Author Archives: Mary Hutchison

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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.

*NEW* Waldo Farmer’s Market Open on Saturdays!

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Good news–our neighborhood now has another farmer’s market to shop on Saturdays! The Waldo Farmer’s Market is “back”, in that a new organization is coordinating the vendors. It’s happening each Saturday at Three Trails Community Church, 7735 Main St. I recently spoke with market manager Jessica Thudium about the details.

The *new* Waldo Farmer’s Market!


Jessica and her husband Sam are members of the church, and are very dedicated to providing services for the community. They run the Christmas toy drive, the food pantry and coordinate food drives. Jessica wanted to do ever more for the neighborhood and the church leadership team supported the idea of the market. Jessica went to work, contacting vendors and making booth arrangements. Their first market was last Saturday.


Currently there is a produce booth that also sells greenhouse kits; an ice cream truck; a baked goods and flower vendor, and an upcycle clothing booth. Jessica has space for more, and is currently looking for another produce option, coffee provider, fresh eggs and honey booths. “We are so excited to create this space for the community” says Jessica, “it’s an opportunity for people to come together, enjoy local fresh food and goods and support these hard working local business folks”.


The Waldo Farmer’s Market is happening every Saturday from 9am-1pm, in the parking lot at Three Trails Community Church, 7735 Main St. You can follow their Facebook page for the most up to date information. And if you know someone who may be interested in renting space at the market, contact Jessica at farmersmarket@threetrailscommunity.com.

Brookside Art Annual Starts Tonight!

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Friends and neighbors, gather in Brookside this weekend for the 39th Brookside Art Annual!

Tonight the booths open at 5pm and close at 9pm; Saturday hours are 10am-9pm and Sunday from 11am-5pm; location is 63rd St and Brookside Blvd. Artists from around the Midwest and beyond display paintings, pottery, clothing, jewelry and more — all for sale…and it’s just fun to browse!! You can nosh on food and beverages from Cosentino’s Market, Charlie Hoopers, Everbowl and more; plus on Saturday afternoon there are activities for the kids. Please be extra aware of additional pedestrians in the area over the weekend… Thank you for supporting our Brookside events and hand made art!

Trolley Run Closes Brookside Streets on Sunday

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Just the facts…note these street closures for Sunday! Another run coming through our neighborhood.

The 37th CCVI Trolley Run will close off streets the morning of Sunday April 27 . The race begins at 75th and Wornall, and runs along Gregory and Brookside Blvd north to the Plaza. Here’s the route map:

The website doesn’t share any info on an approximate end time for the race; be prepared for these streets to be blocked off all morning on Sunday and plan accordingly!

Waldo Home Sales Report – March 2025

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You’ll notice a big jump in the median sales price in Waldo homes last month–most properties sold over $300K, and several were over $400K, pushing that price up. Here are the sales stats for Waldo single family homes, using the boundaries of State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th:

march 2025march 2024
Median list price:$365,000$292,450
Median sales price:$358,350$303,000
Days on market:63
No. of homes sold:3329

The median price rose 18% from last March, due to those higher listing prices. The lowest closed price was $156,500 and the highest was $625,000. Below are the year to date numbers:

jan-march 2025jan-march 2024
Median list price:$286,000$285,000
Median sales price:$293,205$295,000
Days on market:103
No. of homes sold:5251

Compared to last year, home prices are lower by about .5%, not much at all. Virtually the same number of properties have changed owners and most homes go under contract within a few days. Currently there are 13 homes for sale in Waldo, with a median list price of $235,000 and 26 days on market. In Waldo you can get a smaller bargain home or pay more for a larger, updated property!

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

Welcome to Brookside + Waldo: Blue Sky Art+Home!

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Blue Sky…those words conjure up a smile and warm vibes.  That’s the feeling you get when you walk into a new Waldo shop, Blue Sky Art+Home at 408 East Gregory, a few steps from the Front Range Cafe. Owner Leslie Beck opened the space November 1, and invites you to stop by!

Leslie Beck

Leslie grew up in Brookside and graduated from the University of Kansas with a BA in Fine Arts.  She worked out of her home for years as a graphic designer (and still does that work); after her Dad passed a few years ago she started to paint on canvas.  She had pop up shows at various locations at First Fridays, and eventually wanted to have her work on display in her own space.  She met up with her close friend Katherine Bramble Taylor and together they had a long collaborative “blue sky” session, talking about “what would you do if you could do anything”.   They decided to look for space together in the Waldo area and found this perfect spot.  Katherine’s floral and gift shop, Bramble and Stem, is next door. 

Blue Sky is an art studio, gallery and boutique. Inside you’ll find Leslie’s original paintings on the walls and unique merch for sale:  pottery by Rachael Akin from Lees Summit; Archive bath and body products by Margot Elena; beautiful textiles and pillows, small vases, books and a special Blue Sky candle, scented by Brookside’s The Corner Candleshop. In the back of the store, Leslie hosts creativity workshops, often collaborating with Katherine  from Bramble and Stem next door.  Leslie explains these workshops are not technique or skill driven.  “Each one has a theme, and we start out with some journaling thoughts for inspiration.  Then everyone uses paints and various marking tools to create a personal  piece of art”.  No judgement here–Leslie knows everyone is born with a creative spark of some sort and she works with you to naturally bring out your inspiration in a unique way.  

Besides creating art in this space and offering workshops and special gifts, Leslie also works on commission.  Her mission is to create art with love; her work is deeply personal and meaningful. Through the commissioned pieces she will transform cherished photos into abstract paintings or create something entirely new, guided by emotions as she listens to your favorite songs via a playlist. Every piece is very personal and lasting.

