As we head into the holiday season, home sales traditionally slow down. There are few new listings and buyers are occupied with other activities.  It's more of a challenge to move in the winter months!  Here are the 2018 October single family home sales stats for Brookside, using the zip code of 64113: October 2018                                                                 October 2017Median list price:     $429,500                                   Median list price:     $399,000Median sales price:   $430,000                                 Median sales price:    $395,000No. of homes sold:        24                                         No. of homes sold:     25Days on  market:       3                                                Days on market:      32Virtually the same numbe... 11/21/2018

 Tonight  (11/8/18) is the Annual Holiday Season Opener for Brookside, starting at 5pm.  Participating shops on and around 63rd St from Wornall to Oak have special deals planned for early seasonal shoppers! There will be live music and performances by nearby schools' children's choirs too--from 6:30-7:30pm at the small park just west of Starbucks on 63rd St.  Register for giveaways and enjoy refreshments from The Roasterie, Michael Forbest and Price Chopper.  The Holiday Season Opener continues through the weekend.  Thank you for supporting our locally owned and operated Brookside shops ! 11/08/2018

September is full of outdoor festivals in the KC area, and one of the most family friendly is the Waldo Fall Festival, happening this Saturday, Sept 15, 2018 at the southeast corner of 75th and Wornall in the parking lot, from 10am-5pm. Now in it's 26th year, the Waldo Fall Festival is a celebration of the wonderful, eclectic Waldo neighborhood:  lots of local music playing throughout the day, local vendor booths, food trucks, rides and games for the kids and ...no admission charge!  It's a fun time for all ages. Because the intersection of 75th and Wornall is usually heavily congested with cars during a normal day...on Sept 15 it will be even more challenging to work around. Bike or walk to the festivities (take the Trolley Track Trail!) -- or if you drive, park a few blocks away.  Be ... 09/30/2018

Waldo home values up again..I think I’ve been reporting that every month I share the stats!  August was no exception. Here is the single family Waldo home sales report for August 2018, using the boundaries of State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th St:August 2018                                                              August 2017Median list price:    $198,000                                Median list price:    $176,000Median sales price:   $192,000                              Median sales price:  $179,000No. of homes sold:      37                                        No. of homes sold:   34Days on market:         28                                         Days on market:    9The lowest sales price last month was $108,500 and the highest was $355,000.Here are year-to-date stats... 09/27/2018

Quite a few homes closed in Armour Hills last month--our subdivision continues to be one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Brookside!  Below are the stats and year-to-date comparisons: August 2018                                                              August 2017Median list price:    $327,450                          Median list price:   $285,000Median sales price:    $322,500                       Median sales price:   $285,000No. of homes sold:       10                                 No. of homes sold:    11Days on market:          22                                  Days on market:        19 It's unusual for there to be such a large difference in the YTD sales price--over $37,500--however last August, more of the lower priced AH homes closed.  The lowest price last month ... 09/24/2018

Brookside home sales are slowing down, as they typically do in the second half of the year.  Prices are still strong, outpacing last year.  Below are the stats, using the main Brookside zip code of 64113:August 2018                                                                      August 2017Median list price:      $350,000                                    Median list price:   $376,000Median sales price:   $337,500                                    Median sales price:  $358,750No. of homes sold:       27                                             No. of homes sold:  24Days on market:           23                                             Days on market:     37 The highest closed sales price last month was $780,000 and the lowest was $217,500. Prices dropped almost 6% comparing ... 09/17/2018

Another locally owned and operated business recently opened in Brookside East--Flying Horse Taproom at 600 E 63rd St.  I stopped by recently and talked with General Manager Philip Nixon.  The food looked so good I came back for dinner later that evening!Here's the scoop on the bar and what's on tap:  twenty-one craft beers, seven wines (that will rotate), Second Best Coffee Cold Brew and Lucky Elixir Kombucha.  Coming soon:  unique "oak barrel conditioned" cocktails.  I tried two drinks:  the Cucumber Ginger Lemonade and Strawberry Basil Gin. Delicious and refreshing!  Nixon emphasized they support locally based purveyors, including Restless Spirits Distilling Co, Tom's Town, Second Best Coffee and Glace Ice Cream (Nixon is working with Brewery Emperial and Glace for a special beer insp... 09/10/2018

