Real estate prices are all about "location, location, location," and right now that's particularly true — in half the country home prices are still going up, including in Kansas City.

• In the other half, they're falling.

Why it matters: The price data shows that the housing story is more complicated than affordability and still-high mortgage rates, which have cratered demand nationwide.

Zoom in: In the Midwest, the price of a typical home keeps rising.

• Home prices are up 2% year-over-year in Kansas City, and 2.1% in St. Louis.
• The median selling price of homes in Missouri is now at an all-time high, KCUR reports. The price, according to a June report from Missouri Realtors, is up to $269,000.
• That's significantly lower than in Kansas City, Missouri, where the median home sold price was $364,500, according to realtor.com.
• In Overland Park, Kansas, that price was $564,800.

What we're watching: Mid-size metros in the Midwest and Northeast were just named the summer's top housing markets by the Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com, in part for their affordability and "climate resiliency."

Meanwhile: Areas in the South, particularly Texas and Florida, that had lots of new construction over the past few years are seeing prices fall.

• And it's not just new homes; existing homeowners in these regions are also looking to sell and leave behind higher insurance costs, and climate risks.

Learn more

👋🏼 Hi, Abbey here with a guide to spending 24 hours solo in Kansas City.

The big picture: I got this idea after a solo weekend in D.C. I museum-hopped, ate at fun restaurants, met strangers and came home wondering: Why don't I do that here?

Start above the skyline

Drive to Kessler Park early and walk up to the bluff before the dog walkers and photographers show up.

• You'll see the river, the skyline and a corner of the city that rarely feels crowded.

Grab a little pick-me-up

Head to Splitlog Coffee in Strawberry Hill. It's quiet, unfussy and doesn't make you feel like you should be doing something. Sit by the window. Let the sun hit your face and zone out.

Browse, then disappear

Stop at Flagship Books in the West Bottoms. It's small and well-stocked. Browse slowly. Read the back of something you'd never normally buy. Then buy it anyway.

• Last time, I left with "Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch," a weird, brilliant novel set in 1600s Germany about a woman accused of witchcraft.

Go where the wild art is

The Rabbit hOle is an immersive museum for children's literature, but it's for adults too. Wander through oversize pages, literally climb into storybook scenes and remember a book you forgot you loved.

• Timed-entry tickets are $16, with free admission for children under 2 and discounted rates for military and income-qualified visitors through the Museums for All program.

Dinner, your way

Treat yourself to Voltaire. Slide into a comfy booth or grab a seat at the bar — both are good.

• Start with the oysters on the half shell ($22) and a pile of pommes frites with jalapeño aioli ($12). Add a glass of cava ($11) or a spritz ($12), something cold and celebratory.

More to do.

🏚️ KC accepted a $6 million EPA grant for environmental cleanup and housing redevelopment in historically underserved neighborhoods. The funding will support work at 47 vacant lots in Washington Wheatley, where lead was found on 84% of parcels, and the former Benson Manufacturing site. (FOX4)

🚌 City Council failed to pass a $77 million funding ordinance for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, prompting warnings that service could face major cuts, or a potential shutdown, by mid-August. (FOX4)

🏓 PickleCon 2025 is coming to Kansas City for the first time, bringing four days of competitive play, clinics and glow-in-the-dark matches to the Convention Center Aug. 7–10. (Audacy)

National Farmers Market Week is officially in session as of yesterday, and City Market is marking it with buskers, distillery samples, free temporary tattoos and a push to be named America's favorite market.

Why it matters: Farmers markets are more than a place to buy tomatoes. They're tied to food access, affordability, neighborhood identity and building community across ZIP codes.

By the numbers: City Market's version, which describes itself as the region's largest weekend farmers market, operates year-round.

• City Market accepts SNAP and offers up to $25 in matching tokens per day to spend on fresh produce.

Zoom in: City Market's celebration runs now through Sunday. Events this weekend include free "I ❤️ Farmers Markets" temporary tattoos, live buskers and a Saturday tasting booth with Missouri-based distillers.

• Visitors can also pick up a Farmers Market Passport while at City Market and earn rewards by visiting other local markets.

What's next: City Market hopes to be voted the most popular farmers market in American Farmland Trust's nationwide contest.

• Voting is open through Sept. 30, and the top prize is $15,000 to put toward market improvements.

If you go: Check the year-round schedule here, and don't make this your only stop this year.

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