The Ultimate Guide to Buying a House in Kansas City

Thousands of people are choosing Kansas City to purchase their next home. Why?

There’s a whole number of reasons! Buyers are taking notice of this charming and down-to-earth city. It’s even made the list of best places to live in the US!

If you’re looking to buy a house in Kansas City or are curious about moving to the area, you’ve come to the right place!

Our team at Dani Beyer Real Estate sat down and made a list of everything you need to know about buying a home in Kansas City. Continue reading to find out more. We hope it helps!

Quick Overview:

• Where is Kansas City Located?
• How is the Housing Market in Kansas City? (Updated 2021)
• Places to Buy a House in Kansas City
• A Map of Kansas City
• Top-Rated Neighborhoods in Kansas City
• What is Kansas City Really Like?
• Is it Expensive to Live in Kansas City?
• Steps to Buying a House in Kansas City

Where is Kansas City Located?

First, let’s clarify where Kansas City is located and how it’s broken up. When people think of Kansas City, they might think it’s in the state of Kansas in the midwest. They would be right, partly. 

Kansas City is broken up into two parts: the Missouri and Kansas sides. These two parts make up the Kansas City Metro.

Kansas City, KS, is only a tiny sliver of what people think about when they say “Kansas City.” About 90% of the “true” Kansas City population and its area is in Missouri.

View the image below for a visual.

Now that we’ve gotten that clarified, let’s take a quick look at the housing market in Kansas City. 

How Is the Housing Market in Kansas City? (Updated 2021)

Before buying a home, it’s essential to have a basic understanding of your chosen place’s housing market. Are homes selling quickly? How are supply and demand? Doing so can give you an idea of the prices you should expect, as well as potential issues you might encounter.

As of April 2021, the KC housing market is competitive. Demand is high, and the supply is relatively low, which results in the average home prices rising. In 2020, housing prices were up by 5% compared to 2019. Average home prices are currently sitting approximately between $150,000 and $280,000 and sold in less than five days. So you have to move fast if you want to buy!

Currently, Kansas City is a seller’s market. Due to the large influx of people from the west coast and bigger cities, it seems that it will stay that way for quite some time. Of course, that means buyers are having a more challenging time and paying larger sums, but it shouldn’t drive you away. With a good realtor, you’ll seal a perfect deal in no time!

Places to Buy a House in Kansas City

Kansas City has a lot to offer. Whichever part of KC you choose to live in, you probably won’t regret it. 

Below we’ve created a Kansas City map that outlines areas where you can purchase a home. 

A Map of Kansas City (How It’s Broken Up)

If you look at a Kansas City map, you’ll notice Kansas City belongs both to Missouri and Kansas, with the border running straight through it. Part of this border follows the Missouri River, but the rest is chosen arbitrarily, dividing the city into two distinct areas. If you live on the very edge, you could be a citizen of one state, while your neighbor across the street would belong to the other!

We like to divide the city up even further — this time, into three separate areas, called The Northland, East Kansas City and South Kansas City. Let’s take a closer look at each. View the map below.

At Dani Beyer Real Estate, we can help you find your dream home on both the Kansas and Missouri side, which is called the Kansas City Metro. But for this guide, we’ll mainly be talking about Missouri as it is a bigger and more populated area.

The Northland

As the name alone suggests, The Northland is in the northern part of the city. To be more precise, it covers all areas north of the Missouri River.

Below is a list of areas buyers choose to visit and purchase a home in.

Gladstone, Liberty, Parkville, Smithville and others are located in “The Northland.” It’s a largely suburban area, but it even includes lake life. And the best part is, you can experience all the beauties of rural nature while still living in a big city!

East KC

East Kansas City encompasses areas like Independence and Lee’s Summit. The popular highway, highway 70, runs along the entire length of East KC, straight to downtown.

Below is a list of smaller cities people choose a house in.

East KC is popular for some small lakes and shopping centers, like the Independence Mall. Yet, there are more country spaces like Buckner and Oak Grove. This is also the area you’ll find the stadiums for our World Series Champs, the Kansas City Royals and our Super Bowl Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs!

