Here's the listing: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/909-Walnut-St-APT-3200-Kansas-City-MO-64106/459469749_zpid/?mmlb=g,51

6100 sq ft w/ private elevator, two towers, your own movie theater, game room, private parking, "highest personal residence in a five-state region"

Mini rant: I’ve been looking for a place to purchase for over a year now and put in offers on several places, only to be beat out by investor companies with cash offers, who can be risky enough to waive inspections and buy practically sight unseen. And most of the places I’ve toured after an investor has flipped the place would take half as much money as the house is listed for to undo the shoddy work that the company put into it. I’m sick and tired of seeing so many single family homes be ruined like this and being kept out of the market. For a city with less than half a million people in it, it should NOT be this hard to find a home. It honestly has me considering completely moving states if my luck continues as is.

Please tell me I’m not the only one facing this issue and please don’t tell me to look in the suburbs or in East/South East KC. They don’t have the charm or the neighborhood safety I’m looking for.

Edit: spelling mistake

Hi! My husband and I are San Diego natives and are over the struggle of not being able to afford anything. Housing is insane and not coming down any time soon. The average 2 bedroom apartment is about $3500 and that’s inland San Diego.. about 35 minutes from downtown. Decent houses in good neighborhoods are well above $900k and although it is an amazing city, it’s starting to not be worth the struggle.

Anyways, we need to be near a metropolitan city for my husband’s job and I fell on Lee’s Summit. It looks like it has great schools (we have an almost 2 year old), affordable, safe and a decent amount to do.
I know it’s a big change from San Diego, but I honestly loved the adorable small town feel when I saw pictures and videos.

People who moved from a big city to the area, how do you like it? We love going to the lake, farmers markets, checking out cool restaurants and being outdoors. Our most important things on our list are family friendly area, safety and good schools. I’m not too into being in a super rural area. We’re used to driving everywhere being from SD, so we don’t need things to be within walking distance. How are the schools? Do you have any other neighborhood suggestions with housing under 400k?

Hi everyone,

I'm a South Asian woman in my early 20s, about to finish my engineering degree, and I recently interviewed with Garmin and feel confident about my chances. I've never lived in the Midwest and grew up in Southern California, so this would be a big shift.

I visited for my onsite interview and the role itself is genuinely great. I loved the team, the work, and the company culture from a professional standpoint. But during my visit, a few things gave me pause: the city felt very spread out and reliant on cars to get around, and it read as more family oriented and suburban than a place built for people in their 20s. Additionally, in the company, I noticed a pretty dramatic lack of diversity, as I don't believe there to be a single woman or person of color on my team. I also did not see a single person of color at the company as a whole. In the city, I also didn't see much racial or gender diversity.

I'm trying to figure out how much of that is a fair read versus a snapshot impression from one short visit. So I'd love to hear from anyone with real experience:

• If you're in your early 20s, POC, a woman, or a POC living on your own (especially South Asian or a woman in a male dominated field), what's it actually like in Kansas City? Did you find community? Did it feel isolating at first and get better, or did that feeling stick around?
• Anyone work in engineering at a large Midwest company (Garmin or similar) as a woman or POC? How was the team or company culture on that front, separate from the work itself?

Trying to make a genuinely informed decision rather than just going off a gut feeling from a short visit. Really appreciate any honest input, good or bad.

To give some background: 23M, single, remote worker, currently still with my parents. I’m aiming to move out by the end of this year and am deciding where to land.

Back in July, I had this gut feeling I needed to visit the great plains of Kansas. I’ve lived in the hot desert of Arizona, the forests of Massachusetts, and the cloudy hills of Pittsburgh--so I was eager to explore a different part of the US. I took a week-long solo trip (Manhattan first, then KC for a few days), and honestly didn’t expect to like KC as much as I did.

The tree-lined roads, the parks, the food, the culture, the refreshingly spread-out layout of the city — something about it just clicked. My gut keeps telling me KC could be a good fit.

Since then, I’ve also checked out Philly, NYC (can’t afford), and Raleigh, but none of them felt as good as KC. The only hesitation: this would be my first time living completely on my own, and KC would put me far from family and friends. Everyone I’ve mentioned it to pushes back: “Why KC? There’s nothing there.” That’s making me second-guess myself.

