The newest listing fix is 5325 W. 72nd Street. It is a two bedroom, one bath ranch in the Prairie Village subdivision. The home was built in 1950 and other than some wall to wall carpet, it probably hasn’t changed much since.
The home has a few strong assets. Of primary importance is the school district and overall location. The home falls within the following school track:
Elementary – Prairie School
Middle – Indian Hills
High – Shawnee Mission East
These are not only some of the best schools in the Shawnee Mission district, but also the entire metro area (feel free to compare) and they are actually located in a part of the city with mature trees! The home is within walking distance of great parks and the Prairie Village shops. The shops have a department store, grocery store, drug store, gas station, banks, restaurants, and some nice retail establishments. The location is also close to the Country Club Plaza and 15 minutes from downtown.
The second asset is the basement. It is currently full of stuff and in a messy state, but the bones are strong. It has cast concrete foundation walls (a rarity in this part of Prairie Village) that appear to be crack free and true (a near impossibility in this part of Prairie Village). And finally, the home’s HVAC system has been recently updated.
The home has been well maintained and remains in good condition for the most part. It may need a new roof and may have some drainage concerns to address. The windows are most likely single pane, which could be a consideration. The landscaping needs to be replaced and the entire home is devoid of any real outdoor living spaces. The roof over the front stoop is supported by wrought iron columns that were typical of the era.
As with most homes in the area, the layout does not conform to the way we live today. The living area is reasonably sized but the dining areas are petite at best and the kitchen is more of an afterthought. The kitchen and breakfast area can be separated from the “formal” areas by a pocket door which only enhances the claustrophobic spaces. The bedrooms are reasonable and have adequate closet space but are littered with windows placed solely for the benefit of the exterior. This makes furnishing the spaces a challenge.
The home is need of a complete finish update including walls, floors and bathroom fixtures. But the real solution to the home’s woes is a less is more attitude towards walls and careful casework and furniture design/placement. Some rework of the front porch, the removal of the wall between the dining area and kitchen and the addition of a sliding door to replace the window over the kitchen sink (this would require enlargement of the current opening) represent the only major modifications to the architecture. This design attempts to avoid items that would require costly changes to the serviceable exterior cladding, freeing funds for other items.
Along with some new columns, the front stoop could be extended to the garage and covered by an extension of the garage’s roof plane. This would provide more living space and a proper buffer between public and private space. It would also mitigate the home’s currently “garage proud” front elevation. A new deck and patio flow from the home’s kitchen and dining areas, boosting the home’s livable area at a relatively low cost.
By removing the wall between the dining space and the kitchen and adding the sliding door at the rear (south), the living area is transformed into a single open and light filled space that slowly reveals itself around the corner. Upon entry you are greeted with a view through the spaces, onto the deck and out to a generous yard. The dining area is outfitted with a 36 inch tall table matching the counter height and stools that slide under the table to allow the table to function as an extension of the kitchen when necessary. The new kitchen includes a full height pantry cabinet and refrigerator surround on the north wall and cooking and cleaning stations to the south. The existing door and stoop at the west end of the kitchen provide access to a new outdoor cooking area. General lighting for the kitchen is provided by a new cove above the cabinets and task lighting by an under-cabinet source. Additional storage could be built into the dining area. The progression of living spaces could ulitmately continue to a second living area on the lower level.
Over the past year, comparable homes have sold anywhere from the low 80’s to the mid 160’s depending on condition and assets that may have been added over the years. The current asking price of $119,000 is high based on the comparable sales.
This design is proposed at a turnkey price of around $150,000 given an acquisition price much closer to the home’s actual value. Another $20,000 would buy an additional living space, bedroom (with code compliant egress window) and bathroom in the basement. Obviously these prices are estimates at this point and could move up or down based on acquisition costs, discovery of current unknowns, and contingency items. But it is a nice price for a beautiful, updated and fully functioning starter home in Prairie Village.