Destination: Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor 0166So I’ve been searching for the best possible location to finish my journey to financial independence up here in Michigan. My version of Nirvana in the form of a locale.

Does it exist?

No.

There are always trade-offs. But I’m attempting to maximize the pros and minimize the cons by going through a series of posts where I highlight what I feel are the best possible locations to live a frugal, yet fun life up here in Michigan in an urban setting. Meanwhile, I’m also navigating the desire to live as close to family as possible, which adds to the difficulty seeing as how most of my family lives in rural areas nowhere near any major metros of note.

So I last took a look at Grand Rapids, which is the second biggest city in Michigan. Plenty of entertainment options, a gritty urban experience, great food options, and solid walkability in the core of the city give it big points. However, it’s far from my family, is sprawled out, has a lot of crime, and sports a local city tax.

Well, I decided to spend a good portion of a recent Friday in Ann Arbor to compare and contrast, and see which city might offer better livability, while also factoring in distance from family and cost.

Ann Arbor is a little over an hour from where my family lives, so while it’s closer than Grand Rapids, it’s still not exactly around the corner. But I made the drive down and ended up near downtown. One great thing about A2 – that’s what the cool kids call the city – is that my best friend works in the city. So I called him up to see if he would like to meet for lunch. The timing worked out perfectly and he met me at Zingerman’s Deli – a local institution and nationally-renowned deli.

 

 

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I’ll admit it. The sandwiches are expensive. So a true frugalist such as myself doesn’t find himself here often. But an occasional splurge is okay, as long as you find value in the purchase. And I’ll tell you I found a lot of value in this sandwich. It was truly a great meal. I opted for the #13, which is a Reuben that replaces the traditional sauerkraut with coleslaw. I usually opt for a traditional Reuben – a sandwich Zingerman’s is famously known for – but I decided to change it up. It was fantastic.

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After lunch and some chitchat with my oldest friend it was time for him to return to work and me to hit the city.

I decided first to hit the downtown corridor. Ann Arbor is probably most well-known for the University of Michigan, its tree-lined Main Street, and liberal and progressive culture. I’ll do my best to highlight these through pictures. But it should be noted whereas Grand Rapids features a lot of impressive architecture and a beautiful skyline, Ann Arbor is a low-key city. Its strength is really in the people, not in the buildings. I say that as someone who’s relatively familiar with both cities. Ann Arbor just has a “vibe” that’s unlike any other city in Michigan. A lot of people think it’s like a piece of California or maybe a city in the far Northeast that broke off and landed in Southeast Michigan.

For instance, it’s not uncommon to see people eating food while sitting on the sidewalk, cross-legged. Or a VW Bus. I saw two in my three hours there. It’s a different town.

The Main Street area was where I hit first just because it’s one of the most dynamic areas of the city where it’s not just what you’re eating, but where you’re eating it – diners prefer to eat al fresco whenever possible along this strip. The downtown is, of course, a lot more than Main Street, and I find the downtown core probably as robust and large as what Grand Rapids offers.

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Next I swung around just a couple of blocks to visit the library. The downtown branch sits right in the core of the downtown scene, which makes it easily accessible. I walked inside to find a building that isn’t quite as visually impressive as what I experienced in Grand Rapids, but the DVD and Blu-ray selection was particularly impressive.

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The location of the library isn’t just great in that it’s located right in the middle of the downtown core, but it’s actually also across the street from the Blake Transit Center – the Ann Arbor Transit Authority’s (AATA) main hub located downtown. It was recently rebuilt accommodate more riders and modern tracking systems.  So getting downtown, and to the library, is easy by bus.

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So the bus is across the street. Cool, right?

It gets cooler!

On the other side of the library you’ll find Ann Arbor’s Zipcar presence shining strong, with at least two cars located in designated spots.

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Nice! It would probably be impossible for me to get around without a car in Grand Rapids, but there is a real chance of living car-free in A2 with a healthy bus system, plenty of bike lanes, and a multitude of Zipcars around the city. Zipcar allow one to sign up for their service for a small annual fee and rent a car by the hour or by the day. This gives you easy access to a car when/if necessary. No need to put gas in them and insurance is included. Pretty jazzy. The two cars you see above are just a couple of at least a dozen spread across the city.

So after spending some time around downtown and soaking up the vibe of the city I headed up toward the university area. University of Michigan plays vital role’s in the city’s economy and culture, and therefore I would be remiss if I didn’t show aspects of that in this article.

One particularly great aspect of this is that Ann Arbor actually has two downtowns. You have the main downtown which encompasses a number of blocks that run both perpendicular to Main Street and parallel to it. Then you  have what’s referred to as a student downtown, near the university area. Here is where you can find both the iconic State Theater and Michigan Theater, both of which typically show classic and/or independent movies with independent schedules.

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Walking further up toward the university area finds me directly on campus, which is really just a short walk from the core of the city. One of the most visible, and arguably beautiful, buildings along the southeast side of campus is the University of Michigan Museum of Art, which completed an expansion that opened in 2009.

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Across the street from this museum one will find the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. Looks awfully cool, though I didn’t get a chance to step inside this trip.

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I then spent some time just taking in the buzz of the university area, which was teeming with students. I walked across most of the campus, which is beautiful in how it balances old architecture, new architecture, and open spaces filled mostly with grass and benches. I could definitely see myself just reading a long book here on a lazy afternoon.

On the other side of the campus I happened across the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History.

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One great aspect of the museums is that admission for the most part is free. They strongly encourage donations, however, which I would happily oblige when visiting next time.

I then spent a good deal of time slowly walking back across the campus, making my way back to the student downtown area located along State St. On my way back to my car, which I parked for free across town, I found a number of unique restaurants and stores. One store in particular caught my attention. The pictures above might not capture the essence of bicycle riding in Ann Arbor, and how prevalent it is. Well, bikes are pretty much everywhere. This little store near campus tells the story.

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After this last shot I strolled back to my car and decided to head home after a fruitful and adventurous afternoon in beautiful Ann Arbor. But I had to get one last picture in. I couldn’t do a photo essay on Ann Arbor without giving you readers a look at Michigan Stadium! The Big House, which is where the Michigan Wolverines play football, is the largest stadium in the country with an official capacity of 109,901.

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I decided to go for a unique angle here, which kind of shows how the stadium really rises out of the ground. It’s really quite stunning and intimidating in person. My sister’s boyfriend is a die-hard fan of the Wolverines and wants to take me to a game or two this coming season, depending on tickets. Looking forward to that!

So that’s a look at A2 through my eyes. It’s definitely more dense than Grand Rapids, with narrower streets and wider sidewalks through the entire downtown area. There’s far less car traffic through the entire core of the city, and much more foot and bicycle traffic by what I saw. But it also has a smaller and more intimate feel, for better or worse. Grand Rapids feels big, while Ann Arbor offers amenities you find in big cities with the accessibility of a small town. I think this is probably a common trend with most big college towns.

Some vital stats: 

  • Population: 113,934
  • Size: 28.70 square miles
  • Average high in January: 31.2 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Average high in July: 83.2 degrees Fahrenheit

It comes down to this. I’m going to lay out what I feel are some pros and cons to living in the city, both through the lens of someone looking to live frugally and become financially independent as early as possible, but also as a direct comparison to Grand Rapids. In addition, I had to consider certain personal circumstances when coming up with the following lists.

