Stacey Johnson-Cosby Serving Kansas City, Missouri Metro area

Red Bridge Kansas City: Center School District - 2011-2012 School Year

If you live in the Red Bridge neighborhood, chances are great that you are in the Center School District in Kansas City (though a small number of homes are in the Grandview School District and the Kansas City School District). Families who live in Kansas City have a choice of which school district to live in. Neighborhoods and homes in the district - especially the largest, Red Bridge, in Kansas City have generally maintained their value.

The most recent update for Center Schools is the tax levy increase that just passed this summer (2011) with a vote by residents in the district. The increased revenue will help the Center School District continue on its current path. The Center School District is a fully accredited pre-kindergarten through 12th grade district located in South Kansas City with 7 schools: 4 elementary schools, 1 junior high, 1 high school and 1 alternative school.

According to the school’s website, although the district is located in South Kansas City, its student population of 2500 and the small class sizes provide an urban environment with many of the advantages of a small community. The updated class rooms of the Center District all include SMART Board technology, and Center Elementary and Indian Creek Elementary Schools have a uniform dress code for the students.

Dr. Bob Bartman, Superintendent says that “The Center School District continues to be committed to working closely with parents and the community to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment.”

To further help you evaluate the individual schools, here is the district report card for the various schools.

For a School Directory for each of the schools, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education directory lists the Principal, school address and the number of students enrolled.

The Center School District Calendar for the 2011-2012 school year shares the activities for all of the schools.

Of course, a strong school district is the basis for a solid neighborhood leading to steady property values. And as residents in the school district showed by the win with the recent tax levy vote, the residents (in surrounding neighborhoods including Red Bridge) and parents showed their recent support for their school district.

School district boundary map:

Kansas City Homeowners: How to Get a Tax Break for Home Improvements & Increase The Value

Homeowners always want to know if they should make certain improvements to their home. A couple of the reasons you want to know may be to determine:

1. Will I get more when I sell my house?

2. Can I get a tax break if I make certain repairs/improvements?

Really, more than anything else, I hope you make the decision because you will enjoy them (i.e., updating the Kitchen, baths, etc.), or will benefit by maintaining the house (replace leaky roof, replace bad gutters, etc.), first and foremost.

Inman columnist Stephen Fishman points out the difference in his latest article between repairs that must be done to keep the house functioning as it should, and the improvements that add to the value of a home that can garner you a nice tax break when you sell it. While the improvements are not actually deductible, they add to your tax basis reducing the amount of taxes that you would be required to pay upon selling it.

Using the roof example, let’s say you have a leaky roof. Your decision is whether to simply patch it, or replace it. Patching it does not help you when it comes to tax time. However; if you replace it, you are improving the property and the cost of the roof gets added on to the home’s basis (what you originally paid for it) minus what you sell if for after your initial $250,00/$500,000 captial gains exclusion. The tax benefits are realized when you sell it as your taxable gain is reduced.

Also, while there may not be immediate tax benefits for keeping your home well maintained, you can benefit when it’s time to sell. This article in HouseLogic explains how having a home that has been routinely maintained will add some value not only to homebuyers who will ultimately decide what the home is worth, but to appraisers, too.

“If a house is in worn condition and shows a lack of preventative maintenance, the property could easily lose 10% of its appraised value,” says Mack Strickland, a professional appraiser and real estate agent in Chester, Va. “That could translate into a $15,000 or $20,000 adjustment.”

So taking good care of your home – beyond the major improvements can pay off for you when you decide to sell your home by preserving the home's long term usefulness.

According to the HouseLogic writer, John Riah, “…Good maintenance does affect an appraiser’s estimate of a property’s economic age—the number of years that a house is expected to survive.

So in the end, regular checkups, preventative maintenance, then making major improvements when necessary, can pay off financially for you when you decide to sell – in more ways than one. Buyers may be willing to pay more, and you may benefit by reducing your tax burden on April 15^th the year after you sell your home.

