A Kansas City Real Estate Blog by Realtor, Sarah Snodgrass

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These homes are decor-challenged, but demonstrate what I mean when I say a home has great bones. One is a Drummond built ranch in Prairie Village, in an area with all mid-century modern ranches. (Drummond is a builder who built these modern ranches in the 50s-60s- they are in high demand). It has great spaces, incredible modern lines, vaulted ceilings, skylights, but the real show stopper is how well this home integrates with the outside and its surroundings. It has fabulous decks everywhere, plus it just looks cool. I remember someone once told me that Drummond homes have great “sex appeal”, and it is true. I know it sounds weird, but they do feel cool and sexy. He had purchased one when he was a single young man, and that is what attracted him to it. I think men really like this modern style… The other “pick” is a Cape Cod style home in Roeland Park, located just off Johnson Drive by the site of the old Mission mall/new Gateway development. It feels like grandma’s house - lots of carpet and wallpaper, but seems very well maintained with hardwoods under the carpet and a great floorplan. Big bedrooms, great yard, good closet space, big kitchen, attached garage. With a little modernizing of the decor, paint, maybe some updated kitchens and baths, these homes could both be very very cool. Also, the prices are just right.

(Disclosure: These homes are both listed in MLS. 7815 Chadwick is listed with Reece and Nichols, 4904 w. 58th is listed with Prudential Kansas City Realty)

Okay, so I said it would be a weekly series, and it is becoming more like a monthly series. Oh well!

This month’s featured “where would they live” celeb is the successful and talented coach of the Kansas men’s basketball team, the reigning national champions, Bill Self. Rock Chalk! Hmmm… I think he would have a big house in a pretty and safe neighborhood in the award winning Blue Valley School District. I would put him in Kansas, instead of Missouri, for obvious reasons. And I’d put him out in the burbs so he could have a big, safe private lot. Also, this house is going to be expensive because we all know he just got a mega million dollar raise from KU. I think something like this would be his KC area home:

So I thought of a hilarious new weekly series for my blog: If you were famous and had to move to Kansas City, where would you live and what house would you buy? Take an easy one for example - like Garth Brooks. He would probably buy a bunch of land out south in Kansas, build a house and have a giant sign made that says GB Ranch - and then he’d probably get some horses so he could feel more like a cowboy.

So, now for the real “where would they live”. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day today, I thought it appropriate to choose an Irish celebrity for our first profile. Wow, there really aren’t many interesting AND famous Irish folk - especially ones that anyone would care where they would live. The closest I could get is a well known Irish-American actor named George Clooney. I decided that he would live near the city because he wouldn’t think it was “cool” enough to live in the suburbs. He’s got an image to protect. Also, he would need a house with lots of space for all his cars, pools, and expensive things. And he would want the area to be fancy and somewhat exclusive and really expensive. With this in mind, I think he would be most suited for Mission Hills, Kansas, in the older part nearest the Kansas City Country Club and the Country Club Plaza. Also, he seems like a more traditional kind of guy - not a modernist, so I think he would like something built with traditional materials like brick, with lots of rich wordwork inside… maybe this brick tudor listed at just over $5 mil.