Pros:

  • The food is some of the best in Michigan. Ann Arbor takes its culinary status quite seriously, and some of my personal favorite restaurants are located within the city. However, many of the trendier eateries can be quite expensive, which are just as easily avoided. I find that eating out in Ann Arbor is generally more expensive than eating comparable food in GR. Groceries of course are extremely similar in price.
  • Very walkable city, especially downtown. It gets a citywide walkscore of 49, which is similar to Grand Rapids. However, A2 is much more dense, and a much smaller city. This alone makes it easier to get to areas within the city in quick order. There’s simply much less sprawl.
  • Quite possibly the only city in Michigan where it would be possible to realistically get by without a car, especially with my personal situation where I’d like to be able to visit family often (of which lives a little more than an hour from Ann Arbor). The aforementioned Zipcar service is primarily what makes this possible. In addition, Ann Arbor has a Lyft and Uber presence. Furthermore, the city takes its bicycling very seriously with a whole website dedicated to it, and a bike sharing program being launched. Lastly, I’ve been taking a good look at the bus routes and it seems feasible to get across town in short order relatively easily and cheaply. However, I’m not sure the math would work out if I’m visiting my family multiple times per month, as daily rentals can add up quickly and exceed the costs of just keeping my car.
  • Lots of entertainment options, including the aforementioned museums. There’s also a local small zoo, live theater, a comedy club, plenty of live music (including Blind Pig where Nirvana famously played), and most notably U of M football. In addition, A2 is close to Detroit, where you can catch live sporting events where all four major professional sports leagues are represented. Some of this entertainment is free or low-cost, and some is not. But simply strolling the streets with a cold beverage in hand is a great way to spend an afternoon in the sun while also getting in a little exercise.
  • The city just has a vibe. It’s not really tangible, but it’s there. And I think people either like it or not. Ann Arbor is notoriously liberal, and is noted as one of the most progressive cities in Michigan. Whereas it’s more common to see a Ford F-150 or Chevy Impala in most of Michigan, you’re just as likely to see a Toyota Prius or bicycle in Ann Arbor. It’s different, which is something I kind of dig.
  • The city mixes urban flavor with nature very well. As one would expect with a city with the word “arbor” in the title, Ann Arbor has plenty of trees almost everywhere you look. And the Huron River runs through the city, which provides for beautiful scenery and parks along the bank.
  • Routinely shows up on “Best Of” lists, including livability, college towns, and quality of life. It would be impossible for me to name all the lists this city shows up on, so I’ll just include a neat little compilation.
  • Crime is significantly lower than Grand Rapids, and every other city of its size in Michigan. From the data I’ve seen, it’s generally less dangerous than the US, on average.
  • My best friend works in the city. This would make hanging out for lunch here and there feasible.
  • The University of Michigan provides for a young, vibrant, and dynamic environment, feeding young, intelligent people into the city’s core. Some people stay; some don’t. But this alone provides for a unique experience in the city, while also economically benefiting the whole area.

Cons:

  • Housing is expensive. This is the major drawback to the city. Houses tend to run about twice as much as Grand Rapids, and A2 housing is generally more expensive than the average of the entire state. I’ve found that renting is about 30-40% more expensive than GR, and renting would probably be the most accessible way to live in the city on a budget. However, I have seen a few condos here and there that aren’t outrageous. But one must consider that the major reason housing is so expensive in Ann Arbor is because the demand is so high. Many people want to live here, and students who want to live off-campus also soak up excess rental inventory.
  • It’s far from family. Though closer than GR, it’s still far at a little over an hour away.
  • Traffic is pretty bad. It’s not really all that difficult to travel within the city because so  many people walk and bike around. However, getting in and out of the city – especially via the major north-south freeway, US-23 – can be tough at best, and exceedingly frustrating at worst. I’ve been to Ann Arbor twice over the past month or so, and these visits were during off-peak hours. And both times I got stuck in traffic jams both going to and leaving Ann Arbor. I think this is primarily because US-23 is only two lanes and just cannot handle the traffic volume.
  • Nowhere near a nice beach. West Michigan has some of the most beautiful beaches in the whole country, nestled up against Lake Michigan. But Ann Arbor is a substantial drive away from any of these beaches, and makes it cost prohibitive to visit these beaches in regards to both time and money. As someone who moved to Florida for the excellent beaches, this is kind of a bummer. There are beaches here and there along the smaller lakes located in Southeast Michigan, but we’re talking apples and oranges.

The pros definitely outweigh the cons of living in the city, but a couple of cons could be problematic. Mainly, the expensive housing and being so far from family. But if one could live here without a car it might offset the expensive housing, potentially allowing the math to work out. Tough to say exactly without just doing it. Zipcar is an interesting variable. I’m not saying I would necessarily give up my wonderful Corolla if I were to move here, because it might be cheaper just to keep the car. But it’s nice to have the option.

I may add one more article to this series, highlighting a small town close to my family. It would be difficult to add much flavor via pictures, however, because many of the towns near my family don’t offer much in the way of scenery. Unless cornfields and tractors are your thing. I’m joking a bit there, but there’s some truth too. Though, there are some interesting historic towns located within 15-20 minutes of where I currently live that offer extremely affordable housing and somewhat charming, if small, downtown areas.

In the end, it might be tough for me to justify living in a city like A2. I’d be assuming much of the high costs of living in a world-class college town without the corresponding high income of someone working in the healthcare or education fields. Furthermore, I’m not a student, so it’s not necessary for me to live there. As someone who now works from home I can live anywhere, so this would be more of a want than a need. And it might be difficult to rationalize that.

Any thoughts? Does Ann Arbor seem like a great place to live? Do the pros outweigh the cons? Anyone who currently lives there agree or disagree with my thoughts? 

Thanks for reading.

Photo Credits: Moi

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121 Comments

  1. Sounds like fun getting to explore potential ER locations and im sure you’ll find a place that really hits all the main points of what you’re after. I’ve thought about potentially moving close to my college town because there’s always something going on. Plus its a mix between rural and urban and Houston and Austin are both only about 2-3 hrs away if we really need the big city experience. We’re still a good ways from making that jump though. Im sure you’ve already done this but I’d make a list of the things you desire most and sort them by priority to as a way to compare potential locales. Best of luck and looking forward to seeing where you end up.

  2. If you’re okay with a smaller town, Grand Haven, MI has 0 crime, bike trails everywhere, and tons of public beaches. Also not far from Grand Rapids (by auto).

  3. I’m in Kalamazoo right now and debating moving to Grand Haven (probably) or Lansing area (closer to family).

  4. DM,
    Ann Arbor is a decent town. I’ve been through a few times, although only during the coldest months. A typical college town seems like the right kind of place for a frugalist like yourself since they are mostly self-contained, easy to get around, and usually cheap. I remember AA having some higher end shopping and restaurants when I was there. AA is nice, but I’m more partial to EL and the Green and White.
    -RBD

  5. DM — You nailed this one! A great summary of A2’s allure. I lived there for a year five years ago, while on a fellowship at UM. What’s not to like?? A town with a small-town feel and a big-city culture. The living is easy — but not cheap, as you said. My three favorite places: Zingermans (of COURSE!); the Arboretum, off of Geddes Street, a nice walk from the campus, and then walk downhill on various trails until you hit the Huron River. Fantastic place. And if you like modern architecture: the Ross School of Business, which is near the law school quad. Really cool, if you like that kind of thing.

