Checking home sales for Armour Hills August 2016...a drop in prices compared to last year.  However, year to date-- home values continue to rise.  Here are the stats with commentary!August   2016:                                                          August  2015:   Median list price:      $250,000                            Median list price:        $277,500Median sales price:  $242,000                            Median sales price:    $280,000Number of homes sold:  7                                   Number of homes sold: 4Days on market:             47                                 Days on market:           11 You can see median sales price for last month was considerably lower than August 2015.  However, in August 2016, all homes but one sold under $280K. In August 2015, fewer... 09/19/2016

Ready to look for a home? Want to visit some open houses? Get an idea of 'what's out there for the price' ? Open houses are a good way to explore a neighborhood, see different styles of homes, finishes, prices and features. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your open house touring:1) Know your price range--and only visit homes that fit your budget. If you are comfortable spending $250-$300,000 for a home--and consistently look at homes priced over $300K, you could be disappointed with the houses in your price range.  2) Take a flyer and make notes about your likes/dislikes for each property. Looking at 5-6 homes in one day will take a few hours, depending on location. You probably won't remember each home's characteristics. If you take a flyer and make notes on each property--w... 09/18/2016

Why do so many homebuyers want to live in Brookside? You need to spend a day here and find out!As a Brookside resident for many years now, I will try to describe here why it's one of Kansas City's most popular areas to live in. It's a friendly spot, very walkable, and a convenient location near the popular Country Club Plaza and Westport areas, plus just about five miles south of the Kansas City downtown business core. Most of the homes here were built in the early 1920s...therefore, so charming! The architectural detail and pride of craftsmanship is evident. Although there are some similarities in styles (many Tudors) and construction (brick and stucco exteriors; peaked roofs; arched doorways; glass doorknobs; intricate crown molding), the exteriors all look a bit different--no cookie ... 09/16/2016

 It's taken three years....and finally, we have new playground equipment in Arbor Villa Park in Armour Hills!  Special thanks to Armour Hills HOA President Tiffany Moore for soliciting PIAC funds for this project. Her hard work paid off! The park features several new pieces of equipment:  a climbing structure, arch swing, and large play equipment on top of rubberized 'hills' to minimize injuries during a fall.  The new playground equipment joins the new tennis courts that were installed in the park last year.  And of course the kiddle pool is still there, now closed for the summer.   All kids are welcome to play in Arbor Villa Park, located at Edgevale and Main Street in Armour Hills, Brookside.  Also note:  Armour Hills is sponsoring a Movie Night for neighborhood kids on October 1 at ... 09/15/2016

  Hi neighbors!  It's time for Waldo Fall Festival!  Now in it's 24th year, the festival is happening this Saturday, September 17 2016 in the heart of Waldo...at 75th St and Wornall. Waldo is known for it's neighborhood get togethers, and this is usually the largest event for the area.  It's a family friendly festival, starting at 10am, finishing up at 5pm.  Here are a few more details:*Free admission*Games, face painting, rides for the kids*Various local vendors in booths*Live music*Food trucks!*Brought to you by the Waldo Business Association   If you plan to go....please remember this is a high vehicle intersection on any regular day--will be more so during festival hours. If you must drive--park on one of the residential side streets nearby. You can also walk to the celebration via ... 09/14/2016

   Time to check home sales stats in Brookside for August 2016.  Numbers show a drop in value compared to one year ago...but if you are a Brookside homeowner, you’ll like the year-to-date comparisons!    Here is the single family home sales report for Brookside (zip code 64113) for August 2016, and comparisons to last year: August  2016: Median list price:               $328,900Median sales price:           $322,000Average days on market:     13Number of homes sold:        30(Lowest sales price was $225,000; highest sales price was $$835,000.) The lower priced homes ($400K and less) sell faster and are in high demand.  Notice the low days on market figure (13)?  That means last month a home was under contract within two weeks of list date.  Higher priced homes, especially over $700K--te... 09/13/2016

  The thriving Brookside East area has another new tenant....Farm Dog Studios.  Amy January is working and selling her artwork now at 633 E 63rd St in Brookside. If you live in Brookside or Waldo...you will appreciate these unique, modern yet nostalgic-tinged signs.  Amy got the idea from seeing subway signs promoting landmark streets...and wondered why Brookside didn't have similar themed wall art.  She made one sign for a local school auction..and people asked for more.  She knew she was on to a good idea...and created Farm Dog Studios. Every sign is hand made in the Brookside space.  The process is a stencil and mask system, going through several steps from start to finish.  Besides the subway style signs, Amy creates decor for children's rooms, sororities and fraternities, local spo... 09/12/2016

