Tag Archives: brookside real estate agent

Brookside Home Sales Report – October 2015

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Brookside home sales continue to outpace last year!  Prices are up, and the upper bracket ($500K+) homes are attracting buyers.  Let’s look at the numbers – here are the single family home sales for October 2015 in the Brookside zip code of 64113:

In October  2015, 27 homes sold.  The median list price was $397,950 and the median sales price was $383,500.  Average days on market: 54. The lowest sales price was $203,500 and the highest was a cash sale at $1.145 million.  

In October 2014, 25 homes sold.  The median list price was $340,000 and the median sales price was $320,000.  Average days on  market: 41.

A couple of more homes sold as compared to a year ago, and the median price was much higher because eleven of the 27 sales closed were over $400,000, including that $1 million plus sale.

Checking year to date figures:

From January through October 2015, 294 homes sold with a median list price of $329,975 and a median sales price of $325,000 with 40 days on market.   

From January through October 2014, 244 homes sold. The median list price was $320,000 and median sales price was $309,000 and 37 days on market.

We’ve had six sales above $1 million so far this year in zip 64113; last year at this time there were four $1 million+ sales. The higher priced sales push up the median price.

Currently there are 53 single family homes for sale in the Brookside zip code of 64113, with a median list price of $549,950 and 89 days on market. There are 31 homes priced over $500,000 in our area…the highest price home is $50 shy of $4 million.

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

Armour Hills Home Sales Report – September 2015

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PrintHello neighbors…time to report on September 2015 home sales in our Armour Hills subdivision in Brookside.  Sales are slowing down as we move to the holiday season…and hopefully a WORLD SERIES WIN!!  Here are details for  single family home sales In Armour Hills as of last month:

In September  2015, three  homes sold with a median list price of $269,500 and a sales price of $265,000 with 88 days on market.    

In September 2014, six  homes sold with a median list price of $275,000 and a  median sales price of $272,700 and eleven days on the market.  

The 88 days on market is much longer than we’ve been trending this year.  That’s because the three houses that sold last month had all been on the market for almost ninety days  before going under contract–the sales prices were also dropped from initial list price to market value.

Checking year-to-date figures:

From January through September 2015, 63 homes have sold with a median list price of $269,000 and a median sales price of $265,000 with 32 days on market.  

From January through September 2014, 48 homes sold with a median list price of $249,500 and sales price of $246,000 with 29 days on market.    

As you can see, we are still way ahead as far as number of homes sold and median sales price compared to 2014.  Currently there are 14 homes for sale, with a median list price of $284,450 and 41 days on market.  The lowest price home is $199,500 and the highest list price is $525,000.

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

Brookside Home Sales Report – September 2015

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royalRoyals 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).

It’s A Sellers’ Market for Armour Hills Homes in Brookside

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PrintNo bargaining regarding home prices last month in Armour Hills…the four properties that sold were at or over list price!  It’s a sellers’ market in my neighborhood–the well-priced, move in ready homes can have multiple offers or sell at asking price.  Here are the  the details for single family home sales In Armour Hills (Brookside) for August 2015:

In August 2015,four homes sold with a median list price $277,500 and a sales price of $280,000 with 11 days on market.   Two homes were sold over the list price, two homes sold at asking price.

In August 2014, two homes sold with a median list price of $244,925; a median sales price of $243,475 and four days on the market.  

Checking year-to-date figures:

From January through August 2015, 61 homes have sold with a median list and sales price of $265,000 and 29 days on market.

From January through August 2014, 43 homes sold with a median list and  sales price of $239,950 and 31 days on market.   

We’ve had fifteen homes sell in Armour Hills at or over $300K; last year at this time, ten had sold at or over $300K.  The lowest sales price this year was $142,500 and the highest is $461,000K.

Currently there are 12 homes for sales in Armour Hills; the median list price is $239,475 and 38 days on market.

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

New Pre School Opens September 2015 in Brookside/Waldo Area

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Brookside/Waldo families now have another preschool option: Rhyme&Reason Preschool of the Arts at 7100 Main St, inside the New Reform Temple, opens this month! (Note: the school is renting space, there is no religious affiliation).   This is a wonderful addition to our neighborhood, and the two sisters operating the school are so very excited to show off their new space to prospective children, their parents, and the community.

