Six Hunt Midwest Northland communities offer opportunity to move before school starts

With summer at its peak, it’s easy to get swept up in the tidal wave of baseball games, family vacation and barbecues. However, for those interested in buying a new home, summer is an excellent time to visit communities of interest and get moved in, especially before school starts.

Builders have homes available in six Hunt Midwest Residential Northland communities that allow buyers to move before the start of the school year.

Often times, buyers begin their search for a new home based on where their children will attend school. Recognizing that schools are important not only to discerning parents, but also in maintaining property values for all homebuyers, Hunt Midwest Residential is selective in where it develops its master-planned communities.

“Our neighborhoods are located within the top-rated school districts in the metro and close to popular shopping and entertainment destinations,” said Jenni Mann, marketing manager with Hunt Midwest Residential. “Northgate Village and Staley Hills are within the North Kansas City district, Woodneath Farms and Benson Place Fieldstone are served by Liberty schools, Running Horse is in the Platte County R-3 district and students living in The Reserve at Riverstone attend Park Hill schools. Residents in these neighborhoods find themselves near Briarcliff Village, Zona Rosa and downtown Kansas City, and all with convenient highway access.”

Sheri Cole, community manager at Woodneath Farms, said this is a good time to buy a home. “We have several homes completed or within 30 days of completion, on good home sites and in a wide variety of prices and home styles.”

She added that because demand has picked up drastically in the past year, builders have been working diligently to keep up. “Builders worked throughout the winter to have homes ready for buyers this summer.”

One of those builders also encouraged buyers. “Now is absolutely the time to purchase the new home you’ve been dreaming about,” said Kevin Stucker, vice president of sales and marketing for Summit Custom Homes. “For those who want to move before school starts back up in the fall, I definitely encourage getting out there and seeing what we have available.

“I recommend not waiting for a number of reasons. First, interest rates are still at near historic lows. There is no telling how long this may last, so take advantage now because as rates rise, purchasing power decreases.

“Secondly, from the time you enter a purchase agreement, it generally takes at least 30 days to get everything prepared to close on the new home. This includes final lending requirements as well as putting the finishing touches on our homes to welcome their new owners.

“Lastly, as reproduction costs increase for both lot and home prices, there is instant equity that can be gained by taking advantage of current move-in ready inventory.”

In addition to excellent school districts, homebuyers can expect to find a wealth of amenities in Hunt Midwest Residential communities, which is one of the reasons that Summit Custom Homes builds in them.

“We’re honored to be a builder in Hunt Midwest’s communities,” Stucker said. “Homebuyers can count on living in a well-thought-out neighborhood with impressive amenities. As the No. 1 home builder in Kansas City, we certainly acknowledge and appreciate the strength and stability that Hunt Midwest brings to their communities. Their dedication in Kansas City and to the thousands of homeowners living in their neighborhoods provide an environment that stabilizes home values and gives families the peace of mind they need when making the largest financial decision of their lives.”

In Northgate Village, a neo-traditional neighborhood in North Kansas City, two homes built by Aspen Homes will be available by the end of summer and buyers still have time to choose their finishes. Aspen will soon start construction on two more single-family homes, both located across the street from North Kansas City’s new dog park.

This walkable neighborhood features homes with wrap-round porches and alley-loaded garages. Amenities include six pocket parks, street trees, ornamental street lighting and generous landscaping.

In the 138-acre master-planned community of Staley Hills at Shoal Creek Parkway just east of North Woodland Ave., homebuyers will find 22 inventory homes in various stages of completion by an award-winning builder team that includes Aspen Homes, Olympus Custom Homes, New Mark Homes, McFarland Custom Builders, Robertson Construction, Sallee Homes and Freeman Custom Homes. Homes prices start in the upper $200,000s.

Amenities in Staley Hills include a community pool, walking trails, natural areas and two water features. Four new, fully furnished model homes are open to tour.

Woodneath Farms, located north of Missouri 152 just off Flintlock Road, has four move-in ready homes and seven others in various stages of completion by builders Aspen Homes, McFarland Home Builders, Signature Builders, Klopfenstine Construction and Summit Custom Homes. Homes start in the mid $300,000s.

Community amenities include a competition-sized swimming pool, lake and fountain, walking trails, playground, nature areas, tennis court, picnic pavilion, recreation area, generous landscaping, on-site elementary school and connectivity to Mid-Continent Public Library’s Woodneath Library Center.

Benson Place Fieldstone is on Northeast 96th Street between Interstate 435 and Flintlock Road. Here buyers will find 29 homes in various stages of completion, including two that are move-in ready. Homes start in the mid $200,000s and builders include Aspen Homes, McFarland Custom Builders, Robertson Construction, SAB Homes and Summit Custom Homes.

Amenities in Benson Place include a swimming pool and recreation area, children’s splash park, walking trails, playground, 40-plus acres of parkland and nature areas, and five-acre lake. The community’s second pool is now under construction and will be ready in time for next summer.

The Reserve at Riverstone is a 117-acre master-planned community on Tiffany Springs Parkway between Congress and Amity, just north of Missouri 152. Homes are priced from the mid $300,000s and builders include Robertson Construction, Sallee Homes and Aspen Homes. Currently three homes are in various stages of completion and one model home is open to tour on Saturdays and Sundays.

Amenities now under construction at Riverstone include a swimming pool and recreation area, and residents currently enjoy walking trails and acres of parkland and nature areas. The pool is set to open summer 2015 and in the interim, Hunt Midwest provides family season passes to the nearby Springs Aquatic Center.

Running Horse, just south of Platte City on Running Horse Road, offers homes starting in the mid $200,000s. Nine homes are currently in various stages of completion, including a move-in ready reverse 11/2-story plan by Ernst Brothers Construction. The builder team also includes Aspen Homes and Sallee Homes.

Running Horse features a swimming pool and recreation area, walking trails connecting to the Prairie Creek Greenway, playground and generously landscaped entrance monuments.

Sales center hours vary by community. Those interested in touring homes or learning more are encouraged to visit HuntMidwestKC.com. For over 20 years, Hunt Midwest Residential is proud to be an industry leader in master-planned community development.

This story was originally published July 5, 2014 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Six Hunt Midwest Northland communities offer opportunity to move before school starts."