Feel Like A Massage? Try Crossing Paths Massage Therapy

“Treat yo’self” – one of the memorable lines from the TV series Parks and Recreation.  We all feel the need to pamper ourselves every so often, and there’s a new massage therapy studio in Brookside that will do just that!  Crossing Paths Massage Therapy opened recently in east Brookside,  at 751 E 63rd St.

When I heard about Crossing Paths, I had tto indulge in a massage for myself—research for the blog of course! I had the basic 60 minute relaxation massage, and it was…wonderful!  A couple of days later I called Stephanie Cross, the owner, for more information about her and her business.

Stephanie Cross

Stephanie started as a nail technician, yet always had it in the back of her mind that she also wanted to do massage therapy.  She enrolled at WellSpring School of Allied Health (massage therapy is their main program) and graduated in September 2019.  While working at The Elms Hotel  and Spa, she decided to open her own studio as well after seeing a friend’s space in the building—“I really like the vibe of Brookside”.  She also wanted to make more of a personal connection with her clients, as the people she sees at the Elms are more transient.  “I have seen the change massage therapy can make in your life and wanted to offer those services to regular customers”. 

Stephanie offers 60, 90 and 120 minute relaxation and therapeutic massages.  All include hot towels and aromatherapy.  She offers add-ons including  foot and back scrubs, CBD  and cupping therapy.  Services are offered Saturday through Tuesday, and gift certificates are available (still looking for a Valentine’s day gift??).  The studio entrance is on the south side of the building, easily accessible on the ground floor and right next to the covered (free) parking garage.  The best way to reach Stephanie is via text (417 894 2456) or  her Facebook or Instagram (@crossingpathslmt) page.  Mention this blog post and get $10 off your first massage, valid through June 1st.

Next time you need to treat yo’self, try Crossing Paths—another locally owned and operated Brookside business!

Waldo Welcomes Back Price Chopper Grocery Store at 85th and Wornall

Have you stopped in the newly remodeled Price Chopper grocery store in Waldo?  It’s worth a visit! We now have a large, full service grocery with all the extras to serve our neighborhood…just like the suburbs.

The new Waldo Price Chopper at 8430 Wornall
David Bardwell

After a complete remodel, this store at 8430 Wornall reopened December 8.  Inside you’ll see new coolers and freezers, updated  lighting and flooring and peppy pop music piped through the speakers.  There’s a bakery, deli, liquor dept, large meat counter, pharmacy (COVID shots available!)  and prepared food section next to a café.  I recently spoke with David Bardwell, Store Director, about the special features of the remodel.  “We have a very nice meat department, and the butchers will do special cuts for customers in advance.  Our sushi counter is unique to this area—it’s owned and operated by a privately owned company that rents the space.  The bakery department takes special orders and I think our liquor department offers the lowest prices around”.  And in the check out area…seven self check out stands and four staffed stands. I also like the new grocery carts with a few storage areas instead of one large basket.

Part of the fresh Produce Section

David grew up in the grocery business-his father was a grocer with Payless Grocery.  Unlike the Price Chopper in Brookside and the one on 103rd off Wornall (both owned by the Cosentino family), this store is owned by Balls Foods, which will celebrate it’s 100th anniversary next year.  David says prices can vary from store to store, but the weekly ad specials are always the same at every Price Chopper. You’ll experience a very friendly staff when you visit; if you are looking for a particular item, someone will walk you  to the exact spot in the aisle that has your item!  During the many months this store was closed, David had a van and drove several  carless teammates to work in the  Bannister and Grandview stores.  Of the 83 current employees, 30 worked at the store previously and came back so you may see some familiar faces.  The Ball’s Food Stores vision is “To be the best run, friendliest supermarkets in town where teammates are passionate about providing excellent customer service and where customers love to shop.”

Large Selection of Wine, Beer and Spirits!

I asked David if he was having any supply chain issues regarding keeping the store stocked during the pandemic.  He explained they have approximately 4000 items delivered per week, and there are a few things are in short supply:  paper products, children’s drinks and canned pet food.  But overall, he can get everything needed to keep the shelves full.

It’s easy to run in and out of this store if you just need a couple of things; or stock up with a big load of groceries.  There’s plenty of parking out front; and you can create orders online to pick up in the store later or have delivered to your car.  Stop in and check out the new Waldo Price Chopper! The store is open seven days a week from 7am-10pm.

