University Academy – A Successful Brookside Charter School

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Mary Hutchison

University Academy

Because my older daughter is pursuing a teaching career after college, I try to keep up with local public school news and national educational issues. I’m closely watching the CEE-Trust proposal presented to the KCMO public school district, and I’ve blogged about Hale Cook Elementary. I’m aware of the excellent reputation Academie Lafayette has–so good there is a waiting list for entry. I didn’t know much about the University Academy at 6801 Holmes. So, last week I toured the school and had a lengthy talk with Executive Director and Superintendent Tony Kline.

UA Kindergarten Class

University Academy is a college preparatory charter public school, funded by KCMO tax dollars and sponsored by UMKC. This attractive brick building opened in 2004, and has 1050 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It is an impressive facility–modern, clean, with lots of light, updated equipment and a beautiful theater. Eighty percent of the students receive a free or reduced lunch program,and 96% of the students are African American. I suspect these stats are similar to several Kansas City MO public schools but with one big difference – UA kids have much higher overall MAP test scores. The UA Upper School also received a Bronze Medal for the second consecutive year from U.S. News and World Report.

What is the key to University Academy’s success?

Tony Kline

The number one thing, Mr Kline told me, is this school does not engage in ‘social promotion’–they will not move a child to the next grade level until s/he has sufficiently mastered the current grade level. This school also emphasizes, from early grades on, that every child will attend college–and the teachers prepare the students accordingly. Junior and senior high students take ‘college seminar’: a daily class that teaches the kids how to research and apply to colleges, how to write entrance essays and pursue scholarships. These students receive intense tutoring for ACT tests and take field trips to various colleges and universities outside the KC area. Every acceptance letter is proudly displayed on classroom windows. In addition, all class sizes are small, averaging around 20 persons each, and teacher turnover is low. Behavior incidents are few (mostly “social media drama”, according to Mr Kline), and all students follow a dress code. There is an expectation here that every child can succeed academically, and the schoolwork it takes to make it happen will be done. Parental support is very important, as well as individual student motivation.

The kids here have some great extra-curricular activities too: UA boasts an accomplished athletic and performing arts program, and just launched a middle school/high school robotics team this year. I was impressed by the unique student-created ceramic art displayed around the school.

UA Library

Like Academie Lafayette, there is a spring lottery for entrance to the school. Demand is greater than the supply of spots available. And students should start UA as a kindergarteners –it is challenging to transfer here from another school as there are very few open slots and attrition is low. UA also offers on site dental and medical clinics, sponsored by UMKC and Children’s Mercy Hospital. And through the generosity of the school’s supporters, every graduate is eligible for ongoing scholarships each semester they are enrolled in college. The graduating class of 2013 received a combined $1.35 million in scholarships among the 40 students.

What’s the next goal for Mr Kline? He would like to someday add a preschool, but that would mean adding another building. He would also like to see the school more racially diverse. Kline is well aware that many Brookside area families jump the state line to attend Kansas public schools, or pay expensive tuition bills for private school due to serious issues with the Kansas City Public School system.

His challenge–even with the academic achievement recognition, college prep curriculum and a state of the art building in a convenient location–is finding incentives for parents to consider his school before making the decision to move or attend private school.

Brookside (Kansas City MO) Home Values Up 9% in 2013

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Mary Hutchison

Another year completed…and what a year it has been for Brookside home values! Overall, a hefty increase in average selling price from 2012. Let’s first look at December 2013 figures, then move on to year-end statistics. The numbers below reflect single family home sales in the Brookside (Kansas City MO) zip code of 64113:

In December 2013, 21 homes sold. Average list price was $558,667 and average sales price was $508,900. Average days on market was 99.

In December 2012, 16 homes sold at an average price of $298,788 and 88 days on the market.

Obviously that is a huge jump in average sales price. That’s because a $3.65 million home closed in December (1217 W. 55th St), along with five other homes priced over $500K. These sales pushed the average sales price way up. Days on market were higher in December 2013 because generally it takes longer for the upper bracket homes to go under contract.

