NEST Real Estate Group

Relocation Guide · Newcomers

Moving to Ann Arbor? Let's make it seamless

Relocation is one of NEST's specialties. Whether you are transferring for work or chasing a new chapter, here is how to land, settle in, and feel at home fast.

A heritage brick house with climbing roses and a white portico on a bright morning

No. 01 · Landing in Ann Arbor

Why people move here and stay

A city built for settling in

Ann Arbor trades the commute for a community. Between the university, the schools, the walkable downtown, and more parks and festivals than most cities twice its size, it is the kind of place people plan to stay for a few years and end up staying for decades.

The University of Michigan

A top-tier university anchors the region with research, healthcare, and tech employers, and the schools, parks, and commute times make it an easy place to land.

Schools that decide moves

Ann Arbor Public Schools is consistently ranked among Michigan's best, and it shows in the neighborhoods that feed into it.

A downtown you can live in

Kerrytown's market district, Main Street restaurants, and the campus energy make it easy to live without driving everywhere.

Green space everywhere

The Arboretum, the Huron River, and a park within blocks of nearly every neighborhood keep the city livable year-round.

Areas we serve

Neighborhood and town guides

Sixteen guides covering Ann Arbor's in-town neighborhoods and the surrounding towns across Washtenaw, Wayne, Oakland, and Livingston counties. Each one has market data, drive times, millage, schools, housing, and what to do nearby, so you can compare areas side by side.

Watching local policy too? South Lyon and Milford, in the western Oakland County area near the communities we serve, are among eight Michigan communities that have ended or canceled their Flock license plate camera contracts. Read the Flock camera update .

A tree-lined residential street in the Burns Park neighborhood of Ann Arbor with early 20th century homes and front porches Burns Park Historic homes steps from campus Read the guide Victorian-era storefronts and homes along a tree-lined street in the Kerrytown district of Ann Arbor Kerrytown The market district on the north side Read the guide A steep tree-lined street in the Water Hill neighborhood of Ann Arbor with colorful Victorian and Cape Cod homes Water Hill Colorful porches above downtown Read the guide Historic brick storefronts and awnings along the main street of downtown Saline, Michigan Saline Historic main street, river parks Read the guide Historic Main Street storefronts in Dexter, Michigan beside the Huron River with a footbridge and autumn trees Dexter Village charm on the Huron River Read the guide Historic brick storefronts with awnings and flower baskets along Main Street in downtown Chelsea, Michigan Chelsea Trail town at the state park's edge Read the guide Historic brick buildings along the Huron River in Depot Town, Ypsilanti with a pedestrian bridge and the water tower in the distance Ypsilanti Historic riverfront, fastest to DTW Read the guide Historic brick storefronts and the Plymouth Clock in Kellogg Park in downtown Plymouth, Michigan Plymouth Clock-tower downtown on the Rouge Read the guide Restored Victorian storefronts and a creek with a footbridge in downtown Northville, Michigan Northville Victorian downtown on the mill race Read the guide The Mill Pond and boardwalk with Main Street storefronts in downtown Brighton, Michigan Brighton Mill Pond downtown on the I-96 corridor Read the guide A tree-lined residential street in the Loch Alpine neighborhood with mid-century homes on large lots surrounded by rolling wooded hills in autumn Loch Alpine The wooded hillside Nicole calls home Read the guide A stately tree-lined lane in the Barton Hills village of Ann Arbor with large homes on wooded lots and river views in the distance Barton Hills Riverside privacy in a 140-home village Read the guide A stately estate home on a manicured lot beside a rolling golf fairway in The Polo Fields community west of Ann Arbor The Polo Fields Golf-course estates off Zeeb Road Read the guide A custom executive home overlooking a championship golf course with a water feature in the Travis Pointe community near Ann Arbor Travis Pointe Gated golf living between Ann Arbor and Saline Read the guide A charming 1920s character home with a front porch on a tree-lined street in the Eberwhite neighborhood of Ann Arbor Eberwhite Walkable west-side character homes Read the guide A tree-lined historic residential street in the Ann Arbor Hills neighborhood of Ann Arbor with classic 1920s homes and front porches Ann Arbor Hills Historic east-side streets near campus Read the guide

Getting here and around

Logistics, minus the stress

Flying: Detroit Metro Airport is about a 45-minute drive on I-94, with daily service from most major cities.

By rail: The Amtrak Wolverine connects Ann Arbor to Chicago and Detroit, a popular option for commuters who work remotely or travel weekly.

On the ground: Downtown is genuinely walkable and bikeable, the bus system reaches most neighborhoods, and a car unlocks the surrounding towns and the airport in roughly half an hour.

Season: Summers are warm, winters are real, and fall is the city's best-kept secret. Buyers who tour before they move often fall for the neighborhood first.

The first five calls

Start here, in order

  1. 1

    A relocation-savvy realtor

    Someone who can orient you to neighborhoods before you fly in and line up tours efficiently.

  2. 2

    A local lender

    Pre-approval before you shop, because out-of-state buyers often move slower than Ann Arbor does.

  3. 3

    School enrollment

    The district and timeline drive your neighborhood shortlist.

  4. 4

    Utilities and internet

    Set up for move-in day so the first week is about boxes, not hold music.

  5. 5

    A mover, booked early

    From our preferred vendor list, booked earlier than you think you need to.

Plan your move with a local

Tell me your timeline and where you're coming from

Nicole has guided relocations from across the country, often before buyers ever set foot in Michigan. Share where you're moving from and when, and get a realistic Ann Arbor plan back the same day.

Prefer to talk? Call or text (734) 368-0832. Questions answered the same day, every time.

Contact Nicole Now