Make Reservations Now for Kansas City Restaurant Week

During this rather boring time of year (unless the Chiefs keep winning!)….we have KC Restaurant Week to break the monotony! This is the time to check out some eateries you haven’t been to before…and there are so many to choose from. Over 180 restaurants are participating in this year’s event!

Kansas City Restaurant Week is happening January 14-22, 2022. A portion of the earnings will be donated to the Guadalupe Centers–KC’s largest Hispanic association, providing education, health care and other social services in our area for over 100 years now. Reservations fill up fast, especially on weekends, so make your plans now if you plan to dine in. Some places are offering delivery and carry out options.

Below is a list of the participating restaurants in Brookside and Waldo. The fixed lunch price is $15; dinner price is $35 or $45. Not all of the special menus are posted yet–check the website or the KCRW app for updates.

Aixois French Restaurant * Charlie Hoopers * Michael Forbes * Red Door Grill

Boru Asian Eatery * Lews Grill and Bar * South of Summit Taqueria * Summit Grill* The Well * Waldo Pizza.

Note that most of the restaurants are locally owned..and we know how much local businesses have suffered during the COVID pandemic. Thank you for supporting our locally owned restaurants and please tip generously!!!

Waldo Homes Sales Report-November 2021

Gotta act fast if you want to buy a home in Waldo…and it’s been like that all year, even during these slower winter months.  Homes go under contract very fast and buyers usually pay  list price if not more. Here are the stats for November 2021, using the street boundaries of Gregory to 85th St; State Line to Holmes:

November 2021                                                       November 2020

Med list price:     $245,000                                              $259,900

Med sales price:    $245,000                                           $259,900

No. homes sold:    37                                                         27

Days on market:    3                                                           12

Although the median sales price was a bit lower than last November, more homes sold and in less time; also more higher priced homes sold in  November 2020.  The lowest sales price last month was $73,000 and the highest was $503,000.  Let’s check the year-to-date numbers:

Jan-Nov 2021                                                                   Jan-Nov 2020

Med list price:     $249,950                                              $225,000

Med sales price:  $260,000                                             $230,000

No. homes sold:    370                                                      343

Days on market:    3                                                           4

So far this year, sellers are paying an average of 4% over list price; homes are still going under contract very fast (yes I know I say that every month!).  Home values are up 13% compared to last year at this time.

Currently there are 12 active listings in Waldo, with a median list price of $232,450 and 37 days on market. Prices range from $75K to $395,000.

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

Waldo Home Sales Report-August 2021

Nothing really new regarding this report…Waldo prices continue to rise, and homes go under contract very quickly. Perhaps as we get into the fall/holiday season, prices will ‘normalize’ somewhat and bidding wars will subside. For these numbers, I’m using Waldo street boundaries of State Line to Holmes, Gregory to 85th St.

Jan-Aug 2021                                                                            Jan-Aug 2020

Median list price:             $250,000                                           $220,000

Median sales price:         $265,000                                           $226,000

Days on market:              2                                                          4

No. homes sold:               257                                                     240

Last month, most homes went under contract within two days and prices up 9.6% compared to August 2020. The lowest closed price was $100,000 and the highest was $500,000.

Here are the year-to-date numbers:

Jan-Aug 2021                                                                            Jan-Aug 2020

Median list price:             $250,000                                           $220,000

Median sales price:         $265,000                                           $226,000

Days on market:              2                                                          4

No. homes sold:               257                                                     240

Compared to last year at this time, home values are up 17% ! More homes are selling, for more money and in less time. Currently there are 20 homes listed, with a median price of $249,950 and 23 days on market. Prices range from $97,000 to $417,000.

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

Waldo Home Sales Report-May 2021

Ready for the latest Waldo home sales stats? Yes, prices continue to rise, and yes, homes are selling quickly. If you are trying to buy a home in Waldo–don’t get discouraged! Stay the course, be prepared and eventually it will work out. This report reflects the Waldo boundaries of Gregory to 85th St and State Line to Holmes.

May 2021                                                                                       May 2020

Median list price:     $265,000                                                    $254,950

Median sales price:  $278,500                                                   $249,000

No. sold:                        30                                                              36

Days on market:                                                                        4

Home values up 11% compared to May 2020; the lowest closed price last month was $119,000 and the highest was $605,000.

