The gutted house at 717 W. Liberty St. in Ann Arbor still listed for $425,000 on Sept. 7, 2023, four years after it first hit the market. ANN ARBOR, MI — While houses in Ann Arbor are often nabbed up quickly after hitting the market and typically go for over asking price, there’s one near downtown that just won’t sell.
Bielby, an Ann Arbor native who said he takes pride in being a good steward of properties, is still frustrated by the commission’s decision. Since the house has sat empty another decade and won’t sell, he’s considering going back to the drawing board and proposing a variation on his old plans with hopes the commission, with some new members, might be open to it.
Thacher said the Greek Revival cottage is a gem, among the oldest houses in the Old West Side, and retains many historic features. She hopes someone will bring it back to life, though she acknowledges it will be challenging since it needs upgrades like new plumbing, mechanical equipment and appliances, and the large lot comes with a large price tag.
The gutted house at 717 W. Liberty St. in Ann Arbor still listed for $425,000 on Sept. 7, 2023, four years after it first hit the market. Bielby believes the house was built as a farmhouse outside the city back when Ann Arbor was smaller and he suspects the original owners had adjacent land. There was a carriage house on the property for over a century that’s now gone and he thinks he should at least be able to rebuild that, along with the original front porch, which he’s considering doing soon.