This is traditionally the time of year when the new listings start to slow down...as we get closer to the holidays, potential buyers focus on other more pressing matters and sellers often decide to 'wait until spring' to list the house.  In addition, homes don't show as well during the cold winter months.

During this past Tuesday's realtor tour, I saw three houses worth a look--if only I had buyers for them!  Still, want to share them in the blog in case YOU happen to know someone looking in the Brookside/Leawood area. 

Who wants a Leawood ranch style home?  This one offers an excellent location, just off State Line and 83rd St.  It features a brick exterior and new roof.  Inside, it offers a large kitchen/family room area, three bedrooms, two full baths and a main level laundry, plus a patio off the family room and a two car garage.  This home could use a little  updating but is perfectly liveable as is.  Priced at $329,500--this home will only grow in value as the years go by.

Across the state line on the Missouri side, popular Brookside always has a wide selection of homes for sale--at different price points with various floor plans and features.  Bungalows are popular in Armour Hills, and this one on E 70th St is larger than it looks from the outside.  Updated throughout, this 3 bedroom 2 full bath home has a two car garage and a large master suite on the second floor. The original trim woodwork is not painted and it can come across as a bit dark on the inside.  But for the price ($225,000) and location, it's a good buy.  In addition, I have friends on the block--friendly neighbors are included with the purchase!

                           Finally, another Brookside home on E 72cd Terrace.  This tudor style two story is two bedrooms, one and a half baths with a one car garage for $188,000.  There is a small office room on the first floor and a small eat in kitchen, with a deck in the backyard. Decor inside is shabby chic, and although you can't see it from the picture, the walkway up to the house is very attractive  work.  Walk to restaurants and other services on   Gregory from this home.                                                                       

(OK, my formatting on the blog isn't the best and I'll have to work on it.)  Please note, these homes are not my personal listings but I have toured them and feel they are nice properties to show.  If you are interested in looking at homes on line, email me what type of home you are looking for and I'll set you up!  Thanks for reading my blog; comments welcome.

A catchy title to this blog entry....so what's the catch?

With the federal $8000 tax credit expiring in a few weeks, I wanted to talk about another program, available in Kansas City MO only, for first time buyers.  It's called the KC Dream Home Program and one of my buyers used it this summer to purchase a house in Waldo.

Here's the good news:  this program will give eligible buyers CASH for down payment and closing assistance to purchase a home in the KCMO city limits.  This money is actually a 'loan'--but you don't have to pay it back if you live in the home ten years.  More on that later.  The amount available is up to 20% of the purchase price of the house, maximum $20,000.  Other requirements are:

• You must be a first time homebuyer
• Income guidelines:  up to $39,400 for a single person, $45,050 for 2 persons.
• The home must be priced under $150,000
• You must attend a homebuyer's workshop (usually on a Saturday)
• A KCMO inspector must inspect the home before closing
• There's lots of paperwork to complete (of course)

Your lender  can ask  for the money  AFTER you have a signed contract to purchase a home.  You can fill out the paperwork BEFORE you buy a home.  Buyers are not guaranteed they will receive the funds--there is only so much money in the pot to go around.  But it's worth checking out if you are serious about buying a home. A 20% loan from the City could eliminate your monthly PMI costs and effectively lower your monthly payment. 

Now about the 'loan'.  At closing KCMO will give your lender a check for the loan amount you qualify for. 10% of the loan is 'forgiven' every year..so if you live in the house ten years, you don't owe the city any money.  If you move after 5 years, you will owe 50% of the money that was 'loaned' to you. 

Typically it takes 45-60 days to close a home purchased with the help of the KC Dream Home Program. I was actually surprised at how relatively easy the process was when my buyer used this program this summer. It's worth it if you are willing to put the time into completing the paperwork and attend the workshop.  If you would like more details about the program, email me

Thanks for reading my blog...your comments are welcome! 

There is an interesting article in Time Magazine, posted today, titled "Reinventing the McMansion".  The story talks about how larger homes, in the 4000-6000 SF range, are languishing on the market with few interested buyers.  However, there are some intriguing new possible uses for these gigantic homes:  to house older children aging out of foster care or perhaps multi-generation families can share the space. 

The American Dream includes a home of your own--and during the real estate boom it was 'bigger and better'.  Families traded up to huge homes, newly built in the far flung suburbs, with soaring ceilings, a personal bathroom for everyone, separate 'media rooms' and large bedrooms with walk in closets. Is bigger really better?  I say no..and there is evidence that these McMansions are no longer desirable, even to those who can afford them.

There are practical reasons: large homes suck up a lot of energy, using more water, heating fuel and electricity.  Daily round trips to the office require more gas and time.  Even a trip to the grocery store or to 'the city' for a special event means more planning and time involving traffic hassles.  Families living in these large homes can often spend most of their time separated from each other--each child in his or her own little world tucked away in a bedroom, complete with personal TV and computer; Mom in the huge gourmet kitchen and Dad spending an hour on the highway to get home.  This lifestyle is alienating as well as expensive.

This recession has really brought home the fact that bigger is not always better in housing.  I have heard of many buyers who want to 'downsize'-- a 2000 SF home is plenty. They want lower utility bills and building maintenance.  And if the kids need to share a bathroom--well, they will adjust. Buyers want walkability in their neighborhoods--the ability to walk or bike to a restaurant or grocery store, to school or the park.  That's why homes in Brookside and Prairie Village will always be popular:  there's plenty of home styles and sizes to fit most any requirement, with schools and shopping within a short distance.  City amenities, too, are just a few miles away.  Sharing a smaller space can bring a family closer together--more interaction and sure, perhaps more arguments and compromising. 

