Community of the Month: Amber Oaks

This tranquil community north of Howell offers an affordable alternative to city living, off the beaten path. Learn more about Amber Oaks HERE ! 

Phase 3 of Amber Oaks has recently been released. Check out the fully furnished model home in this growing community.

Amber Oaks features tennis and basketball courts, picnic pavilions and countryside living where low taxes and access to small-town life and easy commuting are practical. Amber Oaks is close to M-59 and I-96, providing a middle ground between Ann Arbor, Lansing, and Detroit workers. Amber Oaks works well for partners who need to split commutes between different cities. Downtown Ann Arbor is 30 minutes away, downtown Lansing is 45 minutes away, and Detroit is one hour away.

Howell is a charming Main Street community listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 19th century Art Deco, Greek Revival, Italianate, and Queen Anne buildings are home to locally owned boutiques, antique shops, toy shops, home décor stores, theaters, bars and restaurants. In the summer and fall, local farms sell produce at an open-air farmer’s market in front of Howell’s courthouse. This community is near grocery stores, shopping malls and the Tanger Outlet Mall. The 270-acre Howell Conference and Nature Center hosts special events throughout the year, and its Wild Wonders Wildlife Park offers a safe, up-close way to observe the local animal and bird life. Within the city limits, recreation facilities include the Howell Aquatic and Fitness Center, an outdoor ice skating rink, a mix of athletic fields, a dog park, and the beach and boat launch at Howell City Park. The city celebrates its natural surroundings and vibrant downtown in several annual festivals, including a Balloon festival, the Melon Festival, a Halloween festival fondly called “The Legend of Sleepy Howell,” and a holiday parade in late November.

The Genoa Walking Trail provides miles of hiking, and golf is nearby at Chemung Hills Golf Course. State recreation areas, including Island Lake, Brighton, Proud Lake and Pinckney, are excellent for passive recreation options.

Howell Schools are known for getting parents and the community involved, and students at Howell High School perform consistently better on standardized tests than the state average. Children in Amber Oaks attend Voyager Elementary School, Highlander Way Middle School and Howell High School. According to bridgemi.com, the schools are ranked 215ths out of 507 districts.