Rhyme&Reason has a unique focus as well–their mission is to ‘encourage, inspire and guide every child through a school based on community, experience and learning through the arts”. All types of art will be introduced to kids at the school, and incorporated into their everyday activities.

Ashley Held and Brittany Margolies

Ashley Held and Brittany Margolies

The twin sisters in charge, Ashley Held and Brittany Margolies, have worked in preschools for the past ten years. Both have a BFA in Visual Arts and Design from KU, and Brittany earned her master’s degree in education from UMKC. Ashley and Brittany believe they are offering a ‘fresh take on preschool’ , combining their passion for art, design and children. They were inspired by another pre-school focusing on the arts: Sweet Pea Cottage in Seattle.

Rhyme&Reason classroom

Rhyme&Reason classroom

When I met with Ashley and Brittany, they explained what makes the school different: the classrooms are mixed ages (from 2-5, no potty training required) and every week there is a different ‘theme’ to focus on . For example, one theme could be the human body. Teachers and students would discuss the body in circle time; a nurse would be brought in as a guest speaker; the kids would examine different medical equipment and how it’s used, etc. In addition, each month the school will feature a different artist and incorporate him or her in various activities. If Rauschenberg was the featured artist, various types of collage work would be incorporated into activities during the month.

rhyme classroom blueRhyme&Reason offers two light-filled classrooms featuring games, puzzles, a sensory table, pretend play area and various toys and books. There is a garden to explore just outside the front door. It is a nut-free campus and the school provides a daily snack; students bring a sack lunch. There is also video surveillance and secured entry to the building. The school year runs from September through May, and for this Fall, offers a morning session only from 8:30-12:30. They hope to add an afternoon session in February.   Rhyme&Reason is community focused: they will teach the kids about volunteering, and want to bring in community leaders like a local chef to help the young ones with cooking classes (there is a  full kitchen) or a high school teacher to help with science experiments. Volunteers are welcome here!

If you, or someone you know, is searching for a pre-school in the Brookside/Waldo area, check out Rhyme&Reason Preschool of the Arts. You can reach Ashley or Brittany at teacher@rhymeandreasonschool.com.

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

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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 63rd 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

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.

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 Sales Report – June 2015

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Armour Hills homeowners continue to gain equity as prices are up and buyers know  our neighborhood as a desirable place to live.  Let’s check the June 2015 home sales for Armour Hills (Brookside-Kansas City MO), followed by comparisons to last year:

In June 2015, eleven homes sold with a median list price of $285,000; a median sales price of $283,000 and …just five days on market!   

In June 2014, seven homes sold with a median list price of $230,000; a median sales price of $228,000 and 7 days on the market.  

We had our highest priced home sale so far this year; it was the beautiful  house at the northwest corner of W 65th Terrace and Main that sold for $461,000.  The lowest sales price last month was $206,000.

Checking year-to-date figures:

From January through June 2015, 46 homes have sold with a median sales price of $262,000 and 29 days on market.

From January through June  2014, 34 homes sold with a median sales price of $239,950 and 28 days on market.   

More homes are selling this year, very close to asking price, and most sell within 30 days of listing. 

Currently there are seven homes for sales in Armour Hills; the lowest list price is $149,999 and the highest is $315,000 with 64 days on market.

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

Armour Hills Home Sales Stats–October 2014

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Home sales are slowing down in Armour Hills, and average sales prices are falling as well.  This is reflective of the time of year–traditionally, fewer homes are sold in the latter part of the year.  Let’s look at the statistics–below I am checking figures for the Armour Hills subdivision in Brookside, Kansas City MO:

In October 2014, six homes sold with a median sales price of $214,000 and 26 days on market. The median list price was $229,000 with 26 average days on market.  The lowest sales price was $158,000 and the highest was $306,000.

In October 2013, nine homes sold with a median sales price of $258,950 and 32 days on market.  The median list price was $259,950.  

Although there wasn’t a significant change in the average days on market, the median sales price dropped 20%.  Three homes sold in 2013 above $300K; in 2014, just one sold over that figure.  

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

For the first ten months of 2014, 55 homes sold with a median price of $239,950 and 28 days on market.

For the first ten months of 2013, 71 homes sold with a median price of $255,000 and 24 days on the market.

