Tag Archives: brookside real estate agent

Average Price of Brookside Homes..Going Up!

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Yes, home prices in Brookside are going up…and that is good news for both buyers and sellers!  I’ll explain why after we get through the stats.  All figures are for single family homes in zip code 64113, the main Brookside zip code:

In June 2012, 53 homes sold.  Average list price was $329,457 and average sales price was $319,169.

In June 2011, 34 homes sold.  Average list price was $305,192 and average sales price was $289,060.

That’s a 10% increase!  Let’s compare year-to-date:

From January-June 2012, 135 homes sold, with an average sales price of $310,790.

From January-June 2011, 107 homes sold, with an average sales price of $298,802.

That’s a 4% increase from last year.  Notice the number of homes sold increased for each period as well.

Higher average sales prices can be explained a number of ways:  fewer foreclosures and short sales dragging prices down; pent-up demand from buyers who finally decide to buy; less inventory pushes prices higher; continued record-low interest rates.  The higher average prices favor sellers who make more money from the sale of their home.  This year’s buyers are paying more than last year, however, they can feel more confident about purchasing in a still desireable location where homes are gaining, not losing, value.  I’m predicting the overall sales and average price for 2012 will be  higher than 2011.

If you would like home sales statistics for your particular location, email me!

(Note:  all figures taken from Heartland MLS, deemed reliable but not guaranteed)

 

 

 

 

Annual Armour Hills Board Meeting/Recent Burglaries

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Fellow Armour Hills residents–the Kansas City MO Police Department has confirmed there were six burglaries last Saturday night into early Sunday morning on 69th St, 69th Terrace and Rockhill Road. Only one home was occupied at the time.  The same person is believed to have committed all the break-ins.  The description is a young black male, about 120 lbs, acting alone and on foot.  Please be vigilant keeping your doors and windows locked, lights on, and look around while getting in and out of your vehicle and/or home.  Report anything you see that looks suspicious!

Also mark your calendar for the 2011 Annual Meeting next week:  Thursday November 17 at 7pm at the Country Club Congregational Church, 205 W 65th St.  We will conduct the election of board members, discuss the budget, goals for next year and recap our accomplishments for 2011.  We hope to see you there!

Don’t Split Brookside in Half–The Proposed Redistricting Boundaries

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You may have heard about it on the news…perhaps you didn’t pay much attention…but Brookside is about to be split into two different council districts,  represented by two different City Council persons.  How does this affect you?   Read on…

Currently, the Brookside area is in District 4, represented (very well)  by Jan Marcason. (You can see the proposed map here, good luck figuring it out.  Why can’t the committee members draw a map that translates well on the internet AND has the actual street boundaries written at the bottom of the map’s key?? ) Roughly, the current north/south boundary is from downtown to 79th St.  New census population figures support a redistricting of the boundaries…the 4th district would extend north into Briarcliff and stop at 59th St, effectively splitting Brookside in half.  The 6th district would begin at 59th and continue south way past 435 and east past James A Reed Road.

Redistricting boundaries also means redistrubing political power as well, because of how your tax dollars are divided up in the neighborhood and commercial areas of the district.  Redistricting is necessary to keep the population distribution somewhat equal between districts, and so that minority residents are properly represented.  How elected officials from each district respond to the needs of the residents, including how public money is requested for and spent in that district, is of concern to everyone.

The Brookside area is known for it’s politically active residents.  Neighbors  work together to pressure the city for public funds to keep the area appealing to residents and future home buyers.  We contact our council rep when problems pop up regarding infastructure and demand repairs.  We are a very active voting block during elections.  Splitting Brookside in half could create problems gettiing tax dollars for the area as a cohesive neighborhood.  If two separate council persons are working on behalf of one neighborhood, it could appear that the Brookside area is requesting too many public dollars, too many improvement projects, more PIAC funds than other areas.

Recent public meetings brought out residents opposed to the proposed map.  An alternative map, outlining different boundaries for the 6th district was proposed but not considered.  You can bet there is quite a bit of political back door dealings going on with the current map if other proposals are not even being seriously examined.

The City Council meets today, as of this writing the agenda is not published but I assume the redistricting  issue will be up for discussion and possibly a vote.  It would be a stab in the heart of Brookside, one of Kansas City’s most cherished and politically active neighborhoods, to have it split in half, represented by two different council persons.

Rockhill Gardens in Brookside–A Favorite Neighborhood

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When prospective customers ask me about living in Brookside, I often give them a short verbal tour of the area:  average prices for certain areas, where you can get the most bang for your buck.  Rockhill Gardens is one of those subdivisions I love to talk about.  

Most of the RG homes are bordered between Gregory and 75th, Oak to Holmes.  There are some RG homes east of Holmes Rd, those are generally lower priced than the homes to the west. Napoleon W Dible (1872-1960) was the man who started this subdivision in 1929.  He wanted ‘affordable, well-built homes’ and sold thousands of homes in the area at a low profit.  Inspired by Tudor mansions in England, Dible added many of those characteristics to his homes in RG:  arched doorways, gabled roofts, detailed moldings, brick, stucco and stone exteriors.  He was one of the first speculator builders–that is, he built homes first before he had buyers.