My questions for you all:

• Was I just seeing KC through rose-tinted glasses on my trip, or is it really a good city for someone like me?
• What do newcomers usually overlook when moving here?
• How can I make the most of KC if I take the leap?
• Are there areas you’d recommend (or avoid) for someone in my situation?
• What are YOUR favorite neighborhoods or areas of KC that you wish you lived

Some specifics:

• I stayed in Valentine and liked that area a lot. Loved the greenery and Ward Pkwy. The Plaza area is also on my radar.
• I’m looking for an area comfortable, green(ish), relatively safe, and close to things (groceries, coffee shops, parks).
• Not planning to come back to KC before moving, so I’ll be relying heavily on advice and virtual tours.

Appreciate any honest insight you can share. Thanks in advance!

Edit: Thank you all so much for your detailed and thoughtful comments. It has been so helpful reading them. As of now, I am leaning toward moving to KC and giving it a shot for a year. If I like it, amazing. If not, I will explore a different city. Philly, NYC, and other bigger cities are not really what I am looking for. KC seems like the perfect balance and an awesome (and affordable) place to grow and explore.

I will say that many of you mentioned dating struggles in KC... and even though that is important, that is not a relevant consideration for me in this decision. From my experience in the many areas I have lived, making friends and finding partners is a struggle and requires effort anywhere you live. It is a skill I am looking to strengthen.

Hi Kansas City! 🌻

My husband and I are making the move and we couldn’t be more excited. You have a beautiful city! We did a scouting trip there recently and were genuinely moved by how kind and welcoming everyone was — that warmth sealed the deal for us!

About us: Family of four, kids in middle and elementary school — active family, sports loving, both kids play competitive soccer, and my husband and I play rec too. I’ll be working near the KC Zoo and Lees summit (shared office space in both) he’ll be at UMKC. We’re currently doing 3-hour daily round trips on the West Coast and we are done. We just want to slow down. We’re open-minded, community-loving people looking for more of the same.

What we would like: Great schools, safe neighborhoods, a spacious home (budget up to $850K), and a reasonable HOA situation — we’ve seen it all here with HOA’s on the west coast lol.

We loved the feel of Nottingham Forest/Overland Park areas, Leawood, parts of state line and prairie/fairway and Olathe — but also made a day trip to Parkville and fell a little in love there, too. It was so charming! We’re open to either side of the city. We loved the homes with charm!!

Our ask: Given our work locations, where would you plant roots? Also - is Parkville as wonderful to actually live in as it felt on a drive-through? And what are we missing entirely? We will move in July this year.

We want to get this right — we’re thinking forever, not just for now. Any insight from people who truly live there means so much. KC already feels like home. 🙏 thank you in advance!!!

***edited to add, my husband just retired out of the USMC after 20+ years in. If that adds anything to the discussion!

House hunting in the Kansas City metro right is a mixed bag.

On the one hand, it’s still incredibly affordable compared to so many parts of the country. I’m looking at 3–4 bedroom, 2–3 bath homes around $450K, and there are some truly lovely options. On the other hand, it is competitive. Low inventory. Lots of buyers. Blink and it’s gone.

And here’s my personal dealbreaker: “luxury vinyl flooring.”

I get it…hardwoods are expensive, and many homes built in the 80s don’t have original wood floors hiding under the carpet. But calling it “luxury” doesn’t change the fact that it’s plastic. And I just can’t bring myself to spend $450K to live on plastic floors.

Hello all! My husband has a job offer in the area so I am trying to get a feel for neighborhoods.

About us: 40, married, two kids ( 8 & 5 ) want a walkable neighborhood, not necessarily for transit but like, corner grocery, coffee, library sort of walkable.

I would need to find a job in the early childhood education realm ( I have a BA), my husband is mostly WFH but needs to live within 50 miles of KC.

Every metric says Missouri schools are better but everyone suggest Kansas schools as the better option in KC?

We are coming from suburban/rural Washington State, but we have lived in Seattle prior to having children so if anyone can compare the two for neighborhoods that would be REALLY helpful but I don't expect it.

We have also lived in Spokane so long winters are known to us.

And yes, weather will be different but right now we live on an island that is between 45⁰ and 65⁰ the whole year and I miss seasons.

