Waldo Crawldo This Saturday June 8, 2013

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

It’s time once again for the Waldo Crawldo Pub Crawl to benefit Habitat for Humanity – Kansas City. This is a really fun evening–get a group together and explore some Waldo bars and eateries you may not be familiar with…you are sure to make new friends along the way!

Saturday June 8, 2013

6pm-midnight

Begins at 75th and Wornall

14 bars and restaurants on the route

$5 per ticket presale at participating venues; $10 at the door.

Food and drink specials, plus prizes for biggest group, best t-shirt and best costume

www.waldokc.org

Thank you for supporting locally owned Waldo businesses and events!

Good Mexican Food–Chelly’s Cafe in Waldo

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Just as I started to fix dinner on a recent Friday night, our neighbor calls. “Let’s go out for Mexican food!” he says. I picture a frosty margarita, a night off from cooking and immediately agree! So we head over to Chelly’s’ Cafe in Waldo.

Chelly’s Café in Waldo

Chelly’s is one of those restaurants I’ve passed many times, but haven’t tried. All these years I’ve been living in Brookside–and have never stopped at this nice little neighborhood dining spot! It’s a family owned restaurant, located in strip mall on 85th St just east of Wornall Road . Open for about eleven years, it’s the kind of place that gives you a lot of food for the price, with quick service.. I started off with a margarita in a large bowl glass that was just $5. It felt like two drinks for the price of one.

For dinner, I ordered the Steak Tacos ($8.50). They came in doubled shell corn tortillas, dressed with onion (raw, wish it had been grilled) and cilantro. On the side was fresh lettuce, a scoop of guacamole, rice, black beans and a lime wedge. I ate two tacos and had enough left over for lunch the next day. Very tasty. I don’t remember what the rest of our group ordered, probably because we were all talking, but everyone liked their food. Chelly’s has all of the usual selections you would expect in a Mexican restaurant, plus a hamburger and grilled chicken sandwich option . I also like the fact you can order many items a la carte. We enjoyed the fresh chips and salsa brought to the table soon after being seated. Service was friendly and quick–and the restaurant was very busy. A lovely woman sang songs in Spanish from the front of the room, but it didn’t look like too many folks were paying attention.

Chelly’s is open seven days a week, and serves breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. The breakfast nachos and breakfast burrito are especially popular .

I’m looking forward to going back to Chelly’s soon–I want to try their fajitas. Thank you for supporting our locally owned Brookside/Waldo businesses!

Jackson County Mailing Assessment Notices to Brookside Homeowners

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

The Jackson County Assessment department recently sent out reassessment notices to hundreds of homeowners in the Brookside area. You may recall going through reassessment two years ago, as Missouri reassesses residential properties in odd numbered years. The Kansas City Star featured an article on Saturday about the updated property values, as some homeowners’ tax bills have increased dramatically.

Here in Brookside, home values are up. However, you may feel your property assessment is high compared to fair market value (what your home would sell for in today’s market). As a homeowner, you do have the right to appeal the valuation. Instructions are on the form that you recieved in the mail, or you can visit www.jacksongov.org/appeal. When making your appeal, you may have to provide recent home sales in your area that are comparable to your property. Check websites like Trulia and Zillow for more information, or ask your Realtor for assistance.

I do not know how they come up with the specific property market value for each home. Our home was assessed at $2000 less than two years ago, yet a neighbor’s property value increased by $40,000! It’s worth a bit of your time to file an appeal if you believe the county has overvalued your house.

Waldo Farmers Market Opens May 1, 2013

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Waldo Farmers Market

Now in it’s third year, the Waldo’s Farmers’ Market is preparing to open for the season this week: Wednesday May 1, 2013. It’s located one block east of 79th and Wornall next to Habitat ReStore and the hours are 3pm-7pm every Wednesday.

I view the Waldo Farmers’ Market as the little sibling of the Brookside Farmers’ Market–a bit smaller, grungier and casual then it’s neighbor to the north. Here you will find the usual organic and sustainably grown vegetables, meat, eggs, cheese, jams, honey, flowers, body products and herbs. However, the Waldo market offers a couple of unique items: this year you can buy H and C handcrafted ice cream or try organic barbecue from Smokin’ Fresh Streetside BBQ–including vegan options (that sounds interesting!). One stop at this market on the way home from work and you can pick up ingredients for a delicious dinner in just a few minutes.

