Ann Arbor, MI

[Fem18]

When is the best time to look for apartments? I'd be coming from out of town to look at places so I want to make sure I come during "peak season" for apartment hunting.

Also, what are the chances of being able to find an August lease? I want to have some time to get settled before school starts up in September.

[JohnBom]

When is the best time to look for apartments? I'd be coming from out of town to look at places so I want to make sure I come during "peak season" for apartment hunting.

Also, what are the chances of being able to find an August lease? I want to have some time to get settled before school starts up in September.

Ann Arbor is a college town. The best time to look for apartments was in February. My landlord contacted me about extending my lease for next year (Fall 2011) already in November 2010. I had only been living in my apartment for two months at that point! The housing market for students sucks. I was in your shoes last year and signed a lease for a place in April. I found a nice and reasonably priced one bedroom, but it is about twenty-five minutes walking distance from my department.

Leases usually start in mid to late August.

[TransnationalHistory]

Ann Arbor is a college town. The best time to look for apartments was in February. My landlord contacted me about extending my lease for next year (Fall 2011) already in November 2010. I had only been living in my apartment for two months at that point! The housing market for students sucks. I was in your shoes last year and signed a lease for a place in April. I found a nice and reasonably priced one bedroom, but it is about twenty-five minutes walking distance from my department.

Leases usually start in mid to late August.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to really look until August...I'm going to try to see places when I have an open house in March, but if that doesn't work I don't know when I'll be able to get back. Any rooms fall through/open up in August ever? What about in Ypsi? I don't mind the idea of living there is it's going to be less hassle.

[JohnBom]

I'm not sure if I'll be able to really look until August...I'm going to try to see places when I have an open house in March, but if that doesn't work I don't know when I'll be able to get back. Any rooms fall through/open up in August ever? What about in Ypsi? I don't mind the idea of living there is it's going to be less hassle.

You will be able to find something in August, you just won't have a great selection. The current grad students might also know of places and rooms.

I had a friend who lives in town go and take a look at a couple of places for me that I found over the internet. She took pictures for me and then I signed the lease without ever having seen the place myself. Ypsi is a different story. Commuting isn't too bad and it is quite a bit cheaper. I am actually thinking about buying a house there. It turns out that buying a house in Ypsi is cheaper than paying rent for the duration of my phd program in Ann Arbor.

[newms]

You will be able to find something in August, you just won't have a great selection. The current grad students might also know of places and rooms.

I had a friend who lives in town go and take a look at a couple of places for me that I found over the internet. She took pictures for me and then I signed the lease without ever having seen the place myself. Ypsi is a different story. Commuting isn't too bad and it is quite a bit cheaper. I am actually thinking about buying a house there. It turns out that buying a house in Ypsi is cheaper than paying rent for the duration of my phd program in Ann Arbor.

Thanks for your help - is it that you can sign a lease without ever visiting the place in person (or having a representative do so)?

[JohnBom]

Thanks for your help - is it that you can sign a lease without ever visiting the place in person (or having a representative do so)?

Yes. You can typically sign a lease electronically or via mail/fax.

[Nurse Wretched]

You will be able to find something in August, you just won't have a great selection. The current grad students might also know of places and rooms.

I had a friend who lives in town go and take a look at a couple of places for me that I found over the internet. She took pictures for me and then I signed the lease without ever having seen the place myself. Ypsi is a different story. Commuting isn't too bad and it is quite a bit cheaper. I am actually thinking about buying a house there. It turns out that buying a house in Ypsi is cheaper than paying rent for the duration of my phd program in Ann Arbor.

One thing to consider about Ypsi is that it's very important where you buy -- a lot of the houses are very hard to sell, even nice ones, because the two school districts are not very good. That said, you can get some very sweet deals. I paid less than $140K for a house that would easily have cost me over $250K in Ann Arbor, and our neighborhood is wonderful.

[Nurse Wretched]

Moving on to a more frivolous topic....

What's your favorite restaurant(s)? Which restaurants do you think are overrated and/or disappointments? I'm interested in Ann Arbor and Ypsi, and primarily in the $20 and under category, as well as quick/cheap bites near campus for when I don't have it together to bring a lunch.

Frita Batidos, on Liberty. Amazing food, nice people, large portions (we usually split a beef frita and plantains) and it'll run you $10-15, less if you share with a friend.

Madras Masala on Maynard has an incredible lunch buffet for around $10

NYPD on the corner of William and Maynard has good pizza.

If you're in central campus, there are a million restaurants on State, or on the side streets running off it.

