Nothing new here…prices for Waldo homes keep increasing! However, I will say that Waldo is still one of those areas where you can buy a house for over $400K or even under $250K–location and condition vary of course! Let’s take a look at the numbers; I’m using stats for single family homes located between State Line and Holmes, Gregory to 85th St.
MARCH 2024
MARCH 2023
Median list price:
$299,900
$245,000
Median sales price:
$300,000
$248,750
Days on market:
3
10
No. of homes sold:
21
16
Compared to March 2023, home values in Waldo are up just over 20%! Buyers are paying asking price or a bit over–and more homes have changed hands. The lowest closed price was $133,500 and the highest was $475,000.
Here are the year-to-date numbers:
JAN-MARCH 2024
JAN-MARCH 2023
Median list price:
$285,000
$282,425
Median sales price:
$291,000
$271,500
Days on market:
3
13
No. of homes sold:
49
44
For the year, prices are up 7%; the number of homes changing owners remains pretty steady. Currently there are 11 single family homes for sale in Waldo, with a median list price of $310,000. Two of the homes are new builds; lowest list price is $247,500 and the highest is $689,000.
(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
Did you know that Waldo has a special events venue? I did not—until I was invited to a kick-off party at 75th Street Events last month. This is a very versatile space that you should know about—and yes, it’s locally owned and operated by Waldo residents!
Located at 214 W 75th St, just east of the 222 Waldo Flats apartments and directly north of the CVS, 75th St Events hosts weddings, bridal/baby showers, corporate meetings, fundraisers, family reunions, and birthday celebrations. The concrete floors, high ceilings and large, street facing windows offer lots of flexibility setting up the venue for each individual client. The space can comfortably hold just over 100 persons, depending on room arrangement. Owners Laura and Howard Turley explain: “It’s a very flexible space where you can create your own vision. It feels open and welcoming for 30 people or 90 people”. There is plenty of room for tables, chairs, a/v equipment, dancing, a band, and mingling. Parking is free around the back.
Howard and Laura Turley
Howard Turley grew up in Kansas City—you may have heard of his father, Dr John J Turley, who was a local optometrist. He was instrumental in forming the Waldo Area Business Association and the Trolley Track Trail. Years ago Dr Turley bought the building the venue is housed in and passed it on to Howard’s brother so it’s still in the family. Howard and his wife Laura moved back to Kansas City from El Paso several years ago, and had always wanted to open their own business. Having a background in wedding consulting and hospitality, the couple decided Waldo needed its own events venue and opened 75th St Events in July 2021.
There is one special feature that makes this place different from most rented spaces: customers may choose from any licensed caterer for food service, and can supply the alcohol for the event. That’s not the policy at many event venues, and it can save a lot of money for those with a tighter budget. In addition to the main area, there is a cozy private room in back perfect for a bridal party; a lounge area off the main room; a small catering prep kitchen and outdoor deck. The Turleys offer very personalized service to their customers, too. They are on site for every event, working with clients from the initial contact through the day of the event. You can choose from various pricing and packages, included a small wedding package that takes care of all the details.
Laura and Howard love working and living in Waldo and both enjoy seeing how the area is growing. Howard says “We make a point to know every business in this area. We want to be good stewards of the neighborhood by offering this space, and focus on excellent customer service”.
For a tour of 75th Street Events or more info, visit their website.
What is Hemma Hemma? You may have driven by the location at 7122 Wornall and the sign caught your eye..the name is unusual! Hemma Hemma is actually three culinary concepts in one location; so you have numerous ways to experience this newer Waldo, woman owned local business.
Walk into Hemma Hemma and you’ll be in the “bodega marketplace”— a full service coffee/expresso bar featuring fresh pastries, a comfortable lounge area and a refrigerated section of soups, entrees and sides for quick grab and go options. To the right of the bodega is the “hot line”—a cafeteria style selection of hot breakfast and lunch options that you can take to go or enjoy at a table in the sunny dining area. (Note that just about everything here is made in house, and selections change often.) The third space is the large Studio+Events room that offers several hands on cooking classes.
Hemma Hemma owner Ashley Bare is from Kansas City; she studied French and art history at KU and comes from a “big medical family”. After college she was an au pair in Switzerland and then decided to go to culinary school in New York, following an inner passion for food. She became a private chef and also developed recipes with cookbook authors. Ashley started meal prepping for clients during the pandemic out of her home; demand grew so much that she started looking for a commercial kitchen. After a location in the Crossroads fell through, she found this extra large space in Wlado and the landlord offered her a “great deal’. She created the Hemma Hemma concept and opened last September. (Ashley still offers the meal prep service called “Fill Your Fridge” –see the website for details.)
