Brookside Home Prices Rise in Jan 2014

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Mary Hutchison

January home sales stats for the Brookside zip code of 64113 are in, and already we are seeing an increase in home prices compared to last year. This is a good sign as we head into the busy spring buying season! Let’s look at the numbers for single family homes sales in January 2014:

In January 2014, 13 homes sold. One closed sale was for $1.445 million at 629 W 55th St. Taking that sale out of the math equation, the average list price was $312,942 and the average sales price was $308,111. Days on market: 62. Using a median sales figure, the average price was $295,000.

In January 2013, 17 homes sold. The average list price was $275,635 and average sales price was $257,767. Days on market: 70. Using a median sales figure, the average price was $263,000.

One reason for the lower number of units sold this January could be the severe winter weather we’ve had; also, there usually isn’t much inventory early in the year for buyers to choose from. Still, there was a healthy increase in average sales price compared to one year ago.

As of this writing, there are 63 single family homes for sale in the Brookside zip code of 64113 with an average list price of $767,850. Eleven of the homes for sale are priced over $1 milion. The average median price is $410,000.

Now that the snow is gone and the weather is warming up–buyers are actively looking for fresh product on the market. If you are thinking of selling your Brookside home–get it ready for the market as soon as possible to take advantage of the strong demand!

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

Track Crime in Brookside/Waldo Via These Websites

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Mary Hutchison

Seems like there has been an uptick in crime lately in the Brookside area–break-ins and thefts more often and during daylight hours. A regular blog reader sent me a couple of crime websites to check out, and this inspired me to write a blog post about them. It’s discouraging to hear about frequent burglaries, assaults, thefts and armed robberies so close to home…it will never totally go away but you can be more aware of what’s happening around your house.

Being a real estate agent, I often hear this phrase: “I want a safe neighborhood”. My reply is there is crime everywhere, and it’s best to check with the local police department for details. However if you want specific information on crime stats (and registered sex offenders) for Kansas City MO, check crimereports.com. KCPD reports incidents to this site, and you can sign up for weekly email recaps of what’s been happening in your area, block by block. I checked stats for January 2014 in the Brookside zone between 55th St. to Gregory, State Line to Holmes and there were 35 different types of theft crimes (breaking and entering, robbery, vehicle theft) and one sexual assault (described as a forcible rape). For the Waldo area (State Line to Holmes, Gregory to 85th), I counted 29 theft incidents and one sexual assault. To me, this indicates the police are kept pretty busy just in these two areas of Kansas City. Crime is more frequent farther east. Regarding home burglaries, KCPD does offer a free program that sends an officer to your home for a safety check, walking through the property with you and making suggestions on how to deter criminals from choosing your house for a burglary. I’ve had this done and it was very helpful–there are many preventative measures you can take that are pretty inexpensive.

Another website, spotcrime.com, also posts detailed crime information. The site is a ‘crime data aggregator’ pulling data from police, news reports and other sources. I didn’t find spotcrime.com as easy to read or navigate as crimereports.com. You can also get email alerts from this site.

There is one more site I want to mention called nextdoor.com. I just signed up to start using it today, so haven’t had a chance to monitor it on a regular basis. Nextdoor.com is a “private social network for your neighborhood”: you can post details about events, yard sales, lost pets, crime, for sale items, handyman inquiries, etc. I can see the benefit if more people join and share information. There are just ten Brookside area homes associations listed, and I’d like to see more added to the list to cover as much of the Brookside area as possible. This site would being especially useful as a quick email alert to notify neighbors of a crime occurrence or suspicious person in your immediate area.

Knowing your neighbors personally and having a block captain is one of the most effective ways to be aware of what’s happening on your street. Always be aware of your surroundings, especially in the dark when getting in and out of your car, going through your backyard or near your garage. And thanks Kelly for recommending these websites to share with my readers!

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.

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.

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).

Brookside/Waldo Business Profile: Jennifer Dunklin, State Farm Insurance

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

As I work with a lot of first time homebuyers in the Brookside/Waldo area, I thought it would be informative to write a blog about purchasing homeowner’s insurance. The very act of researching and comparing various company policies can be confusing–where to start? How much do you need? What’s the difference in policies? How to compare rates? Who gives good service during the claims process?

State Farm Insurance, 105 E Gregory in Brookside

I recently visited Brookside/Waldo business owner, Jennifer Dunklin, who has a State Farm Insurance office at 105 E Gregory Blvd. I asked her her some basic questions about buying homeowners’ insurance and a few specific questions that relate to the older homes in our neighborhood. Here’s an excerpt from our conversation:

What are the important issues to consider when researching insurance companies?

Check JD Power rankings to see if the company provides the services you want. You should purchase enough insurance to rebuild the house and replace the personal property inside. Be sure to compare ‘actual cash value’ vs ‘replacement cost”. Actual cash value considers depreciation of your property; replacement cost actually replaces the items you lost. If there is a catastrophic incident, such as a total loss from a fire, some companies offer a dollar limit for the coverage. State Farm covers a two year period of expenses rather than a certain monetary amount as some companies do. Also consider liability protection, which protects the homeowner from lawsuits initiated by a guest, contractor or stranger who may be injured on your property.

How do you handle inquiry calls about insurance?

A series of questions will be asked about the home, location, size, etc. Some discounts may apply, such as a lower premium if you have an alarm system, newer HVAC, impact resistant roof shingles or auto coverage in place with the same company. Often the agent will drive by the property, take outdoor photos, look for wood rot and debris around property, visible foundation issues. A roof inspector may also come by to examine the roof. Most insurance companies, including State Farm, will not insure 3 layer roofs or wood shingle roofs covered by composition shingles.

Are insurance companies concerned about the old knob and tube wiring found in older homes?

