Key Takeaways:
- Moving in St. Louis costs far more than most homeowners realize – realtor commissions alone can top $12,000 on a typical home sale.
- Kitchen and bathroom renovations in St. Louis deliver ROI above the national average, making them a financially sound alternative to buying.
- 57.7% of St. Louis City homes were built before 1940, meaning updates are often necessary regardless of the move-or-stay decision.
- Renovating lets homeowners sidestep today’s competitive buying market while staying in the neighborhoods, schools, and communities they already love.
- The true cost of moving – encompassing selling costs, buyer closing costs, and physical moving expenses – is often wider than most expect. Seller closing costs alone, including commissions, regularly land between 6% and 10% of the home’s sale price.
The question comes up more than ever at kitchen tables across St. Louis: Is it cheaper to fix up the house we’re in, or just move? On the surface, buying somewhere new feels like a clean slate. But once the full tab gets added up – commissions, closing costs, moving fees, and more – that clean slate carries a surprisingly high price tag. A well-planned kitchen or bathroom remodel, by contrast, can modernize a home, boost its value, and cost a fraction of what selling and buying again requires in today’s market.
Moving in St. Louis Costs More Than You Think
Between selling the current home and closing on a new one, costs stack up across nearly every step of the process. Even a local move within the St. Louis metro – just hiring a moving crew for the day – runs $120 to $250 per hour, with total local moving bills typically landing between $400 and $1,500 depending on home size and how much needs to be hauled.
That’s just the truck. The financial weight of a home sale itself is where things get serious.
Banner Construction, a St. Louis remodeling contractor, has been fielding this exact question from homeowners weighing their options – and the numbers make a compelling case for staying put and investing in the home already owned.
The Real Tab for Selling and Buying
Before a single box gets packed, the cost of a real estate transaction is already running in the thousands. Here’s what St. Louis homeowners are actually looking at.
Realtor Commissions Alone Hit $12,000+
The average real estate commission for sellers in St. Louis sits at 5.94% of the home’s sale price. On a $210,000 home – well within the St. Louis market range – that’s approximately $12,474 paid out before a single closing document is signed. That figure alone rivals the cost of a full bathroom renovation.
Closing Costs Stack Up on Both Sides
Sellers also face closing costs averaging 2.7% of the sale price on top of commissions – and that number can climb to 8% when commissions are included. Buyers face their own closing costs as well: estimates for buyer closing costs in Missouri and St. Louis typically range from 2% to 5% of the purchase price, which adds up to around $2,000 or more on a $250,000 home. Combined with moving costs, inspection fees, and the inevitable updates needed in any new home, the true cost of moving regularly lands between 5% and 10% of the home’s purchase price.
What Renovation Actually Costs Here
Renovation costs in St. Louis are real and shouldn’t be minimized – but they’re also more controllable, more scalable, and come without the transaction overhead that moving requires.
Kitchen Remodel Ranges: $15K to $150K+
A standard kitchen renovation typically runs between $15,000 and $38,600 for entry-to-mid-range work, with some small galley kitchens starting around $22,000. Mid-range remodels with upgraded cabinetry, countertops, and appliances generally land in the $30,000 to $70,000 range. High-end, full-design kitchen projects can reach $80,000 to $150,000 and beyond, depending on layout changes, custom millwork, and finish selections.
Kitchens in older homes often need more than fresh paint. Homeowners frequently want better storage, improved lighting, open-concept flow to living spaces, and layouts built around how families actually cook and gather today – not how homes were designed 80 years ago.
Bathroom Remodel Ranges: $18K to $85K+
Bathroom renovations typically start around $6,190 to $26,700 for standard updates, with full gut-and-redesign projects running $25,000 to $55,000. Full master bath transformations with custom tilework, floating vanities, open shower concepts, and modern fixtures can push into the $75,000+ range for premium finishes.
Updated bathrooms also improve water efficiency through modern fixtures and reduce long-term maintenance through advanced waterproofing – benefits that extend well beyond aesthetics.
Renovation ROI Beats the National Average
Beyond avoiding moving costs, renovation actually pays back. Midrange kitchen remodels in the St. Louis market yield an estimated 78% ROI, while bathroom remodels return approximately 66% – both figures above national averages. That means a $40,000 kitchen remodel could add roughly $31,000 in home value: equity built without a new mortgage, without a bidding war, and without uprooting a household.
When moving costs between 5% and 10% of a home’s purchase price, renovation shifts from being an expense to an investment with a measurable return.
Why St. Louis Homes Need Updates Anyway
57.7% of City Homes Predate 1940
St. Louis has one of the oldest housing stocks in the Midwest. According to housing age data, 57.7% of homes in St. Louis City were built before 1940 – bringing with them outdated kitchens, aging bathrooms, and systems that no longer match how people live. Many homeowners will need to renovate regardless of whether they stay or move, since older homes typically require updates before listing anyway. Putting that investment into the current home – rather than into a pre-sale spruce-up before handing it to a buyer – makes more financial sense for most households.
What Renovating Saves You Beyond the Numbers
Sidestep Today’s Competitive Buying Market
With median listing price hovering around $290,000, buyers are competing in a market that still rewards sellers. Choosing to renovate sidesteps the entire process: no bidding wars, no inspection surprises on an unfamiliar property, and no risk of buying into someone else’s hidden problems.
Keep Your Neighborhood, Schools, and Roots
Location is the one thing renovation can’t change – and for most St. Louis homeowners, that’s actually the point. Proximity to good schools, established neighbors, familiar commutes, and community ties carries real value that doesn’t show up on a mortgage statement. Remodeling lets families upgrade the house without giving up any of what made the location worth staying in.
Stay Put, Invest Smart, and Come Out Ahead
The math keeps pointing in the same direction. Moving in St. Louis costs more than most people budget for, the buying market remains competitive, and a large share of the city’s housing stock needs updates either way. Renovation, by contrast, builds equity, improves daily life, preserves community ties, and delivers returns that consistently beat national benchmarks.
That doesn’t mean renovation is the right answer for every household. But for homeowners who love their location, have space to work with, and are frustrated by rooms that no longer fit their lives – the numbers make a strong case for staying put and investing in what’s already there.
Banner Construction
1177 N Price Rd, St. Louis, MO, 63132
St. Louis
Missouri
63132
United States
