Livonia (Farmington Hills, Canton, Novi: best neighborhoods, sale, neighborhoods)

[LHeicher]

Any comments on Livonia? We are possibly moving there (job in Farmington Hills). Are the schools good? How about sports? Our kids are involved in soccer, basketball and lacrosse.

[YohnCarter]

Livonia has OK schools. Lots of they have everything you'd want in sports. Livonia in some ways is like a big city. Livonia borders some less affluent areas on the east and south. and wealthier areas on the West and North. It has cheap "low rent" neighborhoods and wealthier upper middle class areas. Old dive shopping centers and fancy upscale boutiques. Like Farmington, you'll get a lot more for your money, than going west into plymouth, northville, novi, or lyon township. But, you'll lose money down the road on the sale side. Livonia and Farmington and West Bloomfield are nice, but they are older suburbs in relative economic decline compared to Cities a little farther west. If you want the most bang for your buck now, Livonia, Farmington, or West Bloomfield are your best bet. If you want an area of continuing growth and prosperity that will be decent 20 years from now and is a good investment. I wouldn't touch any of the three. I be looking at Northville, Plymouth, Novi, Lyon Township or Brighton/Milford

[Coldjensens]

/\ /\ Pretty much nailed it. Maybe a little soft on the difference in schools. Left out Canton (prettymuch a yawn suburbia place, but newer, more upscale and with better schools in the Plymouth Canton school district - Canton is served by three districts.)

[zthatzmanz28]

Livonia is OK, but it feels stuffy to me. I will avoid the wonder bread simile. The schools are really pretty good when compared to others in Wayne County. I too would be looking more at South Lyon, Brighton, Milford/New Hudson areas.
All have good sport programs, most of the same amenities in the way of shopping / dining / recreation with less congestion--at least for now. I suppose the smart thing is to tell people how awful it is out here and how wonderful Wayne County is...

[Marty711]

Livonia isn't that exciting but there's nothing wrong with it. The best neighborhoods are around 275. The closer you are to there, the better. It has easy access to downtown and the entire metro area which I consider a big positive. The schools are pretty good as is their library system. It has plenty of shopping and restaurants in the area. Laurel Park Place and the nearby Twelve Oaks offer some upscale shopping.

As far as some of the other cities people mention, it really depends on preference. Livonia is decidedly more suburban and closer to the city. For many, that's a good thing. Others want to be farther out. Just depends on what you want.

[jonnynonos]

Lot of people sent their kids to St Mikes and other Catholic schools but the schools were fine. What you would expect from a solid middle class city. I think Stevenson was generally perceived as the most desirable public high school?