Last year was a very strong year for Armour Hills home sales, and it looks like this year may see a dip in home values.  There are still a significant number of buyers for our area–what is lacking right now is well priced, updated inventory.  We have had several homes sell for over $350K in the past two years–higher than usual for the neighborhood.  It wil be interesting to see how 2014 finishes overall compared to 2013 home sales.

Currently there are 16 homes for sale in Armour Hills, with a median list price of $269,900 and 47 days on market.

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

Brookside Home Sales Report-Oct 2014

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Home sales in Brookside continue to slow down, as is usual this time of year.  As we get into colder weather and the holiday season, buyers have other things on their minds. It’s very difficult to look at homes when darkness falls at 5pm!  Here are the home sales stats for the Brookside zip of 64113 from October 2014:  

In October 2014, 25 homes sold.  Median list sales price was $340,000, and median sales price was $320,000 with an average of 41 days on  market.  The lowest priced home sold  was $158,000 in Armour Hills and the highest was $615,000 in Romanelli Gardens.  

In October 2013, 23 homes sold.  The  median list and sales price were the same:  $279,000 and 35 days on market.

Virtually the same number of homes sold compared to a year ago, but the sales price was higher.   

Looking at year to date figures:

From Jan – October 2014, 244  homes have sold at a median sales price of $307,000 and 37 days on market.

From Jan – October 2013, 271 homes sold at a median sales price of $298,000 and 46 days on market.  

So far this year, the trend has been fewer homes sold and prices are up.  There is still a lack of updated, well maintained homes in the $200-$225K price range in Brookside.  It is encouraging that home values continue to rise, so we continue to make up equity lost during the housing crash during the recession.

Currently there are 81 single family homes for sale in the Brookside zip code of 64113 with a median list  price of $384,950 and 80 days on market.  Of the 81 homes for sale, 24 are priced over $500K and 9 are priced over $1 million.   (All figures taken from Heartland MLS and deemed reliable but not guaranteed).

Welcome a New Salon in Brookside – Bona Terra

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Bona Terra Salon, 414 E 63rd St

Bona Terra Salon, 414 E 63rd St

“Gotta get a haircut.”  How you feel when that time comes? Do you prefer to stop by a chop shop and get in, get out? Or do you like to take the time to enjoy the experience, relax and enjoy a head massage, discuss new style options, pamper yourself a bit?

You may have noticed a new salon in Brookside called Bona Terra (the name means ‘good earth’ in Latin), located at 414 E 63rd St (in the old Blockbuster building). I stopped in recently and talked with Kate Aguilera about her new business. She is so enthusiastic and excited about having her own shop. You definitely feel a fresh, sophisticated yet comfortable vibe when you walk in the store: this is an Aveda ‘concept’ salon, meaning only Aveda products are used and sold here. In the lobby, you’ll find shampoos, conditioners, skin care items and some very cute holiday gift packages– all organic products in recycled packages.   And a very friendly staff to help you!

bona productKate is a K State grad who worked for many years in the advertising and communications industry. Throughout her high school and college days, she styled hair and make-up for her friends. Growing up, her mother was a great influence: she was always very conscious of how she presented herself as a woman to the world–professional and fashion conscious. When Kate and her husband decided to move back to KC from Topeka, they wanted to live in Brookside and send their daughter to St Peter’s School. Her parents bought the building and Kate opened the salon as manager.

Kate Aguilera, Salon Manager

Kate Aguilera, Salon Manager

So what makes this shop different? Kate sets a high bar for her stylists: all must attend Aveda training classes, dress well, and maintain a superior level of customer service and knowledge. Every client has a consultation before the service, and after each haircut–a complimentary make-up touch up. You won’t find loud music and gossip in this salon–Kate wants you to have a total lifestyle experience, not just a haircut. She wants each customer to leave feeling refreshed and confident about the way they look. Prices are competitive with other salons in the area. Bona Terra offers nail and make up services as well, with other body treatments coming in the near future.

Stop in and check out Bona Terra at 414 E 63rd St. Welcome Kate and her staff to Brookside. Browse the Aveda products for gift ideas–or pick up a gift certificate for holiday gift-giving. Also, mark your calendar for their Grand Opening Celebration from noon-5 on December 7.  Thankfully the eyesore of that vacant Blockbuster building is gone..and we have a new business in Brookside!

brookside east