[rainbowlady]

We are looking for a summer home and possibly winter getaway home, and eventual retirement home in Northern Michigan, possibly the U.P.

We are looking for enough land to be private, if possible some lake frontage (on the great lakes).

We do have 4 kids and need some room. We would prefer to get a place already built.

Does anyone have any ideas on where I should be looking?

Sue

[windfarmer]

Great choice! I love the U.P. and I've never even been there yet. It's so nice and rural, peaceful, and full of bodies of water. I've heard Marquette is a nifty community, as is Houghton.
Moderator cut: links to real estate sites removed

I'm planning to head up there next spring/summer.

[bryan61]

Delta county, Garden and Stoninton Peninsulas. Superiors to cold, Lake Michigan seems to warm up quicker especillay in Big and Little bays de noc. Either that or the Lake Michigan coastline from Escanaba to Menominee. While the inland lakes are mostly in the Hiawatha Natl forest 6 major rivers pass through Delta county on the way to the lake so there is alot of riverfront property that might peak your interest.

[rainbowlady]

What should I be looking at in price range....???

How does the UP differ from the LP price-wise?

I have been thru much of the UP, up in the Keewanaw, Copper Harbor, driven to the Soo (a few times), and my family has a cottage in Cheboygan.

I'm not totally knowledgable, but not totally clueless either....

Sue

[bryan61]

I suppose that would depend on what you mean by summer home. On Greenbay between Escanaba and Menominee you can get 100 to 200 feet of shore line with a manufactured or framed ranch with a garage for between 150 and 200k. On the stonington and more likely Garden peninsulas you might beable to find and older more rustic type of dwelling for less maybe 80 to 150. If you fidn something on a river that would be even less expensive

[tkbestlvrest]

Canadian Lakes Michigan is a great area in west Central michigan if you are into golfe. You have the feel of spacious country with the conviences of the city close by tkbestlvrest

[suz7731]

Originally Posted by bryan61

Delta county, Garden and Stoninton Peninsulas. Superiors to cold, Lake Michigan seems to warm up quicker especillay in Big and Little bays de noc. Either that or the Lake Michigan coastline from Escanaba to Menominee. While the inland lakes are mostly in the Hiawatha Natl forest 6 major rivers pass through Delta county on the way to the lake so there is alot of riverfront property that might peak your interest.

this is where i'm from. it's beautiful on this penninsula.

[Lindseyup67]

Lake Michigan is a filthy cesspool........everytime we go to Escanaba or elsewhere and stop it is a mess......Lake Superior, on the other hand, is clear,cold and beautiful.

[Rapunzll]

Originally Posted by Lindseyup67

Lake Michigan is a filthy cesspool........everytime we go to Escanaba or elsewhere and stop it is a mess......Lake Superior, on the other hand, is clear,cold and beautiful.

Wow, that must be peculiar to that area as it isn't normal for the west coast of the state.

Although it made big news in the last week when garbage washed up on the shore. It appeared to come from WI.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by Lindseyup67

Lake Michigan is a filthy cesspool........everytime we go to Escanaba or elsewhere and stop it is a mess......Lake Superior, on the other hand, is clear,cold and beautiful.

Wow, so glad somebody told me this. After living by Lake Michigan for 20 years I was always under the assumption it was rather clean. Now I know it is a cesspool. I must be a sick individual then, because I rather like being close to a 22,000 square mile cesspool that is so clean and clear you can see bottom at some pretty impressive depths. Sure this last week has been a downer in my area (Ludington area) because of the crap that has washed in from WI. Hope they find out what caused it. Most of it has been cleaned up by now, so it is back to a nice clean body of water. I have also lived close to Lake Superior and that too is a great body of water. It is the clearest of the Great Lakes, but that in no way means the rest are filthy cesspools either.