$572,124Average Value$319Average Price per Sq Ft9Homes For Sale
A walkable city suburb
With its quiet, shaded and walkable streets, Central seems miles away from the city. Truth is, it's less than a mile from Traverse City's downtown. In such close proximity, Central residents can enjoy a quick commute to and from work only to walk to dinner out with ease. Central's Bike Score is 95 out of a possible 100, designating it a "Biker's Paradise," and it's listed as "Very Walkable" with a Walk Score of 79 out of 100. “People looking for downtown properties are drawn to the walkability of this neighborhood,” says Mark Hogan, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Schmidt. “They want to walk or bike to work, to use public transit for groceries, or to stroll to a park—and they can certainly find all that here.”
Residents are only minutes from shopping, dining, parks and the Grand Traverse Bay.
Bike down the trails of Hannah Park in Downtown Traverse City.
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Historic homes
Central’s streets are gridded and tree-lined with well-maintained sidewalks. Some yards are fully fenced, but more common is partial fencing that surrounds the side and back yards and leaves the front yard open. Off-street parking is found in garages and driveways behind houses, accessible by alleys parallel to the main streets. Most houses are Queen Anne or Victorian styles, featuring gabled roofs and bay windows. Other houses are in the Craftsman style, with covered front porches perfect for entertaining. “Most Central houses were built from the turn of the century to the 1940s,” says Hogan. “Traverse City has gotten super popular in the past few years, so it’s definitely a seller’s market right now, and prices are rising.” Currently, Central's average house price ranges between $500,000 and $700,000.
The residential streets of Central neighborhood are green, quiet and shady.
Queen Anne and Victorian inspiration can be seen on every street in Central Traverse.
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BBQ, wings and whiskey
Several local restaurants are within walking distance of Central’s residential streets, including Blue Tractor Barbeque. Its building—built in 1886 as a bar called Novotny’s Saloon—was rebuilt in 1978 after a fire destroyed the original wood framing. Now, Blue Tractor is a popular restaurant known for its homestyle mac and cheese, pulled pork and fried pickles. Across the street, more formal fare with custom wine pairings can be found at Forrest, A Food Studio. Owned and managed by a local couple, this upscale restaurant is open on select days, offers communal seating and changes its fixed-price menu monthly. The restaurant posts its menu and reservation opportunities on the first of each month.
In the evenings, locals meet up at Brady’s Bar for casual drinks and a plate of the self-proclaimed “Best Wings in Traverse City.” Across the neighborhood on East Fourteenth Street, whiskey aficionados can sample Traverse City Whiskey Company’s distilled drinks or take a cocktail class and learn to mix premium cocktails at home. Shops, fitness studios and beauty salons line South Union Street. Locals get groceries at Tom’s Food Market, just south of Central, and make quick stops at Deering Meat Market or Oryana Community Co-op for specialty products.
You can grab a drink and head out to the patio to enjoy a cool evening with friends.
Residents can walk down Union St to Blue Tractor BBQ for ribs, pulled pork and more.
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Walk to school
Students may attend Central Grade School, graded A minus by Niche, West Middle School, graded B plus, and West Senior High School, graded A minus. The public elementary school, on Seventh and Pine streets, is within walking distance of many Central students’ homes. “Kids can walk to the public elementary or to several private and religious schools without leaving the neighborhood,” says Hogan. Alternative schools include St. Francis High School and TCAPS Montessori School, both graded B plus by Niche.
Central Grade School in Traverse City, MI.
TCAPS Montessori School in Traverse City, MI.
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Riverfront strolls
Hannah Park is just outside the neighborhood's boundaries on the west bank of the Boardman River, close to downtown. The park has sturdy platforms for fishing and several picnic benches scattered along the walking path. Following the walking path east leads to the Boardman Lake Trail, which encircles the lake and offers plenty of spots to sightsee and enjoy nice weather.
Hannah Park in Traverse City, MI.
The Boardman River runs along the north edge of Hannah Park and offers great fishing.
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Cherry Capital of the World
Known as the “Cherry Capital of the World,” Traverse City hosts the annual National Cherry Festival every June and July. With an average of nearly 500,000 visitors, the festival is a huge source of income for the city and surrounding areas. Most events are held at the Open Space Park, but satellite events are set up throughout the city. Over 100 events are held over the festival’s eight days. With community picnics, markets, orchard tours, pie-eating contests and even “Cherry-Pit-Spit” competitions, there’s plenty for locals and tourists to explore. There are also concerts held at the Pepsi Bayside Music State, with celebrity artists including the Goo Goo Dolls, T.I. and Stone Temple Pilots performing during the 2024 season. “The Cherry Festival is huge, and the organizers do a great job of getting locals involved,” says Hogan. “Young or old, everyone loves the concerts and events.”
Environmental factors
The moderating effects of nearby lakes mean that Traverse City maintains warm and mild summers, perfect for growing cherries and grapes, and cold winters, with snowfall generally occurring between November and April.
Grand Traverse Bay offers serene pleasure cruising, exciting water-sports and relaxing fishing.
Downtown and Grand Traverse Bay are just steps away from your door.
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Commuting and traveling
“Downtown isn’t that big, so people don’t have to commute far for work or shopping,” says Shawn Schmidt Smith, a realtor with Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors in Traverse City. With major employers like Munson Medical Center, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City Area Public Schools and Tyson Foods located in the city, many Central residents can walk or bike to work during warm months, as the city’s snowy winters make pedestrian commutes difficult. Bike-friendly routes are available along Sixth, Wadsworth and South Union streets, leading to West Front and Pine streets' dedicated bike lanes, which continue downtown.
Traverse City’s public transit bus system makes several stops in the Central neighborhood on South Union Street. For travel, Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) is close by—just under 6 miles east of Central and around a 10-minute drive. “I’m absolutely excited about the city’s growth,” says Hogan. “People have realized all that Traverse City has to offer.”
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Central, Traverse City sell after 50 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Central, Traverse City over the last 12 months is $498,000, down 17% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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