    I’m really enjoying your blog, and your writing — and I’m not even a dividend investor. Don’t give up on A2. Some things are worth the splurge!

  6. A great look at Ann Arbor. I personally don’t like the distance of either from family. I would live as close to family as possible and as cheaply as possible. Venture that hour or longer only “as needed”.

    I think you are the perfect candidate for a Tiny House. 🙂

    Find/buy/build your perfect tiny house and move around as needed. I would love to try that lifestyle for at least a year. Plus it would give you a bounty of new topics to post on.

    You could be Dividend Tiny House Mantra.

  7. If you want to live in a larger city, I think that A2 and GR are at the top of the list for livability in Michigan. Clearly A2 is more focused on student life so yes, it probably has a better transportation system. If you can afford the housing, A2 is probably a great choice. I mean hey….. you have a friend there and they’ve got Zingerman’s.

  8. Have you considered the possible opportunities in either media/journalism/economics/finance if you are in AA?

    I know you’re not a student, but a part-time gig assisting a professor with some research or something related might be interesting at worst and could lead to new opportunities in the future…

    Something to consider.

    Price of housing should be offset with what you anticipate spending on other items as well (namely, travel to visit family and friends). Sort of like prjoectnig a full set of financials for yourself in each locale, as certain expenses will be higher/lower in each. I think you’ll find the total difference may be smaller than you are imagining.

  9. Having visited MI a while back (I was in Detroit/Southfield area and East Lansing visiting a friend in Michigan State), I could see the draw of living in a college town. After reading both of your “financial independence location hunt” articles, I find your writing to be more enthusiastic about AA. As you know, no place on Earth is perfect. Each has its pros and cons and quite frankly is a very personal decision. Think about it… Humans live in the coldest, hottest, wettest, driest, cheapest and most expensive cities and countries. In other words, wherever you end up make sure it suits ‘your’ needs. My thoughts… AA all the way. Closer to family, college towns always have a life and will keep you “young” and there is a reason housing is more expensive… AA is more desirable.

  10. One other thing is that if you end up buying a condo or something in the area and decide to leave for some reason (either for an extended trip or something else), you could fairly easily rent out the place to students for most, if not all, of the year.

    I think property values are higher for a reason, namely the 30,000+ students that flood the city every year, and one of the more elite universities in the nation. This is a moot point though if you plan to rent…

  11. Just a thought – if you purchased a house in Ann Arbor, you could live in one room and rent out the others to students. It’d be yet another source of passive income, and there’d be no shortage of potential renters.

    I know how much you prefer REITs over being an actual landlord, though.

    Also, that sandwich looks amazing. I’m drooling on my side of the computer screen 🙂

  12. I agree, the writing vibe on AA was much more favorable than for GR. May be your subconscious is talking through your pen. I think you should consider Marshal and Eaton Rapids. Small and historic, they have some cool factor that gives them a plus over other small towns and a great location for getting to any Michigan city.

    I can live in a small town. Nothing wrong with a small town, yeah that is probably where they’ll bury me.
    – John Mellencamp

  13. Ann Arbor looks like a charming place to call home. The population size is good with plenty of stuff in walking distance. The photos remembers of my college town Davis, CA.

    Thanks for sharing, cheers.

  14. I have two points. One is to compare taxes and insurance rates.

    The other is to know that things can change. Majorly. I’ve lived in the same house for eighteen years now (not fifty, just eighteen) and here are some of the things that have happened in that time:
    * The Montgomery Wards I could walk to turned into a Target. (Woo!)
    * The nearest exit and entrance ramps to the local freeway were removed for “safety” reasons. (Boo!)
    * The airport moved out of town. I can no longer just walk home from the airport if I get back after the buses stop running. Nowadays I just drive and pay for parking. The noise wasn’t that bad–I wasn’t under a flight path like in another place I lived.
    * They are building up the old airport trying to make it walkable and full of cool things but also with some affordable areas for diversity. It turns out “affordable” means costs more than my house, is subsidized, and you can only live there if you’re poorer than me. However, there’s a nice long hiking trail. And now there are restaurants, a great grocery store, and even Home Depot in walking distance (if you aren’t carrying anything too heavy).
    * Housing prices are starting to go through the roof, probably as a result of the new airport stuff. Thus, property taxes are going through the roof. Property taxes are quite high in my state, and even with the breaks you get for the place you live in, your taxes can still go up by as much as 10% per year. That can really add up very quickly!
    * The city is one of the faster growing cities in the country which means road building has not been able to keep up which means traffic is pretty bad during rush hour. Also, people complain about the new people not being as cool as the old-timers.
    * TWO sets of my friends have been poached by Google and now live several large states away.
    * Trader Joe’s has arrived. Aldi’s is now in my state as well.
    * A mall in walking distance is dying; probably only 20% is occupied. Part of it has been bought by the local community college. Classes start this fall.
    * My state is probably pro-fracking. That’s going to lead to earthquakes. That’s in addition to our current flooding and tornado risks.
    * We got a bigger neighborhood library.
    * Our pool broke. It was closed for five years. Now it’s been re-done and might be the best pool in town (it has slides!).

    I don’t know what you can do about that–who knows what will change in the future! Just make sure you don’t pick a place largely because of one thing that could change (such as a friend living there or a favorite restaurant being there). Or remember that you don’t have to be stuck wherever you pick–if you stop liking your decision, you can just make a new one later!

  15. Jason, what do you need A2?! Nothing special….. pics … like any other American town…. Come to live in Windsor, Ontario!!! 5 min from Detroit….
    imho, find place where life is cheaper and when you 40, move to some nice place in Europe or S. America!
    Do you really care about “unique restaurants and stores”?!

  16. Jason,

    Thanks for this great update, A2 seems like one of those great hidden gem towns and I’m eager to see what you’ll settle on. If the location doesn’t work out, it’s awesome that your ‘work’ allows you to be nomadic and you can try different places whenever you like, maybe you could even find a month to month lease. Fantastic month for you so far, I’ve really been enjoying the content, guest articles, and links! Keep em’ coming!

  17. Jason,
    A-squared is expensive. I just can’t imagine considering a frugal lifestyle and putting A-squared in the equation. Is it a nice city? Sure, especially if you are young and hip. If you are an old conservative that likes peace and quiet, then Oscoda is a whole lot nicer. And the beach in the Tawas State Park is one of my all time favorites. Too each his own, good luck with your search.
    Keith

  18. Glad you made it down to my town! The one pic of the Natural History Museum is literally one minute from my office. A2 can be expensive like Zingerman’s for food, but there are a LOT of smaller cheaper, good food places in town too! But you can balance that with all of the free things to do during the year (Art Fair, Summer Festival, many UMich events are free, and many of the cool campus buildings are open and free). Not too mention the Arb(oretum), a zillion parks, and the Diag of course to hang out. We love the students when they are here and we love to get our city back for the 4 months in summer. I know housing is going to be your tough decision point, but there are values to be had. Plus you could find part-time work pretty easily if you felt the need for more income. And football Saturdays in A2 are nuts and quite the experience with 110,000 people coming to the Big House for the day. GO BLUE!