Check out the Waldo Farmers Market website for more info, or look for their Facebook page. A portion of the vendor fees go to Habitat ReStore. Remember to bring a bag for your purchases, cash for easy transactions and pets are ok if they are on a leash. Thank you for supporting Waldo!

Brookside Farmers’ Market Opens This Saturday!

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

A sure sign Spring is finally here…the opening of the Brookside Farmers’ Market! First day of the season this year is Saturday April 20, 2013; hours are 8am-1pm at 63rd and Wornall Road, behind Border Star School.

(The Waldo Farmers Market will open May 1).

Brookside Farmers’ Market in Kansas City

The Brookside Farmers’ Market was started in 2003 and has grown every year. The vendors are local to the Kansas City area, and all the produce is organic. You’ll find vegetables, fruit, herbs, plants; grass fed, organic beef; home made products for your body and whole grain breads and baked goods, with some gluten free offerings. Although we are early in the season, there will be a variety of lettuces, kale, spinach and snow peas at the market this spring.

Farmers and vendors here encourage shoppers to talk about what they are purchasing: where goods are coming from, how they are grown, the various varieties for sale, cooking tips, etc. It’s a friendly, comfortable atmosphere and if you live in Brookside–you will probably run into neighbors shopping at the same time!

Special events this year include Chef Demos on the second Saturday of each month and a Home Gardening Festival on May 11.

More information on vendors can be found at the website. Remember to bring a bag for your goodies and cash is always appreciated for a faster transaction. Thank you for supporting Brookside!

One School Closing, Another School Opens

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

I was sad to learn that Christ the King elementary school in Waldo is closing at the end of the school year. Located at 85th and Wornall Road, this school has been an anchor for the neighborhood for almost 70 years. Student enrollment has steadily declined over the past few years and it is no longer financially possible to keep the school open. Fewer than 100 students had enrolled for the 2013-2014 school year.

On a positive note, Hale Cook Elementary is pushing forward with its plans to open in August. Although the first year the school will operate at Hartman Elementary, the Hale Cook building at 73rd and Pennsylvania will be used in the 2014-2015 school year. Hale Cook is a public school, operated by the Kansas City MO school district. It is reopening after ten years not due to the efforts of the school district, but because of community volunteers, lead by Brookside resident Ashley Hand. Ashley and her group realize the importance of having a well managed and education focused school within the neighborhood to serve the families who live nearby. This school will succeed because of strong parent involvement and support.

According to the US Census, 77% of school age children in the 64112 and 64113 zip codes attend private schools. This means their parents or guardians spend thousands of dollars each year on tuition. Having another public elementary school option (besides Border Star) will encourage residents to stay in our area. Currently, many families move to Kansas (or pay for private school) because the KCMO public schools are not accredited.

I don’t think any of the Christ the King school kids will be able to switch to Hale Cook–as Hale Cook is starting with kindergarten classes at first. These parents will be scrambling to find a spot for their young ones next year; there are some options. Christ the King school will be missed in Waldo–just as the opening of Hale Cook is welcome.

Spring Events in the Brookside/Waldo Area

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

As we get into the warmer weather, the calendar fills up with happenings in the Brookside/Waldo area! I’ve listed the upcoming major events here for reference:

Brookside Farmers’ Market

Opening day this year is April 20, 8:00am-1:00pm at 63rd and Wornall, Border Star School. The market is open every Saturday.

Waldo Farmers Market

Opening day is May 1, 3:00pm-7:00pm on 79th St, one block east of Wornall next to Habitat ReStore. This market is open every Wednesday.

25th Annual Trolley Run

April 28 at 7:45am, starts 75th and Wornall and ends on the Plaza. Major Brookside roads will be closed that morning north to the Plaza; expect traffic delays.

Brookside Art Fair

May 3-5, hours vary each day, at Brookside Blvd and 63rd St. Please, no rain!

I’ll write more details about each activity in upcoming blogs. I am especially looking forward to the opening of the farmers markets! Thank you for supporting our neighborhood Brookside/Waldo events.

Brookside Home Sales Report Feb 2013

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

The busy spring home buying season is here, and are very strong so far in 2013. Our Brookside neighborhood is experiencing fast sales and higher average sales prices. Here are the home sales stats for February 2013 and a year-to-date comparison with 2012 for the main Brookside zip code of 64113:

In February 2013, 14 homes sold. The average list price was $368,032 and the average sales price was $356,910. Average days on market: 135.

