Mild winter creates a perfect storm for Kansas City home sales

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Nationwide, the housing market looks bleak. But in Kansas City, mild winter weather is turning out to be part of a perfect storm for home sales.

Across the US, home ownership fell for the seventh straight year and homes have lost an average of 30 percent of their value since 2006, but at least one subdivision in Blue Springs is seeing a sudden flood of buyers.

After sitting largely undeveloped and dormant for years, homes are selling. Some are even selling before they're built.

"We haven't had winter," said builder Kevin Stalling about what is typically the slowest time of the year. "Every holiday, we see people coming through."

Stalling says he will have his best year this year since 2006.

Those oddly warm winter days are speeding up construction too, giving another boost to business. From laying sod to laying foundations in January, Stalling would never have thought it could happen.

"I'm hiring people right now. I'm bringing on new people and I was wondering in the beginning if I was going to be able to keep them busy,” Stalling said. “Now I'm starting to wonder. I might need to get them help because I've given them too much work.”

Realtors admit there are still struggling neighborhoods in Kansas City, especially where people are upside-down in their homes. But Stalling says he expects this year's spring homes tour to be busier than the last five years before.