  19. Jason
    What about tutoring? There lots of tutoring opportunities at or near every college campus. I know from reading your blog that you were a creative writing major in college. You have writing/editing skills that you could use to help others and get paid well. While she was a student had a part time tutoring gig at the writing center of a major university. You can not possibly believe the low level of writing skills that college students have. By the way, she was reading papers at the Masters level! You may also have tutoring skills in economics or some other subject. Tutoring can be lucrative, paying anywhere from $25 to $75 an hour. If you work for your self rather than going through some intermediary company, all you will need is a few hours a week to justify the higher rent in A2! As a bonus you get to meet new people all the time and hours are where and when you want them.

  20. Used to live close by. Although I haven’t been there since my senior year of high school, it always seemed like a nice, chill town. I’m sure you’d be really happy there. Only concern is finding affordable and quality housing, given that costs must be rather high because U of M’s proximity.

  21. I vote that you sign a 6 month lease in AA just to see how you will like it. September is when all of the students move in, so wait until October – the rents will be cheaper.

    A2 wins:
    -closer to family
    – best friend in town
    – college towns typically have many fun/cheap entertainment options

    Not really a tough decision. If you don’t like it after 6 months, move to GR. That’s one huge advantage of living free of a full time job.

    Roger H

  22. EDIT
    While she was a student (MY DAUGHTER )had a part time tutoring gig at the writing center of a major university. You can not possibly believe the low level of writing skills that college students have.

  23. JC,

    Austin seems like a really happening place. Never been, but I’ve heard nothing but great things about it. I’ve also heard Portland is pretty awesome. Ann Arbor isn’t up there with those cities, but I suspect the “vibe” is somewhat similar. Very progressive and “weird”.

    It’s definitely fun exploring and figuring it all out. It’s an adventure all in itself. 🙂

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Cheers.

  24. Andrew,

    Grand Haven might be a little too small for me, but I’ve been there numerous times. It’s a beautiful small town. The downtown area is really charming, and there’s some great restaurants there. I’ve eaten at the upstairs Kirby (K2?) a few times. Always good times. And the beach is obviously very nice.

    Thanks for the suggestion.

    Best regards!

  25. DM, if the choice is be GR ans A2, I’d go w A2. It seems more you, and it’s closer to your family. You will make more and more writing and so you will be able to handle the higher rent. DD

  26. Andrew,

    I hear K-zoo is pretty cool with a nice downtown. It’s one of the few cities of its size that I’ve never actually been too. It’s just off the beaten path for me.

    That’s a tough call between GH and Lansing. Totally different towns. I’d say go where you’ll be most happy. Being happy is all that matters in life. 🙂

    Good luck with the decision!

    Take care.

  27. RBD,

    Haha. Nothing wrong with the Spartans. I’m not real big into college sports (I’m a pro sports guy), but there are pretty rabid fans in both towns.

    A2 probably isn’t the best place to visit during the winter only because it’s so cold. But they do string up the lights all through downtown around Christmas, and that’s really beautiful.

    Thanks for stopping by.

    Best regards!

  28. Smith,

    Thanks for all the suggestions! I know the Geddes area is beautiful along the river. I ate at Gandy Dancer many, many years ago. Really beautiful spot there not far from Kerrytown and all that.

    I’ll definitely have to check out your other suggestions. I’m ALWAYS interested in seeing new, interesting things.

    Glad you dig the blog. Thank you very much for that. And I’m glad that you enjoyed your time in A2. It’s definitely a different town.

    Best wishes!

  29. Wade,

    Haha. You know, I wouldn’t mind a tiny house at all. But there are other considerations to make. I was actually going to discuss this in an upcoming post, but my former partner down in FL and I are talking right now about her moving up to Michigan. I’m really excited about that. I thought we were kind of done when I left, but she’s very interested in coming up and making things work. And while she’s frugal, a tiny house is out of the question. 🙂

    I think she’d most prefer Ann Arbor of any city up in MI, but I’ll have to show her around. She also desires to be closer to my parents. Unfortunately, neither of us are keen on the rural living idea. So we’ll see. But it’s exciting!

    Take care.

  30. Diego,

    I’m not against the idea! I do plan to travel eventually, but that’s still probably a decade or so away. I’d love to check it out down there!

    I hear Ecuador is also cheap and nice. And Thailand is another spot I’d love to see.

    Enjoy your cheap living there! 🙂

    Cheers.

  31. Steve,

    Haha. A best friend and Zingerman’s is pretty good reasons in my book! 🙂

    And I agree with you that GR and A2 are the best choices of all the places I’ve ever been to up here. A2 probably suits me better. We’ll just have to see about the housing situation.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Best regards.

  32. Ravi,

    Hmm, I hadn’t considered something like that at all. Of course, I’m always interested in new opportunities. You never know what will pop up, especially in a vibrant town full of opportunities.

    Yeah, I could certainly save in other departments I think. It’s quite possible to make things work in A2, especially if the right place at the right time came up. I’m keeping my eyes peeled. 🙂

    Take care!

  33. DivHut,

    Great comment there. A2 is expensive for a reason: Everyone wants to live there.

    I didn’t notice my writing to be more enthusiastic about A2, but perhaps that’s a sign that I prefer it. I think it’s a great town. Big city amenities in a small, easy to navigate package. It’s a very compact town, which is nice.

    My vote is probably for A2, assuming the right place comes along. And I know my girlfriend (who’s excited to move up) is by far more interested in A2. We’ll see what she thinks when she sees these places.

    Thanks for the perspective!

    Take care.

  34. Ravi,

    I’m not sure I could even afford to buy there. There’s only a couple of affordable condo complexes in the area, and the HOA dues are pretty high (like $350 and up for many of them). And it might be difficult to get a mortgage with my self-employment situation and all of the changes. Of course, if it’s next year that might be okay.

    I’ll probably rent, but we’ll see. I prefer renting for the most part, but I’m not opposed to a condo if the right place came along.

    Cheers!

  35. Searph,

    I’m not totally against that idea, but housing can be very expensive in A2. And many houses are historic, which means old and potentially expensive to fix/maintain. I think renting is probably the most approachable way to live in Ann Arbor without a lot of risk. I wouldn’t mind condo ownership, but those sometimes combine the worst aspects of both renting and owning in one little package.

    Glad the picture of the sandwich came across like that. It was indeed one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten.

    Thanks for stopping by.

    Best regards!

  36. tuliptown,

    I guess you’re right about that. I re-read the article, and it does seem more enthusiastic than the GR article. I suppose that’s my subconscious telling me where I really want to be. 🙂

    Hmm, I’ve never been to either of those towns. I don’t mind small towns for the most part, but I feel more “at home” in a larger city. I just love the energy for some reason. Of course, both small and large towns come with their own benefits and drawbacks. And I grew up in each (Detroit until 11, tiny town thereafter). But I’ve always preferred a bigger city, but not too big. Which is probably why A2 is appealing.

    Thanks for the suggestions! Maybe I’ll check them out sometime. Love seeing new places.

    Best wishes.

  37. Debbie M,

    Great point there! And thanks for sharing.

    Things definitely change over time. I actually feel like A2 has changed for the better since I used to spend time there (2005). But that could go either way in 20 years. I just feel like with a major university located in the city the odds are good that the city will actually get better over time, not worse. But we’ll see.

    Sounds like you’ve had some good and bad changes there. As to be expected. Gotta take the good with the bad. 🙂

    Thanks again for the great comment and thoughts!

