Avalon International Breads, also known as Avalon Café, located at 120 E Liberty, on the corner of Liberty and 4th Street, is one of a handful of cafés to come from the original bakery started in 1997 in Detroit’s Cass Street Corridor. Originally started as a bakery focused on using 100% organic flour, their operations and locations have expanded.
This early fall, the Studio gathered for lunch at Avalon Café and enjoyed a relaxed setting, with a flavorful meal. Their coffee drinks menu is extensive, as is their overall drinks menu. Our lunch was on a Tuesday, and as of this note, Avalon Ann Arbor does $5 sangria on Tuesdays. As smooth and rich as the latte was, the sangria trended more to the citrus side of the flavor profile.
The waiter serving our table was friendly, quick with answers and suggestions, and very attentive. Our meals arrived delightfully plated and with the freshest of ingredients. The breads, all baked by Avalon, had tremendous flavor, and were very fresh.
Avalon Café is open from 8a to 3p, Monday through Sunday and then on Friday and Saturdays, from 6p – 10p for their Avalon After Hours. After Hours sometimes features silent disco and drag queen bingo, so be sure to check their facebook page for events. https://www.facebook.com/avalonbreads.net
When you are in the area, consider stopping in for coffee with an old friend, lunch with colleagues, or a drink to usher in the weekend.
Fall in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is a time of vibrant colors, crisp air, and the sweet aroma of freshly pressed apple cider. For those seeking the quintessential autumn experience, the cider mills near Ann Arbor offer a perfect blend of nature’s bounty and family-friendly fun. Let’s explore our top three favorite cider mills in the area, each with its unique charm.
1. Wiard’s Orchard (5565 Merritt Rd., Ypsilanti)
Topping our list is Wiard’s Orchard, a beloved destination for those who cherish the essence of autumn. Located in Ypsilanti, Wiard’s Orchard offers a full spectrum of fall delights. With u-pick apple orchards and pumpkins, visitors can relish the joy of selecting the perfect fruit right from the tree. And let’s not forget their charming cider mill, where you can savor the taste of freshly pressed apple cider. What sets Wiard’s apart is not just its apples and cider but also its delightful apple jelly and apple jam, available for purchase. These artisanal treats are a testament to the commitment to quality that this orchard embraces.
2. Erwin Orchards (61475 Silver Lake Rd., South Lyon)
Erwin Orchards, located in South Lyon, is a close second on our list. Known for its expansive u-pick apple orchards, Erwin Orchards invites you to wander among the apple trees and pluck your own apples, ensuring you take home the best of the harvest. Their cider mill is another highlight, where you can indulge in freshly squeezed apple cider. And, to sweeten the deal, Erwin Orchards also offers a variety of apple jelly and apple jam options for you to savor. These flavorful preserves are a perfect accompaniment to your apple-picking adventure.
3. Three Cedars Farm (7897 Six Mile Rd, Northville, MI 48168)
For those looking to create lasting family memories, Three Cedars Farm in Northville is the go-to cider mill. This farm is a haven for kids and families alike, offering an array of activities that make for an unforgettable day out. From hayrides and train rides to a seven-acre corn maze and a barnyard playland, there’s something for everyone. Parents will appreciate that many of these activities are free, allowing kids to explore and have a blast without breaking the bank. Of course, there’s also a cider mill for enjoying that quintessential fall beverage and u-pick pumpkins to complete the experience.
The cider mills near Ann Arbor are a delightful way to embrace the season. Wiard’s Orchard, Erwin Orchards, and Three Cedars Farm each offer a unique experience, ensuring that there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a fan of apples, cider, or simply making cherished autumn memories.
Hi there! My name is Monica, and I am Studio Four8’s administrator doing the behind the scenes work for Studio Four8. One of the perks of being the admin to a real estate team as busy as mine is that you get to see a lot of amazing homes come and go, and it just so happens that my team brings in the coolest homes to ever touch the market. Here are some of my favorite homes that have crossed my desk this year.
9657 Marshall Road, Green Oak Twp 48178
Todd helped his clients purchase this home in March this year. The unique exterior instantly caught my attention with its interesting profile. The more of this home I saw, the more I was absolutely smitten. The view is breath taking. The loft and open lay out of this home is so cool! Can you imagine the smell of freshly brewed coffee slowing creeping up to the upper level bedroom as the sound of the loved one calling you from below to join them to watch the sun rise over the lake? I can! I only wish we could have gotten the photos of the view in the summer. What a wonderful home. This 3 bedroom, 2 bath home sold for $525,000.
Jeffrey listed this one in early February. I am such a sucker for any Mid Century Modern home, and I think it’s plain to see why. The clean lines of the roof line, the contrast between the wood and concrete, the long winding path leading to the home, this house is visually striking. Jeffrey is a major sucker for a mid century modern house as well, and has sold a ton of them. With a gorgeous interior to match, this 4 bed, 2.2 bath sold for $1,175,000. Lovely!!
