Is Brookside Really More Welcoming than Johnson County?

OK, I know I could get in trouble with the title of this post. But it happened again today…someone I know moved into a Leawood South home a few weeks ago and no one has come over to say ‘welcome’.

A networking friend recently referred me to someone who was moving to the KC area from Oregon for a job.  This couple, in their 60s, are very nice and friendly.  Although they don’t want to buy a home right now, I did help them with a rental in Leawood (paying it forward and hoping it pays off!).  The newly relocated wife and I had lunch today. I asked her if she had met any of the neighbors.  She replied that a neighbor on one side ‘waved’ when going to his car one evening.  She has encountered the neighbor on the other side a few times but the neighbor has rebuffed any conversation.

A couple of years ago I sold a very nice, $300K home in Overland Park.  When I went to visit my customers several weeks later to see how they were doing, I also asked about neighborhood greetings.  She said the same thing:  no one has come over to introduce themselves, and in the driveway, it’s just a wave.  No conversation. Recently I was at a networking event in Brookside, chatting with a lady who moved from Brookside to a nicer subdivision near 119th and Nall.  She says, “I can’t wait to get back to Brookside when my kids are out of school..there just isn’t the friendliness and get togethers that are so common in Brookside.”

All of these couples are older, empty nesters, and perhaps it’s just easier to get to know the neighbors when you have kids running around–always a topic of conversation.  But without fail, every Brookside home I’ve sold has had the neighbors coming by to welcome the new residents with cookies, brownies, contact phone numbers and friendly conversation. They want to know about who’s moved in. Still, these consistant  remarks reinforce the stereotype of the more elite JoCo residents and the always smiling, always walking around Brooksiders.  Although I’m sure there are some not-so-friendly types here as well.

Not everyone wants to know the neighbors.  It’s easy  not to visit with someone when the garage is attached to the house and you never have to step outside to see who’s out there that may want to talk.  And I know all JoCo communities aren’t like my descriptions here.  One exception is a house I sold in Indian Fields–that block had a party for my buyers!  Buyers can always make the first move to knock on the neighbor’s door and introduce themselves.

Yet it’s disheartening to hear stories like this.  A big part of buying a  home is buying into a lifestyle–the pride of ownership, the relationships with the folks nearby, the school system if you have kids.  It’s easier than ever now  to hide behind devices and the door, wrapped up in your own world.  Thankfully that is rarely the case in Brookside.

Crime Reports for Brookside/Waldo

A neighbor stopped me the other day, asking if I had heard about the home break-ins one block over.  She mentioned two homes  were broken into during the early afternoon hours. I had not heard about these incidents at the time…but a couple of days later, they popped up on my personalized Crime Reports incident report. I don’t remember exactly  how I found out about this site, but it’s well worth a look for current crime stats in the Brookside/Waldo area.

Since August 8, there have been six thefts and two break-ins in my Armour Hills neighborhood.  That’s higher than  normal.  I checked a few other areas nearby, and Oak Meyer Gardens/Armour Hills Gardens and Rockhill Gardens  had two crimes each. These reports come to the site from the Kansas City Police Department.  The site also shows the location and description with photos, of registered sex offenders. Unfortunately, Kansas  police departments do not report to the site as far as I can tell.

One of the neat features about this site is that you can log in and set up a search for your  neighborhood–each week the site will automatically email you a crimes report for the area you designated.  This is a great tool to use to watch crime stats and also notify neighbors of problems, especially if there seems to be a pattern developing.  In Armour Hills, having two break-ins on the same day within a couple of hours of each other should put neighbors on alert for suspicious persons in the area.

As I sit typing this blog, I’m positioned in front of a window facing  the street.  Usually I see joggers, dog walkers, moms with strollers going by…kids walking home from school and contractors working on home improvement projects.  I’ve rarely  seen a suspicious person  lurking about…still, I am even more aware now  to consciously look around as I pull in and out of the driveway or walk to a neighbor’s home.  Being extra alert can deter crime.  If you are a Kansas City MO resident, check out crimereports.com for information on what’s happening in your area.

