Learning St. Louis Market

[Brett Willette]

I am 6 months from graduating and moving to St. Louis from Columbia, MO. I plan on purchasing either a single family home and doing renovations, or purchasing a multifamily home, staying in one unit, renting out the other(leaning towards the latter because I am a soon-to-be CPA and anticipate a busy work schedule). The only problem is, I am not very familiar with the St. Louis market. I grew up an hour south of St. Louis, so I have heard of most of the municipalities such as Kirkwood, Chesterfield, and Clayton. I know my way around most of the city. I am just unaware of the real estate values/neighborhoods. What is the best way to learn about the different neighborhoods and best areas to invest in real estate in St. Louis while I am finishing up my time Columbia? I want to make an educated decision on where I make my first purchase. Are there good websites to visit? Maybe some books or magazines to read? Or  should I talk to a realtor from the area? Any advice is much appreciated!!!