Now let’s compare 2012 to 2013 Brookside home sales:

From Jan-Dec 2013, 307 homes sold at an average price of $368,994 and 86 days on market.

From Jan-Dec 2012, 296 homes sold at an average price of $337,524 and 114 days on market.

There was a 9% increase in average sales prices between 2012 and 2013–excellent news for homeowners! Days on market was less as well. In 2013, I saw many more higher priced homes selling in our neighborhood, including several close and over the $1million mark. Brookside has successfully weathered the housing crash and is again a strong area of interest for buyers. Another indication of Brookside’s desirability as a neighborhood is the number of teardowns/new build jobs going up–I’ve seen three projects in varying stages of completion.

As of this writing, there are 69 single family homes for sale in the Brookside zip code of 64113 with an average list price of $729,282. The highest priced listing is at 5550 Ward Parkway, priced at $4.25 million. The lowest listed home price is on the 6400 block of McGee at $159,500. .

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

Upcoming Brookside/Waldo Events: Networking for Brookside/Waldo businesses is Wed Jan 22 from 8-9am at Spay and Neuter KC, 1116 E 59th St.

Armour Hills (Brookside) 2013 Home Sales Report

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Mary Hutchison

All year I have monitored Armour Hills (in Brookside) home sales stats …and I knew the overall rise in prices would be around 10%. Now that the data is in MLS, I am happy to report I was wrong. Average home prices went up way over 10%! I will examine these year end numbers after we review December figures.

In December 2013, 7 homes sold. The average list price was $231,686 and the average sales price was $225,343. Average days on market: 82.

In December 2012, 6 homes sold. The average list price was $241,933 and the average sales price was $231,233. Average days on market: 62.

There was a drop in December average sales price compared to the previous year, and homes ‘sat’ on the market a bit longer. This is because there are fewer buyers at the end of the year, and some of the homes on the market took longer to sell due to condition, price, location.

Here are the Armour Hills home sales stats, comparing 2012 to 2013:

In 2013, 82 homes sold with an average sales price of $262,462 and 59 days on market.

In 2012, 78 homes sold with an average sales price of $219,338 and 83 days on market.

Those figures represent a 17.8% increase in the average Armour Hills home sales price, and homes sold 30% faster than in 2012. I also checked the average price difference from 2011-2012: there was a 3.4% increase in average sold prices. Our average home price has tripled in one year!

Why the huge jump? There were several home sales in our neighborhood that sold for over $300,000 and a few over $400,000. The most expensive sale was $410,000. The lowest sale was located on E Dartmouth, listed at $66,000 and sold for $115,000 (bidding war!); then flipped and sold a few months later for $303,500.

FInally, Armour Hills beat the average Brookside home price increase (based on homes in the 64113 zip code). Sold single family homes in 64113 increased 9% over 2012. I will publish details on overall Brookside home sales in the next blog.

If you are an Armour Hills homeowner–keeping your property well maintained and updated pays off, especially if you plan to sell your home!

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

KC Restaurant Week – Participating Brookside/Waldo Restaurants

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Mary Hutchison

Are you getting burned out making dinner every night? Do you need an excuse to call a friend and grab lunch to break up the workday? Is there a locally owned KC restaurant you’ve always wanted to try?? Here’s my suggestion: make plans now to dine out during Kansas City Restaurant Week January 17-26, 2014.

Participating restaurants are offering a two course $15 lunch and/or three course $33 dinner. This is a real deal folks–most of the dining spots are locally owned and a portion of the proceeds benefits Harvesters-The Community Food Network. You’ll get an excellent meal at a favorite dining spot…you can try a new place…you can earn dining points if you make reservations through Open Table!

For a sneak peak at the special menus lined up, visit the Harvesters website and follow the links. Below is a list of participating restaurants in the Brookside/Waldo areas:

Louie’s Wine Dive

Michael Forbes Grille

75th St Brewery

Remedy Food and Drink

The Well

I suggest you make reservations early in the week…this is a popular event in Kansas City and many restaurants will fill up fast! Thanks for supporting Harvesters and our locally owned businesses.

