Category Archives: Kansas City Sports

November 22, 2007 · 9:31 am

Thanksgiving in Kansas City & Misc Real Estate Thoughts

It’s a holiday weekend and so I really don’t feel like getting into the nitty-gritty of real estate investing here in Kansas City. However, I do want to bring you these tidbits, real estate related and other wise. And don’t forget. Tonight is the night they turn on the Plaza lights. Simply no more romantic place on Earth than the Country Club Plaza at Christmas.

NOTE: I “borrowed” the photo from KC Plaza Flights. Take a look and take a trip that you will never forget.

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I posted this over at my ActiveRain blog since Google seems to pick it up quicker. The link will take you to a fourplex for sale in Belton that will make Coasters (as Lani call them) wet themselves. That’s right, a Kansas City area investment property that costs around $155,000 and makes about $1,600 in gross monthly rents and it’s in a neighborhood I think is on the grow. Eat your heart out Los Angeles.

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Like Jay Thompson over at The Phoenix Real Estate Guy I too am proud that my 15 year old son just got his first “real” job. He’s raked leaves, mowed lawns and the like but wanted desperately to get out into the job world. He’s going to be working for Chick-fil-A, a good Christian company that’s closed on Sundays. (Can you believe it?)

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Two days ago I was showing an apartment in Olathe to a real estate investor and it was 78 degrees. I had my windows rolled down and a golf shirt on. Yesterday, it snowed! Not much. But it snowed! How fast everything can change.

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The Kansas Jayhawks are in for quite a weekend. First, on Saturday, is the Border War with Missouri that has been aptly renamed Armageddon at Arrowhead. Again, if you are not from this region you probably cannot understand the animosity that exists between the two schools. It’s gonna be something. Go Jayhawk football!

Then on Sunday evening our Jayhawk basketball team takes on Arizona over at Allen Fieldhouse. Basketball is woven into the very fabric of Kansas culture. So anytime you play a game against such a quality opponent you take notice.

Here’s hoping MY Kansas Jayhawks go 2-0 for the weekend!

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Real estate investing doesn’t have to be rocket science. I’ve received several phone calls over the last couple of weeks from people saying they are confused and don’t know which direction to turn.

My advice is to not spend thousands and thousands of dollars on guru knowledge. Just read this blog, Christopher Smith’s Equity Scout blog and Jeff Brown’s blog. You’ll get better advice and it’s free. There are a few others I could mention, as well.

Happy Thanksgiving. Happy investing.

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November 18, 2007 · 2:42 pm

This Is War! Well, A Border War.

At the risk of losing any of my loyal real estate investment clients because of their misguided loyalty to the University of Missouri I have to take a stand right here, right now on the Border War coming up next Saturday night in Kansas City.

For those of you that need some background on this, the most fierce of rivalries, take a minute and read this article by Blair Kerkhoff titled Border War: An uncivil beginning to a great rivalry printed in today’s Kansas City Star.

I am urging publicly that Govenor Sebelius station Kansas National Guard troops on the border at State Line to be able to respond quickly to any danger the Kansas Jayhawk football team and/or their fans may face from the hostile Missouri crowd.

Why is this necessary? Three reasons:

Kansas and Missouri have agreed to play the next several games against each other in Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium. Missouri soil. This offers us no protection from the descendants of Quantril and his raiders.
They are Missourians. You cannot trust them.
Alcohol will be served at the game.

Add those three things together and you can only have a recipe for disaster!!

Editor’s note: Most of this blog post is done tongue-in-cheek. Well, except for the part where you might figure I don’t like Missouri. While the rivalry is truly fierce, let us hope that people on both sides of the matter can accept a win with class and a loss with dignity. It will only take a few idiots from either side to ruin a great night in Kansas City next weekend. Please, show respect and restraint. Cheer for your side. Have a great time…oh, and know that KU will win. 🙂

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November 14, 2007 · 3:28 pm

More Kansas v Missouri

Providing both Kansas and Missouri win this weekend in football I can see next week as one of the ugliest weeks in history around the Kansas City area. I was just emailed this shirt.