If you’ve not been to Hemma Hemma yet—try it! Ashley says there are several ways to “build a meal” on the hot line so you can personalize what you want. She strives for “high quality, normal food with a twist. Many items are vegetable forward and seasonal” so there is always some variety, including vegan and gluten free items. Best sellers include the miso chicken meatballs, salsa verde chicken enchiladas, lasagna, grilled cheese with tomato soup, and the vegetarian breakfast casserole. I sampled the pineapple guacamole during my visit and it was addicting!
Hemma Hemma has very convenient parking; there are spaces in front of the shop or the surface lot shared with the Fresh Green dispensary to the south. Hours are Monday-Friday 7:30-4; Saturday and Sunday 8am-3pm. Try someplace new for breakfast or lunch and stop by Hemma Hemma!
Interesting news for Waldo home sales in this report- prices are down! What’s that all about?? I’m thinking it’s a fluke; possibly some homes initially priced high and then negotiated down; or more of the less expensive homes in Waldo closed rather than the ones priced closer to $350-$500K. Let’s take a look at the numbers:
February 2024
February 2023
Median list price:
$275,000
$322,500
Median sales price:
$281,000
$315,000
Days on market:
6
7
No. of homes sold:
19
16
The median sales price was down 12% compared to February 2023. Of the 19 properties that closed, nine were at or above asking price so most were below asking. The lowest closed price was $135,000 and the highest was $445,000.
Here are the year-to-date stats:
Jan-Feb 2024
Jan-Feb 2023
Median list price:
$275,000
$289,950
Median sales price:
$281,000
$299,450
Days on market:
3
20
No. of homes sold:
29
30
Year to date, the median price is down 6.5% compared to a year ago; however, buyers still paying over asking price. About the same number of homes have sold. Currently there are 6 single family homes for sale in Waldo, with a median list price of $259,750.
(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
There are many exercise gyms in the Waldo area, and each tend to have their own vibe. To stick with a regular program and routine, it’s important to feel comfortable and welcome in the space and know it is working for you—gotta stay motivated to get out there and just do it!!
Rare Breed Crossfit and Athletics is a new spot that has something different to offer: first, it is a locally and woman owned, LGBTQ+ business, welcoming all types of humans. And, you can use your health savings or FSA savings account for services!
Owner Ryann Bauser is from a small town in northeast Kansas, and graduated from Texas Tech with a master’s degree in Science and Kinesiology. While working at a gym in Gardner, a client suggested she open her own place and told her about this particular space in Waldo that would be a good fit. She decided to become her own boss and open Rare Breed last December. Ryann told me she is not trying to be an “elite” gym—she promotes her business as a safe, judgement free space and focuses on working up a program based on each client’s ability and needs that works in their everyday life. This is “functional fitness” that can be modified and scaled up or down depending on the customer. In addition to semi private/personal training and group classes, nutritional plans are available and there is open gym time Monday through Friday mornings.
Ryann calls all of her clients “athletes” – no matter what stage of fitness they are in. She “ramps” each person into a program, focusing on their individual goals. That can include building muscle, improving balance, cardio workouts, how to stay fit in your older years—Ryann has the knowledge and background to customize for each person. “I want my athletes to take what they have learned here as they move in their everyday lives.”
Ryann loves her space in Waldo and has felt so welcomed by the community. “I’ve met a lot of other business owners in the area. They have reached out to me to network and give advice when I ask for it. I’ve learned so much from other Waldo small businesses about how to run my own place—they have offered great advice and guidance. Along with my clients we are enjoying this tight knit group of neighbors and love being here!”
It seems a little odd to be reporting January home sales stats when the temperature on this February day is in the 70s! I’m remembering the weeks of very frigid temps just last month. Grateful for the warm sunshine today! OK, getting down to business, here are the single family home sales stats for Waldo last month, using the boundaries of State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th St.
january 2024
january 2023
Median list price:
$285,000
$260,253
Median sales price:
$299,000
$249,875
Days on market:
3
33
No. of homes sold:
11
14
Buyers paid about 5% over list price for their homes and values are up 19.6% over January 2023 numbers!! Homes are still selling within a couple days of going up for sale. The lowest sales price last month was $180,000 and the highest was $277,250.
Currently there are six single family homes listed in Waldo, with a median price of $262,250 and 40 days on market.
At a recent Waldo Area Business Association meeting, Jeremy Tinkler withEPC Real Estate Group gave us an update on the apartment complex planned for the intersection of 74th St and Broadway, where The Well once stood. The construction of the building will coincide with the planned street improvements in the 75th and Waldo area, so this intersection is going to be messy for the next two years!
There have been some changes from the initial plans. The Well will still be on the ground floor of the building, but now there will not be a “rooftop” connected with the restaurant. Instead, some of the apartments on the second floor will have “terraces” that overlook the street. Also planned for the first level are three other retail spaces, which could be services (like a spa or nail salon) or a coffee shop/small cafe, plus outdoor tables in front of The Well. The working title for the building, 74 Broadway, hasn’t been chosen as the official name but you can see this project referenced as such at the EPC website.
