Prairie Village, KS (Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee: apartments, condos, buying a home)

[OneKC]

We've taken our look for homes to Prairie Village, KS and we are really impressed with the area. Cozy, quaint neighborhoods with tree-lined roads, very walkable communities, with many parks and shops within walking distance, nice older homes.

Thoughts on Prairie Village? I know the houses are a bit smaller than what you'll find elsewhere in JoCo, but that doesn't concern us much. I was curious what other people thought of the neighborhoods, the friendliness of the community. It also seems to be a much older community - are there a lot of families? We'd like our son to have other kids to play with.

Any other thoughts on PV?

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by OneKC

We've taken our look for homes to Prairie Village, KS and we are really impressed with the area. Cozy, quaint neighborhoods with tree-lined roads, very walkable communities, with many parks and shops within walking distance, nice older homes.

Thoughts on Prairie Village? I know the houses are a bit smaller than what you'll find elsewhere in JoCo, but that doesn't concern us much. I was curious what other people thought of the neighborhoods, the friendliness of the community. It also seems to be a much older community - are there a lot of families? We'd like our son to have other kids to play with.

Any other thoughts on PV?

It is a nice 50-60 year old established area and has won "tree city" awards many times. It is an area that is gradually gentrifying over the past 5-10 years as more original older residents pass away, and younger residents start moving in. It is largely a family area mixed with some professionals. Shawnee Mission East is just down the road, so I see this as a huge advantage. I saw more teardowns and rebuilds in the past couple of years. The locational advantage of PV in relation to Downtown KC, MO and the Plaza is much better compared to Olathe. Therefore, I expect long-term RE appreciation in PV to be better overall compared to an outer ring area like Olathe.

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by OneKC

We've taken our look for homes to Prairie Village, KS and we are really impressed with the area. Cozy, quaint neighborhoods with tree-lined roads, very walkable communities, with many parks and shops within walking distance, nice older homes.

Thoughts on Prairie Village? I know the houses are a bit smaller than what you'll find elsewhere in JoCo, but that doesn't concern us much. I was curious what other people thought of the neighborhoods, the friendliness of the community. It also seems to be a much older community - are there a lot of families? We'd like our son to have other kids to play with.

Any other thoughts on PV?

I tried for many months to find a house in PV or old Leawood, I really love that area and SM East HS was my top choice.

I just couldn't find the right house. I love the neighborhoods, the older homes, but those that have been renovated are WAY overpriced for the square footage IMO and those that are lower priced need WAY too much work. :-(

We ended up South of 435 in Blue Valley school district in more of a cookie cutter house, but with more square footage for a lower price.

The neighborhoods in PV are more mixed, with people and kids of varying ages. Which I like and you may also. But where we ended up has more younger kids which will probably end up being better in terms of friends/carpools for my kids.

All in all, not exactly what I wanted in a house, but seemed like the best choice overall.

[OneKC]

Just an update. We found the house we love in Prairie Village! Sold our old house and we move in by November. Really close to SME and Harmon Park. Its a modest, cozy house, but it still gives us enough living space and the finished basement I have been longing for! Its seems like a terrific walkable neighborhood. We can't wait to live there! Thanks for the help guys.

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by OneKC

Just an update. We found the house we love in Prairie Village! Sold our old house and we move in by November. Really close to SME and Harmon Park. Its a modest, cozy house, but it still gives us enough living space and the finished basement I have been longing for! Its seems like a terrific walkable neighborhood. We can't wait to live there! Thanks for the help guys.

Sounds great!!

I am envious! Maybe when my kids graduate HS we will be neighbors.

[TinaMcG]

Congratulations! After we moved here and I began to visit friends in PV, I started to regret not buying a home there. I had to have acreage, which you don't get in PV, but I've discovered that acreage is highly overrated!

[luzianne]

I live in Prairie Village! Welcome to the neighborhood! Prairie Village has a 20 year plan called "Village Vision" that I think is going to be a good thing. They are planning to widen 75th street. This will involve tearing down the first two houses next to 75th street from Nall to State Line. A lot of people are opposing it but since I have looked at the plans, I think it will be good. They will widen 75th street, put a median in the middle if I remember correctly, put storefronts along 75th street with apartments/housing above them, make a walking trail that is further off the street and separated from the street by green space (right now if you walk along 75th street the sidewalk is right next to the street and the cars whizzing by are right next to you). I think they said the speed limit would be lowered. Also, they plan to redo Corinth completely, with shops and greenspace, with apartments or some type of housing over the shops. They plan to do something with PV shopping center too. Not sure of the details of that. They also plan to have walking/biking trails throughout PV so it is walker friendly. There already are quite a few parks in PV.

There is also talk of using what is now Meadowbrook Country Club at 91st and Nall to build high rise condos. There is a lot of opposition to that because that is the last big piece of green space in PV. I'm not sure I want to see that.

I hope they don't go crazy on building housing above shops. There is no more available land in PV so that is a way to make more living space in PV, I just hope they don't overdo it. I still want to feel like I live in a small, friendly community. Anyway, it's a 20 year plan so nothing's going to happen immediately and lots of PV residents are opposed to it, but I'm optimistic and I can see how it could be a good thing. www.villagevision75.com

[kcmo]

Isn't 75th already 4 lanes? Are they just adding medians etc or making it six lanes?

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Isn't 75th already 4 lanes? Are they just adding medians etc or making it six lanes?

I guess I shouldn't have said they were going to widen 75th. What I mean is, they are going to tear down two houses on each side of 75th and then in that space they will make the road, medians and shops. I am assuming it will be four lanes; wont be six. I would say two lanes but I don't think two lanes would work there at all, and 75th is 4 lanes in Overland Park and KCMO, so I doubt it would narrow just through PV. I think it will be more like Brookside, with parking spots in front of the shops off of 75th. Sounds like the speed limit will be lowered, though, so maybe 75th won't be a major thoroughfare like it is now? I don't know all the details, but that link above has a link inside of it you can click on that has all the tentative plans.

[kcmo]

Ahh, I see. Didn't see the link. Yea, looks like they are just going to improve it in some areas and turn it into more of a parkway. Should really improve it.