Moving to Ann Arbor Area with Kids (Westland, Canton: realty, mcmansions)

[dmt]

Hi! We will be moving to the Ann Arbor area within the next 6-9 months. We are moving from a very small town (population <5,000). While we are not looking to move anywhere quite that small, we are a little worried that Ann Arbor may be too big for us. We are looking for an area that is child and family friendly (we have two children- ages 7 and 3), with good schools. We will probably be renting, and would like an area with reasonably priced rents (We heard Ann Arbor was expensive) Please give us any thoughts or suggestions that you have. Thanks.

[plantartist]

Ann Arbor is an awesome place. I'd say it's one of the only cities in Michigan that still has a good economy. Some great things about Ann Arbor are arts, culture, diversity, events, education, University of Michigan, and the downtown district
It must be understood that Ann Arbor is a college town. There are many pro's and con's that come with living there considering there will be some young ones going. I would say to be prepared to explain to your kids a lot of things going on in the student areas haha (beer pong in front yards, frat houses, loud music, etc.) Great place to live- but find the right part of town. Or consider Saline, MI- just a short drive away and considered one of the best places to live in the country (MONEY Magazine: Best places to live 2007: Saline, MI snapshot)

Good luck- I hope this helps.

-Marshall

[Coldjensens]

Ann Arbor is probably the best City in Michigan, and one of the best anywhere. Most of the schools are excellent. It is a crazy busy place with all the students running around and messy traffic. As awesome as it is to live right in the city, I would be concerned with young children. There are a lot of really nice outlying areas. If you have the money, you could live right on the Huron river just outside of town. Alternately, there are quite a lot of quaint historic small towns with great schools all around Ann Arbor.

Plymouth is a really nice and quaint small/mid sized town just outside Ann Arbor. If you live in Plymouth proper, it is a very walkable pleasant area with well kept older homes (some Victorians and bungalows). Plymouth has excellent schools. There are a lot of fun festivals and similar events in downtown Plymouth.

Also look at Chelsea, Tecumseh, Dexter, Manchester, Saline and possibly Salem Village, Milan, or Dundee. All are quaint small towns with good schools. I find Chelsea, Tecumseh or Dexter to have the most character and desirability, but everyone has different tastes. (To me, the fewer "modern" strip malls, big stores, or chains, the better).

To the north South Lyon is a nice area with good schools and a bit of the small town atmosphere remaining, but it has grown pretty big and is somewhat plagued with strip malls. Lots of subdivisions with McMansions there now. Further north Brighton is a small city with lots of decent housing and strip malls.

Milford is at the outer limits of a reasonable commute. Milford's primary advantage is its proximity to Kensington Metropark. New Hudson is a tiny village in Lyon township that is also close to Kensington (South Lyon Schools).

If you prefer nice subdivisions of similar looking houses conveniently close to strip malls, you could also look at Canton and Westland. (Plymouth Canton schools are the better schools in that area).

[Cliffie]

I wouldn't worry about AA feeling too "big" -- it has a small-town feel and when the students are gone for the summer, the population rolls back to almost zero.

[Sociologist]

Originally Posted by Cliffie

I wouldn't worry about AA feeling too "big" -- it has a small-town feel and when the students are gone for the summer, the population rolls back to almost zero.

I live on the west side of town......the students actually only drop the population to around 110,000.......

[Cliffie]

Originally Posted by Sociologist

I live on the west side of town......the students actually only drop the population to around 110,000.......

My folks live on the west side of town too. But people are so spread out into places like the Barton Hills and that outback area beyond Zeeb Rd that it never really gets to feeling big.

[KKRA]

Try looking in Dexter, MI, which is appx. 10 miles west of Ann Arbor. Dexter is a small town with a quaint avenue, town square, and some good restaurants. The schools are all good; the middle school (Mill Creek) was given a very high rating in 2007. The recession has come to this area, so there are some nice houses for rent in the town and township areas (if you do decide to rent first rather than buy). There are many themed events like "Summer Daze", "Apple Daze", and "Victorian Daze" which are advertised openly on Main Street. The taxes are lower here than in Ann Arbor, along with the house prices and, in the township areas, the properties are larger. Shopping in the outlying areas like Ann Arbor, Chelsea and other places are only a short car drive away. If you prefer a small town feel, then try out Dexter. Make an appointment to have the principal(s) give you a tour of the school(s) and check them out. Ask a realtor to give you a tour of the town and other nearby areas. There are several realty agencies in Dexter (no, I'm not a realtor, just passing on some info). The Huron River runs through Dexter, so we have a county park that is beautiful and well maintained. You can rent a canoe in the summertime and row down the river. There's also the Dexter Cider Mill, open only from mid-August until Thanksgiving, which has wonderful home baked apple goods, cider, and other delicious products. You have to get there early on the weekends because it's such a popular place.
Dexter is also constructing a new state-of-the-art library, which is long overdue and being anxiously awaited by residents. Nearby are a chain of lakes, where you can rent a boat (at a local marina) or put your own in the water if you enjoy water sports.
I hope my information has been helpful and you willl check out this area.

[LUVMI]

Check out Tecumseh or Clinton both are great places to live with good schools . lived here all my life let me know if you have any questions

[4WD Greg]

If you think Ann Arbor will be too large or two expensive, then you may want to consider Dexter. The schools are excellent. Some of the housing may be just as expensive as in Ann Arbor, but if you look hard enough, you should be able to find something affordable. Heck, the same holds true for Ann Arbor. Saline is a nice town too, but it's starting to grow up. Chelsea is a nice town too, but Dexter would still be my first choice.

[5kingsinvegas]

Brighton MI is a easy commute and a very nice small town with great schools. It is a very safe 'bedroom' community for Ann Arbor. You can get a lot for your money there right now also.