Like so many working artists, Leslie has two full time jobs: working in this space and raising a family of five children with her husband.  You can email her (leslie@blueskyartandhome.com) for shop hours or pop by when you are walking in the neighborhood.  

Brookside Home Sales Report – March 2025

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There were some big dollar home sales in Brookside last month, pushing up the median sales price quite a bit. I remember when million dollar home sales in Brookside were rare! Let’s take a look at the details–these are the stats for single family home sales in the main Brookside zip code of 64113:

march 2025march 2024
Median list price:$615,000$475,000
Median sales price:$625,000$520,000
Days on market:22
No. of homes sold:2117

Last month five homes closed over $1,000,000–the highest sale was $1,999,000; the lowest was $359,000. That pushed the median sales price up 20% from last year, and a few more homes sold in March 2025. Here are the year-to-date numbers:

jan-march 2025jan-march 2024
Median list price:$585,000$510,000
Median sales price:$590,000$517,000
Days on market:43
No. of homes sold:4944

So far this year, home values are up 14% over last year…sellers are, for the most part, getting list price or more. The number of homes changing owners remains steady.

Currently there are 8 single family homes for sale in Brookside, with a median price of $595,000. The lowest price home is $440k and the highest is $1.2 million.

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

Armour Hills Home Sales Report – February 2025

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Several homes changed owners last month in Armour Hills–we had another sale that crossed the $700K mark! Let’s take a look at the numbers; Armour Hills is the largest subdivision in Brookside with about 1100 single family homes.

february 2025february 2024
Median list price:$452,000$400,000
Median sales price:$447,500$410,000
Days on market:3312
No. of homes sold:83

The median price jumped 9% since last February, however, note that many more homes closed last month. The lowest closed price was $340,000 and the highest was $727.000 ($28K over the list price!). Here are the year-to-date numbers:

jan-feb 2025jan-feb 2024
Median list price:$470,000$400,000
Median sales price:$460,000$410,000
Days on market:255
No. of homes sold:97

Home values are up 12% over the first two months of last year however…we have a wide range of home prices here in Armour Hills and when the higher priced homes sell, especially in a bidding war, prices go up fast. Currently there are no homes for sale in Armour Hills–that could change tomorrow!.

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

Waldo Home Sales Report – February 2025

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Good news for homebuyers..it looks like home prices are dipping down somewhat in Waldo compared to 2024. Still, this is the busy homebuying season and there is still quite a bit of demand. Let’s take a look at the numbers:

february 2025february 2024
Median list price:$284,000$275,000
Median sales price:$282,450$281,000
Days on market:186
No. of homes sold:1219

Prices were slightly higher this year, by .5 percent–last month, homes sat on the marekt a bit longer before going under contract. The lowest closed price was $210K, the highest was $585,000. Below are the year-to-date numbers:

jan-feb 2025jan-feb 2024
Median list price:$283,000$280,000
Median sales price:$277,500$283,000
Days on market:234
No. of homes sold:3330

So far this year, prices are running about 2% lower than 2024, a few more units have closed. And again, some homes linger on the market longer. There is a positive aspect to that: buyers can take a little more time to look around and decide if a house feels right to them, rather than having to immediately jump into a bidding war.

Currently there are 13 single family homes for sale in Waldo, with a price range of $160K on the low side to $515 tops. The median asking price is $275,000 and 60 days on market.

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

Brookside Home Sales Report – February 2025

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Overall, Brookside home sales so far this year are consistent with the same period as 2024. However, we did see a dip in the median sold price last month compared to last February. I’ll explain below; these stats are for single family home sales in the main Brookside zip code of 64113:

february 2025february 2024
Median list price:$470,000$638,000
Median sales price:$460,000$630,000
Days on market:2211
No. of homes sold:1711

You can see the 26% drop in the median sales price; however, note that last February, there were three mutli-million dollar closed sales; last month there were none. Higher priced homes raise the overall median price. More homes changed hands as well. Here are the year-to-date numbers:

jan-feb 2025jan-feb 2024
Median list price:$529,000$515,000
Median sales price:$525,000$515,000
Days on market:239
No. of homes sold:2827

Overall, the median sales price is up almost 2% since last year, and homes have sat on the market a little longer before going under contract. The number of sales remains steady.

Currently there are eight homes listed in Brookside, with a median list price of $557,900 and 49 days on the market. Six of the homes are priced over $500K; and three of those are over $1,000,000. The higher priced homes sit on the market longer, lengthening the days on market without a contract.

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

Brookside St Pat’s Parade Happening Tomorrow!

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One of Brookside’s most cherished events is happening tomorrow-the annual St. Patrick’s Day Warm Up Parade. I believe this is the 43rd year for the parade–and every year, it seems more and more people participate. The parade kicks off at 2pm.

Dreaming of Green is this year’s theme, and yes, there are prizes for participants! You’ll see huge colorful floats, an assortment of dogs, drill teams, crazy cars and local vendors, services and schools walking the route. Note: the streets around the parade route will be shut down starting early in the afternoon (parts of Wornall, Meyer, 63rd St and Brookside Road) so be aware and plan accordingly. The residential streets will be clogged with extra parked cars and traffic; watch for pedestrians, bikes, strollers, wagons and general merriment as the neighborhood gets out to celebrate.

Remember to stop in one of our local businesses for a beverage or shopping while you are in the area!…and thank you for supporting Brookside!