Overrated:

Gratzi

Real Seafood

Palio

Prickly Pear

Sava's (on State next to Lane Hall)

[TransnationalHistory]

Thanks for the food recommendations! I've been looking at houses in Ypsi, and it does seem like there are some good deals out there. Something to think about.

[rosesarose]

My boyfriend are getting ready to move to Michigan. I'm in the PIBS program, and I'd like to matriculate in July so that I can get an early lab rotation in. I'll be making a trip to Ann Arbor to look at apartments soon, but we're both still really unsure how to go about it. In Boston (where I am currently living) you usually get a realtor who shows you apartments that fit your profile (of course this means they can charge you extra for a realtor fee) and that's pretty much the only way to do it. I get the feeling that it's a much more independent process in AA. Am I right?

The other concern that my boyfriend has is that if we live too far from campus, we'll miss out on all the socializing. I'm planning on bringing my car, so commuting from further out wouldn't be a problem for me. The thing is, boyfriend only has experience living in cities (San Diego, LA, Boston etc.) where it can take an hour to travel less than a mile and the thought of taking a car out for anything other than heavy grocery shopping is exhuasting. I grew up in a more rural area, and I never felt like getting in the car and driving for ten minutes was much of a hinderance to my social life. Distances just seem different when you get into a town with a "small" vibe, I think. What do those of you living in Ann Arbor think?

Do any of you live far from campus (not within reasonable walking distance)? Do you regret it? Do you feel like you miss out on socializing with your classmates? Should we aim for something close to campus for that first year, and then maybe consider moving outward where it's cheaper?

I know how convenient it is to live close to the lab (and that's just as a tech, I imagine it's even more appreciable for a grad student) and while I'd love to have that, I think an affordable apartment that we like is more important.

I really have no idea, and I've had no luck convincing him of the difference between smaller cities and big cities, especially since I don't really know what Ann Arbor will be like.

Any guidance or information you can give will be great!

Thanks

[mcsokrates]

My boyfriend are getting ready to move to Michigan. I'm in the PIBS program, and I'd like to matriculate in July so that I can get an early lab rotation in. I'll be making a trip to Ann Arbor to look at apartments soon, but we're both still really unsure how to go about it. In Boston (where I am currently living) you usually get a realtor who shows you apartments that fit your profile (of course this means they can charge you extra for a realtor fee) and that's pretty much the only way to do it. I get the feeling that it's a much more independent process in AA. Am I right?

The other concern that my boyfriend has is that if we live too far from campus, we'll miss out on all the socializing. I'm planning on bringing my car, so commuting from further out wouldn't be a problem for me. The thing is, boyfriend only has experience living in cities (San Diego, LA, Boston etc.) where it can take an hour to travel less than a mile and the thought of taking a car out for anything other than heavy grocery shopping is exhuasting. I grew up in a more rural area, and I never felt like getting in the car and driving for ten minutes was much of a hinderance to my social life. Distances just seem different when you get into a town with a "small" vibe, I think. What do those of you living in Ann Arbor think?

Do any of you live far from campus (not within reasonable walking distance)? Do you regret it? Do you feel like you miss out on socializing with your classmates? Should we aim for something close to campus for that first year, and then maybe consider moving outward where it's cheaper?

I know how convenient it is to live close to the lab (and that's just as a tech, I imagine it's even more appreciable for a grad student) and while I'd love to have that, I think an affordable apartment that we like is more important.

I really have no idea, and I've had no luck convincing him of the difference between smaller cities and big cities, especially since I don't really know what Ann Arbor will be like.

Any guidance or information you can give will be great!

Thanks

A couple things: First, getting an apartment in Ann Arbor is, as you suspected, more or less a laissez faire type deal. Ann Arbor/Ypsi is small enough that you shouldn't have much of a problem finding a place if you use craigslist, etc.

In terms of socializing and proximity, keep in mind that a) parking in downtown Ann Arbor can be a pain and b. living within walking distance of campus/downtown can be prohibitively expensive, especially if you want to live around grownups rather than undergrads. So its kind of a trade off. Parking isn't expensive in money terms, but it can be difficult to find parking near where you want to be on Friday and Saturday evenings. This is more of a big deal in winter, since nobody wants to walk a half mile across town to get dinner and drinks when its -5 and there's a foot of snow on the ground. Traffic is usually not a super big deal generally, but there are two things to watch out for: 1) the Washtenaw corridor has gotten progressively worse in the last 5 years (this is pretty much the way you'll have to go to and from school if you decide to live in Ypsi) and 2) times and places where there's a large concentration of Undergrads can make car travel nigh impossible and relatedly 3) don't expect to get any errands done on home game Saturdays.

