Brookside Jan 2016 Home Sales Report

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Mary Hutchison

Home sales typically start off slow every year..that’s what is happening in Brookside as we kick off housing market reports for 2016. Why do sales drag early in the year? I’ll provide some answers after reporting Brookside home sales (using zip code 64113) for January 2016:

In January 2016, eight homes sold. The median list price was $369,500 and the median sales price was $367,500. Average days on market: 25. The highest sales was $441,500 and the lowest was $262,500.

In January 2015, nine homes sold. The median list price was $325,000 and the median sales price was $315,000. Average days on market: 24.

Stats were about the same as a year ago, as in number of homes sold and days on market. You’ll notice that median sales price jumped up. (Brookside home prices rose 11% from 2014 to 2015.) Prices can vary wildly in the Brookside zip code, so numbers can be skewed depending on how many higher priced homes close in any given month.

So why are home sales slow early in the year? A few reasons: the weather isn’t great the first few months of the year (homes always look better in the Spring!); home sellers are getting their homes ready to list (freshening up the inside, decluttering, making improvements); and many families want to move once school lets out for the year. There just isn’t much inventory for buyers to choose from in the first quarter–which can actually be an advantage for those sellers who have homes prepped and ready to market in February and March. Interestingly, there were ten homes that were listed–and then went under contract–last month. Demand is strong!

Currently there are 48 homes for sale in Brookside, with a median list price of $579,000 and 97 days on market. Sixteen homes are priced over $1,000,000. There is a lack of inventory in the $225-$300K price range. If you would like specific information about home selling in your area-contact me at mary.hutchison@kansascityhomes.com

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

The Waffler Food Truck Parks In Brookside/Waldo This Weekend

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Have you noticed a food truck hanging around Brookside/Waldo lately? I’m talking about The Waffler’s truck, serving Liege style waffles at the northeast corner of Gregory and Wornall in the parking lot. I haven’t tried one yet….but I recently spoke with the owner Russell Viers and I’m making my first trip tomorrow morning!

Russell Viers, The Waffler

If you love waffles like I do, the first thing to note is these are not your typical breakfast waffles. This delicacy is a Liege waffle, which Russell recreated after trying them in a Belgium train station. Developing his own recipe, he makes all the dough from scratch. He starts with a rich brioche bread dough, and adds large chunks of Belgium pearl sugar (this is a beet sugar, not cane) and his own special flavorings. Whereas the typical breakfast waffle relies on toppings to give them flavor, the Liege waffle has flavors baked in. The ‘classic’ flavor Russell serves is vanilla, along with a second choice–for example, maple bacon or fall spice. (He is currently developing a special limonchello waffle for a special event at Jasper’s). The waffle is crispy on the outside, with specks of caramelized sugar; inside is a tender bread texture with bursts of the pearl sugar. No utensils needed…your waffle is service in a handheld pouch for easy eatin’!

Russell’s ‘real’ job is a public speaker/consultant. His kids talked him into starting the food truck after he created the special ‘meggos’ (that’s the brand name for the product) for his daughter’s wedding earlier this year. He has parked the truck at First Fridays and the City Market, but gets the best response here in the Brookside/Waldo area and would like to make the Gregory and Wornall location permanent. Each waffle costs $5; however if you say the special phrase that changes daily, you’ll get $1 off. These phrases are usually quotes from old movies or TV shows (hint: Sunday’s quote relates to the Royals!). Russell is a friendly, outgoing guy who says he’s ‘never worked so hard’ getting this food truck going and although it’s not a regular source of income for him, he loves every minute he spends making the dough and chatting with customers. He especially likes to watch the reaction of someone who has taken that first bite–the taste and texture is such an unexpected delight!

Mmm…The Waffler’s Liege waffles!

Along with the waffles, Russell offers soft drinks, water and…free coffee! All ‘tips’ left are donated to a local charity which changes every month. He focuses on organizations that have low administrative costs. This month’s charity is the Kansas City Rescue Mission. He was inspired to donate after learning that 14 men staying at the shelter started running and participated in the Kansas City Marathon. He’s been amazed at how generous customers are after learning the tips go to charity.

So are you hungry for waffles now?? Stop by and see The Waffler on Halloween morning (8am-2pm) or November 1 (8am-1pm) at the Wornall and Gregory location. For that special discount phrase and to learn more about The Waffler, visit his Facebook page or website. Better stop by soon–Russell has plans to take off for Europe shortly on business. Oh…and The Waffler caters too!