South KC

South KC is the smallest of the three areas, but it includes the most popular urban areas like the Crossroads, Raytown, the Plaza and more. It’s popular for its dog parks, coffee shops, as well as Longview Lake (not pictured below).

South KC is more urban, but it still has multiple parks and outdoor spaces to enjoy. It really gives you the best of both worlds — nature and city life!

Top-Rated Neighborhoods in Kansas City

Kansas City honestly gives you a variety of great areas and neighborhoods to choose from. It all comes down to what you’re looking for.

Based on our own experience and ratings from buyers, we’ve compiled a list of the top neighborhoods in Kansas City, Missouri. 

View a more in-depth breakdown of each neighborhood with crime data, neighborhood stats and more by reading our article here.

Bristol Park

Quick Info:

• Location: The Northland
• Average Home Price: $238,000
• Amenities: Yes
• Website: Bristolparkcommunities.com

Situated in The Northland, Bristol Park is around 22 minutes away from downtown, making it one of the more distant neighborhoods. It’s a peaceful area with only eight reported crimes last year.

Currently, Bristol Park has two swimming pools, a picnic shelter and a playground. The average home price in the neighborhood in 2021 is around $238,000.

Fountain Hills

Quick Info:

• Location: The Northland
• Average Home Price: $280,000
• Amenities: Yes
• Website: Fountainhillskc.com

Another Northland neighborhood, Fountain Hills, is a little closer to the center, and its crime rate is typically lower.

The residents’ average age is around 55, with younger families spread throughout the community. Some would call it a heaven for people who value comfort and convenience!

Fairland Heights

Quick Info:

• Location: East KC
• Average Home Price: $127,000+
• Amenities: No
• Website: No

If you’d rather live in East KC, Fairland Heights may be a perfect choice. The home pricing is far cheaper here than in the Northland — on average, it’s around $127,000.

Fairland Heights has a low crime rate. Last year, there were no crimes reported at all.

Saddle Ridge

Quick Info:

• Location: East KC
• Average Home Price: $650,000+
• Amenities: Yes
• Website: Saddleridgehomes.info

Saddle Ridge is another relatively luxury neighborhood in East KC. It’s only around 20 minutes away from downtown, and homes are priced from $450,000 to more than $2 million. According to the Kansas City Star, their maintenance-free villas range in price from $320,000s to $650,000. 

Buyers seem to love the area and consider it the best of both worlds – an Independence address and Blue Springs schools.

Blue Hills

Quick Info:

• Location: South KC
• Average Home Price: $110,000+
• Amenities: No
• Website: No

After exploring The Northland and East KC, it’s only fair that we check out South KC as well.

Blue Hills is a neighborhood only eight minutes away from the center of KC and boasts the lowest average housing price on this list — only $110,000.

The area is growing fast, but the only downside could be its crime rate; last year, up to 35 crimes were reported in this area.

Hyde Park

Quick Info:

• Location: South KC
• Average Home Price: $231,000
• Amenities: No
• Website: Hydeparkkc.org/about-hyde-park/

Finally, Hyde Park is also situated in South KC, some seven minutes away from downtown. Like its neighboring Blue Hills, Hyde Park has a slightly higher crime rate — 32 crimes were reported last year. But that’s where similarities end.

Unlike Blue Hills, Hyde Park’s average home price totals at about $231,000. That’s no surprise, considering how historically significant this neighborhood is. It’s a growing neighborhood and home to some beautiful homes!

What is Kansas City Really Like?

It’s easy to Google a city and get a high-level idea of what it’s like. Without visiting the town yourself (which we recommend), how can you determine if you want to purchase a home in Kansas City?

We know the city like the back of our hand, and we’re more than happy to share that knowledge with you! 

First, we’ve compiled a list of quotes that describe the city and its culture from real people who live here.

Reviews of Kansas City

Second, we’ve listed some major areas you’ll need to visit when you come down to KC

The City of Jazz and Barbeque

Image Source: New York Mag

Sure, Kansas City may not be New York or LA, but it has its quiet charm. For instance, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better jazz and barbeque scene in any other city of a similar size. So go ahead and visit the famous Gates Bar-B-Q restaurant, serving the best old-school barbeque in Kansas City. And while you’re at it, head over to the 18th & Vine District for a rendezvous with Kansas City jazz history. Start with the American Jazz Museum and finish the day in a local jazz club at one of the regular weekend gigs.