Edited March 11, 2011 by mcsokrates

[rosesarose]

Thanks mcsokrates.

What areas should I avoid looking at if I don't want to live around undergrads? Where do grad students tend to live?

My biggest concern is that if we don't live close to campus we'll end up feeling isolated. Do you think that's a risk?

Thanks!

[mcsokrates]

Thanks mcsokrates.

What areas should I avoid looking at if I don't want to live around undergrads? Where do grad students tend to live?

My biggest concern is that if we don't live close to campus we'll end up feeling isolated. Do you think that's a risk?

Thanks!

I know a lot of Med students (and other grad students who spend a lot of time in the hospital) tend to live directly across the river from the hospital - the apartments over there are sometimes called the "white coat ghetto". The neighborhood north of Huron and east of Glen is mixed undergrad and grad, but its significantly better than the student ghettos to the south of campus.

[timuralp]

Just wanted to couple on a couple of points.

A couple things: First, getting an apartment in Ann Arbor is, as you suspected, more or less a laissez faire type deal. Ann Arbor/Ypsi is small enough that you shouldn't have much of a problem finding a place if you use craigslist, etc.

In terms of socializing and proximity, keep in mind that a) parking in downtown Ann Arbor can be a pain

This is true in general, however, there are 2 things that mitigate this problem significantly: after 5:30(?) parking at the court house is free for all. The courthouse is 2 blocks away from the middle of Main St. If you're willing to walk 5 minutes, might be worthwhile. Secondly, parking close to the University is not bad after 3 pm if you have the after hours permit. It costs $40/year or something like that. With it, you can park in any of the University parking garages for free. There is one right in the middle of campus (Church St) and one next to State St (on Thayer). You'll find Main st, State st, and South University are where most people end up.

Traffic is usually not a super big deal generally.

Traffic through downtown at 5 pm and in the morning coming from the west is a pain. I have set in it before for 30 minutes, but it's nothing compared to Boston. Or any other actual city.

3) don't expect to get any errands done on home game Saturdays.

I would qualify this with errands anywhere around the Stadium (think 1-2 mile radius). However, heading north around it or south, shopping can be quite easy.

About living close to campus, I live 5 miles from it right now. I have run there and back before, but that's probably not something you want to do every day However, driving from my house to campus takes between 15 and 20 minutes, depending on traffic -- not terrible. Going home in the evening (preferably after 6:30), can be done in maybe 10. I haven't found it to be an issue in terms of social life. Personally, I'd look for the best fit in terms of the apartment and not worry about the distance as much. Check out the west side, as pretty few undergrads live there too (that's the area heading west on Liberty St, passed Main St and beyond.

[Nurse Wretched]

Washtenaw is slow only from a Midwest perspective.

[mcsokrates]

Just wanted to couple on a couple of points.

This is true in general, however, there are 2 things that mitigate this problem significantly: after 5:30(?) parking at the court house is free for all. The courthouse is 2 blocks away from the middle of Main St. If you're willing to walk 5 minutes, might be worthwhile. Secondly, parking close to the University is not bad after 3 pm if you have the after hours permit. It costs $40/year or something like that. With it, you can park in any of the University parking garages for free. There is one right in the middle of campus (Church St) and one next to State St (on Thayer). You'll find Main st, State st, and South University are where most people end up.

Traffic through downtown at 5 pm and in the morning coming from the west is a pain. I have set in it before for 30 minutes, but it's nothing compared to Boston. Or any other actual city.

I guess the parking thing all depends on what time of day you're doing things. Street parking and a couple of lots (in addition to the courthouse, there's one on First and William that's adjacent to essentially the only decent venue in Ann Arbor, the Blind Pig) are free after 6pm, this much is true. But good luck finding a spot on a Friday or Saturday night, especially after 9pm. And as a long time resident, those after hours passes are still a sore spot. Before about 3 years ago, all the UM garages were free and open to the public after 6. University jerks maximizing revenues and such.

[Ruckby]

I am considering going to UM this coming fall for grad school in materials science. I just got back from the recruitment visit and, while the city seemed nice, I have a few reservations about relocating there. I really enjoyed the area around north campus, especially the small-town feel and the forested areas. The problem is, the central campus area seemed like an entirely different city, with its high population density and crowded atmosphere. I definitely prefer more suburban/rural settings (I currently go to UC Davis and consider it to be my ideal city) and am worried about things like safety/crime. I know that the engineering departments are all on north campus, but the professor I am considering as an advisor has his office in central campus, so I would likely be there often.