Brookside Home Sales Report – September 2015

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Royals mania continues in our metropolis — must see TV has cut into my work and blogging time! It’s all worth it though to again experience the excitement of the playoffs. Have you noticed–so many more homes in the area displaying Royals support paraphernalia! Okay, down to business….here are the single family home sales for last month in the Brookside zip code of 64113:

In September 2015, 22 homes sold. The median list price was $375,000 and the median sales price was $362,500. Average days on market: 34. Two homes sold over the $500K mark. The lowest sales price was $224,500 and the highest was $650K.

In September 2014, 32 homes sold. The median list price was $302,000 and the median sales price was $289,975. Average days on market: 45. The lowest sales price was $164,950 and the highest was $2.727 million.

Fewer homes sold this September than last, however days on market are fewer and median sales price is up–a consistent trend this year.

Checking year to date figures:

From January through September 2015, 268 homes sold with a median list price of $326,777 and a median sales price of $325,000 with 38 days on market.

From January through September 2014, 219 homes sold. The median list price was $320,000 and median sales price was $306,000 and 37 days on market.

More homes are selling in Brookside this year, and sellers are getting very close to list price. The last three months of the year are usually slower for home sales…we’ll see how much of a drop off we experience or if closed sales will outpace last year.

Currently there are 58 single family homes for sale in the Brookside zip code of 64113, with a median list price of $539,950 and 68 days on market. Fourteen homes are priced over $1million–so if that is your price range, there is a lot to chose from!

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

How to Manuever Around the KC Marathon on Saturday 10/17/15

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

How will Brookside/Waldo residents maneuver around marathon race runners on Saturday Oct 17? It will be very difficult. The race begins downtown, and traffic will be pretty much stopped from 47th St on the Plaza through 75th Street from 8am through 2pm. Here is some information you should know to plan ahead:

*Police will slowly open up the streets to traffic once the last runners pass through a particular area. For example, as runners leave the downtown/midtown area heading towards Plaza/Brookside/Waldo, those streets will open to traffic. Most of our area will close off at 8am and not open up until after 1pm.

*If you live east of Brookside Boulevard, get to Oak or Troost to travel south. (If you go north, you won’t make it past UMKC until after 1:30 or 2pm). DO NOT try to drive west, you will not be able to cross Brookside Blvd or Wornall or Ward Parkway. You CAN use 71 highway to go north.

*If you want to get to Kansas, take Main St south of 61st St (or Oak /Troost) all the way to 79th or 85th and then go west. Expect heavier traffic on these east/west routes, and along State Line Road.

*Residents who live between Ward Parkway and Brookside Blvd/Wornall Road will find it very difficult to maneuver outside of these street boundaries between 8am-1:00pm. Within this loop, police will be at the larger intersections directing traffic.

*Race organizers have done a great job of notifying businesses and residents in the affected areas of the route through a direct mail postcard—hopefully you saved it for reference! Detailed information on road closures is indicated on the card.

Race organizers tell me the police will let traffic cross the course IF there is a safe distance between runners. Over 10,000 participants total are expected. For the full marathon that runs through Brookside/Waldo, there are 1500 runners. There will be some breaks for backed up traffic to drive through—police will make the call. You can find a detailed map of the route at www.sportkc.org/marathon/race-information.

Your best bet is to sleep in, have breakfast at home, and leave the car in the drive until after 2pm. Of course you can also bike or walk to shops and services, or come out to cheer on the runners!

Meyer Fest This Weekend in Brookside – Oct 9-10, 2015

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

The most beautiful season in Kansas City? Many people would say Autumn because of the warm days, cool nights and brilliant fall colors on the trees. And one of the most welcoming, friendly communities in Brookside is St Peter’s Parish. Fall and festivals go together, so this weekend you are invited to the St. Peter’s Meyer Fest, now in it’s second year. In the past, the church held a parish “fiesta” on the school grounds geared towards parishioners and school families. Meyer Fest is an expanded street party and carnival , welcome to anyone in the area who wants to join in the fun!

Here’s a brief schedule of events:

Friday October 9, 2015

6pm-10pm– Tailgate and Chili Cook-Off at KC Bier Co, 310 W. 79th St in Waldo

Saturday October 10, 2015

9am-3pm — Carnival at St Peter’s, 815 E Meyer, with games, crafts and activities for kids.

10:30am and noon — Performances from the Starlight Theater STARS of Tomorrow.

1:00pm — Battle of the Bands!

6pm-10:30pm — Live music from The Bryan Hicks Quartet, The Rainmakers and Boogie Wonderland, plus dancing and food trucks.