Oh. My. Gosh. When I imagine “cute as a button” I imagine 307 Wildwood. Sara listed this one in June and she told me that she knew it was going to sell very quickly. As always, she was so right. Every detail is just so cohesive visually appealing. I wasn’t the only one who adored 307 Wildwood. This 4 bed 2 bath ended up selling for a whopping $155,000 over list after only four days on the market.
Sara listed this one very recently, in early August. I’m in love with the exposed brick, the French doors, and that beautiful sun room. Also that office, you really can’t ask for better than that. I can imagine getting distracted from work in that office, just by staring outside those lovely windows. The fireplace also captures my imagination- I bet its just wonderful in the winter. Again, I’m not the only one who adored this home, it went under contract after only 3 days on the market and is slated to close in early September.
Think your house could be my next favorite house we list? Or maybe you want to buy the next coolest house that crosses my desk? Give us a call! No matter what I know that Sara, Todd, Jeffrey, Dan, and Kayla will put tireless effort into showcasing the unique details that makes your home special or to find your perfect home.
At Studio Four8, our team firmly believes in the significance of community engagement, and we have found restaurant highlights to be an invaluable avenue for fostering these connections. Interacting with our community through food allows us to establish genuine relationships and develop a deeper understanding of the local culinary landscape. By sharing our thoughts and experiences about local dining establishments, we not only provide valuable insights to our community members but also demonstrate our commitment to supporting local businesses.
These highlights enable us to connect with individuals on a personal level, sparking conversations and establishing ourselves as trusted advisors within the community. Through our engagement in restaurant highlights, we aim to create a vibrant network that not only strengthens community ties but also establishes us as a dedicated real estate team deeply invested in the overall well-being of the neighborhoods we serve.
Ann Arbor locals of a certain age may arrive to the North East location with fond memories of its predecessor, the Lord Fox, long a favorite venue for Prom and Rehearsal dinners.
They will remember the lovely setting, but everything else will astonish and delight. The restaurant and its connected coffee shop, known as Dixboro House and The Boro respectively, were completed in 2021 and despite being just 3 miles east of our office on Plymouth Rd., last week was our first opportunity to dine there together. What a treat!
The food is sophisticated and at the same time accessible, so it is an ideal restaurant for abi rthday brunch or business meeting. With vegetarian and gluten-free options as well as unique appetizers and truly delicious non-alcoholic cocktails, you can’t go wrong here regardless of with whom you are dining.
Every table has a lovely view of the gardens or wooded creek, and although the ceilings are lofty, we had no issues conversing together without shouting or being overheard. Pricing was on par with most of Ann Arbor’s lovelier restaurants, only with easier parking. Bonus that you can check out the Dixboro General Store on your way in and pick up a clever locally-sourced gift ahead of the holidays.
We hope to treat you to a meal here to celebrate your house closing or to thank you for a referral. In the meantime we highly recommend you check out The Dixboro Project, The Boro and the Boro to Go.
Nori Tempura
Once you’ve tried the tangy mushroom puree, you will crave it till your next meal here
Broccoli and Compte Agnolotti
Filling without being heavy and a perfect end-of-summer dish
Squash Gazpacho
The Soup du Jour was fresh and creamy
Ginger Sour
If you like ginger, this is a perfect spirit-free mix
Fresh Baked Cookie
Pro Tip: Ask for a fresh-baked chocolate cookie from the bakery as a take-home dessert
At Studio Four8, our team firmly believes in the significance of community engagement, and we have found restaurant reviews to be an invaluable avenue for fostering these connections. Interacting with our community through food allows us to establish genuine relationships and develop a deeper understanding of the local culinary landscape. By sharing our thoughts and experiences about local dining establishments, we not only provide valuable insights to our community members but also demonstrate our commitment to supporting local businesses.
These reviews enable us to connect with individuals on a personal level, sparking conversations and establishing ourselves as trusted advisors within the community. Through our engagement in restaurant reviews, we aim to create a vibrant network that not only strengthens community ties but also establishes us as a dedicated real estate team deeply invested in the overall well-being of the neighborhoods we serve. So join us for our first review at Bellflower in Ypsilanti!
Bellflower is a contemporary restaurant in downtown Ypsilanti that serves seasonal, locally sourced dishes. The menu changes frequently, but you can always expect to find creative and delicious food made with high-quality ingredients. The restaurant also has a great selection of cocktails and wine.
The atmosphere at Bellflower is warm and inviting. The dining room is spacious and well-lit, with exposed brick walls and a generously sized bar. There is also a large patio that is perfect for dining al fresco.
The service at Bellflower is attentive and friendly. The staff is knowledgeable about the menu and can help you choose the perfect dishes.
