Yeah yeah, we all know it. We all get it. But... it still gets lost.

I think perhaps the best piece of advice I've gotten about buying in Ann Arbor came from my Brother, by way of my Mother. He said that when people think of Ann Arbor, they think of a certain radius (from the downtown - U of M campus - Main St. - Stadium Rd area). You know, he's right. Something I forgot. People not in A2 don't know NE Ann Arbor even exists. I didn't until I started looking at listings and went, "Were is that?" And the SE area, that closest to Ypsilanti and Pittsfield Township, has traditionally been thought of as the "bad" part.

Then there's this article at CNBC, Landing the Best Deal.

Now I've been to the SE area in my search, and I found a neighborhood I VERY much like. A homey, pride shows in the lawns and houses, neighbors know each other, your kids could play safely out near the street while you're inside neighborhood. And please, Ann Arbor is Ann Arbor even if it isn't the "best" part. But the one drawback this neighborhood held for me is it's not too convenient to a freeway and there's isn't a grocery, drug, or even convenience store near enough for my tastes. Add to that the perceptions people have and how that affects retail value, and perhaps I do need to stay within that radius my Brother spoke of.

Then again, thinking like that is what keeps thinking like that around. And there have been neighborhoods in Ann Arbor that boomed significantly when the real scoop on them finally broke down the barriers of thought.

Hmm.

Labels: Home Buying