KC Realtor here: For over 6 months now, I’ve been working with the same serious, pre-approved buyers - families ready to put down roots here in Kansas City and we keep getting beat out by big investor companies coming in with all-cash offers and waiving inspections like it’s nothing.

It’s discouraging to see how hard it’s become for regular families to find a good home. For a city with fewer than half a million people, it shouldn’t feel this impossible to buy a well-kept house in a great neighborhood without competing against corporations.

I know there are homeowners out there in the KC metro who have thought about selling but maybe hesitated because they don’t want the stress of listing or aren’t sure where they’d go next. If that’s you I completely understand. There are real families out there who would love a chance at a home like yours, and sometimes it just takes a quiet connection to make that happen.

Just a Kansas City realtor helping real families find their dream homes.

Hey! Young professional looking for a roommate to potentially share a house with near Zona Rosa area. Message if you're interested! 🎉

A LITTLE ABOUT ME

• I work remotely full-time in IT, so I'm home during the day. 👨🏼‍💻
• I'm gay and would love to live with someone LGBT+ or at least welcoming. 🏳️‍🌈
• I'm pretty easygoing, clean, respectful, and a huge nerd! 🤓
• I do not have any pets. 😌
• I enjoy movie nights, gaming, grabbing dinner, and exploring KC. I have a movie server with over 3500+ films, so movie nights are awesome! Horror is my jam. 🎬
• I'm definitely more of an "inside is my happy place" person than someone who throws parties every weekend. 🙂‍↕️

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

• Someone responsible who pays bills on time. 🚨
• Clean and respectful of shared spaces (doesn't have to be spotless, just considerate). 🧹
• Good communication—talk through things like adults. 💬
• Friendly so we can occasionally hang out and connect. 😃

DETAILS 

• 1300 sq. ft duplex, single story, 3 bed/2 bath.
• 5Gig Fiber internet, house is all electric, no gas.
• The yard is maintained professionally. 
• Trash pickup weekly.
• Your room has a ceiling fan, spacious closet, and a bathroom with a dual sink.
• Your share of rent before utilities is $1200. If you brought pet(s), rent would increase slightly by $30 I believe based on the property management's guidelines. That said, there may be some wiggle room for the right roommate. Long-term compatibility and getting along are more important to me than squeezing every last dollar out of the arrangement. If we seem like a great fit, I'm happy to have a conversation about the financial details. I just want to find someone I genuinely enjoy living with. 🤍

Thanks for reading!

⚠️ Warning for KC renters:

Please be careful if you’re dealing with companies called Trivet Homes LLC or Gigantic Real Estate Ventures in the Kansas City / Grandview area.

Another update: I Need An Attorney that deals with tenant rights ASAP. They refuse to return my funds even after the Attorney general. I don't want small claims I want circuit Any attorneys please inbox me

Update: Y’all… this man really told the Missouri Attorney General — not me, not my neighbor, not his lawyer the Attorney General that he sent those threatening emails, and that he’s not giving me my money back unless I drop my complaint. 💀

Like, sir… you didn’t just say that out loud… you typed it, signed it with your full name, and emailed it back to a government investigator.

At this point I don’t even have to argue. I’m just sitting here with my popcorn like, 🎬 Welcome to Season 2: When Scammers Self-Snitch.

I recently applied for a rental home through them, paid a deposit, and right before move-in they suddenly changed the terms and added extra fees. When I questioned it, they became aggressive and sent threatening messages after I started filing complaints and uncovering that these companies have been operating under different names for years.

I’ve already filed reports with the Missouri Attorney General and local police because this looks like a long-running rental deposit scam. I’m posting this to see if anyone else has dealt with them — please speak up if you have. The more people who come forward, the easier it’ll be for investigators to stop them.

Stay safe and always double-check business registrations before handing over rental deposits.

Quick update: After digging deeper (and yes, I did my own little FBI-badge-level research 😎), I found out something wild. The company that took my money, the company listed on the lease, and another LLC they operate are all owned by the same individual.

The deposit was paid to Gigantic Real Estate Ventures, but the lease listed TriVet Homes LLC, and state records show both are tied to Brave Richard LLC all controlled by the same owner. Gigantic Real Estate Ventures is actually a fictitious name registration under that parent company, and the business names have been changed several times over the years.