Wonderful Waldo continues to be a sought after location for homebuyers...so many bars and  restaurants to explore, along with personal services, coffee shops, grocery, Trolley Track Trail and convenient bus service.  Here are the July 2016 stats for single family home sales in Waldo, using the boundaries of State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th:  July 2016 Number of homes sold:    41Median list price:              $165,000Median sales price:          $164,000Average days on market:    22 The lowest sales price was $91,000 and the highest was $340,000. July 2015 Number of homes sold:      46Median list price:              $157,000Median sales price:          $155,750Average days on market:   43 As you can see from just 22 days on market, new listings are going under contract quickly, ... 08/23/2016

Home buyers continue to see Armour Hills as a desireable place to purchase a home...the trend continues of buyers paying more than the asking price to purchase in this Brookside neighborhood. Here are the home sales stats for June 2016:  July  2016:                                                          July  2015:   Median list price:      $254,500                            Median list price:        $274,900Median sales price:  $256,000                            Median sales price:    $270,025Number of homes sold:  8                                  Number of homes sold: 12Days on market:             5                                    Days on market:           42 Of the eight homes that closed last month, five sold at or above list price. One home sold for $25,000 over the asking... 08/15/2016

  Home prices in Brookside….up, up UP!  When will it stop?  It is still a sellers’ market, as it has been all year.  Take a look at these numbers, my friends, and the comparison to last year. You will understand why you keep hearing stories of bidding wars for homes in our neighborhood. Here are the single family home sales stats for Brookside (zip code 64113) for July 2016, and comparisons to last year: July  2016 Median list price:               $339,950Median sales price:           $345,000Average days on market:     28Number of homes sold:        26(Lowest sales price was $178,000; highest sales price was $3.246 million, the highest so far this year.) Note that the sales price was higher than the asking price.  Out of the 26 homes that closed, 14 sold at or over list price. Also, no... 08/12/2016

 Beautiful Romanelli Gardens!  Oh the charm of these homes!  Mostly built in the 1930s, many have the original crown moldings, eight panel doors, glass knobs, deco tile in bath, dressing tables and unique architechtural details on the front, creating attractive curb appeal.  Let's take a look at how sales are going this year in Romanelli Gardens: January - July 2016 A total of 16 homes have sold, with a median list price of $444,475 and median sales price of $432,500. January - July 2015 A total of 27 homes had sold, with a median list price of $405,900 and a median sales price of $400,000. That is quite a jump in home values--over 8% year to date! Inventory is down by almost half, pushing prices up. If you are thinking of selling your home in Romanelli Gardens home, contact me for a de... 08/09/2016

  Rockhill Gardens is one of my favorite subdivisions in Brookside..and buyers think so too!  The houses are selling so quickly there this year.As we head into Fall and a (usually) slower home buying period, I wanted to update you on the home sales stats for Rockhill Gardens this year:  January - July, 2016So far 23 homes have sold, with a median list price of $234,900 and median sales price of $237,000. Note that the sales price is higher than the list price!  Why?  Because 19 of the 23 homes sold at or over the asking price. Now let's look at 2015 figures: January - July 2015At this point, 34 homes had sold, with a median list price of $227,500 and median sales price of $222,200. Prices are going up because demand is high and inventory is low. If you are thinking of selling your Rockh... 08/08/2016

Another business has opened in Brookside East..this one focused on the children growing up in our neighborhood. Fox Sports & Activity Center has this goal: to engage and enhance kids' minds, bodies and spirit through holistic training. Owner Caroline Fox explains that holistic training is 'the whole self' - meaning her classes and camps focus on not just skill training, but also nutrition, health and wellness. Here, it's not about 'winning', but about developing the skills needed for the game and building self esteem. She and her staff offer sports focused classes for kids up to age 11, teaching soccer, lacrosse, badminton, and volleyball. There are also enrichment activities for art, chess, bridge, painting and jewelry making and afternoon summer camps. Classes are kept small, with a o... 07/30/2016