    Cheers.

  38. gibor,

    Well, I like to have fun along the way. I’m certainly all for cheap, but not at the expense of enjoying things along the way. I mean I could buy a trailer for $5k in cash and just do that, but I probably wouldn’t be happy. It’s really just about finding a good balance between saving and being happy. I’ve never felt I was delaying gratification because I’ve enjoyed myself all along. But if I were to live somewhere I didn’t like just in the name of saving money I might not enjoy the ride so much anymore.

    Cheers!

  39. Tawcan,

    There are many small towns for sure. But cities of this size are limited to pretty much Detroit, GR, Sterling Heights, Warren, Flint, and A2.

    And I don’t feel the other cities on that list are worth exploring or writing about. Just my opinion, but some other people might find something appealing about Flint or Detroit.

    There are quite a few small, charming towns in Michigan. It’s really just a personal desire to not really live in a small town. So I have to balance that with living well below my means at the same time. It’s a delicate balance. 🙂

    Best regards.

  40. You’re so mobile in this new phase of life that could you try living in several of your top choices for 6 months or a year each. Then you’ll really know where you want to settle.

  41. Ryan,

    You nailed it there. I’m kind of “un-tethered”. However, I’ve been talking to my girlfriend down in Florida, and she’s interested in moving up here. So I have to consider that as well. I think she’d like A2 the best, but I’ll show her around and let her decide. It’ll be an interesting adventure! 🙂

    Thanks for all the support. Glad you’re enjoying the content! Keep up the great work over on your end too.

    Best wishes.

  42. Keith,

    Well, I’d like to consider myself parts young and hip. Probably more young then hip, though. 🙂

    I’m kind of limited to being an hour or less away from family for personal reasons, so there’s that to consider. And I also want to live somewhere vibrant and fun. Housing is difficult in A2. Although, my family lives about 30 minutes or so from Brighton. And even one bedroom apartments there can run $675 and up. The one great thing about A2 is the number of Victorian houses that have been converted into living quarters. So I might be able to find something like that. We’ll see.

    Cheers!

  43. JD,

    Great comment. I agree with you there. I should have included some of the free activities in my post. I actually went to Art Fair this year. That was a lot of fun. I walked around for about four hours and didn’t even get to see half of it. That thing was monstrous.

    We’ll see what happens with housing. That’s the big factor. I also have to consider that my girlfriend down in FL is interested in moving up, and she needs to live somewhere with job opportunities.

    Glad I could represent A2! 🙂

    Take care.

  44. scott,

    Hmm, that’s definitely something to consider. I honestly hadn’t thought about it. That could be a great way to make a little money, have fun, and help others all at the same time. 🙂

    Thank you for the suggestion! I think it’s all about being creative and open-minded.

    Best wishes!

  45. DividendDeveloper,

    I totally agree. Really relaxed town, but expensive housing. Of course, housing is all about supply and demand (location, location, location). And the demand tends to outstrip supply. But I’m confident I could get creative and find something. We’ll see how it turns out. 🙂

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Best regards.

  46. Roger H,

    Great point there. I could always try it out and move along if it doesn’t suit me. However, it looks like my girlfriend from Florida is going to join me up here at some point, so I’m quite excited about that. I’ll have to consider her wants/needs and opportunities for employment. It’ll be a fun adventure!

    And if A2 doesn’t work out, GR is more than suitable as an alternative.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Best regards.

  47. DD,

    Appreciate the perspective. Another vote for A2. 🙂

    I hope to be able to find some creative housing that could work there as far as costs go. We’ll see!

    Best regards.

  48. Josh,

    That’s a great point there. I’m about as mobile as it gets, which is really wonderful.

    However, I’ve been chatting with my partner down in Florida. I had thought we were kind of done when I moved up to Michigan, but it looks like she’s going to move up here. I’m very excited about that. As such, we’ll have to consider the best place for both of us, because she won’t be mobile at all. But I personally think she’ll pick A2 out of anywhere in MI I could show her. It definitely suits her personality.

    Appreciate you stopping by!

    Cheers.

  49. I am happy to hear that (about your gf). When it comes to happiness, I think love is far more important than money.

  50. I’d say more good than bad. And if the taxes get too high to afford, that means I can sell for a lot of money and move elsewhere (though probably not in this city).

  51. Very happy to hear things are going so great for you two! If she loves you enough to follow you and your dreams on top of putting up with winter, I do believe you have found a ‘dream’ girl. This is a best case scenario and I’m sending positive thoughts your way as things keep getting better and better 🙂

  52. I mentioned before my ideal retirement would be living in a college town like Ann Arbor. You mention the higher costs associated with all the perks, including no vehicle and an overall better lifestyle choices available. The housing would be the most difficult, I think if you were going to be a landlord this could be your #1 choice. I’d pick AA, but only if you can fit the housing into your budget.

  53. Damn, that sandwich! Drool, drool…

    Ann Arbor looks like a fun city to live in, completely different than what I imagine a US city looks like. Those museums look cool too!

    As far as the advantages and disadvantages go, I think the pros far outweigh the cons: walkable, nature all around, good food, lots of entertainment are all great things to have. Too bad it’s far away from family, but then again: you used to live much farther away in the past.

    Maybe you can use the fact that it’s a city full of students to your advantage? Get some lectures or financial seminars going?

    Good luck deciding!
    NMW

  54. Hi DividendMantra – long time reader, first time responder!

    Having spent some of my childhood in Northern Ontario, there are great places up near the upper peninsula! Personally, I always loved to going to Mackinaw Island – not a place to settle down, but always fun to visit!

    Thanks for all your great posts over the years, please keep em coming!

  55. Great post DM and thank you for the pics. Also I’m glad to hear that your girlfriend might be joining you soon, that is really great. Based on my very limited knowledge of the two cities, I think I would go for A2.Sounds a little safer, has good employment opportunities for your gf, and a good young vibe to the city. Nice to have choices though!

  56. Yes, that certainly changes the picture. Add a partner/child to the mix and your requirements change instantly. I hope that works out for all.

  57. Mmm… that sandwich looks good! And it’s nice to hear that your GF might be joining you – life is for sharing 🙂 I think you sound more enthusiastic about AA then you did about GR and it sounds like there might be more opportunities there? Plus, if there are more employment opportunities for your GF, then that will help. I think that it’s cool that you might not have to have a car either – less expenses to worry about!

  58. Hmmmmm. Where will you be happier. Grand Rapids kinda seems like a dump but Ann Arbor seems like your type of vibe. I would find a smaller place in Ann Arbor if I were u since u r light on possessions. You are probably going to be writing and travelling alot and u might as well have a nicer hub to do so.

    Maye even look to running a local financial independence class up there, while you fine tune your writings. Best of luck in your potential new home look.

  59. Hey Jason,

    I read this yesterday, but I didn’t get around to commenting. It seems like a very nice area, although a bit costly! Zip cars are not a bad way to get around, do you still need your own insurance policy tho or is that included in the price?

    I had another thought about distance… being both GR and Ann Arbor are a ways away from family, one bonus is you would be closer to your sister that lives by Lake Michigan if you choose Grand Rapids. I hope you find your right balance! Michigan isn’t the most pedestrian friendly state for walking and biking, we focused a bit too much on cars I think :).

