Rare Breed Crossfit and Athletics Now Open in Waldo

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There are many exercise gyms in the Waldo area, and each tend to have their own vibe.  To stick with a regular program and routine, it’s important to feel comfortable and welcome in the space and know it is working for you—gotta stay motivated to get out there and just do it!! 

Rare Breed Crossfit and Athletics is a new spot that has something different to offer:  first, it is a locally and woman owned, LGBTQ+ business, welcoming all types of humans.  And, you can use your health savings or FSA savings account for services! 

Owner Ryann Bauser is from a small town in northeast Kansas, and graduated from Texas Tech with a master’s degree in Science and Kinesiology.  While working at a gym in Gardner, a client suggested she open her own place and told her about this particular space in Waldo that would be a good fit.  She decided to become her own boss and open Rare Breed last December.  Ryann told me she is not trying to be an “elite” gym—she promotes her business as a safe, judgement free space and focuses on working up a program based on each client’s ability and needs that works in their everyday life.    This is “functional fitness” that can be modified and scaled up or down depending on the customer.  In addition to semi private/personal training and group classes, nutritional plans are available and there is open gym time Monday through Friday mornings. 

Ryann calls all of her clients “athletes” – no matter what stage of fitness they are in.  She “ramps” each person into a program, focusing on their individual goals.  That can include building muscle, improving balance, cardio workouts, how to stay fit in your older years—Ryann has the knowledge and background to customize for each person.  “I want my athletes to take what they have learned here as they move in their everyday lives.” 

Ryann loves her space in Waldo and has felt so welcomed by the community.  “I’ve met a lot of other business owners in the area.  They have reached out to me to network and give advice when I ask for it.  I’ve learned so much from other Waldo small businesses about how to run my own place—they have offered great advice and guidance.  Along with my clients we are enjoying this tight knit group of neighbors and love being here!”

If you are interested in visiting Rare Breed Crossfit and Athletics, contact Ryann via the website. The gym location is 305 W 80th St in Waldo.

Waldo Week Starts Today!

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Here’s a quick blog to remind you about Waldo Week, starting today February 29 and running through March 5.

This is the 9th annual Waldo Week, where all are encouraged to celebrate and explore all the various services, retail spaces, restaurants and bars Waldo has to offer. Several establishments will offer special deals, including Eclectic’s, Waldo Pizza, Euston’s Hardware, Salumi Rose, Mike’s Wine and Spirits and Crow’s Coffee. The charity partner for this year is The Children’s Place.

Thank you for supporting our local small businesses in Waldo!

Armour Hills Home Sales Report – January 2024

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Home values in Armour Hills are rising fast..it just amazes me how much some of this homes sell for in bidding wars! I think demand will remain strong through the end of the year. Here’s a quick look at Armour Hills home sales stats for last month:

january 2024january 2023
Median list price:$425,000$349,900
Median sales price:$425,000$351,400
Days on market: 4 92
No. of homes sold: 4 3

Last month all but one home in Armour Hills sold at or above list price. Compared to a year ago, home values are up almost 21%!! The lowest closed price in January was $400K and the highest was $515,000. Currently there are just two homes for sale in Armour Hills, with a median price of $554,450.

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

Waldo Home Sales Report – January 2024

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It seems a little odd to be reporting January home sales stats when the temperature on this February day is in the 70s! I’m remembering the weeks of very frigid temps just last month. Grateful for the warm sunshine today! OK, getting down to business, here are the single family home sales stats for Waldo last month, using the boundaries of State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th St.

january 2024january 2023
Median list price: $285,000$260,253
Median sales price: $299,000$249,875
Days on market: 3 33
No. of homes sold: 11 14

Buyers paid about 5% over list price for their homes and values are up 19.6% over January 2023 numbers!! Homes are still selling within a couple days of going up for sale. The lowest sales price last month was $180,000 and the highest was $277,250.

Currently there are six single family homes listed in Waldo, with a median price of $262,250 and 40 days on market.

Brookside Home Sales Stats – January 2024

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And another year has begun; it was quite a month we had, with weeks of frigid temps, frozen pipes, Restaurant week and football playoff games – congratulations again Chiefs! Last year finished strong for Brookside home values, up 15% from 2022. All indications point to another busy buying season with bidding wars for the priced right properties. Let’s take a look at what happened last month; I’m tracking single family home sales in the main Brookside zip code of 64113:

january 2024january 2023
Median list price: $437,500 $429,975
Median sales price: $445,000 $430,075
Days on market: 4 49
No. of homes sold: 16 16

Already prices are up around 4% compared to a year ago. Last month the lowest sales price was $312,000 and the highest was $1.195 million. Currently there are 12 homes for sale in Brookside with a median list price of $924,950! The reason for that high number is this: only two homes are listed under $500K; and there are 5 listings over $1,000,000. Most buyers want an under $500K price tag.

