical homes sell in a median of 5 days on the market for about 100% of the list price, and 49% of the homes sold in the last year went for more than the asking price. Much of the housing was built in the 1980s, 90s and early 2000s, which is younger than a lot of St. Louis County, but old enough that some major systems may need updating while you own the home.

Her advice for St. Peters comes in three parts:

Pick your spot. The city has a large footprint stretching from Interstate 64 up to I-70, and easier access to 364 or 94 and I-64 can make a daily commute easier or harder. When homes sell in 5 days, she says, it is easier to choose a home than to scramble around the whole area looking for the right place.
Have your preapproval in hand and understand the cost so you can make a solid offer in 5 days or less.
Do your due diligence with inspections. With newer houses buyers tend to relax, thinking things are in great shape, and they often are. But as a house ages, maintenance is coming, and surprises like new windows or siding can be significant costs that lead to regret if you were not prepared.

Historic St. Charles: charm that comes with crowds

Next is historic Main Street in St. Charles. Spencer says everyone tours it on a weekend and falls in love with the brick streets, historic buildings, restaurants, shops and the Katy Trail right on the riverfront. There are festivals and special events all year, especially around the holidays, which draw people from across the region as well as tourists.

That is exactly where regret can creep in. You love the charm, but now you are sharing your neighborhood with visitors from all over. She points to extra cars parked on the street so you cannot get into your own driveway, longer commutes with all the people coming and going, and a Saturday that looks very different from the quiet one you pictured.

Kirkwood: check the sidewalks and the train

Kirkwood is known as a very walkable area, but Spencer cautions that you may still be car dependent depending on the street address. Her advice is to visit the area before you buy and look closely at sidewalk access and crossings. Is that address truly walkable the way you expected? Not every part of Kirkwood is.

She also urges anyone considering Kirkwood to think about the train. It adds character to the main street area, but she says to consider how it might affect your commute and whether you will hear it from your home. It may be charming at the beginning and turn into a nuisance. And if you have children, think about how close they will be to an active train track.

Moving within the metro

Spencer’s closing point is that the metro is still rather competitive. If you already live in the region and want to move from one part to another, and you have a house to sell, you need a strong game plan for selling in your part of town while buying in another where homes are moving quickly. The right strategy, she says, can help reduce the stress of buying and selling at the same time.

Takeaways for any buyer

You do not have to live in Missouri to use her lessons. Whatever market you are in, walk the exact street you are considering and test the commute at rush hour. Visit on a weekend and a weekday. Get your financing lined up before you tour, and pay for a full inspection even on a newer home. A little homework up front is a lot cheaper than regret later.

Willow and Hearth