  60. Did I not see in an earlier post that your gf has a young son? If that is the case looking for a one bedroom apt would not work. In addition you would have to consider proximity to schools, and you would not be able to sign 6 month leases and upfroot him from school constantly.

  61. As far as Grand Rapids goes, also check out East Grand Rapids (http://www.eastowngr.com/). I’ve never lived there but from what I can tell it has a more Ann Arbor feel than GR proper.

    I did live in Ann Arbor for 3 years and loved it. If you plan to keep your car and are willing to live outside the college area it can be reasonable. I had a tiny 1 bedroom apartment in a 2 family house on Jewett Ave in 2002/2003 for $600/month. If you want to test the waters you can do a summer sublet from a college student. Leases city-wide tend to run Sept 1 – August 25ish because there are so many students. That leaves students looking to rent out their places between graduation and the end of their lease.

    My husband and I would love to move back to Michigan. For years the plan was Ann Arbor but now that we’re older, have a kid in tow, and have lived in suburbia for years we’re considering something smaller. An older town with a real downtown and events. Older towns are generally walkable. Saline, Milford, heck we went to Owosso for my uncle’s funeral and I even liked that downtown (the Chinese restaurant had Mongolian barbecue – you can’t find that in New England! And it was next to a charity oriented restaurant, I forget the backstory) though Owosso is a really rural middle-of-nowhere town.

    I feel you on the beaches – I grew up near Traverse City and went to college in Holland, it’s hard to beat seeing the water regularly.

    Good Luck, whatever you decide!

  62. Dear DM, I found this article: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/retire-here-not-there-michigan-2014-08-20?page=4 on Marketwatch.com Today. Maybe it’s something for you. There is A Grand Rapids section in it and the picture is awesome. Maybe it can contribute to your decision.

    I’m looking to add / buy two new positions early next month. i’m looking at JNJ, ARCP and VZ at the moment any quick thoughts about that? ARCP is the best- Yield wise- but for how long can they keep up this 7,5% yield? any projections on it?

    Maybe another suggestion I like the Deere one aswell but the Visa is to low on Yield for me i’m a starting investor and i would like my yield to be at least 2,5%.

  63. Zol,

    Aww! Sorry to hear that. I’m not a big college sports guy, but I know some people take the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry pretty seriously. I hope to be able to check out a game this fall. I hear it’s pretty crazy in that place.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Cheers.

  64. Ryan,

    I’m incredibly lucky. I’ve been selfish sometimes with this journey, and she and I both know that. To know that she would make the kind of sacrifice required to follow me halfway across the United States means I’m incredibly lucky, and I’ve found someone truly wonderful. To be sure, I’ll have to make some sacrifices in kind in the future.

    Thanks for all the support!! Keep up the great work over there. Sending positive thoughts your way as well! 🙂

    Best wishes.

  65. Steven,

    Yeah, housing will be the most difficult aspect of the town. I think if we get creative and distance ourselves a bit from the downtown core we’ll be okay.

    The great thing about A2 is there aren’t really any “rough” parts of town. So even living in an area where the housing is a bit cheaper means you’re probably not sacrificing your safety.

    Thanks for stopping by! Another vote for A2. 🙂

    Take care.

  66. NMW,

    Yeah, that sandwich was fantastic. I’m anxious to try some of their other offerings. 🙂

    Great idea there with the students. Someone else mentioned tutoring. That might be something I look into. I think that could be a potentially great way to make a little money, help others, and have fun. How can you not like that?

    And great point about it being far, but still much closer than Florida. Always important to keep perspective.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Take care.

  67. divgrow,

    Thanks for the readership! Much appreciated. 🙂

    I agree. The U.P. has some really great places. I once drove all the way across it. It’s slow and scenic up there. Almost a different world, and certainly completely different from the Metro area.

    Appreciate the support very much. You can count on me to keep at it!!

    Best regards.

  68. Josh,

    Definitely nice to have choices!

    Thanks for the vote. I think A2 is probably going to win this fight. And my girlfriend is particularly interested in Ann Arbor out of all the possible places to live up here.

    It’s definitely a relaxed town with an energy to it. I always love taking a stroll around downtown when the weather is nice. And the parks are really nice as well, especially along the river.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Cheers.

  69. Nicola,

    Thank you! Life is definitely for sharing. And I’m an incredibly lucky guy to know that she is willing to make this sacrifice to come all this way to be with me. She’s my teammate; if it weren’t for her I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now. I’m overjoyed. 🙂

    And it does sound like I subconsciously prefer Ann Arbor. And she prefers it there as well. She works in education, so I think there will be more opportunities for her there as well. We’ll see what she thinks of it when she comes up.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Best wishes.

  70. A-G,

    Thanks for the vote! Another one in for A2. 🙂

    GR is pretty nice downtown, but if you spread out south or west of it then you run into some pretty rough areas. Luckily, A2 doesn’t really have any areas like that. I might mind taking a midnight jog near downtown GR, but I wouldn’t hesitate for a second in Ann Arbor. Just different cities.

    And someone mentioned tutoring. I might look into something like that. I’m always interested in new, unique opportunities.

    Best regards!

  71. Kipp,

    Thanks for stopping by.

    Zipcar is really cool. They provide gas and insurance in the one price. And the hourly rate allows a lot of flexibility. However, it’s more likely my girlfriend and I will keep the car and split it when she moves up.

    GR definitely has that bonus there, and I’m pretty close to my sister over in Whitehall. My girlfriend has pretty much locked in on A2. I’m going to show her the town when she comes up in October to see how she likes it. I’ll report back! 🙂

    Take care.

  72. Brian,

    Exactly. We’ll have to consider schools and get a two bedroom place. I’m flying her up in October to take a look at the city and schools. I’m pretty excited. 🙂

    Cheers!

  73. Amy,

    Thanks for dropping by and adding that!

    East GR is a very nice area. I’ve been through there a few times now. It’s definitely got a really cool vibe going on. Almost a town within a city. Eastown also has a really cool vibe going on, though not quite as safe.

    It’s funny you mention Owosso. That was actually the town I had in mind when I mentioned I might do a photo essay on a town closer to home. It’s a little small for my tastes, but it has a lot going on for the size. They have live theater downtown, the county library, quite a few good restaurants, the river, parks, and live music. Not too shabby!

    Best of luck deciding where you want to go. I know it’s a tough decision!!

    Take care.

  74. Dutch Dividend Investor,

    Thanks for that story! Always nice to see Michigan featured. 🙂

    ARCP’s dividend is safe. It’s covered well by AFFO, so I see no problems there. Of course, they’ve taken on some risk lately, in my opinion with the Red Lobster deal, but the real estate is still located in prime locations no matter what happens to RL.

    I think VZ makes a lot of sense here. It’s on my watch list for August. So is T and GE.

    DE is a fantastic purchase, and that’s what I’ve been buying over the last couple of months. I don’t think you can go wrong with that one. JNJ appears fairly valued here, but one can do much worse than invest in a great company at a fair price.

    V probably won’t suit your needs here.

    Happy shopping! 🙂

    Cheers.

  75. Love these photos. My favorite photo is, The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. I hope you keep posting more photos of your trips, I really enjoy seeing those. ^_^

    Take care.

  76. Lila,

    Glad you enjoyed the photos. 🙂

    I hope to take more trips in the future, and have more pics to share! It’s wonderful to view life as one big adventure.

    Best wishes!

