Design pedigree: When the nearly century-old house at 501 Onondaga St. sold for $1.275 million, it went to its third-ever owners. It was built in the late 1920s by noted architect Samuel Stanton as his own residence. (Stanton also designed the property at 1705 Washtenaw Ave., which later became Ozone House, as well as several Georgian Revival houses in Ann Arbor Hills and Burns Park.) The second owners undertook an extensive renovation that won them an Ann Arbor Preservation Award in 2019. The result is a house that blends design ideas from two eras: sturdy bones enhanced by carefully considered updates.
Small house, big charm: The 864-square-foot ranch at 11 Metroview Ct. sold for $230,000, proof that small houses can have big appeal. It was built in 1971, but recent updates and bright paint give the interior the kind of tidy, Scandinavian vibes often seen in tiny-house design blogs. Every inch counts in the three compact bedrooms, single bathroom, sunny living room, and fenced-in yard just big enough for a dog and a grill. An added bonus for the new owners: the house sits within the Bryant neighborhood area slated for the city’s upcoming geothermal heating and cooling network. The system, which will serve 262 homes as well as Bryant Elementary School and the Bryant Community Center, should be complete and operational by 2028.
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One-bedroom estate: The one-bedroom, 1,381-square-foot house at 5990 Plymouth–Ann Arbor Rd. sits on more than an acre of land east of Dixboro, and sold for $375,000. Inside, it has a gas stove warming the living room and heated marble floors in the bathroom, while the entire upstairs has been converted into one big bedroom. But the real star of the property is outside: an Amish-built barn with electricity, heat, and a loft, a hobbyist’s dream space that could become an artist’s studio, a home gym, or a woodshop.
Dig These Digs: The Tudor at 2010 Devonshire Rd., which sold for $1.794 million, is inside the city limits, but could pass for a country estate. Built in 1927, it has half-timbering, steep gables, leaded glass windows, and three grand fireplaces. Over the years, the house has picked up a few extras: a glassed-in conservatory and a lower-level entertainment room with a pub-style bar. But the overall feeling is still that of an English manor. With nearly 7,000 square feet and an acre of land, it’s a house that seems designed for large gatherings, or perhaps for wandering from room to room, admiring the craftsmanship.