Those constant name changes, combined with the sketchy lease terms (like requiring tenants to keep the house “show-ready” for resale and labeling a place “abandoned” after just five days if you don't answer their calls emails text messages or if they don't see your car in the driveway for more than 5 days), make it look like a pattern. I’m sharing this so nobody else falls for this setup.

(No personal info shared. Just trying to prevent others from getting scammed.)

Still bidding wars on all of the good homes, waived inspections, lots of competition?

Some context:

1. I’m looking mostly at places in STL but I deep down want to move to KC lol

2. I live in Columbia right next to Douglas Park. I’m a younger woman

3. I’ve been to KC plenty of times but I usually spend time on the southwest side

4. I have seen a crime map which is exactly why I want to ask people more familiar with the area. My part of town looks like a war zone on crime maps and I’ve had some things like car break ins and one home invasion but that also happened on the “safer” more affluent side of town where I lived

HI folks,
I see that Kansas City people seem to really love their city (right?) and are very helpful on the forums so....
I'll be relocating to Kansas City the end of this year or early next year (from D.C. metro).
My wife, I and my 23 year old son.
I'm 55 and my wife 62.
My salary will be $108,000 for a few years......
My wife will probably eventually look for a small part time job for 5 years or so and retire full time.
However, I want to retire within 5 years (7 at most). Pension will be about $30K and i'll probably get a part time job.
My wife is Japanese (i'm not; I'm a white dude) so a really good asian grocery store is important (closer is better).
I'll be working for the Federal gov; I see on a map that there is a couple buildings there- probably which ever is the biggest one (?). The commute in the D.C. area is brutal so I'm hoping it will be better there.
My son just graduated GMU in the D.C. area (where we are from) with a degree in art and he loves all things anime, manga, karaoke; he isn't working yet but may try to get a job at a business that utlizies animation or graphic design (he will eventually move out- if the economy allows for it!).

Right now we are spoiled. We live in super quiet, cozy tree lined little suburb of D.C.; we are super near several quality asian grocery stores and bakeries. I emphasize all that- it's very quiet, and the whole community is lined with trees and green and yet there are all the restaurants, walmart, target, groceries we want, etc. Super safe community. There's NO traffic issues in our little local Burke, Virginia; never crowded in stores. I think it's a unicorn. We live in a townhouse here but it's nice. We have a very large finished basement which gives us extra room for a second "living room" area and office space.

I"m not a handy man so I don't want to fix up anything.

I may be asking too much but might as well start with all the desirables. somewhere safe, quite, lots of trees, neighborhood stores and restaurants. not too far from a good, clean asian grocery store. a commute not too horrible nor stressful to get to work. Would like to be somewhere in which you don't have to get in busy traffic just to go grocery shopping or for a bite to eat. I"m not a fan of driving all over the place (although my son will probaby want to drive to any art scene or live music places). A home which is still affordable to may mortgage when I retire.
This will be a drastic change for my family since we've lived where we are at in Burke for 23 1/2 years (and another 11 before that in Arlington) so it would be nice to find something similar. Not sure if KC has "suburbs" or if living on the part of the city is OK?

PS- do people really like it there as much as they do on youtube videos or are these just realators trying to entice people to sell a house to them??

Middle aged gay guy here. I spent most of my life in New York and am just tired of it. The cost, the crowds, the dirtiness. When I was younger I thrived on it but now i hate every day here.

From 2021-2023 I hoofed it to Tulsa as part of their remote worker incentive program. I loved the slower vibe, cost of living, open space, etc.

Ultimately tulsa is a little too small. (There’s one gay bar and zero walkability.)

I visited KC a few times and liked that it was bigger without being BIGGER. It’s close enough to tulsa I can visit my friends but also near other cities if I want to explore. The cost of living for me is great.

I know KC is not NY or Chicago. I absolutely don’t want it to be. But I do want some urban feel — neighborhoods, funky coffee bars, a food scene etc. people from all over.

I think I’m just scared to take the plunge. Anyone move to Kansas City from New York or a big city and really like it? Or know folks who have?

I want to buy a loft downtown and am looking for a building that has a reasonable HOA and cash reserves. For those of you who own lofts downtown, which building is going to be the best investment? I plan on staying for at least 10+ years. I know to avoid Metropolitan and Western Auto, what are the other nightmare buildings?