We had the pleasure of dining at Bellflower recently and were very impressed with the food. We recently had lunch service here as a team. Their lunch service consists of a sandwich counter with a gumbo or soup also available. The sandwiches offered range from cold cuts, to pimento cheese, to fried shrimp and smelt, all served on fresh baked bread.
Open Monday through Saturday each week, Bellflower’s dinner service begins daily at 5p. Their dinner menu changes daily, based on the time of year, and ingredients available. Sourcing ingredients from a close by as possible, the food is fresh, flavorful, and delicious. A frequent dish on the dinner menu is a curry of some kind.
Overall, we had a wonderful dining experience at Bellflower. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was inviting, and company was excellent. We highly recommend Bellflower to anyone looking for a great meal in Ypsilanti.
If you’re looking for a special occasion restaurant in Ypsilanti, Bellflower is a great choice. You won’t be disappointed.
Planning a special meal? Be sure to visit Bellflower, and plan your dinner meal here.
Pro tip: there is a magical device on the wall outside the Bellflower main entrance that harkens back to the building’s past location of the Ypsilanti telephone exchange for Michigan Bell Telephone company.
Every month a member of Studio Four8 dives into the Saline Real Estate Market 2023 numbers and breaks down what that means for your local housing market. Stay in the know by subscribing to Studio Four8’s Youtube page.
Hey this is Dan with studio 48 at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Snyder & Company realtors let’s get right into that Saline housing data, shall we?
Saline in February of 2023 saw 3.4% decrease in average sales price as compared to February 2022. This year the median sales price however was up 12% to $515,000 this year compared to $460,000 last February.
Now the days on Market are actually down quite a bit as well, coming down 23.8% to 48 days on Market from last February. 63 days on Market, closed sales as well, up a little bit. 27 closed sales in February of 2023 which is an 8% increase than that we saw in February of 2022.
Now the percentile list price received dropped as well, 2.2% down to 96.4% from last year’s 98.6%. What this means for you is that Saline is seeing a little bit more activity in higher price points right now. That’s going to be what’s driving that median sales price up while the average sales price itself is dropping a little bit.
Now the days on market coming down tells me that we might see a little bit more of an increase in that average sales price as demand is heating up. More homes are selling, they’re on the market for less time. It also tells me there’s some significant demand, but that buyer demand hasn’t yet translated into selling, on average, over list. In fact we’re down a little bit. So what this means for you is going to be situation dependent, whether you’re buying, selling, what your needs are, and what your timeline looks like, quite frankly.
So give us a call here, we would love to chat with you about your situation and take this from data on a page to something that we can apply into your home search or your home sale at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Snyder & Company realtors.
Every month a member of Studio Four8 dives into the Dexter Real Estate Market 2023 numbers and breaks down what that means for your local housing market. Stay in the know by subscribing to Studio Four8’s Youtube page.
Hey this is Dan with studio 48 at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Snyder & Company realtors let’s get right into that Dexter housing data, shall we?
So February 2023 as compared to February of 2022, Dexter saw a 5.4% increase in average sales price to $572,000 from $542,000 last February. Curiously, the median sales price dropped also, -5.4%, $458,000 this February as compared to $485,000 last February. Now we need to take that data with a grain of salt because closed sales, which is what this data is based on, were down significantly. -68%, almost -69% from February of 2022 to February 2023. February 2022 there were 16 closed sales, February 2023, only 5.
Now there are still some good insights from that, days on Market up significantly as well, more than 100% increase from 44 days on Market in February of 2022 to 90 days on market for those closed sales of February of 2023. This means as those homes are sitting on the market for significantly longer on average they were also receiving less of the list price in that final sale. So February of 2022, we were looking at 105% of list price on average now we’re looking closer to 97.5% of list price for a decline of 7.4%. So although there are some big changes in there, with only 5 sales that needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
If you’re looking to buy or sell in Dexter right now, it could be an interesting market. We’d love to talk to you about how this data affects you and your plans and together we’d like to make this data work for you and find a strategy that takes advantage of this data to help you make your next move.
Once again this is Dan at studio 48 with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Snyder & Company realtors.
Every month a member of Studio Four8 dives into the Lincoln Consolidated School District Real Estate Market 2023 numbers and breaks down what that means for your local housing market. Stay in the know by subscribing to Studio Four8’s Youtube page.
Are you looking for the February 2023 market update for Lincoln schools?
Hey this is Dan with studio 48 at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Snyder & Company realtors.
Let’s get right into that Lincoln housing data, shall we?
So in February of 2023 Lincoln saw at 7.7% reduction in average sales price as compared to last February in 2022. Last February we were looking at $358,000 on average that’s come down to $331,000. What moved more significantly was the median sales price coming down 17% from $380,000 in February of 22 to $315,500 in February of 23.
