A Kansas City Real Estate Blog by Realtor, Sarah Snodgrass

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I secretly wish I were a food critic. I love food of all kinds and I love trying new things (except olives). Plus, I am a very critical person so that kind of thing is right up my alley. Alas, I am just a realtor and do not have the time, money, or naturally-high metabolism to eat out on a regular basis. Kansas City has a few good food critics out there though, Noodletown and Kansas City Lunch Spots are both great local food blogs, and of course local food celebrity Charles Ferruzza of the Pitch writes hilarious and interesting reviews weekly (also a regular on the decrepit Walt Bodine Show on KCUR). Speaking of Ferruzza, his latest review spreads some good news about the struggling Harvey House Diner in Union Station gaining new management. Seems like we never get anything right the first time around when it comes to Union Station. Hopefully we are getting there though…

Cape Cod style residential architecture can be found all over the Kansas City area, but large concentrations of especially good examples can be found in Prairie Village, Fairway and Brookside, but most especially in Prairie Village. The photos above and below are a few good examples of Cape Cod style homes that are for sale in our area. You’ll notice they have similar characteristics such as:

• Dormers
• Steep Roof with side gables
• Small roof overhang
• Symmetrical - common for door to be in center
• Wood shingles or siding (cedar shingles common here)
• Hardwood Floors
• Shutters

In Kansas City, these smaller, traditional cape-cod style houses were built from the 30’s-50’s. Cape cods were built post 1950’s and are still being built today, but generally not in the same way or in such high concentrations as they were built in the early part of the 20th century. The Cape Cods in Brookside and Fairway are generally going to be a bit older than the ones in Prairie Village just because of how and when the city was developed and the history of our sprawl, but just because they are newer doesn’t mean they are necessarily better. Many of the homes in Prairie Village were built with cinder block foundations which have not held up as well as other foundation types. But that’s a separate subject… Anyway, the history of the cape cod style dates back to the homes that were built by English settlers on our new england coast 17th century, with adaptations over time. The renewed interest in the Cape Cod style sprung back up in the 1930’s, as they began filling many neighborhoods across the country because of their small, efficient size and the relative ease to mass-produce.

Walk Score is a website which evidently measures how many places you can walk from your home and provides a numerical score for your home based on that information. I am a Realtor and this site is marketed in my direction, so I thought I better check it out. The idea is to help you decide if the house you are going to rent or buy is in a walkable neighborhood. Well, I put in my home address which is in the Brookside area of town, and received a score of 60 out of 100. I guess this is pretty fair considering our city is no NYC, but then as I looked closer I noticed that many of the places it lists don’t even exist (or maybe the did exist once upon a time). So, I guess I’ll never know my real walk score, but I’m sure the site will improve over time.

Finally, a dry-erase refrigerator. What a smart idea (way to go Amana). I want one! How handy since I can never find both a pen and a piece of paper at the same time when I need them. And great for keeping a running grocery list. The Dwell Kitchen Blog is such a great way to stay current on design trends.

Today was fun! I got to see lots of fun new stuff that just came on the market. I haven’t checked the numbers in MLS, but I’d be willing to bet that there has been a steadily increasing number of new listings. Hooray for March! Anyway, this little number in Brookside just knocked my socks off. It’s such a fun little tudor bungalow - a great party place. The current owner has some way outrageous decor, but it really brings the house to life. Some of the more outstanding features are a pretty and very workable new kitchen, this incredible vaulted & beamed ceiling in the living room, a screened porch, a double deck with one level housing a hot tub (par-tay!), and a cozy finished basement. Plus, the street is lined with other adorable brick tudor bungalows - very picturesque. The house is for sale for $249,950. Sadly, it is one of those houses that looks better in person - the photos don’t quite convey how fantastic it is so you’ll have to take my word for it… and as always, feel free to contact me for more info or a showing on this house, or about real estate in general.

above: living room with vaulted beamed ceiling

I do believe in downtown Kansas City and buying condos, but I think you have to be careful when buying and don’t expect a windfall if you decide to sell in a year or two. Remember, real estate is a long-term investment. This is an interesting time for Kansas City, not only is it a slower market, but we have a downtown revitalization going on with many new condo developments both new and old, and many still on the way. A staggering number of condos have been added to the KC market since January 1, 2008: 358 condos have been listed. During this same period of time, just 74 condos have gone under contract or sold. Bumping up the number of those just listed is The Reserve condo development which is the converted Federal Reserve Bank building downtown at 9th and Grand.

For this reason, I urge you to use a (good, knowledgeable) Realtor when you buy. We have very valuable resources to help you evaluate your situation and the market.

(This is info derived from the Heartland Regional MLS system, for the area of Kansas City, Missouri from Downtown to about 75th Street.)