Thanks for reading my blog…if you are interested in home buying or selling in the Brookside/Waldo area, visit my website. I’m here to help!

My Favorite New Listings in Brookside

On Realtor  tour today…two new listings caught my eye…read on for details and a few pictures!

In one of my favorite subdivisions, Rockhill Gardens, this new Tudor home is move in ready!  Three bedrooms, two and a half baths, two car attached garage, finished basement with bonus room…a breezy side porch and sunny breakfast room.  New windows!  Large bedrooms! $243,000.

A few blocks north and east, in Armour Hills Gardens, there is a new listing on Cherry.  This one is also updated and ready for new owners:  Three bedrooms, one is on the first floor; two full baths, one car garage, a formal living room with a custom framed fireplace, and a nice sized office on the first floor.  Large patio in the backyard (no real yard) and a  one car garage private drive.  $209,950.

Note that these two homes are not my listings, but I can send you more information if you or someone you know is interested.  With interest rates at historic lows, this is the time to get a deal on a Brookside home you’ll treasure for years!  Contact me at mary.hutchison@prukc.com

Welcome Daren Teghtmeyer to Waldo!

Let’s be honest…the task of securing property insurance…doesn’t sound like much fun, right?  Yet you must have it.  The thought of calling around to agencies, deciding how much coverage to buy, what’s the right amount, how much will it cost, what the difference between agencies..it’s easy to put off that phone call. But it doesn’t have to be an unpleasant and boring task.

Daren Teghtmeyer, American Family Insurance Agent

Meet Daren Teghtmeyer, a  new American Family agent in Becky Beck’s office at 8043 Wornall. He’s here to make the entire process easy, quick, and understandable.   I met Daren at a Brookside networking event recently.  What impressed me most was his easygoing demeanor and obvious love of the job.  Daren wanted a career where he could be his own boss and give customers the high level of service they expect along with a quality product.  And that’s exactly what he’s doing.

There are differences in insurance companies, and getting ‘the cheapest rate’ is not necessarily the best way to go. When you have a major investment such as a car or a home, it needs proper protection–for those unexpected accidents that always seem to happen at the worst time. When you need to make a claim, you want to talk to a human who will be with you at every step. You want to talk to an agent who will be there at 2am or 2pm.  I think of those folks in Joplin who suffered through the massive tornado in May.  After the shock of the catastrophe, who do you think the homeowner called?  The insurance agent.  And hopefully it wasn’t some faceless call center agent at the other end of an 800 number.

That’s how Daren runs his business.  He’s all about getting you the information you want, helping you make a sound decision, and following up on a regular basis.  He takes a personal interest in his customers.  And his customers like him:  he’s athletic, likes playing outdoors, is newly married and dedicated to his work.  He’s easy to talk to and will take the time to explain, in detail, the various insurance options you should consider.  Some important questions to ask as you consider insurance options:  How available is the agent to you? How, exactly, are claims handled? What extra coverage do you offer that X company doesn’t ?  How much insurance do I need and why?  Why should I choose you and your company–what makes you different?

Speaking of Joplin, Daren related an interesting story to me the reinforces the American Family Insurance company values.  Four days after the tornado hit, he connected with other AF agents and headed to the site with some four wheelers.  They drove around the city and stopped to help out those individuals who needed it–clearing debris, cutting trees, etc.  He wasn’t in a trailer, handling claims–he was out with the still-in-shock residents, offering his help on a one to one basis.  Daren says this showed him the spirit and the mindset of his company–how they care about their customers in more ways than just following the insurance policy.

Contact Daren (dteghtme@amfam.com)  if you need insurance or are thinking of switching companies.  After discussing your needs, he’ll work up a free, no obligation quote for you.   He’s happy to meet you at his office or at your home, at a time that is convenient for you.  Daren, we know you are another asset to our  Waldo community.  Office location:  8043 Wornall Road, in the Becky Beck agency,  816 694 3217

Back to School Dates – Please Drive Cautiously in Brookside!