Now curiously, the percent of list price received actually went up this year, almost 1%, to 103%, whereas last February we were looking at 99.4%. This is telling us that although prices are down, means that that list price was down as well, on average selling above it.
Curiously, the days on market have gone up as well, which might be contributing to that decrease in sales price. Days on Market February of 2023, looking at an average of 32 days that’s up more than 113% from 15 days on Market February of 2022.
Now the good news is that closed sales during the same period actually increased. February of 2022 we were looking at 16 closed sales in Lincoln, February of 23 we’re looking at 18 closed sales for a 12.5% increase.
So that data in Lincoln’s telling me that maybe we’re seeing some more action in the lower price points bringing that median sales price down, days on market looks like it could be bringing the sales price down, but with those lower sales prices, the buyer demand is pushing the price back up over list on average.
Now what does this mean for you? Well every situation is unique, so we would love to talk with you in detail about your situation and how we can make this data work for you to achieve your goals. At the end of the day you need to take this data that’s on a page and apply it with a plan to your situation.
Give us a call here my name is Dan at Studio Four8 at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Snyder & Company realtors.
Every month a member of Studio Four8 dives into the Ann Arbor Real Estate Market Stats 2023 numbers and breaks down what that means for your local housing market. Stay in the know by subscribing to Studio Four8’s Youtube page.
If you are looking for the February 2023 market stats update for Ann Arbor, this is the video for you.
Hey this is Dan Kurylo at Studio Four8 at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Snyder and Company realtors in Ann Arbor, let’s get right into that housing data shall we?
So February of 2023 as compared to February of 2022 saw a half percent increase in average sales price to $589,000 from $586,000. Median sales price jumped a little bit more to $500,000, up 1.5% from $498,000 last February. Where we saw some more changes were the days on Market Days on Market. Days on market is up almost 25%, 40 days, as compared to last February’s 32. That translated, as those homes sit longer on the market, to less of the asking price received. That was down 4.7% February of 2023 as compared to February of 2022, 98.2% of asking price received compared to last year. We were looking at 103%.
So what that means for you, although homes are sitting on the market a little bit longer, Although list prices are up a little bit more, but there’s one more piece to that puzzle and that is the inventory out there. Last year, February of 2022 there were 69 homes that closed in Ann Arbor, this year, only 42 which means a 39% decrease.
So what this means for you as a buyer is: sure prices are stable, and you might have a little bit more time, and you might get it a little bit under list but you just have fewer options out there.
What does this mean for you as a seller? Prices are stable as long as you are pricing correctly, looks like that’s going to work out well for you. And there’s less competition than there was a similar price point last year.
So I think there’s There was for the same as or similar pricing last year so I think there’s some good takeaways for everybody and it’s going to depend on your situation what that means for you.
So reach out to us if you find yourself trying to buy yourself a home here in Ann Arbor. We’d love to talk about this data in your context and how it applies to your situation, because ultimately the data needs interpretation, and then we need to create a plan to make that data work for you.
Once again, this is Dan at Studio Four8 at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Snyder and Company realtors.
Welcome to the Studio Cast’s monthly housing update for Washnaw County. I’m Todd Waller and here is the market update from the Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors.
In its continued effort to curb inflation, the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate in February by a quarter percentage point to 4.50 to 4.75 percent, its eighth rate hike since March of last year when the interest rate was nearly zero. Mortgage interest rates have dipped slightly from their peak last fall, leading pending sales to increase 8.1% month to month as of last measure, but affordability constraints continue to limit home buyer activity overall, with existing home sales declining for the 12th consecutive month according to the National Association of Realtors.
New listings in Washtenaw County decreased 21.4% for single-family homes and 10.8% for townhouse and condo homes. Pending sales increased 15.9% for single-family homes and 19.7% for townhouse and condo homes. decrease 20.4% for single-family homes and 27.8% for townhouse and condo homes.
Median sales price in Washtenaw County decreased 1.7% to 375,000 for single-family homes and 0.3% to $297,450 for townhouse and condo homes. Average days on market increased 20.6% for single-family homes and 66.7% for townhouse and condo homes. Both supply of inventory decreased 8.3% for single family homes and 12.5% for townhouse and condo homes.
With buyer demand down from peak levels, home price growth has continued to slow nationwide, although prices remain up from a year ago. Sellers have been increasingly cutting prices and offering sales incentives in an attempt to attract buyers who have continued to struggle with affordability challenges this winter. The slight decline in mortgage rates earlier this year convinced some buyers to come off the sidelines, but with rates ticking back up again in recent weeks, buyers are once again pulling back, causing sales activity to remain down heading into the spring.
Thanks so much for stopping by and listening to this monthly update of the Washtenaw County Real Estate Marketplace. This is Studio 48 saying we’re here to recreate real estate.
