Novi or South Lyon? (Ann Arbor, Livonia: houses, neighborhoods, school districts)

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

My wife and I are planning on moving from Livonia to Novi or South Lyon in a few months. The main reason we are moving is to get into a better school district (currently in Clarenceville), but overall quality of life is very important to us as well.

We are looking at homes up to the $180K range. In Novi, the 10 and Meadowbrook area is where we would most likely end up. The subs seem nice, and it is a good location in terms of freeways, shopping, etc.

We looked in South Lyon last weekend and loved the rural feel and the quaint downtown. We were looking at houses about a mile from the downtown area.

From looking at the data, it appears that both school districts are excellent and very close to each other (Novi is ranked 12th out of 619, and South Lyon is 22nd) in regards to performance.

Does anyone who lives in or is familiar with either area have any advice or info they could share? Information on schools (our son is 2, so he won't be starting regular school for a few years), neighborhoods, traffic, crime, etc. would be extremely helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[ram2]

I prefer South Lyon

[Coldjensens]

They are pretty different communities.

Novi is suburbia that grew up around a mall. It has no town, no historic area it is all new. Almost entirely subdivisions and strip malls. Mostly McMansions. It is very nice, clean, and busy. Schools are great. They have a decent hospital (which you will use if you live in South Lyon). It has a very large mall (12 oaks) and multiple stip malls/shopping centers nearby. It gets a lot of traffic due to theis and due to the convergence of four major freeways. It does not have a super stong identiy or sense of community. Still it is a very nice place to live if you like soulless suburbia.

South Lyon is a small town that grew up. It still has a bit of the small town charm left, but much of it was destroyed by "modernization". Still there is some quaintness to the town and a few historic homes and stores (it is not Northville or Plymouth, but is nice in parts) Schools are very good as you know. South Lyon was the hose capital of the United States in the 1970s and 1980s (according ot the almanac). However now the pastures are mostly subdivisions. However South lyon still hangs on to some of its small town historic heritage. They have some quaint festivals, parades and the like. There is a decent sense of comunnity there.

I grew up outside of south Lyon and my dad still lives there. It takes him 4 hours to go grocery shopping becuase he constantly runs into people he knows. Most store owners know him by first name and greet him when he comes in (not counting McDonalds, Kroger Sav-on and those types of places, but he does nto go to those places ften). It still has some small town atmosphere. It also has a local newspaper (South Lyon Hearld). It is a decent paper that once featered a few articles about or by - ME! (So it must be a good paper, or was 25 years ago).

Right now, I believe that the new South Lyon East high school is better and nicer than south lyon high school, but there is not a great deal of difference between them. Both are great schools. South lyon East is out in Lyon Township, not in the City of South Lyon. It is ugly on the outside, but fantastic inside.

Part of South lyon, and especially Lyon township still have a sort of rural feel to them. You can still find acreage and horses and dirt roads.

Generally, in, considering South Lyon, people consider all of the south lyon school district which includes South Lyon, Lyon township (including New Hudson), Salem and the Silver Lake area - or at least part of it. South Lyon is farily close to Kesington Metropark. (Novi is just a little bit further). If you live in South Lyon you will shop in Novi for the things that you cannot find in town (or in Milford). South Lyon does not get the traffic that Novi does, but it also has less going on. Not much in the way of bars, resturuants and shopping. Basics are available and there are some neat shops in town, but it is nto a shopping mecca like Novi.

Between the two for a fmaily I woudl choose South Lyon, but if I were single or a DINK, I woudl choose Novi. Novi is fine for families and has slightly better schools on paper, but it is not my cup of tea. I prefer a quiter place with more down to earth people (less competetiveness and materialism). Again not a huge difference, but Suth Lyon has a bit of an edge imo. BEsides, since I went to school there, I have more connection to South Lyon, so obviously I have a somewhat slanted viewpoint (although Novi was where we "hung out" in high school when we were not "cruising" Pontiac trail in South Lyon or terrorizing Ann Arbor).

If you are just going to live in a subdivision, it will not really make any difference. You could go to either place and live exactly the same in a simlar subdivision. UNless you live in town, or in a seperate home, or on Silver Lake, there is not much difference. They are close enough together that you cna go to one, as easily as to the other (we were 4 miles from South Lyon and about 6 from Novi).

Personally, in that area I would choose Northville. South Lyon and Milford woudl be tied next with South Lyon ahead for better schools and Milford ahead for a better town. Novi would be one of my last choices because I dislike McMansions, subdivisions, shopping malls and strip malls intensely and traffic makes me crazy. However if you like those things, Novi is ideal.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Thanks for your input, Coldjensens. You actually confirmed a lot of our initial impressions of both communuties. And I definitely got that sense of community while wandering around the town of South Lyon. Everyone we passed smiled and said hello. What a concept!