  77. Sounds like you’ve a few good choices on where you want to move and your priorities for them. Im moving soon, this weekend actually!(Assuming all goes well!) Decided a bit against my frugal self to move into a fairly nicer, aka more expensive place than i necessarily would have preferred. But i think it will be well worth it enjoyment/comfort wise. Sure saving a couple hundred more a month would mean a nice, additional piece of money saved every month, but happiness/comfort/safety now is also pretty important IMO. I think you should go with, and probably will go with which ever choice best meets your TOTAL needs, not just your goal in the future.

    Best of luck city/place hunting! It definitely felt pretty daunting for me! And im sure all of us are looking forward where you choose!

  78. DM,
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts around Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids, both seem really great. Had a few opportunities to visit the Midwest this past year (WI and MN). Thought both were really amazing, both exceeded my expectations. I visited both during times of amazingly great weather. If I’m ever in the MN area, I will definitely reach out (lunch/dinner is on me).
    Sincerely,
    Ian

  79. I would always go for the college town. Just buy a condo/apt, stay there for a few years, and if you change your mind, either rent it out or sell it. Just make sure monthly mortgage is not too high relative to payment.

    As for family, 1 hour is not too bad. Sure you moved to MI for them, but then you can’t stay 24/7 with them either.

    Either way, now that you are location independent, have you considered travelling internationally – there is not physical location you need to report to in order to earn money anyway.

    PS I am not sure if that’s your goal, but I am pretty sure that you can deduct full or partial cost of meals you discuss on this site as a business expense. Of course, if you write about everything you eat every day, that might get boring for the readers 😉 (unless you decide to start a foodmantra blog)

  80. I don’t know why, but I always pictured you settling down in a college town after you achieved financial independence. ..

  81. Dividend Wisp,

    Congrats on the move! Sounds like you made that decision based on being happy, rather than saving the most amount of money. And there’s nothing wrong with that. On the contrary, the whole point behind the journey to financial independence is to achieve happiness. So if you’re happy, then that’s what matters. 🙂

    I appreciate you stopping by. I’m looking forward to showing my girlfriend around the town to see what she thinks and making the decision together. But I’m pretty sure she’s already set on Ann Arbor.

    Enjoy your new pad!!

    Best regards.

  82. Ian,

    Glad you had a pretty good time in the Midwest! There are certainly benefits and drawbacks to this area of the US, but it’s hard to beat it in the summer/fall. 🙂

    Would love to meet up sometime! I’ve got a friend over in MN (Kraig from CYI), so wouldn’t mind making a drive over some time. Appreciate the offer.

    Hope all is well over there.

    Cheers!

  83. DGI,

    Thanks for the thoughts there.

    I have definitely considered traveling internationally. I’ve always wanted to specifically see SE Asia. It’s cheap and hot, with good food and good people. International travel will be far off in the future, however, when the dividend income is already comfortably exceeding expenses. Europe seems wonderful as well, but I know it can be more expensive, especially in the north and west.

    Food Mantra? Now that’s an idea I can get behind! Not sure if my waistline would, however. 🙂

    And I’ll consider buying a condo. Condos can be pretty pricey down in A2, so I’d have to carefully run the numbers against (also expensive) rent. We’ll see how it shakes out.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Best wishes.

  84. S.B.,

    That’s awesome. Looks like I’m living up to expectations. 🙂

    I think A2 definitely offers a lot to like in a small(ish) package. I’m excited to show Claudia around to see what she thinks.

    Take care!

  85. Very much enjoying this series!

    We just passed thru MI last month and it is a place I’ve always liked. What towns along Lake Michigan have the best beaches?

  86. Aspenhawk,

    Glad I could share! 🙂

    Some towns are pretty, some are not. But I think A2 is one of the more visually appealing cities in this area. However, it’s not architecturally significant. More of just a great layout that’s really walkable. And that goes quite far in my book.

    Cheers!

  87. jlcollinsnh,

    Hey, thanks for stopping by! Good to see you. 🙂

    You’ve seen far more of the world than I have, but I’m excited to one day see some of the places you’ve been. Really enjoyed the pictures of Prague a while back.

    I haven’t been to all the great beach towns, but I’ve enjoyed Grand Haven. I’ve been through Ludington; it’s quite nice there. Never been, but I hear Empire is quite stunning.

    Best regards!

  88. Thanks for the awesome post. I visited UM many years ago to attend a lecture. A2 definitely has a great vibe. You’ve got some very tough choices ahead. I’m curious to hear about some of the smaller towns in the area. One that’s great about a larger city is that it will be easier to meet women, the pool of candidates is much larger.

    I’m in Florida right now, went to the beach today and loved it!

  89. You know, I should have mentioned earlier that there are at least a couple of charming, really small towns maybe 5-6 miles outside of Ann Arbor. Spoonman is right! The closest to Ann Arbor, IIRC, is Dexter, a sweet little town with a sweet little downtown. The other is Chelsea, which — again, if I remember correctly — is a tiny town that is the home base of Jiffy (??) corn muffins. Seriously! You know, those little boxes in the grocery store of corn-muffin mix? Hey, that’s almost as good as having a world-renowned university. It has a very nice downtown, with a really good restaurant: Common Grill. (The chef’s last name is Common.) I’d think either town would be a lot cheaper than A2, and easily bikable for most of the year. So those two towns are possibilities. All the same, I wouldn’t give up on Ann Arbor if I were you.

  90. Having never been to AA or GR I can’t really comment on either. However, I seem to recall you mentioning your girlfriend has a child, if that is the case the quality of the public school system is definitely worth considering. I’m going to go ahead and assume AA has better schools than GR as these types of progressive college towns tend to place a lot of emphasis on public education development and spending.

    Good luck with everything and keep up the good work! Your writing has definitely helped inspire me to start investing and saving.

  91. Spoonman,

    Enjoy the beach down there! This is the hottest time of the year, so it’s much harder to enjoy the beaches right now than it is in, say, February. But the beauty is still there. 🙂

    Glad you were able to visit UM a while back. I think the town definitely has a nice feel to it. I’m actually glad I won’t have to worry about women since my girlfriend is planning to move up. Already found the best one of all!

    Enjoy your freedom!!

    Best regards.

  92. Smith,

    Those are great suggestions. I’m actually familiar with both cities. I worked in Dexter many, many years ago. A cute little downtown area. Chelsea is a bit bigger and a bit more spread out. My best friend actually lives in that area. It’s very nice through all those towns. But from what I know of it, both cities are relatively on par with A2 as far as housing, but there are a lot less rentals to pick from because it’s mostly working families that live in those towns.

    I’ve actually heard of Common Grill. Never been there, but I hear it’s pretty solid. May have to check it out sometime!

    My girlfriend is going to take a look at the area in October, so we’ll see what she likes. I’m excited to start the next adventure. 🙂

    Take care!

  93. Sam D,

    That’s a great point there. She’s preferring A2 because of the schooling system. She’s apparently already looked into it (I’m deferring that to her) and felt much more comfortable with Ann Arbor’s schooling system. Not to say GR doesn’t have great schools (especially East GR), but apparently she prefers A2 for some reason. We’ll see how she feels when she visits and sees them firsthand.

    Thanks for the support! And I’m really glad to read that you’ve found some inspiration here to save and invest. That’s why I do what I do. 🙂

    Keep it up!!