You drive the same route every day…but the next couple of weeks will be different!  The school calendar is showing start dates for area grade and high schools. Here in Brookside,  please note the dates below when children will be heading back to school that first day:

Monday, August 15:  Southwest Charter, 6512  Wornall          

                                                University Academy, 6801 Holmes         

Tuesday, August 16:  St Peter’s School, 6415 Holmes

Thursday, August 18:  St Teresa’s Academy, 5600 Main

Wednesday, August 24: Academie Layfayette, 6903 Oak

As you drive to your destination in the morning, please be aware of kids walking and riding bikes to school, and crossing the streets.  Be aware of increased auto and bus traffic for drop offs near these addresses. 

Thank you!

 

Mary

Brookside Armour Hills Home for Sale!

This sweet little home needs a new owner!  Located in desirable Armour Hills, it has a great location near the Trolley Track Trail..Classic Cookie…a bank…Mexican restaurant…hair salon and more!

Inside this three bedroom, one and a half bath home you’ll find a living room, dining room, breakfast room/office, updated kitchen and concrete patio in the fenced back yard.  There is a full basement, newer windows, and an attached garage with private drive.

For $169,500…it’s a bargain!  Armour Hills is a very active homes association with several annual events for the neighbors and a park with tennis courts nearby.

Take advantage of the low, low interest rates and check out this house  if you are looking for a Brookside home. We can be neighbors!

This home is located at 220 W 70th Terrace, just north of Gregory.

 

Brookside Business Assn Meeting Aug 5

I attended my first Brookside Business Association meeting this morning at JULIAN.  These folks know how to run a meeting:  the agenda was followed, business was discussed and we were finished in one hour!  Here are a few things I learned at the meeting to share with you:

*There is a petition going around to business owners along 63rd St to change the parking from a two hour limit Monday-Friday to a two hour limit seven days a week.  This would prevent outside food vendors from parking for an unlimited amount of time, which takes  away from local Brookside eateries.

*New construction work will begin on the Commerce Bank location in September. 

*The new principal of Southwest was at the meeting, Ed Richardson (not sure if that is correct, could not hear the pronounciation).  (And I tried to find his name and info on the KCMO school district website–no luck). I plan to interview him for a future blog post. He is from Yuma, AZ.

A short post today but informative! Thanks for reading.

Who Trims the Trees Near Power Lines in Kansas City?

This is a common question for the older housing areas in Kansas City..who’s responsible for trimming the trees near power lines?  A recent newsletter from the Homes Association of Kansas City clarified this question.  Read on for a summary:

The National Electric Safety Code requires that local utility companies trim or remove trees that may disrupt service. The
question of who’s responsible for exactly what trees is the nagging question. 
Kansas City Power and Light is responsible for trimming the pole to pole lines. As a homeowner, if you see a dangling limb that could endanger the line, call KCP&L to report it.  Someone will come out to take a look and assess the  situation.  

The homeowner is responsible for maintaining the pole to meter line–that’s the one that delivers electricity from the pole to your home. If there are limbs, vine growth and other vegetation on this line, contact a reputable tree trimmer to coordinate with KCP&L
to get it cleared up–the cost is borne by the homeowner. 

There is another scenerio to be aware of:  What if there is a tree that needs to be removed  near a pole to pole power line? I see this all the time in backyards–large trees, heavy with limbs  that could be dead or dying, with branches and growth near or on the pole.  In that case, contact the KCPL Vegetation Management Center and a representative will inspect the line (free of charge) and determine if KCP&L needs to trim the tree before it’s removed.

One final tip:  when you contact KCP&L, whether it’s online or via phone, keep a log of the date/time you contacted them, who you spoke with, who answered you and when you can expect a response.  It’s common to be shuffled around a few times and have your
request go down the black hole.  By keeping good notes, you can stay on top of who is responsible for getting back to  you.

The Kansas City Power and Light website for reference:  www.kcpl.com.  Click on the Customer Service tab, then scroll down to “Tree Trimming”.

Thank you for reading this blog..your comments are welcome.