KCMO Sewer Line Insurance–More Details on How It Works

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Mary Hutchison

Happy New Year everyone! For the first blog of 2014…part two of my experiences with Sewer Line Warranties of America. You can read the first post here. SLWOFA offers insurance policies for Brookside/Waldo homeowners regarding water and sewer lines outside the home. Recently I spoke with a ‘warranty specialist’ with some questions about making a claim and how they choose their contractors. Jessica was very helpful and spent a lot of time on the phone with me. Here’s what I found out:

I asked her how SLWOFA selects their vendors. She said the company uses Plus One Solutions to check out the contractors–they make sure all are drug tested, licensed, insured and bonded. Contractors are locally based in the specific area they serve. She would not share the contractor list with me, saying it was ‘proprietary information’, and added if there was a contractor I thought should be added to the list, that person call SLWOFA. She did confirm some of their contractors sub-contract the work. Jessica said the work most sub-contracted was excavation, as that requires heavy equipment many plumbers don’t have. (This isn’t how it worked with my neighbors who made a claim earlier this year, FYI. A subcontractor did all the work–read details in the blog link above). However, Jessica stated that the company does guarantee work done by both contractor and subcontractor. She also said they do rotate work among all the contractors on their preferred list of vendors.

I was curious as to what happens if there is a claim for service without a clogged pipe initiating a service call. What happens if you have the insurance in place and decide to send a camera down your sewer line as preventative measure–to see if there are already breaks in the line, tree roots growing through, etc? Jessica explained SLOFWA would schedule a second inspection of the sewer line with one of their preferred vendors. Depending upon the outcome of the second inspection, choices would be made about the work needed. If Inspector #1 suggested a complete replacement of the sewer line and Inspector #2 (provided by SLOFWA) said just a repair is needed, it would be up to the homeowner to decide what to do. SLOFWA would pay for the repair only, not the replacement. I also asked “what if the homeowner wants to use his own contractor–one that isn’t on the list?”. She said they can authorize a pay-out, especially if the contractor the homeowner wants to use will charge more.

Here’s the bottom line as I see it: the insurance is relatively inexpensive, and if there is a problem, you can make a claim to cover the fix, ultimately spending less. However, as a homeowner you should get two opinions about the repair, and then be very aggressive as to what will permanently solve the blockage. There are some plumbers who may tell you a $8000 complete pipe replacement is needed when just a partial pipe replacement will do. Usually insurance companies want to pay out as little as possible regarding claims. It can be time consuming dealing with contractors and subcontractors. If you have a problem with your sewer line and have the SLOFWA insurance, make detailed notes about every conversation you have with any representative who is connected with the repair. Get a second opinion. Ask if the entire job will be subcontracted. Be comfortable with the local contractor SLOFWA sends out. As a customer and homeowner, you want to make sure the job is done right! If you are thinking of buying the insurance, be sure to read the FAQ on the SLOFWA website first.

90.9 The Bridge – New Alt Rock Music Station for Adults!!

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Do you hear what I hear? Finally…KTBG “The Bridge” 90.9 FM has a Kansas City radio signal! Now we can listen to an intelligent, non-commercial music radio station, targeted to adults, without obnoxiously loud DJs playing the same consultant programmed music and spewing nasty sex chatter. Tune in now as you read the rest of this blog!

In April, KCPT announced the purchase of KTBG from the University of Central MO in Warrensburg. This week, the signal went live in Kansas City–although not currently at full strength. The signal will improve over the next couple of weeks, eventually covering the entire metro area. The signal is great in my car but at this time, doesn’t come in the stationary radios inside our Brookside home. Right now what you hear is automated, so it’s a soft launch to get you used to the type of music they will feature. January 6 is the official kick off date with regular live programming.