Here are the year-to-date numbers:

Jan-May 2021                                                                                          Jan-May 2020

Median list price:       $249,950                                                                 $215,000

Median sales price:   $263,500                                                                 $222,000

No. sold:                             158                                                                      131

Days on market:               2                                                                            13

Another big increase in Waldo home values over last year–18% year-to-date. Currently, there are just ten single family homes for sale in Waldo, with a median list price of $240,000 and 8 days on market. Prices range from $109,000 to $429,000.

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

Waldo Home Sales Report-Feb 2021

I remember when it was fairly easy to buy a house in Waldo for under $200K. Those days are gone! Housing prices keep rising in Waldo, and compared to last year–values are up in the double digits. I’m checking single family home sales in Waldo, using the boundaries of Gregory to 85th and State Line to Holmes.

February 2021February 2020
Median list price: $289,475 $209,000
Median sales price: $298,750$212,500
No. of homes sold: 24 15
Days on market: 15 22

The lowest closed price in Feb 2021 was $112,520 and the highest was $439,900. Here are the year-to-date numbers:

Jan-Feb 2021Jan-Feb 2020
Median list price: $265,000$205,000
Median sales price: $265,000$206,225
No. of homes sold: 47 32
Days on market: 13 24

Look at the difference between the two sales prices: values are up 28% YTD. That is incredible. More homes are selling, and in a shorter period of time. And as of this writing, there are just four homes listed in Waldo, with a median asking price of $180,000 and 4 days on market.

Contact me if you would like more details information on housing sales near you!

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

Waldo Home Sales Report-Jan 2021

The cold weather and snow did not slow down home sales in Waldo last month… houses are still selling quickly! Here are the stats for January 2021, and a comparison to January 2020. The Waldo boundaries I’m using are State Line-Holmes and Gregory to 85th St.

January 2021January 2020
Median list price: $237,500$199,750
Median sales price: $237,000$196,250
No. of homes sold: 24 18
Days on market: 3 18

Home values are up almost 21% compared to a year ago! Still a lot of demand and not much inventory. The lowest closed price last month was $129,000 and the highest was $410,000. Currently there are just five listings in Waldo, with an average list price of $322,450 and five days on market.

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

Brookside Home Sales Report-January 2021

A new year brings a new batch of Brookside homes for sale! Although there are many buyers ready to buy today, we don’t have the inventory to match demand. January was a busy month for closings; let’s take a look at the numbers. I’m using the main Brookside zip code of 64113 for this report:

January 2021January 2020
Median list price: $399,000$415,000
Median sales price: $432,000$400,000
No. of homes sold: 13 7
Days on market: 6 44

Home values are up over 8% compared to last January, and again, most homes that are going under contract sell at or over the list price.

Here’s a fun fact..as I write this blog, there are just six homes for sale in Brookside, with a median price of $2,645,000! Every home is priced well over $1,000,000! As we know, most buyers do not have the budget for a multi-million dollar home. This is the time when sellers are starting to prep their homes for sale, so we will have more inventory as the weeks go on and the weather warms up.

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

Waldo Dec 2020 Home Sales Report and Yearly Comparison

Ah yes, I’m a few days late posting this information but still relevant! Waldo has been one of the hottest neighborhoods for buyers these past few years and 2020 was no exception! The stats below reflect the Waldo area in the boundaries of State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th St. First, we’ll look at the December numbers:

December 2020December 2019
Median list price: $210,000$220,000
Median sales price: $217,000$214,000
No. of homes sold: 31 31
Days on market: 2 19

The median sales price crept up a bit over last year, the same number of homes closed, the big difference is in days on market: most homes went under contract within 2 days of listing. The lowest sales price in December 2020 was $125K and the highest was $405K.

Now let’s look at a five year comparison:

20202019201820172016
$219,000$220,000$199,900$175,000$163,500
$226,000$215,250$200,000$176,000$163,950
375 358 381 400 387
4 10 19 12 21

Wonderful Waldo is hot!!!! Home values up just under 5% in one year, and 37.8% since 2016. Real estate…can be an excellent investment! I wish there was more inventory to meet the demand because multiple offers are still quite common, pushing prices way up. Currently there are just two single family homes for sale in Waldo, with a median price of $203,700 and 31 days on market.

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