Peter Kastor and his wife, Shannon Lopata, bought a four-bedroom, 3.5 bath at 7401 Kingsbury Blvd. in University City for $710,000 from Patrick R. Koster and his wife, Lauri, on April 16.

Patrick and Lauri Koster paid $391,783 for the property in Aug. 1996, the same year it was built.

Helen Costello of Laura McCarthy real estate sold the home for its listed price.

Peter Kastor is an associate professor of American culture studies and history at Washington University in St. Louis. He specializes in the New Republic, the frontier, American expansion in the early 19th century, the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark.

Prior to his current position, he was the assistant director of American culture studies at Washington University from 2000-07. He previously served as a teaching assistant, teaching associate and adjunct instructor at the University of Virginia from 1994-97.

He graduated with a Ph.D. and master's from the University of Virginia. He earned his bachelor's from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa.

Lopata is an attorney practicing in St. Louis.

Patrick Koster has served as managing director of investment banking at Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, a regional, full-service brokerage and investment banking firm headquartered in St. Louis.

Home sales in University City dropped more than six percent in 2007. The median sale price also dropped $20,000 last year, from $180,000 in 2006 to $160,000 in 2007.

Address: 7401 Kingsbury Boulevard
Buyer(s): Kastor Peter Et Lopata Shannon Et Con Ux
Seller(s): Lauri W Koster (Wife) and Patrick R Koster (Husband)
Sale date: Apr. 16, 2008