Dible knew that although it was the man (and only the man!) who signed the sales contract, it was the woman who made the final decision on the house.  He added special touches that appealed to women, such as built-in ironing boards, colored tiles in the baths, and curved walkways in front.  Most of the homes had a side or back porch and were about 1500 square feet.  Most of the kitchens were small, and some still are unless there’s been a major renovation.  That’s always puzzled me, how kitchens in the 20s and 30s were so small, yet maids and wives spent so much time in the kitchen cooking from scratch! Ah, but times were different then, with the larger formal dining rooms for leisurely dinners … that seems like an indulgence now.

The reason I like to show off Rockhill Gardens to prospective buyers is this:  you generally get more space for your money here than in other Brookside neighborhoods.  Often the garages are attached, which isn’t common for Brookside, and bedrooms are larger.  Many RG homes have finished basements.  And it has an active homes association, with organized events and get togethers for the residents. A typical, updated 3 bedroom, 2 bath Rockhill Gardens home should be priced under $250,000.  The location is great, close to the Brookside shops but also walking distance to the Trolley Track Trail, the Waldo Library, locally owned restaurants and shops, insurance agents, Academie Lafayette school, florist, bike shop–just about every convenience a homeowner would want.

If you plan to shop for  a Brookside home, be sure to check out what’s available in Rockhill Gardens.  Compare pricing with some of the other area subdivisions and see that you will get the desirable Old World charm in a well-built home for a reasonable price!

Touring Lincoln Prep High School

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Living in Brookside…and living with the Kansas City MO school district.  It amazes me how Brookside homes  have retained their value, how many people want to move into this neighborhood, despite the reputation of the KCMO school district.

As a real estate agent, the subject of schools often comes up with buyers.  So  many newly married couples move to Brookside and then once the kids get close to school age, the For Sale sign goes up and they pack up  for Johnson County.  Some of this is probably due to the houses itself:  parents want more room to accommodate all the kid stuff, their playmates, they want a large yard and/or a finished basement. But over the past several years, there are alternatives to the local public school — the charter schools of University Academy and Academie Lafayette. When it comes time for high school..that’s a more difficult question.

Lincoln Prep has an excellent reputation so I recently toured the school to see for myself.  The building is older, built in the 1930s.  It’s located closer to the central city  (2111 Woodlawn) than the Brookside area, but the grounds are neat and the building itself is attractive from the outside. Walking in the front door, you do have to pass through a metal detector.

Our tour guides were two students–very friendly and knowledgeable about the school.  As we toured the building, we observed several classes, visited the cafeteria, the gym, the auditorium.  The halls were quiet, students listening attentively in the classrooms.  The student body is very diverse–many nations represented, some artsy kids with dyed hair and dreadlocks.  No uniforms–even the vice principal said he wished they had a uniform policy–but there is a dress code.  The kids don’t have a homeroom or study periods.  It’s straight classes from 7:25am-2:40pm.

When I asked Joh Richard, Vice Principal, why he thought Lincoln Prep students did so much better than other KCMO high school kids he said it’s because the kids have to test to get into the school, and they have to maintain a certain grade point average.  So these kids are more focused, more serious about their studies, and feel the competition and drive from their peers.  Another interesting remark he made was that the teachers must assign homework at least three days a week–just a few years ago, homework was optional. Curiculum includes four years of math, english and science, plus at least one hundred service hours are required for graduation.  Sports are offered, along with band, debate, ROTC and drama.  There are currently four or five Teach for America teachers at the school, all replaced retiring faculty.

Overall, I was impressed with the school.  Their reputation seems well deserved.  It’s a tragedy of sorts that Southwest High in Brookside was on such a great path to be a college prep school before it was combined with Westport High–police report they are still called to the school on a regular basis.  Not true at Lincoln. Why is it that the KCMO school district can only offer one academically excellent school? Residents want good public schools in their neighborhoods–they don’t want to have to drive 20 minutes to get to a ‘good’ public high school.

There is a good public high school option for Brookside residents…if you want diversity and a longer drive.

 

 

Support Community Theater–See Oklahoma! at Visitation

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Looking for some fun family entertainment this weekend?  Make plans to see Oklahoma!, this year’s  Theatre at Viz summer youth musical.

Showtimes are:

Thurs July 21, 7pm

Friday July 22, 7pm

Saturday, July 23, 7pm

Sunday, July 24, 1pm

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for kids.  This will be a great performance –local kids from all ages are in the show and  there is a live orchestra , plus plenty of air conditioning!  You can buy tickets at the door.  Visitation School is located at 5134 Baltimore but  it’s easiest to access the parking lot at 5141 Main St and follow the crowds.