If you are thinking of selling or buying in the Brookside/Waldo area–contact me for a market analysis. There are always people who want to sell and buy; making the perfect connection is what I do!

Words

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Before I became a Realtor, I worked at Visit KC, which was then known as the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Kansas City. I worked with meeting planners who brought large conventions to town: touring hotels and special venue places, helping them maneuver red tape at City Hall, connecting them with caterers and transportation options, etc. Often it was local members of associations who encouraged and influenced the larger organization to meet up here in the heart of the country.

For much of that time, Kansas City’s reputation was somewhat …blah.  We were always competing with the bigger Midwest cities that had more of a snazzy, national reputation, like Indianapolis or St Louis or Chicago. Meeting planners were hesitant to pick KC as a meeting site because attendees might think “what is there to do in Kansas City except eat barbecue?” and not make the trip. Oh, but I LOVED showing off the city and changing people’s minds once they got here.

Over the years that changed, as KC expanded the Convention Center, built the Power and Light district, added the streetcar and more hotels, refurbished Union Station and the Crossroads area bloomed with local art galleries, restaurants, event venues. Slowly our reputation grew as a “great place to visit”, highlighted in national publications and via word of mouth. We opened a new airport. We had continuous national exposure via our sports teams, especially as the Chiefs were on the rise to the top. We hosted the NFL Draft last year. We were chosen to host games in the 2026 World Cup. We are building CPKC Stadium, the first women’s professional sports venue. The unique Rock Island Bridge is under construction. The streetcar is expanding.  As a Realtor, I can tell you that every one of my clients who has moved to the area from other “snazzy” cities–absolutely loves living here. We seem to have it all, without the sky high housing prices of larger cities.

So as I watched the parade yesterday, I teared up several times, so moved by the pride and joy of the thousands of people who turned out to show their appreciation for our Superbowl champions. We looked fantastic! Once again, the national spotlight was on Kansas City. The players were freely mingling with the crowds, literally dancing in the streets as they high fived fans and signed autographs. It was a friendly, family event and all were welcome. Then: confusion, silence, and that sick feeling of yet another mass shooting. In our city.

This is the part of the blog where I will hold back my rant against the lack of significant gun laws in the nation.

I’m not even sure why I’m writing this blog. I think I just felt the need to express how I’ve seen Kansas City’s image change for the better over the past several years, and how much I love living here. What happened yesterday won’t change that.

Update on the Apartment Project Planned Near 75th and Wornall

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At a recent Waldo Area Business Association meeting, Jeremy Tinkler with EPC Real Estate Group gave us an update on the apartment complex planned for the intersection of 74th St and Broadway, where The Well once stood. The construction of the building will coincide with the planned street improvements in the 75th and Waldo area, so this intersection is going to be messy for the next two years!

There have been some changes from the initial plans. The Well will still be on the ground floor of the building, but now there will not be a “rooftop” connected with the restaurant. Instead, some of the apartments on the second floor will have “terraces” that overlook the street. Also planned for the first level are three other retail spaces, which could be services (like a spa or nail salon) or a coffee shop/small cafe, plus outdoor tables in front of The Well. The working title for the building, 74 Broadway, hasn’t been chosen as the official name but you can see this project referenced as such at the EPC website.

Since there will not be a rooftop area, a few more units were added; now there will be 283 studio, one and two bedroom apartments. Fifty seven of these will be at “affordable” prices. A five story parking garage for 374 vehicles will be attached with validation available for the building’s retail and restaurant. Tinkler says residents will have access to “top of the line” amenities: an outdoor pool, cabanas, a whiskey lounge, clubhouse and a golf simulator. Construction should take at least two years, and demolition of the former Well building is planned for March 4 if all the paperwork is completed. 

74 Broadway is working with KCMO so that the construction of this project is happening at the same time as all of the street improvements and sidewalk/parking lot reconstruction happening now along Wornall. The Waldo Area Business Association has created a website to keep you updated on what’s happening here; note it is a work in progress! Please continue to support Waldo merchants and services in the 75th and Wornall area despite the construction disruption and traffic rerouting–they are here for you!

75th and Wornall Street Improvements Have Begun

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Starting off with two declarations: 1) You’ll be avoiding the intersection of 75th and Wornall by car for the next several months and 2) PLEASE continue to support the merchants in that area, even if it’s less convenient!!