Jon Hart, at the control panel for The Bridge, 90.9 FM in Kansas City

The format for the station is ‘adult album alternative’, aimed at the 25-45 age group. I’ve been listening since Wednesday, and have heard The Black Keys, Jackson Brown, Miles Davis, Jack White, Tracy Chapman, Bruce Springsteen, Mumford and Sons, Alabama Shakes and so much more. It all sounds GREAT. Jon Hart, who was the program director in Warrensburg, is now the station manager at the Kansas City studios, located inside KCPT. He tells me the station will have a strong focus on local bands: “Our goal is to make a tangible difference in the local community. We have a bullhorn and we’re not afraid to use it”. The DJs (who don’t actually play discs anymore, it’s all digital now) will have areas of expertise in certain music genres you’ll hear on the air. The station will “reach out hard with local music” Jon says, and be very active in the local music scene and other cultural events.

The Bridge 90.9 FM in Kansas City will emphasize local music

One of the most exciting features is the two live performance studios being built within the station. The Bridge will regularly host bands (local and national) live on the air! It’s almost like that small college radio station you listened to has grown up, inherited a decent budget and is ready to introduce you to a new rock oriented music scene again.

As for commercials…what you will hear are short, non-intrusive and straightforward messages from underwriters and sponsors, similar to what you hear on KCUR. Yes, there will be fundraising as this is a non profit organization. (I know you will enjoy this station so much you will be making a donation!)

Having The Bridge to listen to is especially thrilling for me as I was a DJ in my younger years. This was in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, when the station I worked for (KLZR in Lawrence) introduced bands like The Police, The Clash, U2, Elvis Costello, REM, The English Beat, The Smiths, Depeche Mode etc to the KC market. I have some foggy yet very fond memories of interviewing these groups as they came through KC on tour. I’m older now but still love to hear new ‘alternative’ music, and just hasn’t been a local station here that features the great new stuff mixed in with some older classic sounds. You’re never too old to appreciate great rock music. Now we have The Bridge–tune in and enjoy! The link through this blog is to their temporary website. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler and Instagram.

New Homebuilding in Brookside

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

One indication of a neighborhood’s desirability is an abundance of ‘teardown’ projects–homes torn down to make room for a new property built on the same site. Mission Hills and Old Leawood residents see this happen often because buyers covet those particular areas –not too far from city amenities, good schools, tree-lined streets. Driving around Brookside, I have noticed four new homes going up on lots–an excellent indication of our neighborhood’s strength as a sought-after area to live.

The Kalahurka Family, coming to Brookside

One of the most visible sites is at the northwest corner of Oak and 63rd St, across the street from the 7-Eleven. Bill and Stephanie Kalahurka bought this lot a couple of years ago. While living in Austin, they decided to move to Kansas City to be closer to family. Recently the couple secured jobs in the area and moved to a rental in Waldo while their new house is being built.

I asked Stephanie why they chose to build instead of purchasing a resale property. They wanted to live in Brookside to be near Bill’s parents, and wanted this move to be into their ‘forever’ house. When Bill’s father mentioned the land was for sale, the couple decided this was their chance to build a home that would stay within the character of the neighborhood while having up to date mechanical features and materials. Stephanie and Bill are building a two story Craftsman style, just under 3000 SF, with four bedrooms, two and a half baths, a two car garage and a front porch that faces Oak. The most unusual feature is an indoor side for their two children, ages 2 and 3. If all goes as planned, the family will move in Memorial Day weekend.

Another new build is going up at the corner of 62cd St and Brookside Boulevard. In October 2012, someone paid $130K cash for the old home on the large lot. The house is gone and you can see the foundation walls in place for the new house. At 429 E 71st Terrace in Rockhill Gardens, there’s just the first floor front shell of the old house on the lot. This property sold in October 2013 for $125K. The current owner purchased it for his mother. He is rebuilding the house and reusing the bricks, keeping the original stain glass windows in front and opening up the interior floor plan. It should be finished in March, and will blend in with the surrounding homes. Finally, the house at E 70th Terrace and Cherry is almost finished–that project was started earlier this year.