Join your Brookside neighbors this weekend at Oklahoma!  I’ll be volunteering at the concession stand on Saturday night and you can see my daughter Siena in the chorus 🙂

Behind the Scenes at KCUR’s Spring Fund Drive

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 What’s it like working the fund drive at KCUR?  It’s not like that old TV show, WKRP in Cincinatti…and it’s nothing  like the SNL skit “Schwetty Balls” that skewers NPR.  No, it’s a bit more like a G rated version of the movie Pirate Radio–no sex or drugs, but a with a rock and roll spirit.

Twice a year KCUR management lets the listeners take over the airwaves, asking the community for donations, to ‘become a member’ of the station.  I’ve been a volunteer for years, both in the phone room and on the air.  People always ask me “what’s it like?”.  First of all, it’s fun.  I used to be a deejay so for me, it’s easy to gab on the air, especially about something I love.  It’s like telling someone about a favorite book or  a new restaurant–you want them to catch your enthusiasm because you just know they are going to like it as much as you do.

Usually there are three ‘pitchers’ and one ‘anchor’, plus a producer and an announcer who handles the mechanics of going in and out of programming. The anchor is the first and last person you hear during the pitch break–it’s their job to guide the pitching segments, set the tone, make sure you ‘throw it back’ to the announcer at a very specific time so the programming stays on schedule.  And if someone gets lost in their comments or  doesn’t know what to say, the anchor must very quickly get the break back on track.  The producer works with the team, indicating how much time the group has to talk, giving hand signals when there are two minutes, one minute, thirty seconds left; brings in information about  special ‘matching contribution’ offers and generally encourages the team as they pitch, offering suggestions on what (and what not)  to emphasize during the break.  The trick of being on the air is this: concisely saying what you want to say with sincerity and enthusiasm while watching a producer flash notes on a white board about something else he wants you to mention, giving  the three other pitchers talk time, reading several thank-yous, watching the clock and hoping you aren’t going to bore the listener, talk too long or end up with forty-five seconds with nothing to say before going back to programming. As a listener, can you tell that’s what’s happening?   Breathe.

In the phone room, volunteers gather around large desks with phones.  It’ s very low tech–no computer entry here, all phone-in pledges are hand written.  Who volunteers?   Many retired folks, UMKC employees, stay-at-home moms, students–a real mix of people. Everyone welcome.  When the phones aren’t busy, it’s  easy to chat with others about hot topics of the day or the usual subjects of kids, weather, jobs.  Everyone is friendly and upbeat. I should have taken a picture of the food table…KCUR takes very  good care of their volunteers.  Fresh baked goods every morning, Roasterie coffee, lunch and dinner from local restaurants like Lidia’s, Blue Koi, Pizza 51, Californo’s.  It’s just like a small party, with all sorts of people and great food.  Every once in a while we’ll get some offbeat call:  someone complains about something, a crank call from a kid who wants to pledge ‘a million dollars’ , but that’s rare.

Two ‘supervisors’ keep track of all the pledge numbers, adding up each individual contribution.  Hourly goals and pledge totals are posted on a large white board at the front of the room. Some  hours you make the goal and  some hours you blow it away.  This membership drive focuses on gaining new members and halfway through the drive, we were over halfway to the goal of 893 new members. That’s a real testament to the power of the station in the community.

I support the station with monetary contributions but also contribute my time…not just because it’s fun but also because of the incredible dedication of the KCUR staff to the Kansas City community.  These are people who work very hard, for not much money, in  simple surroundings; who are  motivated and inspired to bring you excellent news and music programming every single day.  KCUR is always there for you. Don’t take it for granted!  You can pledge anytime, not just during fund drives, at kcur.org.  And if you are interested in volunteering, contact the station at 816 235 1551.  If you are a supporting member, THANK YOU.

February Homes Sales Stats for the Brookside Area

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What will the spring home buying season be like in 2011?  Hard to say…we don’t have the $8000 tax credit like last year.  It’s true that more homes sell in the spring and summer months; it will be interesting to compare  monthly stas in 2010 with 2011 sales in the fall.

For now, here are some home sales statistics for the Brookside area, broken down into two of the larger subdivisions and zip 64113 as a whole.

Armour Hills

Two homes sold in Februrary, one was a short sale and the other needed a complete redo.  Currently there are seven homes under contract, and 27 for sale–average list price $241,656.

Rockhill Gardens

No sales in February, but currently there are three homes under contract.  There are eight homes for sale, average price $188,756.

64113

Eleven homes sold in zip 64113 in Febrary, with an average sales price of $322,132.  There are 25 under contract.  Active listings number 144 with an average list price of $525,263.  The higher average price results from 13 homes for sale over $1million.

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

Thanks for reading my blog..your comments are welcome!  You can reach me at mary.hutchison@prukc.com

Brookside Blizzard Pics–From My Block

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Took a few minutes today to walk around my block, in the warm sun despite cold temps!–and snapped a few pictures to share.  I live on W 68 St in Armour Hills.  My husband spent over two hours today digging us out, using the snowblower!

front steps

the path on the back patio

Gus' snowfort

 

ray of light

 

Our summer dining table!

Had a wonderful pot luck dinner with our next door neighbors on the night of the blizzard, followed by a lively game of Charades. Loving our snowy, scenic Brookside blizzard!