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About Mary Hutchison

Every day I'm driving around my cherished neighborhood of Brookside (and Waldo)...observing what's going on, watching new businesses move in and out, and touring homes (I'm a Realtor with Weichert Realtors). Starting this blog about Brookside/Waldo is a way I thought I could promote the area and spark some discussion about what's happening here...and what's going to happen. Your comments are welcome.

Waldo Home Sales Report-June 2021

Waldo continues to be one of the most desirable locations for homebuyers this year–like everywhere else, prices are going way up. Halfway through the year, let’s take a look at what’s been happening in Waldo. I’m tracking single family home sales, in the area bordered by Gregory, 85th and State Line to Holmes.

June 2021                                                                         June 2020

Median list price:      $255,000                                        $229,900

Median sales price:  $270,000                                         $237,000

No. of homes sold:       49                                                    45

Days on market:            2                                                  2

Buyers are paying about 5% over list price, and values are up 14% since last June. Most houses go under contract within 48 hours of listing. Here are the year-to-date stats:

Jan-June 2021                                                                               Jan-June 2020

Median list price:     $250,000                                                    $219,950

Median sales price:  $265,000                                                   $226,000

No. of homes sold:     200                                                           169

Days on market:           2                                                              5

More homes closed at this halfway point than last year; prices up 14% YTD compared to last year. The lowest sold price this year so far is $65,000 and the highest is $605,000. Currently there are 18 active Waldo listings, with a median list price of $272,500 and eight days on market.

(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Brookside Home Sales Report-June 2021

We are halfway through the year and there isn’t a slowdown in the demand for Brookside homes–most homes are still closing at over asking price and go under contract within a few days. Here are the stats for June 2021, single family home sales, using the main Brookside zip code of 64113:

June 2021                                                                                                June 2020

Median list price:      $482,000                                                                  $424,900

Median sales price:    $500,000                                                                $420,000

No. sold:                       38                                                                              27

Days on market:           2                                                                                8

Last month, four homes sold over $1,000,000–including the highest sale so far this year, at $4.2 million. The lowest closed price was $212,000. Final sales prices were 19% over 2020. Now let’s look at the year-to-date numbers:

Jan-June 2021                                                                                         Jan-June 2020

Median list price:      $470,250                                                                  $425,000

Median sales price:   $482,763                                                                 $433,000

No. sold:                        168                                                                           208

Days on market:           2                                                                                6

Fewer homes on the market means fewer homes sold, which in turn means home prices go up. Compared to last year, home values have risen 11.49% this year–amazing! Currently there are 19 active single family homes for sale in Brookside, with a median price of $595,000. Fourteen homes are priced over $500K; four of those are over $1,000,000.

(all stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Brookside Sidewalk Sale This Weekend July 8-10

It’s time for the annual Brookside Sidewalk Sale, happening this weekend July 8-10, 2021! Hours are 10am-6pm each day; stroll around Brookside checking out the various sales and special deals. Don’t forget to plan a stop for a beverage or meal as well!

You can also take advantage of the Shred Event on Saturday, starting at 8am until the trucks are full. Limit two boxes; drop off is in the parking lot behind Jalepeno’s next to the tennis courts.

Thank you for supporting our locally owned Brookside shops, restaurants and services!

Armour Hills Home Sale Report-May 2021

Well neighbors, the Armour Hills subdivision in Brookside hit a record last month for the highest recorded sale of a single family home. Hard to believe, but someone paid $130,000 over the list price! How crazy is that? Let’s look at the numbers:

May 2021                                                                                       May 2020

Median list price:     $365,000                                                    $352,000

Median sales price:  $363,000                                                   $352,500

No. sold:                         9                                                                 16

Days on market:          2                                                                  4

The lowest sold price last month was $300K, and the highest was $605,000 on a $475,000 list price. It was a beautiful house–a record high closing price for Armour Hills. Here are the year-to-date numbers:

Jan-May 2021                                                                                Jan-May 2020

Median list price:              $367,450                                           $349,900

Median sales price:          $379,950                                           $342,500

No. of homes sold:            26                                                        29

Days on market:               2                                                           10

Home values have increased in Armour Hills almost 11% year to date compared to last year. Currently there are four listings in the area, with a median price of $354,450 and 23 days on market.