It’s exciting to see these new single family homes going up in Brookside! You know if these owners are spending several thousand dollars on the lot, the teardown, plus the cost of a new home, they are committed to the neighborhood…and that should mean higher property values for all of us.

The Best Kansas City Breakfast Spot

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Back in the 1980s, BK (before kids), my husband and I spent quite a few Sunday mornings having breakfast at The Corner Restaurant. We would bring our newspapers, order the blueberry pancakes (it seemed like that was the ‘special’ every week) and sip coffee from those classic New York deli-style mugs. Usually there was someone we knew at a nearby table: my dentist, a real estate developer, a pencil salesman, hung-over friends–we would push tables together and enjoy a tasty meal that kept us full all day.

The Corner Restaurant in Westport

The Corner has re-opened, thanks to two new owners, and yesterday hubby, college daughter and I finally got around to trying out the new place.(We remarked to our waiter that the last time my daughter was there she was in a car seat). Nostalgically familiar yet new in a comfortable, laid-back way, it’s a must visit for a morning meal. The old wall benches and chalkboard (much larger) are still there, along with the huge windows streaming in bright sunshine. I love the long burlap curtains, the hardwood floors (no more sticky carpet!!), new tables and chairs (with cushions) and wood trim accents. Walking in, you are greeted by a friendly hostess and offered fresh Roasterie coffee (yes, there is a special Corner blend) and our wait was just ten minutes or so (we arrived just before 9am). Server Mike was sincerely friendly, efficient and attentive.

The classic Corner ‘scramble-fuls’ are still on the menu ($12 for the basic dish that comes with toast and potatoes, add-ins of meat, cheese and veggies are extra), plus some new items (whole grain waffles or pancakes for $5, gluten free items, homemade granola, food supplied from area farms). I ordered the whole grain waffle, which comes with REAL maple syrup and two over medium eggs that were cooked perfectly. The huge cinnamon rolls look so tempting–one would feed three people. Alas, no bagels on the menu, but the classic biscuits and sausage gravy are there. Bonus: inside the entrance is a tall ladder with daily newspapers, including the New York Times.

You will spend a little more for breakfast here than say, Chubby’s, Eggtc. or Huddle House–but it’s worth it. The menu is basic breakfast but with a true chef’s inspired touches (my waffle came with a tarragon-grape-onion butter; I saw prosciutto hash and pesto cream on the menu). The Corner offers brunch after 11am and a variety of salads and sandwiches for lunch.

: For Steve Friedman, outside The Corner entrance

Steve Friedman was the owner of The Corner during it’s heyday in the 80s through the mid 90s–after he passed away, the place slipped in food quality and cleanliness. Steve created the casual, cool vibe of the restaurant– midtown’s eclectic residents were welcome at all hours and served equally. People didn’t mind waiting outside ‘on the corner’ for a table, chatting and striking up new friendships. During my visit it was mostly young families and baby boomers, but the atmosphere is the same: friendly service, delicious food, a neighborhood joint where you could show up in your pajamas, welcomed with a hot cup of coffee. The Corner Restaurant is open Monday through Sunday, 6am-4pm, 4059 Broadway–the corner of Broadway and Westport Rd.

Brookside Home Sales Report – Oct 2013

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Time to check single family home sales statistics for October 2013 in Brookside! Last month there was a small drop in average prices for our neighborhood–nothing to be concerned about and I will explain why. Overall, home sales were strong in October 2013. Let’s look at the numbers:

In October 2013, 24 homes sold. Average list price was $432,271 and average sales price was $405,975. Average days on market was 77.

In October 2012, 29 homes sold at an average price of $429,287 and 123 days on the market.

Average price dropped a bit over last October because one year ago, there were two homes that sold for $1.2 million and 2.5 million–that skewers the numbers up. In October 2013, there was a $1.9 million and $949K sale.

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

From Jan-Oct 2013, 270 homes have sold at an average price of $363,525 and 62 days on market.