It’s not the Border War. It’ll be Border Armageddon!

I want to encourage your trash talking here! This doesn’t all have to be about real estate investing in Kansas City. We can have a little fun, too. Right? Especially after Kansas whoops up on you from Mizzou!

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November 14, 2007 · 2:42 pm

Kansas & Missouri: The Border War

People throughout the sports world think they understand rivalries. There’s Michigan v Ohio State in football. Duke v Carolina and Indiana v Kentucky in basketball. Boston v New York in MLB.

But there is nothing like the rivalry there is between Kansas & Missouri. Nothing. Sure, we haven’t won as many championships between the two schools. But each and every competition between the two is called the Border War. And while ESPN can pimp all they want to the Duke v Carolina basketball rivalry, it is Kansas v Missouri that stands out in front.

Don’t like each other? Seriously, what two other rivalries had great-grandparents that shot at each other? That burned each other’s town to the ground? And look! The Missourians are still proud of it. (For those of you that don’t know, that’s Lawrence, KS burning on the shirt. Nearly 150 men of Lawrence were left dead or dying that fateful morning after Quantrill’s Raid.)

I credit the Missouri nation for their creativity and success this year. It’s one of the reasons I love to “hate” them. And I know they feel the same way. 🙂

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By the way, the most creative shirt floating around Kansas right now refers to our successful football program…at least this year.

Our coach beat bulimia.

Kansas Basketball

I realize that many of you simply do not care. You want to read about real estate investing. Well, wait till the next post!!!

Last night I took my dad who was in town visiting from Charlotte, NC to the KU Jayhawks basketball game over in Allen Field House. He had never been to AFH and by all accounts, he had a great time. The Jayhawks rolled to a rather yawn inspiring 94-59 victory. But what do you expect from an exhibition game? Still the crowd was out in full force (how many places in America can they say that?) and the students were, as usual, a riot.

If you ever get the chance to see a game in Allen Field House you should do so. For that matter, Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, OK is fantastic, too.

Kansas Jayhawk…Football?

Be sure to tune into ESPN2 tomorrow at 6:00 pm (Central) to watch the Kansas Jayhawk football team continue their march to the inevitable BCS Championship game.

Watch as these Jayhawks grind out yardage against the once proud Texas A&M faithful and…

…I’m sorry. I had to stop and laugh. It’s hard to say Kansas football and BCS in the same sentence. But who knows? If Florida can win titles in basketball (which I still consider sacrilege) then why can’t Kansas win one in football?

I invite you to give me even one good reason we can’t do it!

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October 20, 2007 · 7:59 am

Kansas City Royals Have New Manager

The Kansas City Royals have hired a new manager by the name of Trey Hillman. He’s the guy pictured below celebrating a Japan Series win with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. (Try saying that three times quickly with a straight face.)

As stated here before my first choice would have been for Frank White. Having said that, I don’t think you want me running a baseball team with my vast knowledge of college basketball.

To date most of Dayton Moore’s decisions have been spot on as to changing the talent make-up and losing culture of the Royals. We had very modest improvement this year with a manager that came in with a lousy record. So in walks this guy who knows how to win. He knows how to adapt. He wasn’t a golden boy. He was the kid you wanted to cut but couldn’t. At least that’s what I get when I read between the lines. See Joe Posnanski’s article in today’s Kansas City Star.

Also, doesn’t this all make you wonder about Buddy Bell’s “retirement?” He retired to spend more time with family and work in the Royals’ front office. Then, an hour and a half later, he takes a scouting job with the Chicago White Sox. Does that sound like he retired? Sounds like Dayton Moore allowed him to leave with dignity so that he could make a hire of a younger manager more in tune with all the young talent the Royals have both here in Kansas City and Wichita.

In a closing thought this can only help real estate investing, right? As the Royals begin a ten year tear winning 3 World Series titles the value of the team and the city will rise exponentially. It’s perfect! 🙂

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