Ann Arbor · MI
Old West Side homes near downtown
Early-1900s two-story homes with character, on walkable streets an easy walk from downtown Ann Arbor.
Living on the Old West Side
The Old West Side is one of the Ann Arbor neighborhoods I know best. Its homes are mostly two-story houses from the early 1900s, some around 100 years old, on walkable streets a short walk from downtown Ann Arbor.
What draws people here is the combination of character and location. You can walk downtown for dinner or a show, then come home to a house with a century of history in it.
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How the Old West Side made preservation history
The Old West Side has been part of Ann Arbor almost from the start. In 1845, local merchant William Maynard bought land just west of downtown and began laying out streets, most of them named with numbers. Early businesses grew up along Allen's Creek, at the neighborhood's eastern edge, where they needed the water.
After World War II, some of the old houses were divided into apartments or torn down for apartment buildings. In 1966, neighbors organized the Old West Side Association to protect what was left. Their work paid off in 1972, when the Old West Side was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, one of the first neighborhoods of modest homes in the country to earn that recognition. In 1978, the city passed its own Old West Side historic district ordinance.
That matters when you buy. The historic district covers the older core, roughly between Seventh Street, Main Street and the railroad tracks, Huron Street, Pauline Boulevard, and Crest Avenue. Some blocks to the west and south, mostly built in the 1920s, are part of the neighborhood but outside the historic district. Homes inside the local district come with city rules about exterior changes, so I'll check which side a home is on before you make an offer.
Murray and Mulholland: two of the loveliest walks
Two short, parallel streets show the Old West Side at its most charming. A probate judge, William Murray, developed Murray and Mulholland streets, named for himself and for the farm they replaced.
The narrow streets are lined with simple, front-gabled houses from the early 1900s, nearly all with front porches, their rooflines stepping down the hill one after another. Most share similar floor plans, and many have been added onto in back. The Ann Arbor District Library's walking tour calls them two of the loveliest walks on the Old West Side.
Old West Side homes: redone or original
Old West Side homes come in two broad kinds. Some have been completely redone. Others keep their original character, with the layout and details of the era they were built in.
Neither one is better. A redone home lets you move in and live. An original home gives you more of the history, and it may need more work over time. When you're buying, I'll help you see which one you're looking at and what that means for the years ahead.
When you're selling, the difference matters for price. A fully redone home and an original one compare against different sales, so I use the recent sales that truly match yours, and we price your home together. See what your Old West Side home is worth.
What to know before you buy here
Old West Side homes tend to have smaller square footage, unless a past owner added onto the house. If you need more room, an addition can be the deciding factor, so we look closely at how and when it was done.
Not every house has a garage, either. If parking or storage matters to you, that's one of the first things we'll check.
With an older home, the inspection is especially important. Before it happens, I explain what to focus on: safety, structural issues, and foundation issues. Read more about buying a home on the Old West Side.
Selling your Old West Side home
On the Old West Side, buyers are often paying for character and location, so the marketing has to show both. The photos and video highlight what makes your house distinctive, and drone footage shows how close it sits to downtown.
A paid social media campaign then puts your home in front of buyers in and around Ann Arbor during its first two weeks on the market. Read more about selling your home on the Old West Side.
If you're buying or selling here, call me or send a note. You can also compare the Old West Side with nearby Water Hill or read my guide to Ann Arbor neighborhoods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Old West Side a historic district?
Its older core is. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and the city added its own historic district ordinance in 1978. Some blocks to the west and south are part of the neighborhood but outside the district.
Do Old West Side homes have garages?
Not every one does. If a garage matters to you, it's one of the first things we check when we look at a home here.
Can you walk to downtown Ann Arbor from the Old West Side?
Yes. The neighborhood is walkable, and downtown Ann Arbor is within easy walking reach.
Are Old West Side homes small?
They tend to have smaller square footage than newer neighborhoods, unless the house has been added onto.
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