KC Condo Tracker

As we all feel the pains at the gas pumps, consider the gains of living in Kansas City. Kansas City is one of the most affordable cities in America (see index below) and it still provides big-city bang for the buck like the Nelson, P&L District, new Performing Arts Center, Jazz & Blues venues, killer BBQ, and affordable housing. What's your favorite part of living in KC?

Don't believe everything you read -- such last week's KC Star article about 18 Wall Street Tower condo units being auctioned off on the courthouse steps June 5th. According to a Townsend owner, only a parcel of the secondary loans against the 18 condos will be auctioned. So much for fact checking.

With the high price of converting buildings and gas in general, many developers have turned out electric-only condos and loft projects. I found it surprising just how few buildings come standard with gas cooktops.

Here's the list (1) Bridgeworks (2) First and Main (3) Plaza West (3) The Met (4) The Manhattan (5) The View (6) Churchill (7) East Market Row (8) Rockhill Annex Condos (9) Conover Placem(10 and The Fountains.  There are a handful of other projects that can run a gas line for cooking, including The Bella, Campbell, The Atriums, Southmoreland, and Popcorn.

Let me know if I missed any. So if you're a choosy urban gourmet cook, choose your future loft home accordingly.

As with any urban environment, parking is at a premium. Most condos come with one parking space because of this. So last week when I took out a couple from Honolulu who wanted two spaces (which can be found at select lofts like Western Auto, Conover Place, and others when you buy a two-bedroom), it got me thinking of downsizing our cars as well as our homes.

The Smart fortwo's length of only 8ft 10in allows as many as three of the vehicles to park in the space of a standard-length car. Wouldn't it behoove us to consider shrinking our cars to fit the environment vs. forcing the environment to accommodate us.

Perhaps that's why DE Lofts is offering an extra parking space to any one who buys a condo that currently owns a hybrid car.