Single-family homes

Chelsea. Chelsea’s historic core has little recent construction. There are small farm structures from Chelsea’s earliest days, expansive multistory Victorian homes, and smaller family homes, many built by German immigrants, that include interesting woodwork and stonework. Substantial houses from the 1920s and 1930s line streets close to downtown. Older family homes fetch $165,000 to $300,000. Historic showpieces sell for $300,000 and up. Around Washington and Flanders are starter homes from several previous eras, including ranches and Sears houses, with some contemporary homes, for $150,000 to $250,000. Baby-boom-era subdivisions begin just north of the railroad tracks and east of Main. This is a well-established, family-oriented area, with shade trees. The ranches and split-levels list from $175,000 to $228,000. On the west side, most of the ranches and Cape Cods have long-term owners and sell infrequently, for $155,000 to $245,000.

Newer subdivisions. Newer homes around the edge of the city include colonials, farmhouse-style homes with porches, split-levels in Belser Estates, and homes for $190,000 and up in Chelsea Meadows. Northeast of town is Heritage Pointe ($220,000–$244,900). Off North Territorial Rd., Inverness Woods ($326,000–$368,400) features two-story homes on one-acre lots. Creek Side Court has ranches starting at $230,000. Chelsea Ridge offers 59 quarter-acre home sites ($250,000 & up), and Chelsea Fairways has golf course views or frontage on Pierce Lake ($250,000 & up). Luxury developments include Upland Hills, with 20 large custom-built houses on two-acre-plus lots ($385,000 and up).

Country living. The rolling lands around Chelsea have been intensively farmed since the mid-19th century. Area builders have erected modular Cape Cods ($180,000 & up), new contemporary and colonial designs ($225,000–$300,000), and a few architect-designed showpieces. Some custom-built homes are selling for $250,000 to $600,000. At Cavanaugh Lake, recent listings have ranged from $330,000 to $1.2 million with lake frontage, $300,000–$800,000 without. Cavanaugh Lake Farms, between Cavanaugh and Crooked lakes, has homes starting at $500,000. To Chelsea’s northwest, houses set among Lyndon Township’s rolling hills and small lakes range from $175,000 to $400,000.

Next Section: Chelsea lodging