Waldo home values continue their upward climb compared to one year ago...demand is very strong for the moderately priced houses you can find in this area. Here is the July 2018 single family home sales report for Waldo, using the boundaries of Gregory to 85th St and Holmes to State Line: July 2018                                                                 July 2017Median list price:      $215,000                            Median list price:     $149,725Median sales price:   $210,000                           Median sales price:  $162,000No. of homes sold:       43                                    No. of homes sold:    30Days on market:           8                                       Days on market:       5 The lowest sales price last month was $47,000 and the highest was $460,... 08/22/2018

Interesting stats for the Armour Hills subdivision in Brookside--a slight dip in home values to report and several homes currently on the market.  That's a change from previous months.  Let's look at the numbers: July 2018                                                              July 2017Median list price:   $349,950                            Median list price:    $335,000Median sales price: $348,450                           Median sales price:  $335,000No. of homes sold:    9                                       No. of homes sold:       6Days on market:       3                                         Days on  market:        5 The lowest closed sales price last month was $200K and the highest was $430,000, $10,000 over the list price.  Year-to-date stats below: Jan-July 2018     ... 08/20/2018

Just over halfway through the year and home values continue to rise in Brookside.  As we get closer to the cold weather, fewer homes will be listed resulting in fewer sales. Here is the July 2018 sales report for Brookside, using the zip code of 64113: July 2018                                                                   July 2017Median list price:     $415,000                               Median list price:    $394,975Median sales price:   $415,000                              Median sales price:   $392,500No. of homes sold:       27                                        No. of homes sold:       26Days on market:          23                                        Days on market:   10 The lowest sales price last month was $200,000.  The highest sold listing was located at 6505 S... 08/14/2018

 For the second year in a row, the Brookside Business Association is sponsoring Brookside Market Days, every Saturday in August...kicking off this Saturday Aug 4, 2018. Start your day at the Brookside Farmers Market, then visit various shops for special events.  For example, the New Dime Store is featuring pop up shops, beginning with Betsy Roo handmade greeting cards and prints this Saturday, followed by Willett Studios (handmade earrings) and Gypsee KC (woodburning art) on successive weekends. COCO also has pop up events. In addition, buy a $10 Brookside Market Days totebag (available at the  market and New Dime Store) for extra discounts at places like Roasterie, Fiddly Fig, 5B & Co Candlemakers, Design in the City, Brookside Barkery and Worlds Window. Live local  -  support Brooksid... 07/31/2018

Halfway through 2018 and Waldo home values are as sizzling hot as the outdoor temperatures!  Closed sales prices are regularly above asking price.  Let's look at the numbers, using the Waldo street boundaries of State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th St: June 2018                                                June 2017Median list price:     $200,000             Median list price:    $185,000Median sales price:  $219,000             Median sales price:  $194,000No. of homes sold:    31                         No. of homes sold:    45Days on market:       35                          Days on market:      3 The main reason the days on market last month were so much longer was due to one house that sat for sale for over six months.  Most Waldo area homes sell in under seven days.   The lo... 07/23/2018

We are halfway through the year and Brookside home sales continue to be very strong, especially in the under $500K price range.  Inventory is generally lower than last year.  Here is the single family home sales report for last month, and a YTD comparison for the main Brookside zip code of 64113: June 2018                                                          June 2017Median list price:      $                                    Median list price:     $372,000Median sales price:    $                                  Median sales price:  $367,500No. of homes sold:        3                                No. of homes sold:   40Days on market:           19                               Days on market:     20The lowest closed sales price last month was $165,375 and the highest was $1.2 mi... 07/16/2018

