City Homes
Property Profiles
The Future of Housing is Here
A forecast and tour point to signs of recovery and tweaking of current new-home options.


Chateau Place


The Brownstones at Arbor Creek


The National - The Legends


The Townhomes at Shoal Creek Valley


Mill Creek Terrace


Mission Cliffs


Napa Valley - Vinsana Village


Fountain Hills

For those of you looking for good news, here it is: Housing is on its way up in Kansas City. According to a presentation by Dan Whitney of LandMarketing at the Home Builders Association’s annual housing forecast in January, 2007 was “a kick in the pants.” How is that good news? It was the peak of a glut of unsold new homes and we’ve been whittling away at the problem ever since.

The metro has already seen a sell-off of 20 percent of its unsold inventory in the last year, down from an excess of 40 percent. Dan expects the correction to accelerate in 2008 because the number of under-construction homes is much lower. But as the new-homes market gets back on track in 2009, he explains that builders aren’t just going to be able to continue in their previous manner. The country is in a completely different era — bankers, appraisers and buyers are more conservative, while developers’ and builders’ business plans will have to better serve the population’s needs.

Mid-range prices and relatively large houses crowd the current market, but as Kansas City’s demographic diversifies, builders are going to have to serve different sectors or be edged out. Dan says less than a quarter of Kansas City households have married couples with kids, so why are houses still being built with the traditional family prototype in mind? Well, housing products are now changing to meet the many different demands of homebuyers. Among the increasing choices are villas, townhomes, urban living and less-expensive, smaller-sized housing. Here’s a look at some of KCH&G’s picks from this spring’s HBA homes tour. For directions to these houses and more, visit www.kchba.org.

VILLAS
Retiring boomers, one of the largest groups of homebuyers, want smaller spaces that live as large as their former residences and that are just as luxuriously appointed. Moreover, they want to ditch the maintenance of a large home and the seasonal chores like lawn mowing and snow shoveling. The villa home provides all that. This type of housing, generally providing single-level living with the master suite on the main floor, has been successful in recent years among all price ranges and cities across the metro.

Villa homes at Chateau Place in Raymore pack in high-quality materials in a cozy floor plan that is basically a ranch with an upstairs loft. Timeless Homes by Josh Null built    a model (No. 526) that effuses character from the exterior’s rusty red paint job and carriage doors to the interior’s vaulted ceilings highlighted by reclaimed wood beams and 200-year-old wood floors. Cedar used on the outside won’t rot, paint was mixed-in with  the stucco so it won’t fade, and the composition roof should last 40 years. These features allow buyers the freedom to spend their time as they choose.

The National’s villa enclave in Parkville offers residents fine living with more time to spend on the community’s 18-hole golf course rather than maintaining the exterior of their homes. Rhodes-Green’s award-winning Trevino floor plan (No. 429) features three bedrooms, two baths, formal dining and a covered deck accessible from three rooms. The home features an angled wall with a fireplace that separates the kitchen and sunny breakfast nook from the living room, while keeping a connection between each space so the owners can operate a houseful of friends or seek privacy.

TOWNHOMES
Dan says Kansas City’s townhome population is “maturing” with a new generation of buyers who want compact homes with maintenance provided. 

The Brownstones at Arbor Creek in Olathe offers the amenities buyers seek in single-family homes, such as full basements, arched openings and granite countertops, without the hassle of caring for the exterior of the home. The model (No. 316) by Martens Inc. showcases a livable three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath floor plan with the master suite on the main level. The traditional façades are welcoming, featuring brick and stucco, with two-car garages hidden around back and curbside parking for guests. Residents have the added bonus ofliving across the street from shops, including a women’s workout club, animal hospital, spa, dry cleaner and health facilities.

The Townhomes at Shoal Creek Valley in the Northland features a more contemporary design style both inside and out. Similar attractions include rear-entry garages, maintenance-free living and a community master plan that incorporates an elementary school, water park, clubhouses, walking trails and a private country club on the premises. Garbett Homes’ model (No. 503) exudes an urban edge with an open, loft-like main level and a colorful palette. Tabb Reese, sales executive for Garbett, says that there’s been a lot of interest from 20- and 30-year-olds buying their first home, but that couples in their 40s and 50s are looking, as well, corroborating Dan’s report that more people are choosing to live in townhomes than ever before.

URBAN LIVING
A small commute, lock-and-leave ease and accessibility to restaurants and entertainment have many Kansas Citians desiring to relocate to the core. More than 16,000 residents live among 5,600 townhomes, lofts, apartments and flats — downtown Kansas City’s explosive development is finally paying off. 

At the northern region is City Homes (Nos. 1 and 2), just east of the River Market. Moffitt Development Company has 27 detached, contemporary-style units in the works with two different floor plans, both of which include two bedrooms with personal baths and a half-bath. Each unit includes a two-car garage, basement and rooftop deck, plus community amenities like a pool and green space.

Further south, at the newly redeveloped Mission Cliffs in midtown (No. 15), buyers get a taste of single-family living in a traditional neighborhood with close proximity to the highway, plus the shops and restaurants at 39th Street, Westport and the Country Club Plaza. Buyers can choose among 10 floor plans with Craftsman-style details and get three hours of consulting with an interior designer.

Those interested in busy Plaza living can check out Mill Creek Terrace on J.C. Nichols Parkway. The model unit (No. 14) covers four levels, with the entry, storage and two-car tandem garage on the first level; living, dining, kitchen and half-bath on the second; two bedrooms and baths on the third; and a spiral staircase that rises to a rooftop deck. It also includes desirable features of today’s homes, including open living, multiple accesses to the outside, custom closets and contemporary styling.

SMALLER, LESS-EXPENSIVE HOUSING
“Financial conservancy is dominating the housing mindset,” Dan says. As the boomers’ kids move out on their own, they’re finding it tougher than their parents did to achieve financial success. This generation can’t necessarily afford the housing left behind, and “buyers are poised  to accept smaller-sized homes,” Dan adds. Moreover, they’re looking for quality design and aesthetics.

The introduction of traditional neighborhood plans that marry the exterior architecture of Kansas City’s older communities with new-home construction and amenities inside has become a popular trend that meets Generations X’s and Y’s demands. Wehmeir Development’s Napa Valley in Lee’s Summit has Vinsana Village, a section dedicated to classically styled homes, from Victorian to Country French. All homes feature sprinkler systems and landscaping, gas fireplaces, custom trim packages, master suites with spa tubs and walk-in showers, plus outdoor rooms and energy-savings offerings like heat pumps and thermal pane windows. The Mendocino model (No. 575) comprises 1,900 square feet of Arts & Crafts style for $319,000.

Farther north, near 169 and 152 highways, Provence Homes shows how to add character to a split level. Le Cezanne (No. 392) at Fountain Hills charms passers-by with its two-toned paint job and architectural details. Inside, beautiful wide-plank alder floors make a design statement, while intercom and music systems show how technology can be incorporated. For $277,900, the future owner of this home will get four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and a three-car garage. The multiple levels make the home feel spacious enough that every member of the family will have a corner to themselves.