Really our biggest concern with South Lyon is the commute. I work in Farmington Hills which wouldn't be bad, but my wife is in Canton (Michigan and Beck), which on paper looks like a nasty slog. But she has been looking for a new position and likely will not be there much longer.

[Coldjensens]

Canton is an easy commute, IMO.

You can go to the 14 and over to 275 then south to Canton, or you can just go straight down the surface streets (Beck or Sheldon, you could also take crrie to curtis and the cross over on maybe Plymouth road or somewhere in between). It is not neceesary to take a freeway at all an many of the smaller roads are pretty empty and have few lights and decent speed limits. You can also take 8 mile road over to 275, but that takes you thgouth some of the worst Novi/Northville traffic. If you are on the other side of South Lyon (west side) you would take the 23 to the 14 and come in the back way (from the west). From New Hudson area, you could take 96 in either direction and then go south on 23 or on 275.

I would have to look at a map to figure it out, but probably 8 mile to Beck and then south on Beck will be the easiest way. Unless you live out on 7mile or 6 mile, then obviously, you would be starting closer to her final destination.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by Arthur Digby Sellers

Thanks for your input, Coldjensens. You actually confirmed a lot of our initial impressions of both communuties. And I definitely got that sense of community while wandering around the town of South Lyon. Everyone we passed smiled and said hello. What a concept!

Not sure when you are moving, but if you want to meet people and get a feel for the community, got to pumpkin fest in the fall.

[tjtigers14]

ColdJensens you are amazing. I don't think anyone in the world could describe the difference between the two better. "Cruising Pontiac Trail"

Moderator cut: advertising

Anyway, I have to say that if you're going to move to South Lyon you should definitely choose a house as close to the "downtown" area as you can. I grew up in the Lyon Township / New Hudson area and I feel like I missed out on the whole experience of roaming around "uptown" and having everything within walking distance.

Good luck with your decision!

[tjtigers14]

However, I do have to disagree with ColdJensens on the harsh criticism of Novi. My family owns O'Brien Sullivan Funeral Home (Grand River and Meadowbrook) and I worked there for a long time. After seeing the residents of the town in the raw stages of grief, beyond the McMansions and 12 Oaks materialism, I have to say that they are just as lovable as good ol' South Lyoners. Also, my father is the maintenance guy at Holy Family Catholic Church and my Uncle is the head of the Novi Youth Assistance and in all my time spent in that city I really don't find it as cold as described.

And their new library is SICK. I went their today and I thought I was in the future. And the librarians were all super nice, very helpful. Oh, and that library doesn't make you pay $150 a year if you're a non-resident! I live in New Hudson and I can't use the Salem South Lyon District Library because I'm not technically a South Lyon resident, even though I went to South Lyon Schools for 13 years.

So I guess what I'm saying is both areas have their pros and cons. I am also slanted toward South Lyon (Northville's awesome too).

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Originally Posted by tjtigers14

ColdJensens you are amazing. I don't think anyone in the world could describe the difference between the two better. "Cruising Pontiac Trail"

Anyway I'm trying to get this site going: southlyonmich.com Trying to do some local SEO marketing but I also want to look at the history of South Lyon, I got a copy of the South Lyon Area Centennial in PDF form from the Salem South Lyon Library. Sorry for the shameless plug.

Anyway, I have to say that if you're going to move to South Lyon you should definitely choose a house as close to the "downtown" area as you can. I grew up in the Lyon Township / New Hudson area and I feel like I missed out on the whole experience of roaming around "uptown" and having everything within walking distance.

Good luck with your decision!

Thanks very much, TJ! I tend to agree with you when it comes to finding a house closer to downtown. The sub we like is about a minute drive from downtown, which I'm guessing would translate to a 5-7 minute bike ride or a 10-15 minute walk.

I agree with you on Novi. Their advantages are with amenities like libraries (which is very important to us) since they probably have a stronger tax base.

Northville is actually number 1 on our list, but we're pretty much priced out of that market for the size of home we're looking for.

[jonnynonos]

Did you look a lot in Northville? There are all ranges of houses available there. Look around Base Line and Horton, that entire area back there, northeast of the lake. It's a lot of the older homes, but they are still by and large nice. You might be able to find something in that range... you wouldn't have in 2007, probably, but these days, it's probably worth a look.