At last! The old Plymouth Post Office has been saved and the new Westborn Market is open. It’s great to see the repurposing of this historic structure and the details within. Notice the old post office boxes and safe. There’s even more to see than we have photos of and of course there’s the food and drink too. Best to visit soon and enjoy it all for yourself. Downtown Plymouth now has a complete full service grocery store that’s an easy walk or bike for local residents and for us too!
It’s that time of year again, where the artists move in and showcase their talents to people that come from all over Metro-Detroit and beyond. Art in the Park is July 8, 9 & 10th!
Come one, come all, to enjoy Plymouth’s Art in the Park!
For more information on the event, transportation, maps & sponsors, visit their website by clicking here.
Now open in Downtown Northville where the old Starting Gate Saloon used to be at 135 N. Center Street, the Center Street Grille (248-924-3135) is the latest offering from the people that brought us the Ironwood Grille and Barrio in Plymouth. A family-friendly restaurant, the Center Street Grille menu features pizzas, pastas, burgers, salads, seafood, steak, and sandwiches. Next time you are in town looking for a new casual option, this one could be worth a try. We’ll stop in soon to give it a try ourselves and report back!
On our blog,, you’ll find countless photos of houses, both old and new, small and large, around Plymouth and Northville. But just beyond the tree-lined streets, front porches and sidewalk cafes of our local real estate, you’ll discover pastoral landscape that will take your breath away. Here’s a moment I recently captured at Constantine Farm. Enjoy.
The Kellogg Park fountain is one of Plymouth’s most recognizable landmarks. Turning on the fountain is a rite of spring while closing the fountain marks the end of the season. The below notice comes from the Downtown Development Authority. It looks like changes are in the air!
The City of Plymouth Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is embarking on a major program to make upgrades to Kellogg Park and the water fountain in the center of the park. This is a DDA led project with the hope of having the upgrades completed by July 2017, in time for the City’s 150th Anniversary.
The DDA in cooperation with the Wilcox Foundation is funding the initial design concepts. The DDA has previously accepted proposals from a number of firms and they selected the design team from Russell Designs of Northville and WESCO Fountains of Florida to begin the conceptual designs the project. The total project is expected cost one million dollars, which is to be raised through private and community funding.
Recently, the DDA hosted a community input session where preliminary designs were revealed and input was provided. The DDA is now making those preliminary designs available on their web site and is seeking additional input.
This link will direct you to the DDA web site where the preliminary designs are hosted: http://downtownplymouth.org/DocumentCenter/View/330
Feel free to make comments at DDA@ci.plymouth.mi.us
With November data in and the year drawing to close, it’s time to look back at the pricing trends in the City and Township of Plymouth over the past year and let the data speak.
In the City of Plymouth, average prices continue at record highs far exceeding pre-recession highs. Demand is very high, inventory is low, and tear down/new construction activity continues at a fever pitch. Driving around town, homes are disappearing faster than we can keep track of! Downtown Plymouth continues to be a destination of choice for many buyers although the increase in prices have limited those who can actually afford to live here. While prices aren’t rising like they were few years ago, well maintained homes with good locations and reasonable prices can still draw multiple offers and even sell over asking price.
In the Township of Plymouth, prices are still strong and rising slightly. With limited space for new development, existing homes sales are somewhat protected from new construction competition. Like Northville, the area has seen a lot of corporate relocation activity both in and outbound.
As always, homes with the best locations, in move-in ready condition, and with current materials/color choices will command the highest prices.
If you’d like to know how much your home is worth in today’s market, please contact BAKE Real Estate at 734-453-8080 and we’d be happy to come out and give you an expert assessment of the value of your home and how you can navigate the process of transitioning from one home to the next.
Plymouth Township had a surge of suburban development in the 1960’s-1970’s that resulted in creating many prominent Township neighborhoods, including Walnut Creek. This quaint neighborhood has about 80 homes built in the late 1970s that range from 2,050 sq. ft. ranches to 3,400+ sq. ft. colonials, tudors, and other styles. All homes in Walnut Creek have basements, attached garages, at least 3 bedrooms and at least 2 full baths. There are two entrances off of North Territorial – Portsmouth Crossing and Haverhill. Both streets connect at the South end of the neighborhood. The association recently replaced their entry signs with ‘Walnut Creek’ carved beautifully into stone.
In recent years, sold prices have ranged from $305,000 to a high of $419,000. The average sales price since September of 2014 is $398,600. With sizes varying dramatically and each home designed independently, it’s hard not to love Walnut Creek. This neighborhood prides itself on being a nature lover’s paradise with mature trees and rolling hills. Because of these hills, some homes feature walk-out basements. Homes sit on at least 0.3 acres each, some elevated on a hill or tucked away on a cul-de-sac.
The following homes sold in the last year in Walnut Creek:
Walnut Creek is in the Plymouth-Canton school district. Children from this particular neighborhood may attend Bird Elementary and West Middle Schools, which are both on Sheldon Road. All students in Plymouth-Canton’s district will go on to PCEP (Plymouth Canton Educational Park). The Park is comprised of all three high schools for the district and a lottery decides whether your child will go to Canton, Salem or Plymouth high school. There are also many private and charter schools in the area for you to select from.
We at Bake Real Estate have been fortunate enough to view many of these homes that have sold over the years and understand how special the neighborhood is. Two of BAKE’s recent sales were 13301 Portsmouth Crossing and 12903 Moorcroft Court. Each home in Walnut Creek has a unique style, landscape, and location. That’s why this neighborhood should be on everyone’s watch list!