From Jan-Oct 2012, 256 homes sold at an average price of $331,259 and 112 days on market.

So far, average sales prices are up 9.75% over last year! And days on market has dropped by half–that means a home typically goes under contract twice as fast as last year.

As of this writing, there are 88 homes for sale in the Brookside zip code of 64113 with an average list price of $695,301. Thirty six homes are priced over $500K, and thirteen of those are priced at $1million and up. Need details for your specific area of Brookside? Contact me for details!

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

KCMO Sewer Line Insurance: Is It Worth It?

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

I’ve wanted to blog about this topic for a long time…just what happens when a Brookside homeowner makes a claim on their sewer line insurance policy? A bit of background: earlier this year, the city of Kansas City MO mailed out information to residents regarding purchasing sewer line insurance for their properties through Service Line Warranties of America. Because these homes have the (decades old) original clay pipes carrying water and other household waste to the main sewer line, there are a number of things that can cause the pipes to back up, collapse, break, etc. It is very expensive to replace the line (estimates I’ve seen run $4000 and up). A one-year insurance policy (approximately $140) can save the homeowner thousands if the line needs repair or replacement.

Earlier this year, a neighbor on my block bought the policy. I listed their house for sale in September and the new buyers, as part of their inspection, had a contractor run a camera through the line to check for any blockages, breaks, or tree root obstructions. There was a break in the line, under the ground in the front yard. Although my sellers had not experienced any back ups, the inspection revealed problems. So, Mr Seller called to make a claim. Here’s what happened next:

The insurance company contacted one of their ‘approved’ plumbers to re-camera line again (at no cost to my seller) to make sure there was an issue. This took a few days. Plumbing Co X confirmed there was a break in the line and said it would be repaired. Over two weeks passed before someone finally came out to fix the break. Mr Seller kept calling, as Plumbing Co X kept saying ‘someone would be out this week’ but no one showed up. Finally, on a Saturday, someone arrived to make the repair. Was it Plumbing Co X? No, they had subcontracted the work out to a third party.

Repaired Sewer Line break, about 7 feet underground

I was home that Saturday when I saw the heavy dirt diggin’ machinery pull up in front of Mr. Seller’s house (they were not home). I went outside to introduce myself to the 3rd party contractor and was happy to discover that I know him from doing other sewer line repair work in the area. Mr Sewer Line Repair Man has a good reputation and does the job right. He was very careful not to disturb the landscaping. He replaced a 4- foot section of clay pipe. I asked how much he was charging for the repair–he billed Plumbing Co X $1400.

The next step was to have Plumbing Co X come out and run a camera through the line once more to be sure there were no more breaks or obstructions farther down the pipe. Again, it took several phone calls to the company, asking them to do the second camera scope. At one point I called Plumbing Co X myself, bugging them to get us paperwork that the line was clear. At this point, I asked him what he charged the insurance company for the work that was completed, as there is a cap on the payout. He replied, “$2400”.

Looking back on the experience, my sellers and I feel the insurance company was responsive, but Plumbing Co X could have provided better service and communication. I understand many companies sub-contract out work. But that’s a pretty hefty mark up for Plumbing Co X, who did not repair the break. Does SLWOFA know this job was sub-contracted? I also found it interesting that the plumbing company was not based in Kansas City, but about an hour away. On the business card they left with Mr Seller, there was no address or contact name–just a phone number and company name. How does the insurance company decide on their ‘approved contractors’?

We recently purchased sewer line insurance, so part two of this blog is going to be about my conversation with the insurance company as a policy holder. I have many questions, especially about the approved contractors on their list.

I do think it’s worth the money to buy the insurance as if there is a problem, it will save you thousands of dollars. The majority of the sewer line inspections I see do reveal issues-even if the homeowner isn’t experiencing a back-up, there is usually a break in the line or tree roots growing in the pipes. But the water and waste just keep flowing through until eventually, an problem occurs. And when it does, you as the homeowner need to make sure the job is done right after making the claim.

Inside Brookside (And Waldo)

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

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