Tag Archives: Waldo blog

Waldo Home Prices Rise – Jan 2015

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Although the cold winter weather that won’t seem to leave… house hunters are out,  snatching up homes in the Waldo area.  In 2014, Waldo home prices rose 2.89%–to a median sales price of $144,000 with 46 days on market, and 330 homes changed ownership.  Let’s look at the January 2015 home sales stats for Waldo–I am using the street boundaries of State Line east  to Holmes, and Gregory south to 85th St:

In January 2015, 15 homes sold with a median list price of $147,500 and a median sales price of $151,000 with 46 days on market.  

In January 2014, 15 homes sold with a median list price of $132,500 and a median sales price of $129,500 with 87 days on  market.  

Why was the sales price higher than the list price ?   A few reasons:  there could have been multiple offers on the property; the buyer may have financed some closing costs into the loan by adding to the list price; or some other type of  negotiation regarding repairs following inspections.  The takeaway here is that buyers are willing to pay the initial list price–or very close to it–for the best homes that come on the market. Comparing the numbers, home values up 11% over last year.

Overall, Waldo homes sales are off to a strong start in 2015!  Currently there are 29 single family homes for sale in Waldo (the boundaries I described above) with a median list price of $144,900 and 41 days on market.

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

New Waldo Restaurant Serves Breakfast Too!

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The title of this new Waldo restaurant says it all up front: Game Day Chicken Wings, Burgers & Fish. Located at 8950 Wornall Road, this spot used to be The Cook Shack. Kelvin Powell and his wife Rischa Rayon opened the place in September 2014 and serve tasty home-style cookin’ all day long…so let’s find out more about this local Waldo business!

Game Day Chicken Wings, Burgers & Fish in Waldo

Game Day Chicken Wings, Burgers & Fish in Waldo

I stopped by earlier this week and visited with Rischa about what’s on the menu. She emphasized that fresh, not frozen, meat and fish are served: handmade burger patties, fresh chicken wings fried in their own special batter, and real fresh potatoes are used for the hash browns and country potatoes. Fish selections include catfish, basa and tilapia. The Game Day menu also offers several food combos so you can choose what suits you: for example, wings and your choice of sides (mac & cheese, green beans, corn, sweet potatoes and fries/tots/onion rings).

One aspect of Game Day Chicken Wings, Burgers & Fish that sets it apart is the breakfast menu. I was trying to think of another Brookside/Waldo area restaurant that serves a full breakfast –and only came up with The Classic Cup. At Game Day, breakfast is a busy time and they serve it all: freshly made biscuits, cinnamon rolls, oatmeal, eggs, grits, gravy, pancakes, waffles and side meats. The prices are reasonable and the portions are large–one cinnamon roll can feed at least two persons!

Rischa Rayon

Rischa Rayon

Rischa explained this restaurant is a family affair–for now, employees are relatives as they get the business established. They appreciate all of their customers, and set prices so area residents can afford to stop in often. It’s a place that has that special small neighborhood feel, where the staff will take the time to get to know you after a couple of visits. Enjoy this comfort food as you chat with Rischa at the counter, keep an eye on the TV or people watch out the large windows. In the spring, they plan to get a liquor license and have a small patio for outdoor dining during warmer weather.

During December and the cold winter months, the hours can vary a bit. In general, the restaurant is open Tuesday-Thursday 8am-7pm, Friday/Saturday 8am-9pm and Sundays 8am-4pm. Visit their Facebook page or website for more information…also, the Game Day staff will cater and reserve the restaurant for private events. Stop by and try this new Waldo dining spot!

Good Mexican Food–Chelly’s Cafe in Waldo

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Just as I  started to fix dinner on a recent Friday night, our neighbor calls.  “Let’s go out for Mexican food!” he says.  I picture a  frosty margarita, a night off from cooking and immediately agree!  So we head over to Chelly’s’ Cafe in Waldo.

Chelly's Café in Waldo

Chelly’s Café in Waldo

Chelly’s is one of those restaurants I’ve passed many times, but haven’t  tried.  All these years I’ve been living in Brookside–and have never stopped at  this nice little neighborhood dining spot!  It’s a family owned restaurant, located in strip mall on 85th St just east of Wornall Road . Open for about  eleven years, it’s the kind of place that gives you a lot of food for the  price, with quick service..  I started off with a  margarita in a large bowl glass that was just $5.  It felt like two drinks for the price of one.

For dinner, I ordered the Steak Tacos ($8.50).  They came in doubled shell corn tortillas, dressed with onion (raw, wish it had been grilled) and cilantro.  On the side was fresh lettuce,  a scoop of guacamole, rice, black beans and a lime wedge.  I ate two tacos and had enough left over for lunch the next day.  Very tasty.  I don’t remember what the rest of our group ordered, probably because we were all talking, but everyone liked their food.  Chelly’s has all of the usual selections you would expect in a Mexican restaurant, plus a hamburger and grilled chicken sandwich option .  I also like the fact  you can order  many items a la carte. We enjoyed the fresh chips and salsa brought to the table soon after being seated.  Service was friendly and quick–and the restaurant was very busy.  A lovely woman sang songs in Spanish from the front of the room, but it didn’t look like too many folks were paying attention.  

Chelly’s is open seven days a week, and serves breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. The breakfast nachos and breakfast burrito are especially popular .

I’m looking forward to going back to Chelly’s soon–I want to try their fajitas.  Thank you for supporting our locally owned  Brookside/Waldo businesses!