One of the reasons people love to live in Brookside and Waldo…all the neighborhood free activities! Kick off your weekend early !
Tonight is the Fall Sip & Shop in Brookside! Centered around the intersection of 63rd St and Brookside Blvd, take your time and stroll around the locally owned shops and restaurants on this mild Fall evening. Stop in retail stores for beverage samples and in store specials while supporting our neighborhood.
And Saturday is the Waldo Fall Festival from 10am-8pm, at Gregory and Wornall on the east side.
Please remember to be extra careful when driving in these areas and watch for pedestrians, kids, bicyclers and families with strollers. Get out this weekend and enjoy the neighborhood!
You may have heard that home prices are coming down…and that may be true in some areas, because “all real estate is local” as the saying goes. Waldo, however, continues to see rising prices. Here are the July stats for single family home sales in this area: Holmes to State Line; Gregory to 85th St:
JULY 2024
JULY 2023
Median list price:
$295,000
$250,000
Median sales price:
$305,000
$270,000
Days on market:
3
2
No. of homes sold:
27
19
Prices were up 13% over July 2023 and most sellers are getting asking price or a bit over. Just about 42% more homes changed ownership and most do not sit on the market a long time. The lowest closed price was $100K and the highest was $532,000. Here are the year-to-date numbers:
JAN-JULY 2024
JAN-JULY 2023
Median list price:
$299,000
$292,500
Median sales price:
$305,000
$299,450
Days on market:
3
3
No. of homes sold:
154
162
These numbers, though, show the number of homes sold is down but not by much; prices are up just under 2% for the year. Remember, it usually takes 30-60 days for a house to close once it is under contract so the July 2024 closed sales likely went under contract in May and June, peak buying season. Currently there are 33 properties for sale in Waldo, with a median list price of $295,000 and 33 days on the market. Prices range from $160,000-$525,000.Waldo continues to be an affordable and desirable place to live!
(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
Halfway through the year and Waldo home prices overall are up, which is the opposite of it’s neighbor Brookside during the same time frame. Let’s take a look; these stats are for single family homes bounded by State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th St.
JUNE 2024
JUNE 2023
Median list price:
$305,000
$322,500
Median sales price:
$326,000
$333,750
Days on market:
4
3
No. of homes sold:
33
36
Buyers paid an average of 6.8% over asking price; yet prices dropped just over 2% compared to the same period last year. The lowest closed price was $125,000 and the highest was $631,000–that was $56K over list price. Yes friends, there are still bidding wars going on! Here are the year-to-date numbers:
JAN-JUNE 2024
JAN-JUNE 2023
Median list price:
$299,000
$292,500
Median sales price:
$305,500
$296,000
Days on market:
3
3
No. of homes sold:
128
142
Here we see that the median sales price rose 3% compared to a year ago; that is a modest increase. Buyers are paying about 2% over the list price; the number of homes that changed owners dropped by 10%.
Currently there are 23 single family homes for sale in Waldo–and over half of them are under $300K. Current median price is $255,000. This could be the time to buy–more selection as some homes sit on the market longer. Traditionally there is some reason a house sits for more than a few days–just see the days on market stat in the charts above! Still, if buyers can be a bit more flexible, there may be some Waldo deals out there!
(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
One more quick blog before the long holiday weekend..the unofficial start of summer! The busy home buying season is here–new listings are selling fast. Here are the single family home sales stats for Waldo, using the boundaries of State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th St:
APRIL 2024
APRIL 2023
Median list price:
$299,900
$267,500
Median sales price:
$310,000
$278,750
No. of homes sold:
19
22
Days on market:
3
4
Buyers still paying over the list price; and values are up 13% compared to April 2023. The lowest closed price was $260,000 and the highest was $315,000. Below are the year-to-date numbers:
JAN-APRIL 2024
JAN-APRIL 2023
Median list price:
$295,000
$275,000
Median sales price:
$299,000
$275,000
No. of homes sold:
71
69
Days on market:
3
9
The number of homes changing owners is pretty steady; homes are going under contract within a couple of days being listed. Prices are up 8.7% for the year.
There are currently 14 homes for sale in Waldo, including three newly built properties. The lowest asking price is $230,000 and the highest is $679,000.Enjoy the holiday!
(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
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.
Inside Brookside (And Waldo) 