Moving to Saline (Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Tecumseh: hotel, houses, neighborhoods)

[rickabrie]

Hi there! My husband, 9 year old daughter and myself are moving to Saline. My husband got a great job in Ann Arbor, however we are looking to a smaller town like Saline for living.

My questions are related to schooling, activities, nice/not so nice areas, and housing. My daughter is in fourth grade and will start in January. We are avid outdoor enthusiasts, snow or no snow. I am so nervous and excited about the move.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

[Coldjensens]

Does Saline have not so nice areas? I suppose it would not be very pleasant to be too Close to Michigan Avenue due to traffic/noise issues. It is a small town, secluded, everyone knows your business (which is both good and bad depending on whether you are a parent or a kid/teen), the schools are highly regarded. Saline is getting down into the michigan flatlands. There are still lots of outdoor activities, but there are more and more as you go North.

You might want to take a look at Chlesea too. Maybe Tecumseh and Dexter as well. They are all great Ann Arbor suburbs with great schools. The others are a bit more quaint than Saline. Tecumseh is really secluded IMO, even ore so than Saline. Chelsea is probably the prettiest and maybe the most outdoor beauty as well.

Dundee right near saline is home to Cabellas which used to be the worlds largest outdoor outfitters store and a tourist attraction. Now, giant Cabellas are all over, still it is fund to visit. there is an indoor water park in a hotel next door to Cabellas. Neat place to be near.

[johnr83]

I just want to add, if you move to the "township" portions of Saline and surrounding areas, the new developments can give you more bang for your buck, taxes are lower, and you won't have everyone knowing your business as opposed to the older, legacy "cities." The tradeoff is a more generic suburban experience. No matter where you live though, you're probably going to be doing most of your shopping in the more suburban areas anyway.

[Ann Arbor]

Saline sounds like it would be a good fit for your family. It basically has everything that you are looking for. The schools in Saline are top-notch, and on GreatSchools.org, they receive 8/10 - 10/10 ratings. The town is a very close-knit community, with a quaint downtown. Almost all of the homes in Saline are in newer subdivisions, making it a very safe environment for children. For cultural events, sports games, and shopping, Ann Arbor's amenities are about 15 minutes away (depending on where in Ann Arbor you are going to and where in Saline you live).

However, keep in mind that Saline is not very diverse (only 2% African American and 3% Asian, for example), and you may find it already well-established with cliques and friendships considering the small town atmosphere. This just depends on what you are looking for; small towns work great for some families and not-so-well for others. If this description does not fit what you are looking for, consider Ann Arbor for more diversity and more of an urban feel.

Regarding the outdoors, there are several nice places to spend time outdoors in the Ann Arbor area. In Saline, there is Curtiss Park (Curtiss Park - City of Saline, Michigan), and in Ann Arbor, there are a several parks, such as Gallup Park (on the Huron River), Dolph Nature Area, and, though not necessarily a park, Nichols Arboretum. Outside of this area, within a 40 minute drive of Saline, there are nature areas such as Pinckney State Recreation Area, Waterloo State Recreation Area, Brighton State Recreation Area, and Huron Meadows Metro Park.

If you are interested, a few other towns like Saline that are outside of Ann Arbor are Dexter and Chelsea, which are 15 and 20 minutes away from downtown Ann Arbor, respectively.

Good luck with your move and welcome to Michigan!

[ourdayhascome]

Welcome to Saline! You will love it here. There really isn't a "bad" area of Saline. I can make some recommendations on housing areas if you are willing to share your price range.

In general, housing downtown in the older neighborhoods is slightly less expensive but has higher property taxes. The perks of the downtown area is being able to walk to restaurants, city events, the library and the farmers market. Downtown would also be the closest area to the school your daughter will be attending(all fourth graders attend the same school).

There are some neighborhoods (like Warner Creek) that are on the Ypsilanti border so closer to US-23 and 94 access.

There are many houses that would give you more of a country feel too if that is your preference.

Saline has a rec center and a community education program that will have plenty to offer your family. The rec center has a variety of fun activities throughout the year that include; superheros night, movies in the park, cardboard boat races, and events for every holiday.

I'd be happy to answer any other questions you may have. I've lived in Saline for 3 years.