Need a good rental in a good school district (Detroit: homes, buying)

[scolls]

Grosse Pointe Woods is not further than Utica. Both are the same exact mileage and in fact it's a shorter drive from Grosse Pointe Woods since it is right on 94 vs taking Hall Rd. It's about a 10 mile shorter drive than Algonac and is all freeway. Prices have fallen in Grosse Pointe Woods and rentals are very affordable. St Clair Shores has plenty of 4 bedroom homes and their is marginal difference in schools. If you are a good parent your kids will do fine in either district.

[us66]

1. A four bedroom rental in Grosse Pointe Woods will not come cheap. There are some four bedroom bungalows (very small room sizes, though), on streets like Lancaster and Van Antwerp (those really goofy looking houses with the small front windows; a bunch of those have four). These are also in the G.P. School District.
2. The 15/Gratiot area really isn't that great. The Clintondale district is one of the weaker Clinton Township districts, along with Mount Clemens. Other districts in south Clinton are Fraser (okay) and L'Anse Creuse (also okay but some schools are nicer than others). I live in this district but I don't know much about it except that it's geographically huge and the school tax is cheap, and I've voted at S. River School, which is the nicest school building I've ever seen.
3. Most Macomb County districts are "School of Choice" districts, meaning you can live in the nastiest house in south Warren and still send your little ones to someplace like Utica.

[natenapril]

Originally Posted by scolls

Grosse Pointe Woods is not further than Utica. Both are the same exact mileage and in fact it's a shorter drive from Grosse Pointe Woods since it is right on 94 vs taking Hall Rd. It's about a 10 mile shorter drive than Algonac and is all freeway. Prices have fallen in Grosse Pointe Woods and rentals are very affordable. St Clair Shores has plenty of 4 bedroom homes and their is marginal difference in schools. If you are a good parent your kids will do fine in either district.

We are still looking in Grosse Pointe but it's not easy from here! LOL

Originally Posted by us66

1. A four bedroom rental in Grosse Pointe Woods will not come cheap. There are some four bedroom bungalows (very small room sizes, though), on streets like Lancaster and Van Antwerp (those really goofy looking houses with the small front windows; a bunch of those have four). These are also in the G.P. School District.
2. The 15/Gratiot area really isn't that great. The Clintondale district is one of the weaker Clinton Township districts, along with Mount Clemens. Other districts in south Clinton are Fraser (okay) and L'Anse Creuse (also okay but some schools are nicer than others). I live in this district but I don't know much about it except that it's geographically huge and the school tax is cheap, and I've voted at S. River School, which is the nicest school building I've ever seen.
3. Most Macomb County districts are "School of Choice" districts, meaning you can live in the nastiest house in south Warren and still send your little ones to someplace like Utica.

We live in Alaska now so cheap may be relative. What is considered cheap there? We are trying to stay in the 1200-1300 a month range for rent and hope to buy in that same range in a year after getting to know the area more.
IS a bungalow a single house? Or a small single house? When I look online it seems that a bungalow is a term used there for a single home, big or small.

[kayjay625]

There are quite a few families from Selfridge that live in Grosse Pointe. Official City Of Grosse Pointe, MI Website
We have a really good school district and a beautiful waterfront park. Very family friendly.

[us66]

Originally Posted by natenapril

We are still looking in Grosse Pointe but it's not easy from here! LOL




We live in Alaska now so cheap may be relative. What is considered cheap there? We are trying to stay in the 1200-1300 a month range for rent and hope to buy in that same range in a year after getting to know the area more.


IS a bungalow a single house? Or a small single house? When I look online it seems that a bungalow is a term used there for a single home, big or small.

The detached house rental market is strong. 1000 sf brick ranches with basements and garages occasionally hit the $1000/month mark in places like Roseville, Eastpointe, and St. Clair Shores. To buy in that price range really opens up things, however. That same $1000/month ranch house is probably only about $80K to purchase, however.

I realize the term "bungalow" means slightly different things in different housing markets. When I was mentioning bungalow houses in places like St. Clair Shores, Harper Woods, and Grosse Pointe Woods, I was referring to a smallish house nearly identical to the little green houses on the Monopoly board, one and one-half stories, 750 (if there's not a walk-up or finished second story)-1400sf (many have additions on the back). The overwhelming majority of these have finished second stories (nearly all were built with unfinished second stories and two downstairs bedrooms) providing usually one rather large but sometimes two quite small bedrooms and perhaps a small bathroom (more likely in better areas of HW, SCS, and GPW than E'pte and R'ville however).

There are other styles of bungalow more in line with what you'd find in places like prewar Chicago, Milwaukee, and Pasadena neighborhoods.

[natenapril]

Originally Posted by kayjay625

There are quite a few families from Selfridge that live in Grosse Pointe. Official City Of Grosse Pointe, MI Website
We have a really good school district and a beautiful waterfront park. Very family friendly.

That's what we are looking for!! We have always lived on base so living in a community with other military families is a perk!

Originally Posted by us66

The detached house rental market is strong. 1000 sf brick ranches with basements and garages occasionally hit the $1000/month mark in places like Roseville, Eastpointe, and St. Clair Shores. To buy in that price range really opens up things, however. That same $1000/month ranch house is probably only about $80K to purchase, however.

I realize the term "bungalow" means slightly different things in different housing markets. When I was mentioning bungalow houses in places like St. Clair Shores, Harper Woods, and Grosse Pointe Woods, I was referring to a smallish house nearly identical to the little green houses on the Monopoly board, one and one-half stories, 750 (if there's not a walk-up or finished second story)-1400sf (many have additions on the back). The overwhelming majority of these have finished second stories (nearly all were built with unfinished second stories and two downstairs bedrooms) providing usually one rather large but sometimes two quite small bedrooms and perhaps a small bathroom (more likely in better areas of HW, SCS, and GPW than E'pte and R'ville however).

There are other styles of bungalow more in line with what you'd find in places like prewar Chicago, Milwaukee, and Pasadena neighborhoods.

Thanks for the explanation of bungalow. It's definitely not used to describe houses up here!

[natenapril]

I also have a realtor sending listings from other areas. He sent one today that we really like in New Haven. It's a newer house that is for rent that we could possibly purchase in a year. Same commute time.

Any opinions on New Haven?

[Northsider 248]

Originally Posted by natenapril

I also have a realtor sending listings from other areas. He sent one today that we really like in New Haven. It's a newer house that is for rent that we could possibly purchase in a year. Same commute time.

Any opinions on New Haven?

Depends on what area of New Haven you're talking about. It's just about the oddest damn town there is. The northwest part - the "city" - is getting pretty run down; but there are alot of subdivisions surrounding it which are really nice and clean.

[natenapril]

Originally Posted by [JS]

Depends on what area of New Haven you're talking about. It's just about the oddest damn town there is. The northwest part - the "city" - is getting pretty run down; but there are alot of subdivisions surrounding it which are really nice and clean.

IT WAS one of the new subdivisions. A little pricey though. The house *looked* very nice but my DH would really like something with trees. SO we are probably going with Grosse pointe area.

Any one here have suggestions for a rental company? Ones to avoid? Ones that are good?
I am working with a realtor but maybe he is just sending his listings becuase he only had about 4 houses available.

[natenapril]

Bumping this up a little. I have about 4 weeks to pull off this move from AK to MI. Still looking at good school districts and any Locals advice on neighborhoods and school districts. THANKS!!