    Cheers.

  94. Hey DM,

    I’m actually from Boulder,CO and it’s a lot like Ann Arbor. Small town, huge state school and a culture all its own. Housing is definitely expensive, but these college towns have great transportation. In boulder we have bicycles you can pick up and drop off at different locations around town. Most housing complexes provide you with a monthly pass you can swipe at the bike stations so it gets rolled into your rent.

    On another note, have you considered using this opportunity to invest in a property? Like you said, housing is in demand there. You could always rent it out to students down the road. Just a thought.

    Thanks, Sam

  95. Sam,

    I hear great things about Boulder. Never been there, but would like to someday.

    A2 is actually launching a bike sharing service that kind of sounds like what you have going on over there. And the bus system is pretty comprehensive, as would be expected for a college town.

    I’m not sure about investing in real estate. I honestly don’t think I have the temperament for it. I’d much rather own REITs than rental properties. I may purchase a condo in A2 as a primary residence, in which case we could rent it out way down the line when we’re more interested in traveling. That would kind of put me in the position of an accidental landlord. But an apartment might be the way to go, as it will be cheaper and easier to move in/out. We’ll see what kind of housing options pop up for us early next year when we the timeline starts to look a little better.

    Enjoy Boulder! I hope to visit sometime, and I’ll look you up if I do. 🙂

    Best wishes.

  96. Hi DM,

    I am a complete ignorant of your roads, your cities, your climate. You could buy a scooter 125 cc, the cost of purchase and maintenance is very low, shuttling from one hour or two on a scooter is not unreasonable and so you could live quietly where wanted.

    Greetings, vicent

  97. I live in Lowell (a small town just outside of Grand Rapids) and work by the GR airport. I, like you am originally from the Detroit/Toledo area, moved to Florida (in my case for school), and then moved back to Michigan for work. I second the idea of looking at small towns around GR (Walker, Rockford, Holland, etc) or AA (Dexter (do they still have Dexter Daze :)?)). Though, I’m not sure if I agree with Grand Rapids being dangerous…really just avoid the area south of downtown by Division Ave.

    A few of my observations:
    -Grand Rapids has a more diverse economy than Ann Arbor. It seems like Ann Arbor economy is heavily dependent on the University. I would be weary of buying real estate in a single employer market
    -Ann Arbor does not get as much snow as Grand Rapids, but Grand Rapids is well prepared to take care of it.
    -Ann Arbor is very left-wing, while Grand Rapids is very conservative
    -Neither town has sufficient street lighting (although, I think this is a Michigan thing)

  98. Vicent,

    Well, I used a scooter for quite some time down in Florida. I loved it. However, they aren’t quite as safe as a car, in my opinion.

    It would be much more difficult to get by with one up here in Michigan. The climate just doesn’t allow for one to scoot around for about six months per year. Florida was a lot easier because I could use one all year long. All in all, I found Florida to be easier to save money and reach FI across the board. But, unfortunately, a lot of the people I wanted to see and spend time with don’t live down there.

    However, if I ever find myself living in FL again I’ll definitely scoot around again. 🙂

    Cheers!

  99. Chris,

    Thanks for the perspective there. And it’s quite interesting our life paths have followed such a similar direction. 🙂

    Those observations are pretty spot on. I agree that GR has a more diverse economy, and probably has to without the large university presence. And I didn’t actually notice the lighting issue. I know downtown A2 is pretty well-lit at night, and those funky streetlights they have are actually a “symbol” of the city, where you see the outline of them on various city paraphernalia.

    Great point about buying real estate in a market that’s so heavily dependent on one employer. However, I guess you’d have to think that UM isn’t going anywhere. But it would be tough to afford real estate in A2 anyway, outside of a small condo. And I do like the idea of traveling down the line, so an apartment might make that easier. We’ll see.

    Thanks for stopping by!!

    Best wishes.

  100. I have been shuffling between cities, suburbs and country living for many years now. This is my take on where to live. When I was single with no kids the city life was the best. Kids/Wife the burbs seems to work best. It was stressful for us to live in the country with kids because everything was 1/2 drive away and family was not close. When the kids have grown we will probably return to the country. We enjoy the small town and slow paced lifestyle. The country was also the most frugal place to live. Everything but gas costed less. Living in the city/burbs there is more to do and buy so the temptation is greater.

  101. DFG,

    I would agree with that. Rural areas usually offer much cheaper housing, but transportation generally goes up because you have to drive everywhere. But I think it would definitely be by far cheaper up here in Michigan to live in the country, overall. However, it also comes down to lifestyle and job opportunities. I can live anywhere right now, but my girlfriend will have to live where job opportunities lie. And I know she doesn’t want to drive more than an hour to work everyday, which could certainly bridge the cost of living gap after a while.

    I’m glad you found a happy medium over there, however. That’s what it’s all about. 🙂

    Cheers!

  102. My vote is definitely A2.
    I think the fact that it’s a college city is always going to keep it up to date – things like buses and zipcar. If you get super ambitious you could always buy a mediocre place and rent to college folks – preferably grad students.

    I also don’t have a good sense of what A2 is really like, but I would try it without a car. No gas, no insurance, better health. That’s a winning combination.

    Thanks,
    WE#1

  103. WE#1,

    Yeah, I agree with what you’re saying. A college town definitely offers a lot of unique advantages.

    I’m flying my girlfriend up at the end of October so she can see the city and let me know what she thinks. In addition, that just so happens to be our fifth anniversary, so it’ll be a unique and fun celebration. I’m looking forward to it!

    As far as no car goes, I’m not sure about that. Tough to get groceries in the winter, even if you’re right in the core. And that’s because the grocery stores are all spread out across the city. Plus, it would be difficult to hang out with family and friends on the fly with no car. But we’ll see.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Best regards.

  104. I’ve been a follower on and off your blog since probably 2009. I was pleasantly surprised of your A2 review. I’ve lived here for the past 8 years, so I think I can give some input on your decision. Where do you currently live now if I may ask?

    Overall, it is pretty expensive relative to other cities in Michigan but it is a city with very high culture per capita. I know a lot of students/recent grads who live in some pretty cheap housing. If you don’t mind living with roommates, then your rent can be contained to $500/mo in a decent place. The surrounding area in MI are not bad as well such as Saline and Dexter. You can also find some nice neighborhoods in Ypsi. If you want to go out further, Plymouth is a viable option which has a really nice downtown. AA is great in the summertime and was rated in top 20 for livable cities by livability.com. My only other complaint is that sometimes I do get bored going to the same bars/restaurants but then that gives me a good reason to go travel somewhere. Hope your search goes well!!

  105. wanna,

    Thanks for your readership. 🙂

    I agree with your sentiment on A2. Great culture, but expensive housing. Fantastic place to be in the summer and fall. I had a lot of fun at the art fair this year.

    However, since I published these reports I have since reconciled with my girlfriend of the last five years and she’s probably going to want to stay in Florida. So it looks like a life in A2 isn’t meant to be. Such is life, but it’s a great town. I hope to maybe do an article on Sarasota at some point to compare and contrast if/when I end up back down there.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Best wishes!

  106. Tauri,

    Thanks for sharing that!

    I’d like to check out Austin sometime. I see that’s pretty high on the list. I’ve always heard good things about that town, especially for young people. Sounds like it has a great vibe.

    Best regards.

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