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE JULY 4 HOLIDAY!!!!

(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Waldo Home Sales Report-May 2021

Ready for the latest Waldo home sales stats? Yes, prices continue to rise, and yes, homes are selling quickly. If you are trying to buy a home in Waldo–don’t get discouraged! Stay the course, be prepared and eventually it will work out. This report reflects the Waldo boundaries of Gregory to 85th St and State Line to Holmes.

May 2021                                                                                       May 2020

Median list price:     $265,000                                                    $254,950

Median sales price:  $278,500                                                   $249,000

No. sold:                        30                                                              36

Days on market:         2                                                                4

Home values up 11% compared to May 2020; the lowest closed price last month was $119,000 and the highest was $605,000.

Here are the year-to-date numbers:

Jan-May 2021                                                                                          Jan-May 2020

Median list price:       $249,950                                                                 $215,000

Median sales price:   $263,500                                                                 $222,000

No. sold:                             158                                                                      131

Days on market:               2                                                                            13

Another big increase in Waldo home values over last year–18% year-to-date. Currently, there are just ten single family homes for sale in Waldo, with a median list price of $240,000 and 8 days on market. Prices range from $109,000 to $429,000.

(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Brookside Home Sales Stats-May 2021

We all know this is a crazy housing market–not just in Kansas City, but across the USA. And the sales stats for last month in Brookside are nothing I’ve seen before–it is a stunning example of how little inventory we have and how fast homes are selling. I’m using the main Brookside zip code of 64113, single family homes–take a look:

May 2021                                                                                       May 2020

Median list price:      $480,000                                                   $457,450

Median sales price:  $480,000                                                   $447,250

No. sold:                             7                                                             36

Days on market:               0                                                              25

Just seven homes closed last month–compared to 36 in May 2020! And how can a house have zero days on market? That means the house wasn’t really listed on the open market–may have been a one time showing to a buyer who said “I’ll take it” or perhaps a For Sale By Owner property. Highly, highly unusual–especially during the usual busy Spring listing season.

Here are the year-to-date numbers:

Jan-May 2021                                                                                Jan-May 2020

Median list price:      $434,000                                                   $419,000

Median sales price:   $450,500                                                  $410,000

No. sold:                             119                                                        129

Days on market:               2                                                             10

Home values are up 7% year to date with buyers paying about 3.8% over the list price. Most Brookside houses go under contract within two days. Currently there are thirteen single family homes for sale in zip code 64113 with a median list price of $569,900 and 24 days on market. Over half the homes are priced over $500,000.

(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Be Social at Waldo’s Newest Sports Bar

Many consider the “heart” of Waldo to be the intersection of 75th and Wornall, where there are several shops, bars and eateries.  So many choices!  And a new one has been added to the mix:  Social, at 7425 Broadway, just north of Waldo Pizza.  I stopped in earlier this week to find out more about it…

Local owner Shawn Larson  (along with Tyler Humar, who also owns Brickhouse)  has several years’ experience in the restaurant business, most recently at Sol Cantina on Martini Corner.  He loves the vibrant feel of Waldo, and thinks Social fits in well with the other three bars just a few steps away.  “I’m friends with all the bar owners, and this place is just another option for people to visit”.  Social is billed as a sports bar, where anyone can come in to “watch sports and have a good time” according to Shawn.  He specifically designed the tables so that from any angle, there’s a good view of a screen.  And the centerpiece of Social  is four large screens on the wall behind the bar, that can broadcast four separate channels or be combined to be one gigantic screen showing one event.  This is a big plus for those really important games that everyone wants to watch—it’s almost like you are at the venue surrounded by other fans.

There’s a couple of unique things about Social that set it apart from other bars:  they have a generous happy hour schedule, including all day on Mondays; Tuesday through Thursday from 3-7 and Fridays from 3-9pm.  If you want to play, there’s  a couple of dart boards, and a cool shuffleboard table with a suspended glass top—easy to eat and play at the same time.  If you need a bit of fresh air, step out on the small patio in the back.  On Thursdays, Social offers live music and a DJ plays on weekends.  “People love the atmosphere and feel of this place” says Shawn.