 Homes continue to sell fast in the Armour Hills subdivision of Brookside, Kansas City MO. Check out these home sales stats for June 2016--buyers are snapping up homes here in a hot market that favors sellers:  June   2016:                                                          June  2015:   Median list price:      $279,000                            Median list price:        $285,000Median sales price:  $281,000                            Median sales price:    $283,000Number of homes sold:  11                                 Number of homes sold: 11Days on market:            3                                    Days on market:             5 Of the eleven homes that closed last month, seven sold at or above list price. Checking year to date figures: 2016, Jan-June:                   ... 07/25/2016

Halfway through the year, and home prices continue their upward trend in Brookside. Low inventory and plenty of demand can create a bidding war for new listings priced under $400K.  Here are the single family home sales stats for Brookside (zip code 64113) for last month, and comparisons to last year: June 2016:Median list price:               $349,000Median sales price:           $349,000Average days on market:    42Number of homes sold:       41(Lowest sales price was $183,000; highest sales price was $2 million.) It’s important to note that of the 41 homes that closed in June, 22 (just over half!) sold at or above list price. June 2015:Median list price:                $325,000Median sales price:            $325,000Average days on  market:    31Number of homes sold:        56 Now let... 07/20/2016

  It's that time of year once again...for the annual Brookside Side Walk Sale!  It's happening this Thursday through Sunday, July 7-10, 2016 along 63rd St east and west of Brookside Blvd. Many of your favorite shops are participating (STUFF, 5B&Co Candlemakers, World's Window, The New Dime Store) and if you need a break...stop for a snack or meal at Avenues Bistro, Foo's Frozen Custard, Michael Forbes Grill or another eatery.  Some shops are open until 8pm on Thursday night so you can begin your bargain hunting early! Thank you for supporting our locally owned shops and restaurants in Brookside.  07/06/2016

Waldo continues to be a hot location for homebuyers--prices are up and are selling quickly!   Here are the May 2016 stats for single family home sales in Waldo, using the boundaries of State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th St: May 2016: Number of homes sold:    47Median list price:              $167,500Median sales price:          $167,500Average days on market:    9 The lowest sales price was $55,207 and the highest was $395,000. May 2016: Number of homes sold:     36Median list price:              $180,000Median sales price:          $179,000Average days on market:   38 A few more homes sold this May over last year, and the median sales price is a bit less. However, year to date figures are showing prices are rising compared to 2015:                                                 ... 06/29/2016

Armour Hills….one of the best subdivisions in Brookside!  Of course, I am a bit partial because I live in Armour Hills.  However, check out these home sales stats for May 2016--buyers are snapping up homes here in a hot market that favors sellers:  May   2016:                                                           May   2015:   Median list price:      $289,900                              Median list price:        $256,900Median sales price:  $291,000                              Median sales price:    $262,000Number of homes sold:  9                                     Number of homes sold: 11Days on market:            33                                    Days on market:             36 That’s correct, many of the homes sold for over the list price!  (one home sold for $8000 over as... 06/22/2016

 Brookside...a sizzlin' hot neighborhood for home buyers this year!  Prices are up, demand is high.  Here are the single family home sales stats for Brookside (zip code 64113) for last month, and comparisons to last year: May 2016 Median list price:               $364,500Median sales price:           $360,500Average days on market:    43Number of homes sold:       37(Lowest sales price was $182,000; highest sales price was $1.275 million.) May 2015 Median list price:                $322,500Median sales price:            $312,500Average days on  market:     29Number of homes sold:         46 Now let’s check year to date figures: 2016     Median list price:         $373,750Median sales price:     $367,950124 homes sold; average 41 days on market 2015 Median list price:         $325,000Med... 06/17/2016

 It's time for that wild annual event, the Waldo Crawldo! It's tomorrow, Saturday June 11, 2016 in the heart of Waldo from 8pm-midnight. This year's theme is Superheroes and Villains--so do dress up! Prizes will be awarded in various categories. Of course there are drink specials at each spot--ten bars are participating, including Lew's Bar and Grill, Quinton's Waldo Bar, Tanner's Bar and Grill and the Waldo Pizza Tap Room. Thank you, locally owned businesses, for hosting this event!Please drink responsibly and remember, bars are within walking distance! Tickets in advance are less than at the door...here's the info page: www.waldocrawldo.com 06/09/2016