Art and History

Image Source: Visit Overland Park

Kansas City might not be the first place to come to mind when you think of art or history. But you’d be surprised at how much it actually has to offer in these departments. You’ll find numerous galleries and museums that celebrate all sorts of art styles and periods. Some of these include the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and Crossroads Arts District.

And history fans will have a lot of fun in the city too. Even just the National WWI Museum and Memorial are enough to pique your interest, but Kansas City has a lot more to offer. You should visit the Arabia Steamboat Museum, the Airline History Museum or take the Kansas City Gangster Tour.

Crime Rate

Image Source: Fox 4 KC

Now we come to one of the rare drawbacks of KC — namely, the crime rate.

Crime rates in Kansas City are 112% higher than the national average, so it may seem that it’s quite a dangerous place to live. And to be honest, these stats could be a little better. But if you compare it to other cities of a similar size, you’ll notice that KC’s crime rates are slightly more favorable. On top of that, most neighborhoods are safer than others. Review all the neighborhood stats before deciding which community to go with.

We presented an overview of each neighborhood and their data for you here to review. 

Is It Expensive to Live In Kansas City?

Kansas City is a very affordable city to live in. It ranks as the 22nd cheapest place in the US. You can take two people out to eat at a reasonable restaurant for $15, and gas typically floats between $1.96 and $3.25 per gallon. 

Below is a list of typical items you’d purchase in KC and their cost.

Common Prices for Items You Would Buy in KC

Data as of April 2021

However, we should note that Kansas City, MO, and Kansas City, KS, differ even in this aspect. As the larger, more populated area, Kansas City, MO, can be slightly more expensive than the KS side or even the KCMO suburbs. Still, that difference is slight, so it shouldn’t be too big of a deal for you. The average annual salary is higher on the Missouri side, which evens everything out. 

What Do I Need Before I Buy A House In Kansas City?

Buying a new house is no walk in the park, so you need to prepare first. But what does that entail when we’re talking about Kansas City specifically? Here are a few things we recommend doing:

The KC Pre Home-Buying Checklist

1. Check Your Credit Score. You’ll need to take out a loan to buy a house in most cases. Loan companies and banks usually check your credit score before giving you approval. It might be a good idea to calculate it and see if you can improve it before you’re ready to buy.
2. Define Your Budget. Even with the loans, houses don’t come cheap. Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your life. So make sure your budget can cover it and start saving as soon as possible.
3. Save a Downpayment. Start saving your down payment before you start looking for a home. This means you’re ready to go. We recommend saving a downpayment of between 5%-20% of the home’s sales price. For example: if you want to purchase a $220,000 home, you’ll need to save up around $11,000 to $44,000. Of course, this downpayment can change depending on interest rates, so make sure to check with your real estate agent, so you know what is needed. 
4. Research Neighborhoods You Want to Live In. Start to investigate areas in KC you’d like to live in. You should keep your mind open to anything that comes your way but still has some general idea of the kind of area you’d prefer. Write down the “must-haves” and the more “can live without” desires and attributes of a neighborhood.  

Steps to Buying a Home In Kansas City (For Serious Buyers)

Once you’ve completed our pre-home-buying checklist and you’re serious about buying a home, follow the steps below to get started!

1. Find a Trustworthy Real Estate Agent

Sure, you can choose to look for a house on your own. After all, isn’t that what websites such as Zillow are for? But the challenging part isn’t the browsing itself; it’s everything that comes after it.

Real estate agents specialize in negotiations and setting up appointments, and they can be a goldmine of information. So don’t be stingy — pay a little extra for a better and smoother experience! They will help you avoid costly mistakes and get you prepared for what’s to come. It’s honestly a massive help. 

2. Get Mortgage Pre-Approval

After you find a realtor, they are probably going to ask if you’ve (1) gotten a home lender and (2) received your pre-approval letter to purchase a house. 

Home lenders typically come in the form of banks. But there are also mortgage brokers who work for an independent mortgage company to shop multiple lenders on your behalf. An example of a mortgage broker is Supreme Lending. 