Ticket prices range from $5-$20, depending on activity and can be purchased online with NO additional fees! Proceeds from Meyer Fest benefit the St Peter’s Food Pantry and their sister parish in El Salvador.

Volunteers are needed, so if you want to get involved, visit the website for details. Thanks, St. Peter’s, for hosting another community event for Brookside/Waldo neighbors!

New Spice Shop in Brookside – Perfect for Browsing and Buying

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Savory Spice in Brookside

Need inspiration for dinner ideas? Looking for a unique yet practical gift for a friend? Ready to start holiday shopping early?? Stop by the new Savory Spice store at 6245 Brookside Blvd and spend some time browsing …you will be inspired!

This shop overflows with all kinds of spices, rubs, specialty salts and peppers plus pre-packaged blends for dips and specialty baking ingredients. The products are ground and milled in Colorado, then sent in bulk to the Kansas City store where they are bottled and labeled. I especially like the recipe cards that are available in each area of the store to inspire you as you browse; more recipes and detailed descriptions of the blends and spices are on the website. If you love popcorn–there are several blends to spice up your next bowl! Many of the blends can be used in different ways: for example, as a dip or salad dressing just by adding a few other ingredients.

Unique to this store are the ‘recipes to go’ displayed at a table by the front window (near the samples!!). These bags have pre-measured spices and directions so you can easily whip up some pickled carrots or red onion marmalade. Also, you can buy as little as one or two ounces of the blends and spices to try several different flavors and see which ones you like best. As for gift ideas, customers can put together personailzed gift boxes with help from the staff or purchase a pre-made box from the display.

Amber Helm and Chris Curtis

You may have seen Savory Spice stores in other cities; this particular location is ‘company owned’ by the Colorado couple who started the chain. The store manager is Chris Curtis, who worked at Jacobson’s; the assistant manager is Amber Helm who came from Pinstripes. In talking with Chris and Amber, it’s obvious they know the product they are selling and have a strong emphasis on customer service. Although the store has been open less than a month, so far the most popular spice blend is Pike’s Peak Butcher’s Rub (for meat), plus the different varieties of vanilla flavors for baking. All products are MSG free, and it’s recommended you use the ground spices and blends within 6-9 months for peak flavors.

Brookside could become a mecca for home cooks and professional chefs now with two stores emphasizing spices and specialty ingredients–remember Season+Square at 6205 Oak. Savory Spice is open Monday through Friday 11am-7pm; Saturday 10am-7pm and Sunday noon-5.

Brookside Soon to Have Two ‘Spice’ Shops – Season+Square Expanding Its Focus

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Hello Brookside neighbors! You’ve probably noticed we are getting a national, corporate spice shop at 6245 Brookside Blvd (site of a former Hallmark Gold Crown store) called Savory Spice Shop. The store expects to open sometime this month.

When I heard about this new place, I immediately thought “Brookside already has a spice shop” – do we need two of them? Because the Brookside shops on the north side of 63^rd from Wornall to Main were recently sold to First Washington Realty out of Maryland, we may see more national brand stores moving in and fewer local store operators in the future. Still, we Brookside residents love to ‘shop local’ – that’s what makes our area so special – and our locally owned Season+Square shop will now face competition from a 34 chain store operation a few blocks away.

Andrea Joseph, Owner of Season+Square

Last week I stopped by to chat with Andrea Joseph, owner of Season+Square at 6205 Oak. Andrea’s shop, opened in February 2014, is successful, catering to casual home cooks and professional chefs from around the metro. Customer service and product knowledge, so extremely important in any store, is outstanding here. Gradually, Andrea has been transitioning to more of a ‘lifestyle’ shop, offering much more than spices and assorted food products. Besides the huge selection of spices and salts here, you’ll find unique cocktail products (bitters, syrups, mixers); plus oils, vinegars, teas, jellies, cookie mix, exclusive laundry products, soy candles, organic bath products, napkins,cookbooks, fresh Ibis bread (on Saturdays), specialty chocolate and candies. Soon the shop will also sell locally made jewelry and art. Andrea focuses on working with vendors that give back to their communities in some way, and she knows the story behind every product sold in the shop.

Food sample from Plate-served during their fundraiser.

Another exciting development here is “Plate”—the modern Italian restaurant she is opening next to her store. Focusing on local, fresh food and ingredients, Plate has hired an experienced Kansas City chef, and local architect HIVE is designing the interior. There will be a full bar, seating for 60 and happy hour Tuesdays-Saturdays from 3-6pm. The goal is to open by the end of the year.

