A new chapter: One of the sad parts of researching the home sales map is seeing the passing of notable Ann Arborites. Three converged this month, as we noted the sales of houses owned by the late author Al Slote, Richard Magner of Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger, and Joan Knoertzer, who owned the Library Bed and Breakfast at 808 Mary St. The Library had three guest rooms themed after mysteries, poetry, and miniature/pop-up books, and the house’s living room was filled with rare volumes. Without Knoertzer, the B&B closed, and the house, now configured as 5 bedrooms and 3 baths, sold for $850,000.
Related: Blimpy Burger Returns in a Less-Stressful Form (Nov. 2026)
Eco-luxury: The Bridge is a new ultra-energy-efficient condo building at 530 N. Division, where the first unit sold for just over $1.2 million. The building uses numerous methods to keep energy use low: from ones you’ve certainly heard of, like solar panels and passive geothermal heating and cooling, to less common strategies, like capturing the heat from shower water going down the drain. All this earned the Bridge Passive House Institute and Living Building Challenge certifications recognizing its net-zero energy design. At 2,997 square feet, this 2-bed, 3-bath condo isn’t a minimalist tiny house experiment, and shows that spacious, upscale housing can be energy efficient too.
Flashback: Seventh St.’s Prophet of Sustainability (Jan. 2015)
Updated style: Built in 1916, 507 W. Jefferson still has the kind of details that give older homes so much character: oak woodwork, stained glass windows, and original hardware. But behind the period details are modern updates like a tankless water heater, a dual fuel heat pump furnace, a basement with an Everdry warranty, and an EV charger. The 3-bedroom, 2-bath, which sold for $703,500, has 1,815 square feet of living space, but its most appealing feature might be the way it seamlessly blends a century’s worth of style with modern accommodations.
Dig These Digs: The 5-bedroom, 3-bath ranch at 2736 S. Wagner, which sold for $800,000, is over 3,800 square feet, but the real attraction is what’s around it. The property has raised garden beds, wooded trails, fire pits, fruit trees, raspberries, and morels on its eight acres. Forget the suburban-style backyard deck; here, huge decks line the front of the house. The attached carport for 2.5 cars also faces the road, while the detached garage/workshop sits farther back. In other words, this house puts the great outdoors right up front.