Since there will not be a rooftop area, a few more units were added; now there will be 283 studio, one and two bedroom apartments. Fifty seven of these will be at “affordable” prices. A five story parking garage for 374 vehicles will be attached with validation available for the building’s retail and restaurant. Tinkler says residents will have access to “top of the line” amenities: an outdoor pool, cabanas, a whiskey lounge, clubhouse and a golf simulator. Construction should take at least two years, and demolition of the former Well building is planned for March 4 if all the paperwork is completed.
74 Broadway is working with KCMO so that the construction of this project is happening at the same time as all of the street improvements and sidewalk/parking lot reconstruction happening now along Wornall. The Waldo Area Business Association has created a website to keep you updated on what’s happening here; note it is a work in progress! Please continue to support Waldo merchants and services in the 75th and Wornall area despite the construction disruption and traffic rerouting–they are here for you!
Buyers are continuing to find Waldo a desirable place to live, even with the interest rate hikes of last year. The number of homes changing owners was about the same as December 2022–but the values are way up. Let’s look at the stats:
december 2023
december 2022
Median list price:
$264,000
$240,000
Median sales price:
$262,500
$235,000
No. of homes sold:
16
18
Days on market:
2
25
Last month buyers paid within 1% of the list price–that’s good to hear, we don’t need constant frivolous bidding wars, especially for first time buyers. Prices rose almost 12% compared to December 2022. The lowest closed price was $122,500 and the highest was $480,000. Below is a graph for the five year trend of Waldo single family home sales:
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
Median list price:
$289,950
$265,000
$249,975
$222,500
$222,450
Median sales price:
$296,000
$275,000
$260,000
$229,900
$217,475
No. of homes sold:
267
301
410
375
358
Days on market:
3
3
3
4
10
Waldo home prices rose 7.6% 2022-2023 and values are up 36% since 2019. You can see in this chart how inventory has fallen–25% fewer homes are selling because there are not enough homes to satisfy demand. With interest rates sliding down (however don’t expect 3 or 4% this year!), more buyers will try this spring to purchase, resigned to the higher rates compared to a couple of years ago. These trends show, Waldo homes are a very good investment for homebuyers!Contact me if you are interested in buying or selling in Waldo!
Here we go…into two weeks of holiday hoopla, multiple trips to the grocery store, airport runs, packing and unpacking, enjoying those special home cooked recipes and seeing the innocent joy of the season on every kid’s face. Is this too sentimental?? OK let’s get on with the show…below are single family home sales for Waldo last month; I use the street boundaries of State Line-Holmes and Gregory to 85th for the report:
november 2023
november 2022
Median list price:
$315,000
$242,500
Median sales price:
$315,000
$257,000
Days on market:
3
4
No. of homes sold:
29
20
There are some interesting stats here; compared to Brookside, the number of homes sold increased compared to a year ago, and prices rose by 22%!! I suspect some buyers finally got used to the fact that interest rates are not going down to 3%, or even 5% anytime soon so they finally made a purchase. The lowest closed price was $70,000 and the highest was $525,000. Here are the year-to-date stats:
jan-nov 2023
jan-nov 2022
Median list price:
$295,000
$265,000
Median sales price:
$300,000
$278,000
Days on market:
3
3
No. of homes sold:
272
303
The trend for the year has been buyers paying a bit over the list price and prices increasing from last year. Still a lot of demand as you can see–most houses go under contract very quickly, within a few days. The number of homes closed decreased by 11%, due to interest rate hikes causing some buyers leaving the market.
Currently there are just 8 homes listed in Waldo, with a median price of $314,750 and 22 days on market.
(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
Well this month is certainly slipping away fast…as the last two months of the year usually do!! So I’d better get these Waldo home sales stats out–and here they are–single family home sales for Waldo last month, using the boundaries of State Line to Holmes, Gregory to 85th St:
october 2023
october 2022
Median list price:
$277,500
$294,000
Median sales price:
$294,000
$290,000
Days on market:
3
13
No. of homes sold:
20
22
Waldo continues to be a strong market for sellers–you can see buyers paid about 6% over the list price last month; median sales price just a bit over 1% compared to October 2022. The lowest closed price was $180,000 and the highest was $405,000.
Here are the year-to-date numbers:
jan-oct 2023
jan-oct 2022
Median list price:
$280,000
$267,000
Median sales price:
$290,000
$280,000
Days on market:
3
3
No. of homes sold:
221
258
So far this year, Waldo home values are up about 3.5%; and 14% fewer homes have sold. There are currently 12 active listings in Waldo, with a median price of $302,250 and 26 days on market.
(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
Inside Brookside (And Waldo) 