For a confidential consultation for Kansas City homeowners, please feel free to contact me.

My Bahamas Vacation – Right Before Hurricane Irene

I am a beach girl! I admit that at least 3 times a year, and more if possible – that I must get to a beach to recharge. It’s my required mental health break.

Here are my pictures from our most recent vacation in late August 2011. When we visited with the locals, we asked about past hurricane seasons since with our luck, our visit fell during one.

More than one of them told us that the last horrible hurricane was in the 80’s, and that the weather forecasters always wrongly predict that they will hit the Bahamas and only serve to scare people away. They were right this time. We left to come back to Kansas City, Missouri on Tuesday. Irene hit on Wednesday in a big way. We were lucky!

But, on the days that we were there, we enjoyed the beautiful tropical weather. As someone who just learned how to swim last year in Jamaica (long story of trying to learn), I was anxious to participate in water sports. We took scuba diving lessons, and I took my first kayak adventure. The fun kayak ride ended abruptly for me when my hubby caused us to tilt over. In his version of the story, it was because he was trying to get us out of the sand that I unskillfully lead us into. Thank goodness for my life vest. Oh well. Back to the fun vacation…

The Straw Market Area - Great Bargains

Beauty is the beach

McDonalds had a Chicken Mac (instead of a 2 hamburger patty Big Mac, it had 2 chicken patties). We had to investigate, of course...

Sea Creatures

Until the next beach vacation!

What’s on the Market in Red Bridge in Kansas City today?

Heading into the Fall, South Kansas City’s largest neighborhood is very active right now.

If you are looking to sell, or buy a home in Red Bridge in Kansas City, here’s a quick snapshot of what’s going on in the market today.

What’s currently available for sale?

25 Houses are for sale currently, and they range in price from $129,900-199,900. Most are 3-4 Bedroom homes with 2 full baths with an average price of almost $162,000.

Red Bridge Bargain!

There is 1 foreclosure listing under contract/pending and waiting to close. While it should close, there is a remote possibility that it could come back on the market for sale if the buyer does not make it to closing. This particular listing is interesting because it was listed for only $40,000! Even needing a little work, this rare opportunity was a great deal way outside the price range of the neighborhood.

Location, location, location!

Within blocks to highly rated Red Bridge Elementary School, the location is perfect. Lipari’s Sunfresh grocery store along with all of the other businesses and shops in the Red Bridge Shops add to the convenience of living in the Red Bridge subdivision with everything just 5 minutes away. For those who love the outdoors, the Minor Park Golf Course is right on Red Bridge Rd. and Holmes, the 17 mile long Indian Creek Trail and a few parks are also within 5 minutes of home.

If you are interested in buying a home in the Red Bridge area and need up to date details about homes on the market for sale, or if you are interested in finding out what your home is worth in today's market, please call me for a private consultation.

You’re Invited to the St. Thomas More Church

Fall Festival 2011:

Saturday, September 10th

On your marks, ready, set, go! It’s time for fun and food, neighbors!

This is the big event for parishioners, families…and just any fun loving people. Come enjoy yourself surrounded by good people. Join us at my wonderful church, St. Thomas More, at 118th & Holmes in south Kansas City with Fr. Don Farnan our priest, for this fun filled day.

If you are looking for low priced entertainment as we end the summer, this is the place. Special individual prices AND the Family Pack – at only $55 covers games & food for the entire family, or $30 for just food for a family of 5. You’ll find good prices for individuals at only $8.00, and $7.00 for the beer band. Advance tickets will be sold after all Masses this coming weekend.

Activities get started after 4:00pm Mass on Saturday, September 10th. If you don’t make it for Mass, just come on from 5:00-7:30pm for the meal. For those coming for the games, they are from 5-9pm. You can’t miss the Cake Walk with a lot of delicious goodies. Will you join us? Come on...