If you have a smaller home, appreciate what you have and get creative with your current space to utilize it fully.  Buyers need to seriously think about the additional costs and change of lifestyle when considering a large home purchase.  There will always be more buyers for a smaller home than a McMansion.

Your comments are welcome...  email me or visit my website.  Thanks for reading my blog!

The National Association of Realtors is putting the pressure on our elected leaders to extend...and even expand..the $8000 tax credit/refund for first time buyers.  Currently the credit is due to expire on December 1, meaning the house sale has to be closed by November 30--which is the Monday after the long Thanksgiving weekend.  Buyers:  do NOT plan on closing that day!

Personally, just over one half of my sales so far this year have been first time buyers.  In 2008, it was well less than half.  So would those first timers have bought anyway this year, if the tax credit was not in place?  Some would have, sure, but most -- I don't think so.  I know the $8000 incentive pushed some fence sitters to sign at the X.  It's also interesting to note that the usual 'move up' market--meaning those persons buying their  second or third home--are not 'moving up' this year.  I've experienced that as well, as possible sellers feel they can't get what they want for thier house so they don't list it, or they list it but it doesn't sell, or they are upside down on their loan due to falling home values or--and I think this is a big reason--they are afraid of a layoff and don't want to risk a larger house payment.

Each of my first time buyers this year not only bought a house, but stimulated the economy in other ways along with it:  they bought furniture, appliances, lawn mowers, home decor; hired a handyman for various home fix up jobs; hired a mover, went out to eat, bought beer and pizza for the friends who helped with the move; you can see the domino effect here.  Perhaps best of all, these buyers realized their dream of home ownership much earlier than they once thought, and they are excited about becoming part of a neighborhood, taking pride in their home's appearance and creating a sense of community you don't have in an apartment rental.

These are the pros of the tax credit.  The cons of extending it?  The cost, of course.  It's going to cost almost twice the projected amount anyway--extending the credit and possibly expanding it will add more debt to all taxpayers.  But like the 'cash for clunkers' deal, the psycological effects of buying a new home can't be priced in dollars so easily.    Just about every buyer I talk with says 'we like to entertain, we like to have friends over'.  That' pride of ownership is worth more than $8K.

The current health care debate shadows everything else in Washington and the rest of the country right now...except unemployment benefits, which have to be extended every six weeks or so.  Don't count on the $8K tax refund extension.

One final word...if you are a first time buyer and you don't buy now--you'll probably regret it next year.  Chances are you won't get a better deal than you can now.

Thanks for reading my blog--comments welcome!  Email me or visit my website maryhutchison.org

It's summertime in Brookside and I'm loving it!  Yes it's hot and sticky, but I couldn't live in a city that didn't have the full change of seasons.  Despite the constant drumbeat of gloomy economic news, high unemployment rates, higher inflation and stalled economy, every day I'm thankful for where I live.  And here's why:

As a real estate agent, I often get asked about neighborhoods. And there are several great neighborhoods in the greater KC area.  But Brookside is special.  It's an area that continues to hold home values despite the reputation of the KCMO school district.  It's an area of singles, families, empty nesters, and older folks -- on every block!  And the home prices here range from a $150K fixer upper to $1million--all within a three mile radius.  And it's an area where all the houses are different.  Several styles of homes: tudors, two-and three story homes, bungalows.  Built up from the early 1900s to 1930s, there is a mix of styles and interior features.  Exteriors feature stucco, wood shingle, brick, concrete, tile roofs. 

More specifically, here's a few specific reasons why I love Brookside.  I was thinking of these special features when I was on a bike ride with my daughter last week...

Brookside is a walking neighborhood (although we do have excellent bus transit as well).  Even when it's 95 degrees with 100% humidity, you see people out walking the streets:  dog walkers (who actually pick up after their pets), kids in strollers and on bikes, folks walking with grocery bags or jogging on the Trolley Track Trail.  This encourages...

Interaction among strangers.   People here nod when passing others on the street, walking by, make space for bicyclists to pass.  Mostly everyone is smiling and enjoying the outdoors, acknowledging the community atmosphere.  And strangers can become friends--it's easy to see the same faces walking about at the same time of day, we are more aware of what's going on outside of our homes.

People make an effort to know their neighbors.  When I sell a house in Brookside, the buyers are often telling me how the neighbors came by within a day or two of moving in to welcome them to the block!  There can be an instant sense of community here. 

Many of the shops are locally owned. Sure, we have a Baskin Robbins and Mr Goodcents, but we also have Stuff and Worlds Window,a farmer's market,  the Roasterie Cafe, Avenues Bistro and Foos Frozen Custard...and who doesn't love spending time in The Dime Store?  Brookside residents support local businesses with their dollars and the local merchants support the community with donations in kind and attractive, clean  store fronts and landscaping.

Annual special events.  The St Patrick's Day parade, the Brookside Art Fair, July Sidewalk Sale--of course anyone in the KC area can participate but these small events again promote that sense of unity and friendship we share as Brooksiders.

Part of the magic of Brookside is the way the neighborhood is laid out.  Homes line all of the streets, there are no large parking lots cutting off pedestrians from the stores, parking is easy and speed limits are lower. We don't have cul-de-sacs or large, major traffic intersections or highway access close by.  Most homeowners take pride in maintaining and enhancing  their properties' curb appeal.  

If you are thinking of a move to the Kansas City area, consider Brookside as your next home.  You may never want to move again!

Thanks for reading my blog.  To contact me, send me an email or visit my website.