A closer look
St. Louis City & County
The facts
St Louis, in brief
Jurisdictions
City of St. Louis · St. Louis County (90+ municipalities)
Housing authorities
SLHA — St. Louis Housing AuthorityHousing Authority of St. Louis County administers the county separately.
Where cash flow is
City and North County. South and West County price as flip and owner-occupier stock.
Turnkey means
No more than about $3,000 of work, handled around closing day.
Inspection
Sewer lateral scoped as standard, and an infrared moisture pass on brick.Voucher inspection before the first payment, annually after.
Turnkey 3-bed
$75k–$120k
Typical purchase price for a three-bed house that suits a voucher tenancy
Rent, 3-bed
$1,200–$1,400
What those houses rent for once approved
What works, what to watch
Entry prices in the city and North County against metro rents that still clear today's debt costs.
A tightly drawn turnkey standard: about $3,000 of work, dealt with around closing rather than after you own it.
Vouchers are worth real money here, and a leasing agent who specializes in them will beat a general manager on rent.
Two adjacent jurisdictions with different pricing, so the same budget buys differently either side of the line.
Headline crime figures read high because the city is counted separately from the county. They are not comparing like with like, and they say nothing about a given block.
More than ninety municipalities, each with its own occupancy and code inspection. A missed requirement turns into a bill — an electric service line alone can run $2,500.
Sewer laterals: sixty-year-old clay and cast iron are common, and a break is expensive. Scope it before you buy; the city covers only part of a repair beyond the foundation.
Insurance has traps. Sewer backup is an endorsement, not standard cover, and asbestos shingles will make some carriers decline the house outright.
Send the address and we will come back with the numbers before you talk to anyone. Or ask for an introduction to the realtor who covers it.