Most carriers will insure a small amount of knob and tube wiring if still in the home. Many older homes have had this type of wiring replaced, and any remaining wires are inactive.

What happens when a homeowner needs to make a claim?

With State Farm, the agent’s office number is answered 24 hours a day. If there is an emergency, such as a fire, a State Farm agent can write a check immediately to cover essential expenses. When the claim is made, a claim number is assigned and the process of fulfilling the policy requirements begins.

Jennifer Dunklin, State Farm Insurance in Brookside

Are you active in the Waldo/Brookside business community?

Yes! My office participates in the Waldo Art Crawl on the third Thursday of every month; in October we collected food for Harvesters, and I am a member of the Southtown Council.

Do you have questions about homeowner’s insurance? Jennifer is happy to help. Her office is open 8:30-5:30 on Mon, Wed and Fridays; until 7pm on Tues and Thurs, and 9am – noon on Saturday. The phone number is 816 333 5853. Thank you for supporting our locally owned and operated Brookside/Waldo businesses! .

Brookside Home Sales Report – Sept 2013

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Brookside home values rise again! That is what I have to report today, after checking the September 2013 single family home sales for our zip code of 64113. Here are the details:

In September 2013, 26 homes sold. Average list price was $400,412 and average sales price was $387,771. Average days on market was 68.

In September 2012, 27 homes sold at an average price of $299,585 and 80 days on the market.

You see a huge jump in the average sales price – almost $100,000. Keep in mind that we have a wide spread of home prices in 64113–when the higher priced homes sell, the average prices jump. Last month, seven homes sold for over $500,000.

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

From Jan-Sept 2013, 246 homes have sold at an average price of $359,384 and 86 days on market.

From Jan-Sept 2012, 227 homes sold at an average price of $318,735 and 106 days on market.

So far this year, average sales prices are up 12.75% over last year!

As of this writing, there are 87 homes for sale in the Brookside zip code of 64113 with an average list price of $647,137 and 123 days on market. Thirty four homes are priced over $500K, and eleven of those are priced at $1million and up, thus the high average list price.

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

Armour Hills Home Sales Statistics – Sept 2013

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Armour Hills subdivision in Brookside

Last week Heartland MLS released the September home sales statistics so it’s time to tell you about Armour Hills activity for last month. Fewer units sold, but average sales price is way up over last year:

In Sept 2013, 5 homes sold. The average list price was $273,180 and the average sales price was $271,260. Average days on market: 25.

In Sept 2012, 11 homes sold. The average list price was $194,870 and the average sales price was $189,610. Average days on market: 85.

That’s a huge jump in average sales price, and less days on market. Our neighborhood has had higher average sales prices overall this year; part of the reason this month for the big jump was in Sept 2012, the majority of the homes sold for under $200K–not normal for Armour Hills.

Let’s compare year-to-date figures:

In the first nine months of 2013, 61 homes sold with an average sales price of $261,468 and 62 days on market.

In the first nine months of 2012, 82 homes sold with an average sales price of $219,205 and 82 days on market.

Although fewer homes are selling this year, the average sales price is up 19% year to date over 2012–a huge increase! In addition, last year lower priced listings were more prevalent due to several short sales and foreclosures in the subdivision.

As of this writing, there are 18 homes for sale in Armour Hills, with an average price of $253,720 and 88 days on market.

If you would like specific sales figures from your neighborhood, contact me!

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

Will the Streetcar Proposal Eliminate the Trolley Trail?

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

“The Trail stays!”

This promise was made at the NextRail KC meeting last Wednesday night in Waldo. The meeting was open to residents of Brookside and Waldo, organized to discuss the topic of expanding the streetcar through our beloved neighborhood.

Attendance was strong–I counted approximately 75 people in the room. After an overview of the project by a representative from the BNIM architect firm, we broke up into small groups and discussed how the streetcar service would affect this area from three viewpoints: resident, business owner and visitor.

Rather than get into the details of what the various groups talked about (pros and cons of the Brookside service), I wanted to relate some new information I learned via the bullet points below:

*Vincent (from BNIM, didn’t hear his last name) emphatically stated ‘the trail stays’ if the streetcar is built here. The plan is to run the streetcar in the right of way along the Trolley Track Trail, so the trail and the streetcars coexist side by side. An easement of 100 feet would be enough space for both the streetcar and the trail.

*The “Country Club Right Of Way” route runs roughly from 47th St (Cleaver Blvd) at the Plaza south to 85th and then curves to the east through The Paseo.

*Four parking lots would be affected by this route: the lot between the tennis courts and The Brooksider/Blue Grotto retail strip and the lot between Shopgirls/Foos and Bank Midwest/Roasterie, plus the Metro Park and Ride lots at Gregory and Wornall plus Wornall and 74th St …just as the trail runs through those lots now.

*Could the trolley run along the elevated part of the trail,over the bridge east of Wornall along Brookside Road through Armour Hills? This is unknown.

*One car holds approximately 148 persons; they run on electricity but the ground rails will not be ‘hot’; each streetcar can move north or south, so there is no need for a ‘turn around’ area.

Other corridors besides the Country Club ROW are proposed, and you can read more about those at the NextRail KC website. (this website doesn’t look like it’s updated often, but it’s easy to navigate; there’s also a NextRail KC Facebook page.) The starter line first must be built from downtown to Crown Center (construction will start next year). The other routes will not be confirmed for a while as BNIM and NextRail KC conduct these neighborhood meetings for input from area residents and businesses.

Brookside/Waldo residents love the Trolley Trail–it’s one of our most prized amenities. It’s reassuring to know ‘the trail stays’ if the streetcar ever makes it south into our area.

Inside Brookside (And Waldo)

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

Tag Archives: Brookside real estate