One of the most common questions we hear from first-time buyers in St. Louis is some version of "wait, what's earnest money, exactly?" It sounds vaguely scary — money you hand over before closing — and most online explanations are written by lawyers for lawyers. Here's the plain-English version for

Buying a house in St. Louis is exciting until you get to closing day and someone hands you a list of fees you never saw coming. Closing costs aren't a scam — they're real services and protections — but they catch a lot of buyers off guard. Here's the plain-English breakdown of where the money goes,