What is your opinion on safety and crime around central campus? If you been to wither place, how would you say it compares to that of Davis, CA or Berkeley, CA? Is it generally safe to walk around the city alone at night, and are muggings common? I noticed quite a few homeless people downtown. Is homelessness a major issue in the city?

Also, how easy is it to get around by bike? I didn't see many bike lanes there during the visit weekend. Do people just ride on the side of the street or is biking rare?

Edited March 14, 2011 by Ruckby

[cmg0610]

I am considering going to UM this coming fall for grad school in materials science. I just got back from the recruitment visit and, while the city seemed nice, I have a few reservations about relocating there. I really enjoyed the area around north campus, especially the small-town feel and the forested areas. The problem is, the central campus area seemed like an entirely different city, with its high population density and crowded atmosphere. I definitely prefer more suburban/rural settings (I currently go to UC Davis and consider it to be my ideal city) and am worried about things like safety/crime. I know that the engineering departments are all on north campus, but the professor I am considering as an advisor has his office in central campus, so I would likely be there often.

What is your opinion on safety and crime around central campus? If you been to wither place, how would you say it compares to that of Davis, CA or Berkeley, CA? Is it generally safe to walk around the city alone at night, and are muggings common? I noticed quite a few homeless people downtown. Is homelessness a major issue in the city?

Also, how easy is it to get around by bike? I didn't see many bike lanes there during the visit weekend. Do people just ride on the side of the street or is biking rare?

I'm really surprised to hear someone worried about homelessness in Ann Arbor as compared to Berkeley. Yes, it's safe to walk around at night. No, I don't think muggings are common.

[Nurse Wretched]

I have no concerns about my safety in Ann Arbor. There are homeless people. Homeless people are not de facto criminals.

[Tall Chai Latte]

Hello, it's Tall Chai here

I'm about to finish my first year of grad school with U of M, and I'm looking for another place to live starting summer (my current place is a bit pricey). So I hope to receive some pointers from you guys who's been around longer

So my question is, does anyone know if having the heat included with the rent would help cut down the cost? I don't have a lot of experience with renting apartments in Ann Arbor, what is the reasonable range of rent for a one-bedroom apartment?

Thanks in advance!

[Nurse Wretched]

Hello, it's Tall Chai here

I'm about to finish my first year of grad school with U of M, and I'm looking for another place to live starting summer (my current place is a bit pricey). So I hope to receive some pointers from you guys who's been around longer

So my question is, does anyone know if having the heat included with the rent would help cut down the cost? I don't have a lot of experience with renting apartments in Ann Arbor, what is the reasonable range of rent for a one-bedroom apartment?

Thanks in advance!

Want cheaper? Ypsi.

[Ruckby]

I have no concerns about my safety in Ann Arbor. There are homeless people. Homeless people are not de facto criminals.

Yeah, I wasn't saying they are. Those were two different questions, hence being in different sentences.

[Nurse Wretched]

Yeah, I wasn't saying they are. Those were two different questions, hence being in different sentences.

They were in the same paragraph, hence implicitly part of the same central idea developed by the sentences.

When you ask if a town is safe, followed immediately by "Are there a lot of homeless people?", the implication is that the two are somehow related.

Edited March 19, 2011 by Nurse Wretched

[truc]

Thanks mcsokrates.

What areas should I avoid looking at if I don't want to live around undergrads? Where do grad students tend to live?

My biggest concern is that if we don't live close to campus we'll end up feeling isolated. Do you think that's a risk?

Thanks!

I'm currently finishing my undergrad at UM, and I think I can speak to this question . If you don't want to live around us, look at places in Kerrytown (West of State, East of Main between Huron and Depot) and on the old west side (West of Main, East of 7th). Many of the grad students I know live over there and the rents tend to be lower for better (read MUCH better) houses/apartments. While it is farther to get to campus, you can use the AATA buses for free with your MCard.

If you want to live in ypsi, I'd look in the depot town/historic district area. Apart from that it tends to be pretty dead as far as nightlife goes.

[Ruckby]

They were in the same paragraph, hence implicitly part of the same central idea developed by the sentences.

When you ask if a town is safe, followed immediately by "Are there a lot of homeless people?", the implication is that the two are somehow related.

Forum posts generally don't contain a "central idea" that is then "developed" throughout the post. Especially when they are little more than a series of questions. Furthermore, if all homeless people were criminals, there would have been no need to ask separate questions about homelessness and crime. Hope this helps.

Getting back to Ann Arbor, about how far do you have to travel to get to rural or wilderness areas? Is there good hiking nearby?