A mortgage pre-approval letter is needed. It’s a bank or lender document to show the real estate agent and the listing agent you are ready to buy a home based on your budget. Typically, this is needed before you even look at a home in person. 

3. Start Shopping for a Home

Here comes the fun part! Make a list of your “must-haves” and your “can live without” as well as your deal-breakers, and give it to your realtor. They will then go out there and look for Kansas City homes for sale that fit your criteria. You can, of course, look for yourself online too. 

Once you both find a few interesting ones, your realtor will set up showings. Use this opportunity to see as many houses as possible and get a good feel of the housing market.

4. Make an Offer (Quickly!) & Negotiate

You’ve finally picked out a home that suits your tastes! Awesome. Now it’s time to make an offer to the seller quickly!

If you have a realtor, they will be instrumental at this stage. Ask them what a fair price for your chosen house is, and then consider that when coming up with an offer. Once you decide on it, your realtor will present it to the seller, negotiate, and do all the complicated stuff. The rest is up to the seller — they can either accept, reject, or counter it with an offer of their own.

5. Offer Accepted or Rejected

Once you and the seller come to terms, all that’s left is to seal the deal! 

Your realtor will help you revisit the home and walk through the inspections needed. Typically you (the buyer) will pay for an inspection to confirm all is well in the house. After the house is inspected, it could be an excellent time to negotiate (depending on the market). 

Once the inspection turns out to be clean or satisfying for you, you’re done! After you sign the closing paperwork and land on a closing date, you’ll receive the keys and officially become the owner of your dream house!

For First-Time Buyers

If it’s your first time buying a home, you’ll need to go through all of the steps mentioned above, just like everyone else. But we want to emphasize that, in your case, hiring a realtor is a must. After all, real estate is full of traps that less experienced buyers often fall for. 

And if you don’t know where to find a good realtor, well, you don’t need to look far. Here at Dani Beyer Real Estate, we specialize in finding all the unique homes for sale Kansas City has to offer. Our team is full of real estate professionals whose experience will surely be invaluable to you.

Also, don’t forget to look into special programs and loans for first-time homebuyers in Kansas City. Some of these offer down payment assistance, and many have lower fixed interest rates and mortgage credit certificates. Don’t settle for the first mortgage you come across — shop around for better lenders!

If all of this information is stressing you out about buying a home, it’s okay! Buying a home can be stressful. So stressful, we are offering a FREE First-Time Home Buyers Webinar to help ease those nerves by answering all the questions you may have. Join us on April 22 at 6:30 p.m.

For Experienced Buyers

If you’ve already bought houses before, you’re probably familiar with parts of the process. Still, that doesn’t mean you have nothing to learn. If anything, now you can look into specifics and do more market research on your own. 

For instance, you should study home prices in the area before buying and also determine whether the market is buyers or sellers-oriented. That way, you’ll know what to expect and also how quickly you’ll need to be to buy your dream house before someone else jumps in. Since Kansas City currently has a seller’s market, be prepared to agree to higher prices and close the deals quickly.

Also, take the house you currently own into account. Will you sell it before you buy a new one or rent it? If you’re selling, think of the logistics of it all. You might even wish to include a home sell contingency in your offer. That way, the contract between you and the seller will only affect if your own house is sold by a specific date. If not, it’s terminated.

For Military Veterans

Perhaps the best thing about Kansas City is that it has excellent support programs for military veterans. Many of these deal with veteran homelessness, healthcare, and bureaucracy, but you can also find fantastic veteran loans and mortgages. These loans are given to veterans, active military personnel, and their families. Ultimately, their goal is to help veterans purchase or refinance their homes at a low-interest rate that can often be adjusted to their needs.

So if you’re a military veteran, look into the available Kansas City veteran loans. Most have excellent rates and will suit you perfectly, but it’s still good to shop around and see what’s available.

In Conclusion

Congrats, you have all the tools and information to make an excellent home-buying decision.

If that decision involves looking into Kansas City homes for sale, please contact us here at Dani Beyer Real Estate. We specialize in KC real estate, and we love our city! Even if you just have questions about KC, please call us. We’ll be happy to help in any way we can!