Always Right There: Close To The City, In The Country

Small towns, quiet nights, close communities...there's a lot of charm to living in a village like Elk Rapids, Kalkaska, Rapid City, or somewhere in between. And in Northern Michigan, you're still never far from the action. 

Twenty-seven minutes. That's all it takes to get from the village of Elk Rapids to the very heart of downtown Traverse City. Entire life dilemmas are solved in sitcoms in less time, if you count commercials, and you'll be able to enjoy views of East Bay. Many families we work with moving to Northern Michigan have plans to work in the area's economic and commercial hub, Traverse City. Pricing, location, home size, and many other factors influence the decision, but more and more are electing to focus their home search to the periphery of the city. 

One big bonus is size. A house just a few miles from the city limits is substantially less expensive per square foot, and city taxes tend to be higher as well. For folks willing to spend just a little time in the car, the home they enjoy coming back to every evening tends to be closer to their ideal setting. 

Another advantage is the close-knit sense of community you'll find in school districts like Elk Rapids, Kalkaska, and Charlevoix. Smaller schools, smaller class sizes, and inclusive sports and clubs for kids help give more personalized attention to students and more opportunity for many athletes. With education and the social experiences that go hand-in-hand with school, that smaller feel can have a very positive effect for many students. 

For the outdoor enthusiasts, the advantages of the small town life are obvious. With state land, lakes, rivers, streams, and rolling forests in every direction, it's so easy to get outside every day of the week. Many of our friends coming from the Ann Arbor or Detroit area were frustrated by the amount of time it takes to include things like hunting, fishing, cycling, or just hiking with the dog into their daily routine. Driving 40 minutes out of the way after work just isn't realistic, and doing it in eight-lane traffic morning and night can be a nightmare. For the northern small towns, the outdoors are actually just out the door! 

There are so many reasons why small towns make sense for all kinds of home buyers. Want more examples? Give us a call and schedule a meeting with an EXIT Northern Shores Realtor, and we'll take the opportunity to show you the type of Up North home that makes people that live here, stay here.