214 Beakes St

214 Beakes is located just a block northwest of Zingerman's, about a 23 minute walk from the law school. The best part of living here is the location. If you want to enjoy living in Ann Arbor, it doesn't get much better than this—you're right in the heart of Kerrytown. Everything you could need is a short walk away, including groceries from the People's Food Co-op or the farmers market. The Arb is a 10-minute walk away; bars, cafes, and restaurants abound; there's a children's day care center right next door. It's a suburban-paced vibe with big-city convenience.

Michigan Rental, all things considered, is a very good landlord. Their front office is notoriously difficult to get in touch with, but their maintenance team is incredible. They're extremely responsive, typically stopping by within an hour or two of requesting assistance. Thankfully, you don't have to interact with the front office at all after you get your lease signed and parking taken care of. They hire people for lawn maintenance in the warm months and snowblowing in the winter.

The house itself is very old and very cozy. It's Civil-War era, but was remodeled not too long before we moved in in 2024. It has typical old house problems—we've had the occasional mouse, and the electrical wiring needs to be redone (you can't run the broiler and the microwave at the same time without blowing a fuse). But on the plus side, the house has a great front porch and side porch for people who like grilling and spending time outside.

Four people fit, but it's tight. The two upper bedrooms are standard sized; the two lower bedrooms are small and connect to the kitchen. It would definitely be a more comfortable fit for 3 people, but it's been very doable for me and my 3 roommates. Not a lot of closet space.