Candice Williams
The Detroit News
Jan. 25, 2026, 11:05 p.m. ET
Metro Detroit and the broader Michigan luxury home market remained active in 2025, as affluent buyers pursued larger homes, high-end amenities and scenic locations, pushing prices up for the state’s most desirable residences.
The most expensive property in the state sold for $12.8 million, according to Cotality, the Irvine, California-based data service. It was a sprawling estate in Superior Township east of Ann Arbor featuring an infinity pool, home theater and extensive grounds.
That marks a substantial increase over 2024’s most expensive home, which sold for $7 million. In fact, all 10 of last year’s priciest Michigan homes topped $7 million.
Northern Michigan saw strong sales, with high-end lakefront properties including a $10.5 million home on Lake Charlevoix in Hayes Township and an $8.6 million estate on Torch Lake in Forest Home Township. In addition to the Superior Township property, a couple of other homes in southeast Michigan made the top 10, including two residences in Orchard Lake Village that sold for $9.5 million and $8.7 million.
“In 2025, we had some remarkable luxury sales,” said Dan Gutfreund of Signature Sotheby’s International Realty, listing agent for the home in Superior Township. “My business grew 40%. I think we had a significant amount of cash buyers coming out of the woodwork.”
In 2025, Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw and Livingston counties totaled 1,270 homes that sold for more than $1 million, according to data from Realcomp. That’s a 15.6% increase over the year before.
There has been an influx of people buying summer homes from Chicago, Ohio, as well as from Atlanta and California, Gutfreund said. Toward the core of the state, like the Grand Rapids and southeast Michigan areas, last year’s high-end home purchases were mostly full-time residential.
“We do get a lot of people coming in from out of state for the Big Three automotive and OEM suppliers to automotive,” Gutfreund said. “So I do handle a lot of relocation, and they’re coming in and they’re buying, I call it between $3 million to $4 million and change, give or take. But the more luxury homes that I sold in the past year have been to residents in Michigan upgrading to larger spaces.”
Frank Tarala, broker with Macomb County-based Sire Realty Services, said luxury homes are increasingly defined by special features such as resort-style pools, elaborate theater rooms, high ceilings and grand windows, rather than just price or cost per square footage.
He said older, well-crafted custom homes with high-end finishes draw attention, while newer homes with grand features such as tall windows and ceilings draw buyers.
“On that million-dollar market, people like doorways,” he said. “They like taller windows on a house. They want nine-foot ceilings. Those kind of features really add to the elegance of a room.”
Gutfreund said the real estate market continues to reflect how the pandemic changed the way people view their living spaces.
“They want offices versus living rooms,” he said. “They want indoor-outdoor living spaces so that they can entertain. As the summer months get warmer, they can open up door walls, and they can have that indoor-outdoor integrated space. They have now wellness centers in homes where they have cold plunge, infrared saunas and workout spaces.”
The luxury market is no longer seeing buyers willing to pay over asking price, said Jill Garvey, senior vice president and senior wealth strategist for Huntington Bank. She considers the luxury market to start at around $2 million in Michigan.
The volume continues to remain low in the luxury market space, she said. Those who choose to buy may consider paying cash when interest rates are in the 6% range. People will either make large down payments or opt for an all-cash purchase, depending on how their other investments are performing.
“It’s a multi-faceted decision that they are not looking at in a vacuum,” she said. “They are weighing and balancing the effect of that total mortgage payment, the principal and interest payment on the entirety of their financial situation. And that’s prudent to do.”
Some homeowners may not sell if their home’s mortgage interest rate is below 3%, she said. Others, however, may be looking for a change and want to capitalize on the equity their home has gained.
“We continue to see individuals, even in the luxury space, who are keeping their homes,” she said. “Those who are in a position to downsize — whether they are moving to another state or they are downsizing locally, those are the individuals who have been and will continue to put their homes on the market.”
Donald Fedrigon, broker of Re/Max of Elk Rapids, said because he works with buyers of secondary homes, they tend to be more deliberate about when they decide to buy. He said he had his best year ever in 2025 in northern Michigan real estate, particularly in the Grand Traverse region, which includes Elk Rapids, Torch Lake, Elk Lake and Grand Traverse Bay.
“They buy when things are right in their world,” he said. “And that can be a process that can take years, or it can take a few days, depending on how things are in their world and how motivated they are.”
Pat Leavy of Kidd and Leavy Real Estate in northern Michigan said home sales performed well as early as January and February in 2025, as buyers felt more confident entering the market after the presidential election.
“I think a lot of people were trying to figure out what was happening with the election,” he said. “And then once they figured out what was happening with the election, the buyers’ confidence got stronger.”
