Buying might indeed make sense, if you are SURE that you love the neighborhood and location and commute and you are sure that the building is constructed well, with good sound insulation so that you do not hear other units. I would sell first, with money in pocket before buying, but that is just me. If you are selling in a hot market, get your rela estate agent to stage your house so that you can bring in top dollar.
Check out property management companies and tell them what you are looking for. They do all the leg work and you just go tour. They get paid by the property owner when you sign the lease. This may be an easier way than just looking blindly.
Years ago, a roommate and I lived in Plymouth Green on the north side. We drove a mile to the North Campus parking lot to catch the campus bus and rode in and out every day. Parking was free and the buses ran at least every hour.
On the washer and dryer issue- could you buy an apartment size washer (connect to kitchen sink when needed) and a small electric dryer? we did this in our first small home and it worked very well.
Check Ann Arbor craigslist. I would second Ypsilanti. If you can catch a bus from Ypsi to downtown Ann Arbor, the UM owned buses are free, aren’t they? Some parts of Ypsi are sketchy, but the neighborhood near Depot Town isn’t too bad. My daughter rented there for a year without any problems.
dentmom, I’ve been commuting for the last few years and with the horrendous winters we’ve been having, I don’t want to have to do it anymore. That’s why I’m moving from where I’m currently living to Ann Arbor (normally only a 20-30 minute drive). Plus, if I don’t have to drive, we can be down to one car.
Ypsi is definitely an option near the border.
I will cruise through Craigslist.
rockymtn, I didn’t know that was a thing. I will definitely keep it in mind! I’ve heard of it for dishes but not washer/dryers.
Thanks for all the tips!
I had a portable washer many years ago. It could wash a pretty load. The only thing you may want to do is to check with management if it is allowed. In NYC some apartment buildings didn’t allow that because plumbing was too old to support it, and they are also concerned with potential flooding.
romani- If you’re interested in buying something, I would look into the married student housing for the first year anyway. Your partner will need to find a job and become comfortable in it, and its location may influence where you buy. Also, income is really an important factor in getting a loan, and being on the job for awhile will help.
You don’t need to rush into anything. Go slow, scope out the area, makes some new friends and get the advice of the locals before you commit to a long-term situation. Jmho
All good ideas, moonchild.
Lots to think about. Good problems to have but lots to think about 
@romanigypsyeyes - This is going to sound weird, but I have known a lot of med students/residents/interns at U of M who had bought condos during their stay in Ann Arbor. A lot of them start selling and moving in April and May. If you have any contacts at the med school, you might ask around to see if there are any possibilities there.
You might want to post on the University Of Michigan forum.
I’d considered that, dadinator, except the vast majority of undergrads aren’t buying places
Ok, I’m sure you know that you have a bit of a challenge here.
Housing in AA is very tight. I see that you already know the rents in AA are “atrocious.” It is also late in the season to be looking for a rental for next year.
I’m sure you know that the cost of purchasing in AA is also very high.
I don’t envy you here. It’s a great town, but the housing situation is really bad. More and more high end apartments are going up, but they are renting for about $1,000 a month per tenant.
Maybe the idea of renting in Ypsilanti for a year isn’t such a bad one (except for the drive in the winter). Then you would have time to make a more informed decision.
Sorry for being such a Debbie Downer. I really do wish you the best of luck.
Can’t you bus in from Ypsilanti???
And while I mentioned it earlier in the thread, I’ll second (or would that be “third” Scout’s comment regarding med students/residents - they really do try to unload in the spring/early summer.
No worries, dadinator. I’m a super realist and I’m probably the least optimistic about buying a place.
Commuting from Ypsi via bus is super doable.
My dad owned his own plumbing company before his car accident many years ago. He still knows a few places where he did the plumbing in the Ypsi/AA area. He’s going to call on them and just see what, if anything, is or might be available.
I do have friends in the med school including a few that are in their last year. I will reach out to them and see if they know of any tips.
@romanigypsyeyes - You might want to ask them about Knightsbridge Circle. If med school students and residents are buying condos that might be where they are buying. Maybe… what do I know?
@dadinator will do!
I looked into family student housing. The rates were actually much more reasonable than I would’ve expected. There are two big problems: no pets 
and it looks like the housing is very limited (meaning they often have a waitlist). However, it seems like a very good back-up plan or one year plan if needed. Thanks for the suggestion
So for what it’s worth, it looks like buying a house is the way that I’m going to have to go. I have emailed probably close to 20 places that claim to be “dog friendly” and every single one has said no pit or pit-mixes. I am clearly not giving up my dog.
I am so frustrated. Last night I wanted to cry because I am so sick of the doggy discrimination. The only thing my dog can hurt is a tennis ball.
@romanigypsyeyes, I was just going to post that you might have a really big problem trying to rent with a pit or pit mix. I know that it can be an insurance problem for many landlords who would personally be willing to accept well-behaved pits. The same thing goes for Rotties, Dobermans, and GSDs, but it’s the worst for pits. You might also have a problem with fostering and even adoption, both from the rescues, if you rent, and from the landlords.
As a dog lover, I agree that this stinks. It is, however, the reality. When my S’s godfather was looking for an apartment up here that would accept his dog, we ran into this a lot. (She’s a Tibetan Spaniel/Lhasa Apso mix, and ironically far more likely to bite a stranger than any of the pit mixes I know.) But the landlords would not be covered by their insurance companies in the event that a dog bite turned out to involve one of the banned breeds.
I wish there was a dislike button.
On the subject of buying, be aware that your relatives may well have to sign something specifying that your down payment is a gift, not a loan, in order for you to get a mortgage. We did this with my parents when we bought our first house. We paid them and the mortgage with no problem, but we wouldn’t have gotten the mortgage without it.
Oh thanks for the tip, consolation, about the money aspect.
I completely understand the pit thing because it’s almost always the insurance company not the landlord. I still hate it.
(On a funny note, one place had a 50 lb limit and also banned St Bernards…)
I’ve found a few affordable places in Ypsilanti on the bus line. We’re lucky in that really our only expenses will be food and housing related bills. My car is paid off and it’s super cheap for insurance. Health insurance is paid by university. Partner has loans but they’ll be paid off quickly and mine are in grace.
The other issue is that we don’t know what kind of job he’ll have so we’re kinda stuck until we have his income. My sister lives near AA and offered to let us rent with her until we get a place lined up. That’s quite a help and I’m so lucky to have a strong network of help around me.
I also would recommend being closer to Ypsi. Off campus student housing was booked last October/November so finding something for the 2 of you close in will probably be difficult. If you take Packard away from campus towards Ypsi there is an apartment building that I think has reasonable rents. I’ll try to find the name for you. What are you looking to spend if you rent?