Armour Hills continues to be one of the most desirable neighborhoods for Brookside home buyers.  Most homes are under contract within a few days of listing.  And many homes sell for over the asking price.  Let's look at the specific stats: May 2018                                                                        May 2017Median list price:     $325,000                           Median list price:     $325,000   Median sales price:   $320,000                                   Median sales price:   $327,500No. of homes sold:         7                                     No. of homes sold:       17Days on market:            2                                     Days on market:         3Although the median sales price was lower last month--buyers are still snapping up new listings with... 06/30/2018

Double digit increases in home values continue in the Waldo area...when is the market going to slow down in this super hot neighborhood??  Here are the May 2018 single family home sales stats for Waldo, using the boundaries of State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th St: May 2018                                                            May 2017Median list price:      $221,750                        Median list price:      $187,450Median sales price:   $221,000                        Median sales price:   $189,250No. of homes sold:        36                                No. of homes sold:        44Days on market:           10                                 Days on market:         12 Prices were up 16% over same period last year, and most sellers continue to get more than asking pric... 06/26/2018

Up, up, up....Brookside home values continue to rise in this busy spring/summer buying season.  There is always a lull around Memorial Day..still, due to lack of inventory, prices keep going up because there aren't enough homes for sale to meet demand, particularly in the under $400K price category.  Here are the home sales stats for May 2018, using the main Brookside zip code of 64113: May 2018                                                                   May 2017Median list price:     $374,500                                Median list price:    $332,500Median sales price:  $383,500                                Median sales price:  $341,500No. of homes sold:      29                                           No. of homes sold:    40Days on market:          9                      ... 06/20/2018

 After 33 years of serving Kansas City residents, Sheehan's Irish Imports is closing at the end of the month.  It's current location is on the border of Brookside and Waldo, at 410 E Gregory.  Sheehan's Irish Imports is one of those classic, family owned small businesses.  Daughter Katy Sheehan told me her mother Peggy started selling Irish products as a hobby out of her home in 1985. As the business grew, Pryde's offered her a space in the corner of their building in Westport. The next move was to a larger, free standing store at 1412 Westport Road, then a final move to the Brookside/Waldo location in 2015. Katy and her sister Molly have operated the store for the past several years.Like every other retail business, Sheehan's has been affected by globalism and online sales. Katy says "... 06/14/2018

Waldo home prices keep creeping up...again in April, many of the homes sold over the list price.  The highest sale was $430K--a whopping $30K over the asking price!  Here are the April 2018 sales stats, using the boundaries of Gregory to 85th St and State Line to Holmes:April 2018                                                            April 2017Median list price:    $209,975                           Median list price:    $159,000Median sales price:  $212,500                          Median sales price:  $161,000No. of homes sold:      44                                   No. of homes sold:      31Days on market:        30                                     Days on market:          4 Checking year-to-date figures: Jan-April 2018                                                     J... 06/03/2018

Interesting home sales stats for the Armour Hills subdivision last month, and year to date comparisons.  Armour Hills remains a very popular area for homebuyers, due to it's charming 1920s homes, various price range and styles and location near Brookside and Waldo shops.  First let's look at the monthly figures: April 2018                                                           April 2017Median list price:     $318,500                         Median list price:     $299,950Median sales price:  $339,500                         Median sales price:  $310,000No. of homes sold:       8                                  No. of homes sold:      6Days on market:           6                                  Days on market:        13 Both months show final sales price over list price, and homes ... 05/29/2018

Another month of strong home sales for Brookside, as we are right in the middle of the busy Spring home buying season.  The strongest demand is for the under $350K price range, however most homes in Brookside's  main zip code of 64113 are priced higher (and in fairness, these higher priced homes are much larger, justifying a higher price). Here are the stats, followed by YTD comparisons:April 2018                                                                             April 2017Median list price:     $409,000                                      Median list price:    $399,000Median sales price:  $397,000                                      Median sales price:  $384,000No. of homes sold:       21                                             No. of homes sold:    28Days on market:    ... 05/21/2018