For more insights on homes in Walnut Creek or the surrounding area, please contact BAKE Real Estate. If you have a home to sell in Walnut Creek and would like a private consultation, please feel free to contact us to discuss your goals or concerns in confidence. We are specialists in the local area with the experience and knowledge to assist you throughout your home buying and selling process.
Stephanie Brown
Like a vintage automobile, a historic home can sometimes see dramatic changes over its lifetime. What may have been a residence might be converted into a business, and later back again to a residence. A dwelling might be wholly preserved as completely original, but changes over time can also add to the story a home carries with it – like the racing and modification history of a car that is one-of-a-kind. So the exterior appearance, layout and amount of living space may change. It’s all part of the lifetime of a structure that transcends each individual owner.
We started the 908 Penniman Project 3 years ago and are happy to report that the renovation is now finished. Originally built in 1910, this downtown Plymouth home has seen many changes over the past century. Most people will remember 908 Penniman as Dr. Gary Krueger’s office, a very well-known local Chiropractor (now retired). We purchased the property from the Kruegers and have re-purposed the building for light office use. This wasn’t exactly a “restoration” project as the home was already highly modified as a doctors’ office with exam rooms, an x-ray machine room, etc. So without expanding the foot-print of the home, we changed the layout of the main floor, relocated the main entrance, uncovered and added additional windows, and replaced flooring, walls, fixtures, siding, gutters, doors, etc. It was an extensive renovation that included new electrical, plumbing, mechanical systems, kitchen and baths. The result is a completely updated office building with historical details and influences throughout. Some of the reclaimed items incorporated into the design of the building include vintage wall sconces, glass, and furniture. We also tried to source much of the material locally. For example, the porch railings were designed and fabricated in Detroit. With all the new builds and additions taking place in Plymouth and Northville, each project offers a great opportunity for the owners to create something lasting and uniquely their own.
– Patrick & Carrie
With the first six months of 2015 behind us, it’s a good time to look back and see how the market is doing vs. last year. In both the City and the Township of Plymouth, average prices are comparable to last year so the market appears to have plateaued this year after several years of steady increases. This has resulted in a more balanced market on the whole. There are of course homes that sell instantly with multiple offers at seemingly staggering prices. And of course the tear down/new construction activity in the City of Plymouth continues to be strong. But in terms of average pricing – things are beginning to stabilize when you look at the market as a whole. As always, homes with the best locations, in move-in ready condition, and with current materials/color choices will command the highest prices.
If you’d like to know how much your home is worth in today’s market, please contact BAKE Real Estate at 734-453-8080 and we’d be happy to come out and give you an expert assessment of the value of your home and how to navigate the process of transitioning from one home to the next.
In the year 1825 the first settlers put down roots in present day Plymouth. Those original settlers bear a familiar name that was given to one of Plymouth’s main thoroughfares – Starkweather. In March of 1825 William Starkweather purchased 240 acres of land from the United States Government. The Starkweather’s home was built at 557 North Mill Street in the heart of Historic Old Village after their only surviving son, George Anson Starkweather, bought what was then called ‘North Village’ in 1831. Plymouth’s Old Village has been known by many names over the years; today it’s also fondly referred to as Lower Town.
Plymouth was settled in 1825, was incorporated in 1867, and became a city in 1932. George Starkweather was responsible for bringing the railroad through Plymouth to drive more commercial traffic to his dry goods store located at the corner of Liberty and Oak (now Starkweather). Although the store does not remain, the Starkweather Legacy will continue.
In modern-day Lower Town there is history all around the business district and residential sections. Some of the area’s most iconic buildings line Liberty Street. Here you’ll find Liberty Street Brewing, Hermann’s Olde Town Grille, Urban Roots Salon & more in older, historic brick buildings. Some of the oldest residential structures in Plymouth exist in Lower Town as well.
A large part of Plymouth’s history involves the Daisy Manufacturing Company which produced the Daisy Air Rifle. Clarence Hamilton established the Plymouth Iron Windmill Factory in 1882 which in time began to sell more Daisy Air Rifles than windmills.
It seems every street and house has a long standing history in Plymouth’s Old Village. To learn more about Plymouth’s long and interesting history, visit the Plymouth Historical Museum’s website or the Margaret Dunning Memorial Building which currently houses the Plymouth Historical Museum located at 155 S. Main Street in Downtown Plymouth.
The attitude in Lower Town when it comes to residential homes is unlike other areas of Plymouth – preservation & rehabilitation. The craftsmanship of the early 1900s was detailed and thorough and some of it remains in homes that are selling today. Modernization that remains true to the home’s original character merge the old world with the new in such a pleasing way; original window casements and trim, wide & welcoming front porches, and refinished original hardwood floors are just some ways the residents of Lower Town are rehabilitating their century-old dwellings to appeal to today’s homebuyers. Some recent sales indicating values are rising include:
643 Starkweather Street – This home features 1,530 sq. ft. with 4 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. It also has a detached 2-car garage and refinished original hardwood floors and staircase. The detailed woodwork in this home epitomizes the benefits of rehabilitating these older homes. Sold for $302,000 (listed at $289,000 and received multiple offers).
184 Caster Avenue – This home features 2,144 sq. ft. with 5 bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms. There is a detached 3-car garage with a carriage house apartment. The wood trim and floors throughout take you back to 1907 when the home was originally built in the heart of Old Village. Sold for $360,000.
Stephanie Brown, REALTOR
We now have a Notary Public in our office. If you need your signature notarized, please call us to set up an appointment.