As for the food…all your bar favorites are here, including tacos, burgers (double stacked, brisket blended and fresh, not frozen), salads (that can double as a wrap) and some specialties:  the Nashville hot chicken sandwich is a big seller, and the Popper Burger, which has bacon jam, jalapeño honey cream cheese and Sriracha aoli.

Social is open every day from 11am-midnight; Thursday, Friday and Saturday they close at 3am.  Stop by Social and check out Waldo’s newest sports bar!

Armour Hills Home Sales Report-April 2021

Like the rest of Brookside, Armour Hills homes are experiencing record setting prices and going under contract quickly!  Take a look at the price jump from just one year ago!!  Here are the numbers:

April 2021                                                             April 2020

Median list price:     $400,000                         $340,000

Median sales price:  $415,000                        $336,500

No. of homes sold:     7                                      6

Days on market:          1                                      20

Buyers paid an average of 3.75% over asking price last month.  Homes went under contract within a day.  Here are the year-to-date stats:

Jan-April 2021                                                     Jan-April 2020

Median list price:        $369,900                       $339,950

Median sales price:    $397,200                       $337,500

No. of homes sold:     17                                   13

Days on market:          1                                      32

Compared to last year, home values are up 17%!  It’s a great time to be a seller, especially if you have an updated, well maintained house. Currently there are three homes listed in Armour Hills, with a median list price of $315,000 and 6 days on market.

(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Brookside Home Sales Report-April 2021

More interesting stats on the home sales market in Brookside…I’m a bit late reporting as I’ve been very busy selling houses! So let’s get into it…here are the numbers for single family home sales in Brookside, using the main Brookside zip code of 64113:

April 2021                                                                            April 2020

Median list price:    $490,250                                     $419,000

Median sales price:      $511,500                                       $400,000

No. sold:                      28                                                        10

Days on market:         2                                                        23

We had our highest sale so far this year last month; a Sunset Hill home closed at $2.16 million.  The lowest sold home was $285,000.  Prices are up 27% over last April.

Here are the year-to-date numbers:

Jan-April 2021                                                               Jan-April 2020

Median list price:     $429,000                                         $367,450

Median sales price:  $432,000                                        $367,500

No. sold:                      83                                                        60

Days on market:        2                                                          17   

Prices are up 17% YTD. One closed sale this year went $65K over the list price! Currently there are 12 single family home listings in Brookside, with a median asking price of $462,475 and 5 days on market.

(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Taco Cacao Now in Waldo

Just about every week I find myself craving Mexican food…especially in the warmer summer months. Do you feel the same? We have several local options in the Brookside/Waldo area, so why drive into a generic chain for the taco fix? Support Local!

Taco Cacao opened several weeks ago at 7927 Wornall. This is a taco and burrito food truck. Readers, usually I contact the owner/manager to get some background information for the blog–but the contact I had for Taco Cacao did not return my call. So this blog is just the basics…

The food is hot and inexpensive. There are all kinds of taco and burrito combinations, vegetarian included, and all items are to go. Beverages include Coke, Sprite and Jarritto Mexican Soda. There is a picnic table next to the truck–however it’s pretty noisy with all the Wornall traffic whizzing by. I saw several customers eating in their parked cars! Other options include purchasing “family packs” and three salsas by the pound! When I stopped in, it was around 2:30 in the afternoon and for a snack, I ordered a black bean/rice taco topped with guacamole. By the time I got back to my office about ten minutes away–the food was still hot, wrapped tightly in foil inside the styrofoam box. Fresh guac!! The man I spoke with was friendly and service oriented. I’ll be making this a regular stop for a quick lunch or dinner!

This photo above is actually on the building just behind the truck. I was wondering if the food for the truck is cooked inside? But as I was not able to speak with a manager, it’s a mystery–along with why the logo is a pig in a taco??

TacoCacao is located at 7927 Wornall, that’s on east side of Wornall, on the corner next to 79th Terrace. It’s actually easier to park on 79th Terrace and walk up the street to order. The food truck is open Monday – Saturday 11-3 and 5-8; Sundays 11-3. You can order online as well. Thank you for supporting small business in Waldo!