Wichita has recently been rated the No. 1 place in the country to live the good life cheaply by Forbes magazine; that is thanks in part to the housing market in this area. There is an abundance of available land both in and around Wichita, land reasonably priced and available for immediate growth. The size and quality of house you can purchase in Wichita is very substantial compared to the price of homes of equal size on the east or west coasts or other major cities in the nation.
Apartment rentals in Wichita are quite affordable, priced well below the national average. At $595 for the typical two-bedroom apartment, there are plenty of rental options to suit your lifestyle – from condos on the lake to brand new lofts located downtown.
In addition to explosive growth on the outskirts of Wichita’s core area, a growing and dynamic new player is entering the market — downtown! In the last few years, numerous condominiums have transformed rundown warehouses into highly desirable residential units. And in 2001, Wichita celebrated the renovation of the Eaton Hotel block into apartments, condominiums and retail space that continues to add new life in the community’s revitalized core area.
Wichita’s core renewal follows national trends of redeveloping older areas that had become vacant in the 70s and 80s. Combined with low crime rates, appealing land values and growing public and private investments, developers and businesses alike are once again looking to the heart of the city for new and inspiring living options.
The four county Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) experienced double-digit growth during the 1990s. The Wichita MSA includes Butler County, which is one of the fastest growing counties in the state. Wichita’s home county of Sedgwick is also the state’s most populous county. Whether you’re interested in metropolitan living or a spacious rural atmosphere, you’ll find it here.
In some established residential areas, fill-in building is taking place. Patio homes, for instance, provide upscale amenities and landscaped yards with sprinkler systems in a comfortable ambience.
On the west side of town, where new housing construction starts are more numerous than the rest of the city combined, you can find at least 40 distinct residential subdivisions, each with a blend of home size and price. Special taxes sometimes figure into the price of homes in these newer neighborhoods, where the age of paving, sewer and water lines is often calculated in months rather than years.
At the same time, there are lots available in some subdivisions in lower price brackets with no special taxes due. Homes here fall into price ranges between $80,000 and $300,000, although showplaces with homes costing $400,000 or more dot the landscape. Few homes fall below $65,000 in these newer areas.
Growth in communities west of Wichita mirror this accelerated pace of growth. Towns such as Maize, Goddard, Cheney and Haysville are seeing the addition of subdivisions built to fit the lifestyles and incomes of people who are newcomers to the area, as well as those who are finding the allure of small-town living quite appealing.
Wichita’s residential market is following many of the trends evident in progressive, growing communities throughout the Midwest. Many new subdivisions are marketed exclusively through just one or two sales agents. Naturally, these new-home agents become experts in the neighborhoods they represent, and therefore are good sources of information for prospective buyers.
In terms of the properties themselves, lot size has begun a reversal. In the past 10 years in Wichita, homeowners have wanted something more than lots which put their neighbors’ windows less than 15 feet away from their own. Many lots in newer subdivisions are larger than those in neighborhoods that were developed as recently as five or ten years ago. Today, a typical lot might measure 90 feet wide by 150 feet deep. As lot sizes have grown, most developers have retained the walking paths, playgrounds, pools and other amenities in generous-sized public areas.
Wichita has avoided much of the urban blight that afflicts many other cities. That is not to say that there is no neighborhood decay. However, those areas are minimal and, in the case of the Midtown neighborhood, is undergoing restoration. Wichita’s home resale market is sizzling, particularly for those homes in the mid-range market. Homes prices around $100,000 sell quickly. Nationally, median prices have inched upward by about 6 percent in recent years; Wichita homes have generally followed that trend. However, the price of comparable homes in Wichita is about 34% less than national figures.
The homes west of I-235 are among the newest residences in the city. The area is growing rapidly with new homes available in virtually all price ranges. The median range is just over $110,000. The area is one of young families with children ranging from infants to teenagers. Two out of every three families in West Wichita have lived there less than 10 years.
The rapid development of residential areas has brought with it rapid commercial growth. Shopping centers can be found at major intersections along Ridge Road, Tyler Road, Maize Road and 119th Street (north and south) and Maple, Central, 13th and 21st Streets (east and west).
Southwest Wichita
The housing in this area is older, much of it built in the 1950s and 60s. Even older, more picturesque neighborhoods can be found around Friends University, south and west of Douglas and Seneca. Median prices in this area are around $55,000. Residential construction in the area is picking up, especially along the far southwest fringes of the city. And there is activity southwest of the city limits as well.
Northwest Wichita
Few intersections in Wichita are developing with the speed of commercial and residential growth as the area around 21st and Maize Road. Here one finds the new patio homes and high-end apartments that reflect a sudden maturity of the new northwest. Many of these homes are being bought by older couples whose families have grown, but just as many are occupied by younger couples with small children. Plenty of restaurants and extensive shopping centers are also moving into the neighborhood to serve residents with style.
Southeast Wichita
With its proximity to Boeing, Raytheon, Cessna’s Pawnee plant and McConnell Air Force Base, southeast Wichita finds its residential strength in the manufacturing employment base of the community. Demographics indicate residents in this area are either quite young or just above middle age. Median prices are in the $60,000 range. Southeast Wichita is always busy, in large part because of the closeness to the aerospace factories. Economic growth is rapid and steady as Wichita and its southeast neighbor, Derby, grow closer together.
Northeast Wichita
Perhaps more diverse than any other area of the city is northeast Wichita. Great restaurants and excellent shopping are just a few blocks away. Nature trails and walking paths are found in several areas. The area is roughly bounded by I-135 on the west, Central on the south and the north and east city limits. The median home price is $118,000. Wichita State University is in this sector and so are some of the most prestigious residential neighborhoods.
One of the city’s oldest and most elegant neighborhoods, College Hill, is part of the area. On the eastern and northern fringes can be found some of the priciest homes in south central Kansas. The far northeast represents some of the city’s most accelerated commercial and residential growth. At the same time, there is a rebirth occurring in older neighborhoods, particularly along 21st Street where public and private investment is spurring renewal.
Midtown
At one time, the finest homes in the city were found just north of downtown. Here, the movers and shakers that made Wichita a thriving city built their homes and raised their families. Many of these old homes are being restored to their former glory in the ornate, Victorian style that made them showplaces in earlier years. Several residences are on the National Register of Historic Places.
A few Midtown homes have been converted into offices, especially in the vicinity of Via Christi Regional Medical Center’s St. Francis Campus. Along Broadway there is commercial development that dates back many years. Around 21st and Broadway, Southeast Asian and Hispanic businesses exist side-by-side in an area that has become central to Wichita’s rapidly growing ethnic communities.
An active citizens’ organization, The Historic Midtown Association, works constantly to improve and restore the neighborhood. They have achieved effective results ranging from holiday tours of beautifully restored homes to crime prevention to neighborhood cleanups.
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