In February 2012, 11 homes sold. The average list price was $315,286 and the average sales price was $296,289. Average days on market: 144.

Average sales price from one year ago is 20% higher! Days on market is slightly less. This is great news for sellers–home values are increasing, which means your home has more equity.

Let’s compare year-to-date figures:

In the first two months of 2013, thirty homes sold with an average sales price of $305,493 and 102 days on market.

In the first two months of 2012, twenty homes sold with an average sales price of $318,734 and 134 days on market.

Note that the average price for 2013 is a bit less. The reason? More expensive homes sold in 2012 and fewer homes sold, pushing the average price up. In 2013 we’ve had more units sold and fewer days on market–that is the right direction for a healthy market.

Currently there are 80 single family homes for sale in zip 64113, with an average price of $682,126 and 157 days on market. The average list price is very high; usually it is in the lower to mid $300,000 range. However, 30 of the 80 homes currently for sale are priced over $500,000 and ten of the 30 are priced over $1,000,000. There are many ‘upper bracket’ homes for sale which pushes up the average sales price.

If you would like specific sales numbers for your neighborhood, email me for a report tailored to your area!

(All figures taken from Heartland MLS and deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Armour Hills Feb 2013 Home Sales Stats

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Armour Hills Homes in Brookside

Home prices are on the rise in Armour Hills! Although it’s officially April, I am just now publishing the February 2013 home sales stats for our neighborhood. It’s good news worth waiting for as average home sales prices are way up:

In February 2013, four homes sold. Average list price was $261,238 and average sales price was $257,375. Average days on market was 79.

In February 2012, one home sold at a price of $195,000 and seven days on the market.

Now let’s compare to year-to-date figures:

For 2013, six homes have sold at an average price of $245,250 and 62 days on market.

In 2012, three homes sold the first two months of the year at an average price of $208,333 and 43 days on market.

These figures represent a big jump in average sales price and number of homes sold–and we are not even into the heavy buying months of April and May. Buyers are out early this year, snapping up the well maintained, updated homes in our area and paying higher prices. I expect this trend to continue the next several months.

Currently there are ten homes for sale in Armour Hills, with an average list price of $245,760 and just 36 days on market. I know of at least three Armour Hills homes that were recently listed and sold within two days! There is a lack of inventory right now, partially due, I think, to the two huge snow storms and spring break vacations.

The housing slump is over!

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

New FHA Loan Requirements Begin April 1, 2013

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

As a real estate agent, today’s blog relates to Brookside/Waldo home buyers who plan to use FHA financing. Many buyers often use FHA loans to finance their purchases. Two reasons why: FHA requires the least amount for a down payment: 3.5% of the purchase price of the home, vs 5% for a conventional loan; and it’s easier to get pre-approved for a loan if your credit score is less than what a conventional loan requires. However, starting April 1, 2013, the MIP fee (“‘mortgage insurance premium”) associated with an FHA loan is going up so buyers will be paying more to finance a home purchase using this method. Here are the details:

Currently the MIP fee is 1.25% of the loan amount, and this fee is dropped once 22% equity is gained and the homeowners have paid 5 years on the loan. After April 1, the fee will be 1.35% and this fee is permanent. For example, a $200,000 loan amount today would have a $208 per month MIP fee. These changes mean that after April 1, the fee will be $225 per month, for the life of the loan.

This is a big change for buyers. It means increased monthly payments , regardless of how much equity is earned during ownership. A homeowner can refinance at some point to drop the MIP fee, but this is still a major change for buyers who want to use FHA financing.

Why the increase? FHA is paying millions more regarding loans that have defaulted due to the housing crash. By law, the agency must maintain a certain level of funds–and the balance sheet is way short of what’s needed. So –guess who gets to make up the shortfall because the agency didn’t follow their own guidelines? Homebuyers, mostly first time buyers, just trying to get their piece of the American Dream by purchasing a home. (Yes, I had to make a personal comment here!)

If you are planning a spring home purchase using an FHA loan, contact your lender now for specifics on what this change means for your particular situation. You may want to get under contract before April 1, 2013 if possible to avoid these new fees.

Inside Brookside (And Waldo)

What's Happening In Brookside and Waldo (Kansas City, Missouri)

Category Archives: Brookside Community News