[dotdash]

Hi All --
We are looking at a house for sale in Burns Park, Ann Arbor. The only issue is that around the corner is a fraternity house (the backyards abut). We are a family of four, and while we are not totally noise-phobic, we don't want to buy into a situation we will regret. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks so much for your help,
dotdash

[michmoldman]

I worked in East Lansing Many, many years ago and went to a lot of frat houses every week. Those guys are pretty nuts at times I can tell you that!
knowing what I seen every week for 4 years...i would never want to live next to one if I had young kids. Now if I were single...hell yeah!!
Maybe Ann Arbor is a bit different.

[MittenDweller82]

Originally Posted by dotdash

Hi All --
We are looking at a house for sale in Burns Park, Ann Arbor. The only issue is that around the corner is a fraternity house (the backyards abut). We are a family of four, and while we are not totally noise-phobic, we don't want to buy into a situation we will regret. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks so much for your help,
dotdash

Honestly I do not think you will have issues...yes at the beginning of Fall and Winter semesters there will be some parties, although during the summer and winter you will not know you are living next to a Frat house. Most frats and sorority students have learned over the years that AA police have made a clear message about partying...."partying" has a different meaning in A2 than EL.

Some of the most expensive homes(multi-million $) in A2 are near frat and sorority houses...just look along Washtenaw business loop....prominent docs and prof's wouldn't be living there if issues were constant.

Hope this helps....

[Cliffie]

I would give a call to the local police constabulary -- that would be AAPD, (734) 997-1350 -- and ask if they have a lot of trouble there. Some frat houses are appalling crime pits and others are fine. The noise level is likely to be better than average because they're not right down on campus.

[magellan]

Depends on the fraternity. Some are more "social" than others. Some are even strictly academic and don't have any parties, other than boring receptions for alumni, etc. (which is what you want if you're going to live by one).

[dotdash]

Thank you, those of you who responded. I did try the AAPD, and while they couldn't/wouldn't give specific info, the officer said that "this is an elite university and we have good kids here", which I took to mean it wouldn't be too bad, except possibly during Greek Week and beginning of term. Opinions still welcome!

[renter8319]

Originally Posted by dotdash

Thank you, those of you who responded. I did try the AAPD, and while they couldn't/wouldn't give specific info, the officer said that "this is an elite university and we have good kids here", which I took to mean it wouldn't be too bad, except possibly during Greek Week and beginning of term. Opinions still welcome!

my friend was in a frat at u of m. they are pretty wild at times. i would say that just by looking in and around the house might give you a good idea. drive by on weekends. if you had time to wait until fall i would say, check out the house on saturday after a football game. like other poster's said, it depends on what frat your talking about. if you can afford to buy a house in that area, it is a great investment to rent to college kids. the slumlords there keep the houses barely up to code and charge a fortune that a lot of wealthy parents end up paying.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by dotdash

Thank you, those of you who responded. I did try the AAPD, and while they couldn't/wouldn't give specific info, the officer said that "this is an elite university and we have good kids here", which I took to mean it wouldn't be too bad, except possibly during Greek Week and beginning of term. Opinions still welcome!

I would have laughed at the guy. I went to an Evans Scholar house party at UofM (guys on golf scholarships), that would rival any big fraternity house party at State or Western. Make sure you do your due diligence on this one, because if you get stuck next to people puking and pissing in the yard, and having sex in cars every weekend, you're going to have a heck of a time selling.

If you can't post the name of the fraternity (or even the address of the house for sale), send it to me in a message and I can find out (I know a lot of UofM alum, some pretty recent).

[tjay]

maybe i'm crazy but i don't understand why anyone would want to live by a frat house with kids?
ann arbor or not....
unless you're immune to drunk horny teenagers:}

[dotdash]

Originally Posted by tjay

maybe i'm crazy but i don't understand why anyone would want to live by a frat house with kids?
ann arbor or not....
unless you're immune to drunk horny teenagers:}

Well, it's not next door, but around the corner. It seems odd, I grant you, to want to move in, but driving around the block, there was nothing to tell you that the neighborhood was anything but sedate. It's a lovely neighborhood -- big trees, big houses, no mess. I would have thought that if the fraternity was so aversive, the neighborhood would have deteriorated.