Old West Side · Trading Up
Trading up on the Old West Side
Moving out of a starter home, with the order of your sale and your purchase worked out first.
Trading up without leaving the Old West Side
Trading up on the Old West Side usually means finding more space without giving up the walk to downtown. Since homes here tend to be smaller unless they've been added onto, a home with an addition is often the move-up home owners look for.
A garage can be part of it too, since not every house has one.
On streets like Murray and Mulholland, many of the early-1900s houses have additions in back, even though they look much the same from the front. That's often where the extra space is hiding, so we'll look past the front porch when we compare homes.
Planning both moves
We start with your current home's value, from the sales that truly match it. Your lender uses that number to show you what your next home can cost. Then we decide whether to buy first or sell first, based on your finances.
When you find the right home, I look closely at any addition and how it was done, and we plan the inspection around safety, structural issues, and foundation issues.
Selling your current home
Your home gets marketing that shows its character and its walk to downtown. Read about selling your home on the Old West Side. I run a checklist on both sides, and you hear the next step from me before you ask.
Talk through your move
If you're ready to trade up, call me or send a note. You can also compare trading up in Ann Arbor, read my guide to the Old West Side, or see my page on trading up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find more space on the Old West Side?
Look for homes that have been added onto, since homes here tend to be smaller otherwise.
What do you check on an addition?
How and when it was done, and how it fits the rest of the house, before you make an offer.
Should I sell first or buy first?
We decide with your lender before your home goes on the market.
Old West Side
What trading up looks like in Old West Side
Early-1900s two-story homes with character, on walkable streets an easy walk from downtown Ann Arbor.
- The homes
- Mostly two-story homes from the early 1900s, some around 100 years old. Some have been completely redone, and others keep their original character.
- Why people choose it
- Character homes on walkable streets, close to downtown Ann Arbor.
- Getting around
- Walkable streets, and an easy walk to downtown Ann Arbor.
- Nearby
- Downtown Ann Arbor. Murray and Mulholland streets, lined with early-1900s front-gabled houses and front porches. The older core is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
- The trade-off
- Homes tend to have smaller square footage unless they've been added onto, and not every house has a garage.
The method
How we do it in Old West Side
Trading Up: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with Nancy Arnold?