Kansas City Investors/Locals - Need your Advice!

[Nicole Gambino]

Hi BiggerPockets members! I’m new to the game and looking at Kansas City as a potential city to purchase property. There are numerous reasonably priced Single and Multi Family homes for under $100k in certain neighborhoods (i.e. Oak Park Northwest/Southwest, Palestine East/West and Oak Park East, Lykins, Manheim Park, Ruskin Heights etc etc).

In looking at a heat map of these neighborhoods, there’s a lot of crime. Since I’m not familiar with the city, I’m wondering how bad these areas are. Are they up in incoming? Are they being gentrified? Is anyone investing here or have any thoughts or advice? Are there any neighborhoods that you would avoid like the plague?

Just thinking out loud - I live in San Francisco. While SF is obviously an affluent City (and I’m in no a way comparing it to KC) - there is crime everywhere. That doesn’t mean people don’t live in these areas, walk around, and live normal existences. An unbelievable amount of gentrification has also happened within the last 8-10 years as well.

With that said, it’s hard to know what a neighborhood is like without living there so I’m hoping to gain some insight from investors or those who live in the Kansas City area. 

Thank you in advance!

[Joye Bounthavy]

Thanks @Kim Tucker that's very useful. I'm moving to KC in the next month or so and am also looking for places to invest which I've been using @Chris Dawson post to help.. which is this btw

Chris Dawson Licensed Broker from Kansas City, KS

posted over 1 year ago

58 votesWho voted?

One of the questions I get asked a lot by investors who want to invest in Kansas City is, "What zip codes are good to invest in?". Any seasoned investor will tell you that this depends on several factors such as: amount of money to invest, type of tenants, level of risk, and investment strategy.

In an effort to help those who are not familiar with Kansas City but are interested or looking into investing in Kansas City, I have put together a very general overview of the zip codes in and around Kansas City, MO. These are all on the Missouri side, not the Kansas side.

Keep in mind, this is a general overview meant to help guide those who are not familiar with Kansas City. There can be good investments in areas I have labeled bad and there could be bad investments in areas that I have labeled good.

Here is the list:

Highest risk, highest crime, highest turnover areas:

64130 – listed in 2009 as the “murder factory” of Kansas City - avoid

64129 - avoid

64128 - avoid

64127 - avoid

64126 – avoid

Historic NE areas:

64124 – both good and bad areas for renting

64123 – both good and bad areas for renting

KC Downtown:

64106 – mostly commercial & condos – great area for rentals and flips

64108 – mostly commercial & condos – great area for rentals and flips

Midtown:

64109 – both good and bad areas for rentals

64110 – both good and bad areas for rentals

Westport/Plaza/Waldo/Brookside area:

64111 – great area for rentals and flips

64112 – great area for rentals and flips

64113 – great area for rentals and flips

64114 – great area for rentals and flips

South KC/Grandview/Raytown area:

64030 – mostly good rental area

64134 – mostly good rental area

64136 – mostly good rental area

64139 – mostly good rental area

64138 – mostly good rental area

Lee’s summit Area:

64081 – great area for rentals and flips

64082 – great area for rentals and flips

Blue Springs Area:

64015 – good area for rentals and flips

64014 – good area for rentals and flips

Independence Area:

64052 – mostly bad rental area

64053 – mostly bad rental area

64055 – mostly good rental area

64050 – mostly good rental area

64056 – mostly good rental area

64057 – mostly good rental area

North of the River Areas:

64116 – mostly good rental area

64117 – mostly good rental area

64118 – good rental area

64119 – good rental area

64151 – great area for rentals and flips

64152 – great area for rentals and flips

64153 – great area for rentals and flips

64154 – great area for rentals and flips

64155 – great area for rentals and flips

64157 – great area for rentals and flips

64158 – great area for rentals and flips

64068 – great area for rentals and flips

I hope this can help some of you new investors and maybe some seasoned investors as well.

I'm on my phone so I'm not sure how to reference lol