Ann Arbor Housing Market Timeline

October–December

Many continuing students begin to secure housing for the following academic year in this time period. Landlords frequently offer their current tenants the opportunity to renew their lease for the following academic year before listing a unit on the open market. Of course, many current tenants will decline the opportunity to renew their lease because they are graduating, want to live with different roommates, or for any number of other reasons. Fortunately, there is no shortage of housing in Ann Arbor.

No housing‐related activity necessary for incoming students during this time frame. 

The Lawyers Club (law.umich.edu/lawyersclub) accepts applications from students once they have been admitted, and this is the time frame when the bulk of our class will be admitted. After the April 30 seat deposit deadline, the Lawyers Club will begin offering leases to students in the order that they submitted applications, at which point students will have the opportunity to accept or decline the lease. The Lawyers Club will fill up, and it’s hard to predict exactly when this will happen, so it’s a good idea to submit an application as quickly as possible if you think that you might want to live there.

Early Decision admits and others who are ready to commit to Michigan might start looking at off‐ campus housing in this time frame. Admitted students who would like the option of living in the Lawyers Club should submit Lawyers Club applications in this time frame. 

Late spring and early summer is when most incoming 1Ls will secure housing. Students who are living in the Lawyers Club sign their leases and commit to the Lawyers Club in May. Students interested in living off campus may start touring apartments during Preview Weekend or make a trip to Ann Arbor to look for housing, but it’s also possible to search for housing solely online. If you are having trouble, then call Admissions, and we will walk you through the process. 

It seems like every year landlords take a hiatus from posting new listings in the middle of the summer, so expect a lull in housing activity around mid‐July. If you are looking at housing listings, it may seem like the only options available are the same higher‐rent luxury apartments listed over and over. If you are a waitlist admit, transfer student, or just have not found housing yet, then don’t panic! Call Admissions, and we will help you strategize. 

Expect a flurry of activity from early August through the beginning of classes. If you are looking in this time frame, then you can certainly find housing, but you should be prepared to move quickly once you find something that fits your needs. This is the time when other people’s plans fall through, and you may see units that were previously spoken for suddenly become available. There are often surprisingly good deals that can be found with a little effort, but in general, expect to pay on the high end of market rates or to compromise on location. Definitely call Admissions for advice if you are looking in August. 

At this price point, expect to share a bathroom and, for co‐ops, also contribute labor. Established group living situations like Phid House (PhidHouse.org) and co‐ops probably include utilities and maybe some fringe benefits like internet, cable TV, and some meals. Tenants of independent group houses or those sharing a bedroom with a roommate or significant other likely pay their own utilities. 

Some group houses, especially those that have been more recently renovated or which feature a private bathroom for each tenant, fall in this range, as do non‐luxury 2‐bedrooms, many of which are in old houses that have been split into multiple units. Water is probably included and maybe heat.

Northwood Community Apartments (housing.umich.edu/northwood), the family/grad housing option on North Campus, fall into this range. Since the multi‐bedroom units at Northwood are relatively affordable and include so much (utilities, access to a nearby campus gym and pool, option for furnished apartments), they can be a desirable option for law students with families. If you are moving to Ann Arbor with a non‐student spouse/significant other or with children, then be assured that there will be neighbors at Northwood who are like you. Northwood is also attractive to international students because the University does not require a financial guarantor, which some off‐campus landlords may require. The tradeoff is that Northwood is not within easy walking distance from the Law Quad; it’s a short shuttle bus ride away. Some Northwood apartments on the low end of this price range do not have air conditioning. 

You will pay more to live alone. The low end of this range is an efficiency apartment. On the high end of the range are some larger true 1‐bedroom apartments or a bedroom within a shared luxury apartment. Munger Graduate Residences (mungerresidences.org) fall into this category.

This price range is a room in a nicer luxury apartment, probably in a building constructed in the last 10 years. To justify the price, the apartment likely includes premium amenities such as higher‐end kitchen appliances, a private gym for residents, rooftop deck or community lounge, or in‐unit washer and dryer.

The Lawyers Club is in a category of its own because convenience is the reason to live there. Rent at the Lawyers Club includes all utilities, internet, cable TV, security, furniture, and 12 meals per week in the dining room. There’s nothing else in Ann Arbor that comes close to including all the amenities the Lawyers Club offers, and there is just no comparison to the convenience of being as close as you can be to classes and the opportunity to form a special community with your classmates.