Best walkable areas that have houses with yards (Ann Arbor, Plymouth: neighborhoods, university)

[Meowen]

Very likely moving to Ann Arbor from Boulder CO. Any advice for areas that have decent sized yards and are also in walkable neighborhoods with restaurants, coffee shops etc. We have two dogs so we want a yard. Budget is probably 400-500k. Thanks.

[craig11152]

I have lived in Ann Arbor since 1984.

Other than close to downtown most houses have decent yards in Ann Arbor. You will find a very decent collection of houses in your price range.....however.....Having a nice yard AND being in walking distance to coffee and restaurants reduces your options a bit. Houses closer to downtown or campus town tend to have smaller yards.

Will you be working at the University? If so the medical center? main campus or north campus?
Are you inclined to drive to work or take the bus? Ann Arbor has a good bus system but it is very centered toward downtown.

[Meowen]

Thanks for the response...I don't mind small yards, mostly just want something fenced in for the dogs so i dont have to leash them up and walk them every time they need to do their business and they can relax and run around a little bit in a yard.

I can sacrifice walkability if i can be within a short drive of a collection of restaurants etc. I just dont want to live a 30 minute commute or something away from work and entertaining things to do like eat out and walk around downtown etc. Work is located north of the campus and south of 23 where it travels east/west. I'm fine with driving to work or bussing.

[Coldjensens]

You are in for a surprise. $500K gets you a lot of house, even in Ann Arbor. Get outside the city limits and you can get a house on a lake or river.

How many acres of land are you looking for? 1 acre is fairly common. Anything above 3 acres, you will have to get out to rural areas. If a small older farm house is ok and you do not mind a 40 minute drive, you can possibly pick up 40 - 100 acres for you dogs. You will not need a fence.

[Meowen]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

You are in for a surprise. $500K gets you a lot of house, even in Ann Arbor. Get outside the city limits and you can get a house on a lake or river.

How many acres of land are you looking for? 1 acre is fairly common. Anything above 3 acres, you will have to get out to rural areas. If a small older farm house is ok and you do not mind a 40 minute drive, you can possibly pick up 40 - 100 acres for you dogs. You will not need a fence.

yikes, even 1 acre seems insanely huge to me. Despite having a lot of open space out here in Colorado, all new housing tends to be in developments with tiny yards. Right now My whole house probably sits on 1/5 acre or so, not leaving much space for a yard at all. It is probably 50 feet long by 20 feet wide. 1 acre would be great, but not necessary. Thanks for the response.500k is near the high end of my budget so likely I will try to find something between 400-450k.

[craig11152]

There are a few nice subdivisions north of Plymouth Road well within your price range. Depending on how far you want to walk to a restaurant your options may be limited. Bottom line a yard for the pups below 450G is easy to find. Heck you will have a ton of options below 300G. BUT walking to a restaurant is hit or miss.

[craig11152]

Just by example go to Zillow and find 2332 Nixon Road

$279,000
fenced back yard
3 bed 2 bath 1304 square feet
Northeast side of town close to your work area
walking distance to Traver Village Shopping Center and Plymouth Road Plaza

Do a google street view of the area. If there is no glaring issues with the house it fits your description perfectly except its cheaper than your range.

[Meowen]

Originally Posted by craig11152

Just by example go to Zillow and find 2332 Nixon Road

$279,000
fenced back yard
3 bed 2 bath 1304 square feet
Northeast side of town close to your work area
walking distance to Traver Village Shopping Center and Plymouth Road Plaza

Do a google street view of the area. If there is no glaring issues with the house it fits your description perfectly except its cheaper than your range.

I would be happy to go cheaper! Thanks, looks nice.

[usroute10]

Originally Posted by craig11152

Just by example go to Zillow and find 2332 Nixon Road

$279,000
fenced back yard
3 bed 2 bath 1304 square feet
Northeast side of town close to your work area
walking distance to Traver Village Shopping Center and Plymouth Road Plaza

Do a google street view of the area. If there is no glaring issues with the house it fits your description perfectly except its cheaper than your range.

That is nice little house.

However, when the vast majority of people speak of a "walkable area with restaurants and coffee shops", they are referring a to a charming, "Main Street-type" of district lined with storefronts, such as Professor Avenue in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. They are usually not envisioning large strip malls with large parking lots in front like Traver Village Shopping Center. (Although the house is certainly within walking distance of the strip malls). Based on the common definition of a "walkable area", I think the following two houses are more of what the OP was hoping to find:

House, 2/3rds of a mile south of downtown

1124 S Seventh St, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 - realtor.com®

House, walking distance to Kerrytown District
638 W Summit St, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 - realtor.com®

[brodie734]

I mean, the OP stated they were looking to be able to get downtown in under 30 minutes. That house on Nixon is like a 5 minute drive to Kerrytown. In the summer, its a 20 minute bike ride.