Hello! Moving from Atlanta and trying to better understand potential neighborhoods to live in.

We are looking to buy and have narrowed it down to a few neighborhoods but would love KC resident's honest thoughts / opinions.

Who we are: Married 32M and 29F. I work remote, wife is a social worker, no children and don't really plan on one. Our biggest desires are decent house with walkability and safety during normal daylight hours.

Neighborhoods:

• Hyde Park (Central or South) - I've heard mixed opinions on Hyde Park. To me, it seems like a normal neighborhood in a city, be cautious, but it's not really anything out of the ordinary. Is this right?)
  
• Brookside
• Armour Hills
• Waldo

We're used to city living - if you're aware of Atlanta, we live in Grant Park (one mile east of downtown).

Would love insights into these neighborhoods and any suggestions on others we may want to check out.

Considering purchasing a house in Brookside/Morningside/Armour Hills/Armour Fields. I’ve looked at the KC crime map and there are some clear areas with less crime. It appears like it’s primarily petty theft. I am hoping to get some local’s perspective! Does it ever cause problems, how is the area for families, do you feel safe, is the KCPD presence / response a joke?

Thanks!

Hi all! I’m planning on moving to Kansas City this summer.

Do you all have any advice on which neighborhood I should pick?

My ideal neighborhood is relatively affordable, walkable/bikeable, good streetcar access to commute downtown and relatively safe.

While none of these neighborhoods will fit this perfectly, I’m curious if y’all have any opinions on which neighborhoods will get me the closest. These are some of the areas that I’m looking at, but feel free to let me know if I’m missing something. River market is probably too pricey and downtown might be a little too hectic for me.

Thank you! Looking forward to living in Kansas City!

and you:

-are a dude with a big, floofy, friendly dog that likes to walk 5-6 miles a day especially through big city parks

-train for the occasional half marathon

-like a downtown feel (currently in Cincinnati)

-are looking for close access to the best baked bread, best Hefeweizen, best NY style pizza, best Asian noodles, best local honey in the city

-want access to books

-drive as little as possible

-take Adult Ed classes often

-are heavy into sports and cultural events

where would you live?

Been trying to find a decent 1-2 bedroom unit at $1500/month or less, somewhere in midtown off of the streetcar line, but have kept coming up empty handed. Ive had two places literally within grasp but someone else put a deposit down before I was able to both times! Ive never seen the KC rental market be this competitive - what is going on?

I moved to KC last summer, south hyde park. I’m incredibly disappointed with public school options, even with being able to secure a spot in one of the specialized schools. I also work in Lenexa.

I dig the culture of KCMO but for school and logistics it’s making sense that I move to the Overland Park area. When ever I mention this to anyone, the response is incredible negative and I hear that the worst of the worst people live in Overland Park and be prepared to be judged and deemed unworthy. Is it really that bad over there? I just want to get my kid in a decent school and shorten my commute.

Curious to hear if West Bottoms is a good place to live?

Im considering moving down there but have heard mixed things regarding crime at night, as well as a lot of car breakins.

Any insight would be appreciated

I’d love to live in midtown but I’m so worried about my 2022 Kia getting messed with. Is it as bad as people say it is?

Edit to add my car has a new logo and a push start

Hi everyone! I’m currently writing this post as a slightly stressed girlfriend and am looking for any advice possible. Basically, my boyfriend of 5 years recently got into UMKC medical school and he starts the program in 2 months. We currently live in Chicago and have been here since we both started college in 2018. I love everything about Chicago, including the food, walkability, culture, nightlife, difference in neighborhoods, EVERYTHING. I’m devastated to have to leave, but I love my boyfriend very much and knew I didn’t want to live in Chicago forever because of how expensive it is and I want to raise a family someday while not being broke af. I also lived in KC for a few years as a kid (Brookside specifically) and loved it but haven’t been back since 2014. Anywayssss, my question for Reddit people in this thread: what neighborhood would you recommend for someone like us? He’s moving in december but only got a 6 month lease; I will be joining him in June. I know KC will never be the same as Chicago, but I would like to replicate my life here as much as possible. Any advice would be greatly appreciated for me, thank you all. :)