$78,434Average Value$88Average Price per Sq Ft4Homes For Sale
Shared values and amenities in Common Grounds
Life in Waterloo’s Common Grounds is all in the name. “It’s a friendly neighborhood,” says Ken Draine, Realtor with Skogman Realty who has worked extensively here. “It has a mixed culture and it’s growing.” This is a place where community is fought for and celebrated. Many locals are highly active in the area’s diverse houses of worship and nearby nonprofits, and community events are well-attended. The neighborhood offers many practicalities, too, including relatively affordable homes and access to parks. People here enjoy quick commutes to manufacturers and other employers, as well as downtown’s growing restaurant and entertainment scene.
Common Grounds skaters show off their skills at the Riverside Skate Park.
Common Grounds baseball players practice at the Joe Staub Memorial Field.
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New local businesses popping up near Downtown Waterloo
Within the neighborhood, family-owned D & K Hickory House boasts the best ribs in Waterloo. Reservations fill up quickly at this longtime establishment, suggesting that many locals agree. Neighborhood newcomers can join the regulars at Park Road Inn, which makes its own claim to fame as the oldest bar in Waterloo. For nights in, Tortas y Tacos DelValle is popular for takeout. Downtown restaurants such as the beloved Morg’s diner and the lively Screaming Eagle bar and venue are only a mile from many homes.
All-In Grocers — the closest grocery option — opened in 2023, filling a hole in the area’s access to fresh ingredients. The store is locally owned, and has an attached community center offering after school programming and assistance for people adjusting to life after incarceration.
Singlespeed brewery serves artisanal beers in Common Grounds.
Locally-owned All In Grocers also hosts a community center in Common Grounds.
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Quick access to John Deere and other employers
Location is a primary draw here, according to Draine. U.S. Route 63 borders the neighborhood, giving residents a straight shot to the downtown corridor a mile away and local manufacturers such as John Deere. “It might take you 7 or 8 minutes to get to most of the major job centers,” he says. Commuters can also hop on bus line 3, which stops along Route 63.
John Deere is a major employer in Common Grounds.
Many Common Grounds residents commute to work at manufacturers like John Deere.
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Shaded green space in Sullivan Memorial Park
Community members gather to relax and recreate at Sullivan Memorial Park, which has a baseball diamond, a playground, shaded picnic tables and ample green space for kids to burn off steam. Scenic river views are also nearby at Joe Straub Memorial Field, which connects to Riverside Skate Park and the mixed-use Cedar Valley Lakes Trail. Golf enthusiasts enjoy proximity to two 18-hole courses which offer day-rates and season passes: Gates Park Golf Course and Red Carpet Golf Course.
Common Grounds golfers frequent the Gates Park Golf Club.
Enjoy the sheltered picnic area at Sullivan Memorial Park.
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A Juneteenth tradition dating back 30 years
Sullivan Memorial Park hosts Waterloo’s annual Juneteenth celebration, a local tradition for nearly 30 years. In 2024, the event featured a march from Ferguson Field to the park, where participants were greeted with food vendors, live performances, kids’ activities and a proclamation from Mayor Quentin Hart. The region’s Boys and Girls Club also hosts an annual Back to School Bash at the park, celebrating the return to school with family-friendly entertainment and community giveaways.
Homes below the Waterloo median price
Common Grounds is densely residential. Homes often sit close together, and neighbors get to know each other both out of desire and necessity. Kids can use narrow, grass-flanked sidewalks to reach friends’ homes down the block or on the other end of the neighborhood. The architectural landscape here includes many two-bedroom bungalows and Foursquare homes built between 1900 and 1950. Prices typically range between $50,000 and $120,000, below the Waterloo median price. “It’s a lot of families and first-time homebuyers,” Draine says. “It’s pretty diverse.” The neighborhood attracts investors, too, as many homes are due for renovations and upgrades.
Waterloo has a history of flooding, and parts of Common Grounds are at an elevated risk, especially homes closer to Cedar River. The last major flood was in 2008, though the city has since invested $17 million in a stormwater flood pump station.
Large but affordable homes are frequently available in Common Grounds.
Large victorian homes can be found throughout Common Grounds
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Students are split into two Waterloo pipelines
Kids here start at Lincoln Elementary, which has a C-minus from Niche, or Becker Elementary, which gets a C. Becker hosts family events throughout the school year, including read-ins, a Halloween Trunk or Treat and Becker Bash, a spring celebration with food vendors, games and face painting. These students continue on to Central Middle, and Lincoln kids head to George Washington Carver Academy. Both have a C-minus. Students are again split between B-minus-rated West High and C-plus-rated East High. Both schools partners with the Waterloo Career Center, which offers courses and experiential learning in fields such as nursing, education and culinary arts.
Lincoln Elementary school is proud to serve the Common Grounds community.
Carver Academy serves Common Grounds students.
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Engaging locally through nonprofits and houses of worship
According to Draine, many people here are highly involved in the area’s houses of worship. This dense local landscape includes Methodist, Lutheran and Catholic churches, a Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall, and several Baptist congregations, such as Antioch Baptist Church. The historically African American church formally opened in 1913 and continues to serve the community more than 120 years later. “They just gave out scholarships to the 2024 graduates, they’re pretty active,” Draine says. “I’ve had conversations with them where they’ve talked about making a teenage facility where teens can go and get help with homework.”
The area is rich in nonprofits as well, including the Boys and Girls Club and the Salvation Army, which operates a large community center serving food and sheltering those in need.
Antioch Baptist Church is one of Common Grounds' diverse houses of worship.
The Salvation Army community center serves those in need in Common Grounds.
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On average, homes in Common Grounds, Waterloo sell after 39 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Common Grounds, Waterloo over the last 12 months is $73,850, up 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
This home offers 3bed 1.5 bath compleatly renovated.Great investment opportunity with major updates already completed. This property features a brand new roof, new water heater, new carpet and updated tile shower. Main floor Landry. This home also offers a specious double stall garage with additional parking space, making it ideal for tenants or homeowners needing extra space.
Sifeta JunuzovicBerkshire Hathaway Home Services One Realty Centre
Great investment opportunity in a ranch style duplex! Two bedroom, one bathroom, living room, kitchen, 12x14 concrete patio each unit. Nice corner lot location in a quiet neighborhood. 1103 rent is $660/month 1107 rent is $675/month, both section 8 tenants. Would make for a great investment! Schedule your showing today!
Ron Garris, CRB,CRSAWRE - Commercial & Development
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