Leavy works in the Golden Triangle of Lake Charlevoix, Bay Harbor and Harbor Springs and said people are seeking secondary homes in the area for the amenities its offers, including boating, skiing, golf and dining. It’s about “slowing life down and enjoying it,” he said.
Here are the 10 priciest homes sold in Michigan in 2025:
- 11439 Marquette Drive, New Buffalo Township
Sold for: $7.45 million
This seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom home sits on 100 feet of pristine Lake Michigan frontage in the Riviera community.
- 549 Harbor Beach Circle, Harbor Springs
Sold for: $7.9 million
This four-bedroom, six-bathroom home includes 166 feet of Lake Michigan frontage and is a short bike ride from downtown. The 6,761-square-foot residence features wide-plank white oak flooring, a kitchen outfitted with custom cabinetry, and a walkout lower level.
- 11561 Marquette Drive, New Buffalo Township
Sold for: $8.076 million
This 5,532-square-foot, five-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom home sits on 100 feet of Lake Michigan frontage in the Riviera community. The Cape Cod–style residence includes a great room with a stone fireplace, an open kitchen with professional-grade appliances, and indoor-outdoor living spaces that include a lakefront terrace and private beach cabana.
- 11791 Marquette Drive, New Buffalo Township
Sold for: $8.5 million
This eight-bedroom, seven-full and one-half-bathroom home sits on 100 feet of Lake Michigan frontage in the Riviera community. Completed in 2020, the home features large windows overlooking the lake, a chef’s kitchen and a full butler’s pantry.
- 133 N. East Torch Lake Drive, Forest Home Township
Sold for: $8.6 million
This eight-bedroom, 10-bathroom estate sits on a 3.5-acre wooded property with 139 feet of Torch Lake frontage. The nearly 12,000-square-foot home includes a kitchen with high-end appliances, spa-like primary suite, multiple fireplaces, a walkout lower level with recreation space and a private guest apartment.
The home was built by Ken VanHouten, an in-demand builder in the area, said Donald Fedrigon, broker of Re/Max of Elk Rapids, who listed the property. “It had acreage and had a lot of woods and just some really nice features, saunas, hot tubs, very nice landscaping,” he said. “It came furnished, (with) boats. Everything was turnkey, and that’s quite appealing.”
- 3251 W. Shore Drive, Orchard Lake Village
Sold for: $8.67 million
This 11,518-square-foot home has five bedrooms, seven full and three partial baths, and overlooks Orchard Lake from its own private peninsula. While marketing the property, Kathy Broock of Max Broock Realtors told The Detroit News that homes with that level of waterfront are rare. She listed the property with Helen Reasoner. “I don’t know of many properties in the state of Michigan that have over 1,600 feet of waterfront on an inland lake in particular,” Broock said.
- 1201 Shores Drive, Bay Harbor
Sold for: $8.73 million
This five-bedroom, eight-bathroom home sits on 125 feet of secluded frontage on the west shore of Bay Harbor Lake. A complete renovation and expansion in 2022 included new siding, windows and roof, a new dock, and in-ceiling exterior heaters. Interior updates include new flooring, completely redesigned kitchen and bathrooms and a significant addition to the top floor.
- 4790 Dow Ridge Road, Orchard Lake Village
Sold for: $9.5 million
This five-bedroom, seven-bathroom estate sits on all-sports Cass Lake. Built in 2000 and designed by Bloomfield Hills architect Lou DesRosiers, the 14,000-square-foot home features a unique solid brass elevator originally from Detroit’s J.L. Hudson department store. Jeff Barker of Max Broock Realtors in Birmingham, who listed the home with Matt Barker, told The News the property isn’t just a home, but a lifestyle.
- 10170 Anglers Cove, Hayes Township
Sold for: $10.5 million
This seven-bedroom, six full and two half-bathroom home sits on seven acres with 638 feet of Lake Charlevoix frontage. The master suite includes a fireplace, covered porch overlooking the water, master bath and glass-shelved closets. The west wing has a mother-in-law suite with full kitchen, fireplace, laundry and an additional covered porch with lake views. “It’s very soft-spoken, but when you go inside, it truly is over the top with finishes that are professionally done,” said listing agent Pat Leavy of Kidd and Leavy Real Estate.
- 4000 Vorhies Road, Superior Township
Sold for: $12.8 million
This four-bedroom, seven-bathroom home sits on 16 secluded acres east of Ann Arbor. The more than 16,000-square-foot house, designed by W. Keith Owen, features two kitchens, a movie theater and an infinity pool with a built-in hot tub. “That was a really unique offering where you had really ultra-high-end luxury living that was adjacent to a farm that was incorporated into the entire … structure,” said Dan Gutfreund of Signature Sotheby’s International Realty, listing agent for the home.