This project has been in the works for several years and it’s finally happening. The “75th and Wornall Improvements-Engineering Division”, as it’s listed on the KCMO website, has more intricate details on what is planned for the area. I went to the Waldo Area Business Assn monthly luncheon a couple of weeks ago for a presentation–and took notes for reference which I have summarized here. Special note: the new apartment project going up on The Well corner will also be happening at the same time. I’ll post more details about that in the next blog.

I took this graphic from the KCMO website and added a couple of landmarks for reference. The initial part of this project will remove the north parking lot (the one in front of The Well), and involves excavating the site, digging 12 feet below ground to replace some infrastructure and rebuilding the parking lot. The next step will be the south parking lot (in front of Waldo Pizza) undergoing a similar process; however the street (Broadway) along these storefronts will be eliminated. Plans are for these two lots to be finished by June. Reconstructing Wornall Road from 75th to 79th, plus some of the additional streets around this area, are planned for 2025. 

Although this project will take years, bringing detours and major inconveniences to residents, traffic and the much used vendors in the area–it should be worth it! Plans include:

*replacing the water main line on Wornall and installing new storm sewers.

*New sidewalks, curbs, streetlights; and added flower beds and benches.

*The Trolley Track Trail will have a dedicated surface along Wornall from 74th-75th.

*Adding more parking spaces in the two lots; note there will not be an entry to the south lot from 75th St, effectively eliminating the curbside food pick up from Waldo Pizza.

The Waldo Area Business Association does have a website (a work in progress) to keep you posted on developments — just know it’s going to be a large, slow moving construction project that will have an immediate and long term effect on the local small businesses in the area. Please make an effort to continue to support these restaurants and services throughout the construction–-they are here to serve you!!

Waldo-Dec Home Sales Report and 5 Year Trend

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Buyers are continuing to find Waldo a desirable place to live, even with the interest rate hikes of last year. The number of homes changing owners was about the same as December 2022–but the values are way up. Let’s look at the stats:

december 2023december 2022
Median list price:$264,000$240,000
Median sales price:$262,500$235,000
No. of homes sold: 16  18
Days on market:  2  25

Last month buyers paid within 1% of the list price–that’s good to hear, we don’t need constant frivolous bidding wars, especially for first time buyers. Prices rose almost 12% compared to December 2022. The lowest closed price was $122,500 and the highest was $480,000. Below is a graph for the five year trend of Waldo single family home sales:

20232022202120202019
Median list price:$289,950$265,000$249,975$222,500$222,450
Median sales price:$296,000$275,000$260,000$229,900$217,475
No. of homes sold: 267  301  410 375  358
Days on market:  3  3  3 4  10

Waldo home prices rose 7.6% 2022-2023 and values are up 36% since 2019. You can see in this chart how inventory has fallen–25% fewer homes are selling because there are not enough homes to satisfy demand. With interest rates sliding down (however don’t expect 3 or 4% this year!), more buyers will try this spring to purchase, resigned to the higher rates compared to a couple of years ago. These trends show, Waldo homes are a very good investment for homebuyers! Contact me if you are interested in buying or selling in Waldo!

Brookside Dec Home Sales Stats and 5 Year Trends

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Happy 2023! This feels like a typical January–very cold weather and hoping Chiefs keep winning in the playoffs! Time to take a look at the December 2023 home sales figures, and the end of year/5 year trend recap as well. And the trend is… higher prices, less inventory. Typical! I’m tracking single family home sales in the main Brookside zip code of 64113:

december 2023december 2022
Median list price:$575,000$490,000
Median sales price:$575,000$501,000
No. of homes sold:  15  22
Days on market:  18  15

Sales prices were up 14% compared to December 2022; fewer homes changed owners and the days on market was about the same. The lowest closed price was $405,000 and the highest was just over $2.8 million. Below I’ve charted the five year trends:

20232022202120202019
Median list price:$550,000$492,450$459,950$419,000$389,950
Median sales price:$572,000$500,000$475,000$416,000$380,000
No. of homes sold:  246  294  338  326  301
Days on market:  3  3  3  8  23

These numbers tell us a few things:

*Home values up 14% from 2022-2023, up 50% since 2019.

*Homes are selling faster, and inventory continues to decline.

*For the past three years, most buyers pay list price or above.

Unless more homeowners are willing (or must) give up the lower interest rates for a move, prices will continue to rise due to a lack of inventory. As interest rates drop, more buyers will want to buy to take advantage of a lower payment. One thing is always consistent: the best time to buy a home is when you are financially able and ready for home ownership!