Changes are always happening in Brookside and Waldo; shops and restaurants come and go. There surely is enough business for everyone, as customers visit various establishments and experience the differences between them. What are the differences between the new corporate spice store and locally owned Season+Square? Visit both and find out for yourself!

Armour Hills Home Values Up Over 7% YTD-May 2015 Stats

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Good morning neighbors! I have positive news to report again about home values in our Armour Hills subdivision. Prices are up–some sellers are getting over the asking list price! As a Realtor, I do not advocate offering a price that is significantly over the posted price. (it is happening very often this spring in the Prairie Village homes priced from $225-$300K). Still, it’s all about what the house is worth to a particular buyer….and the appraiser of course! Here are the home sales stats for Armour Hills in Brookside, Kansas City MO for the month of May, 2015:

In May 2015, eleven homes sold with a median list price of $256,900 median sales price of $262,000 and 36 days on market.

In May 2014, nine homes sold with a median list price of $259,000; median sales price of $252,000 and 76 days on the market.

The median sales price was higher than list price in May because: one home sold for $8500 over list price; another home sold $7000 over list price and a third sold $3000 over list price. When you take those three homes out of the equation, the median list price was $256,900; sales price $255,000–very close to asking price.

Checking year-to-date figures:

From January through May 2015, 35 homes have sold with a median sales price of $262,000 and 36 days on market.

From January through May 2014, 27 homes sold with a median sales price of $243,000 and 34 days on market.

Generally, homes are going under contract within one month of listing. Median prices are 7.5% over the same period in 2014. Currently we have 8 homes for sale in Armour Hills, with a median list price of $269,000. The lowest priced home is $174,900 and the highest is $300,000.

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

Brookside Betty’s Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

Brookside Betty’s, the retro style dress shop at 6215 Oak is celebrating it’s one year anniversary this week with a themed event: Enchantment Under the Sea. Never heard of Brookside Betty’s? Well, here’s a bit of background on this cute, locally owned shop at the bustling corner of 63rd and Oak. If you like comfortable, mid century modern type dresses–this is the shop for you!

Jacqui Brewer, owner of Brookside Betty’s

Owner Jacqui Brewer was a world history and government teacher at St Teresa’s Academy. Working in retail throughout her student years, she kept thinking about the need for a dress shop in the neighborhood. Every day she would drive along Oak St towards STA and noticed the vacant store front. Every day she thought about opening the dress shop. Finally, she decided to quit her teaching job and made plans to have her own store. The front door greets you with a sign: Come in, it’s not as expensive as it looks. And that’s true! Most of dresses, made in the US and Europe, are priced between $55-$150. There are a variety of fabrics, prints and solids in the style of the 1940s through the 1960s, plus a few ‘little girl’ dresses. Jacqui will work with special orders for unique events and weddings. You’ll also find really fun accessories here: some jewelry, unique luggage tags, coin purses, and a retro inspired laptop bag that can double as a handy make up tote!

Having been in business a year now, Jacqui decided to celebrate her success with the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. Current customers, as well as perspective shoppers, are welcome to come by and join in the festivities. The event begins at 7:30pm Saturday May 30. Regular store hours are Tuesday through Friday, 11am-6pm and Saturdays noon-5. The warm spring weather we have is perfect for dress shopping–stop in Brookside Betty’s and slip into something stylish and comfortable you’ll wear through the fall months!

New Businesses Coming to Brookside/Waldo

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Mary Hutchison

A brief blog today with information on two new businesses coming to Brookside and Waldo….

Future Site of BKS Nails

The former James Hallmark shop at 6245 Brookside Blvd, vacant for over two years now, will soon house BKS Nails, a salon offering manicures, pedicures and waxing services. Owners of this shop also own and operate Plaza Nails (on the Country Club Plaza) and Oak Nails (across from the UMKC admin building). Look for this shop to open next month.

Do you remember PIzza Manifesto? That short-lived pizza joint opened last year next to the Chipotle at 75th and Washington, just west of Wornall. It was recently announced that Pizzeria Locale will be going into that space at 505 W 75th St. This ‘fast casual’ restaurant will offer built your own 11” Neapolitan-style pizzas, along with a few salads and sides options. Pizzeria Locale started in with locations in Denver and Boulder, then formed a partnership with Chipotle. The KC location will be the first outside of Colorado.

No word yet on an official opening date for the eagerly awaited Heirloom Bakery and Hearth at the corner of 63rd St and Oak…

Inside Brookside (And Waldo)

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

Tag Archives: brookside blog