Upstate SC to Detroit? (Ann Arbor, Livonia: transplants, apartment, rent)

[bv1039]

I've lived my whole life in SC with the exception of four college years in NW Indiana. Now I'm considering a job offer in downtown Detroit. Is that crazy? Pros? Cons? Where to live considering working downtown? buy? rent? detached home? condo/townhouse?

I'm in a domestic partnership. no children. 1 dog. 1 cat.

I'm intrigued by a possible move. On the other hand I'm scared to death of such a large city so far north (winter!!!) that has a somewhat tarnished reputation.

Advice?

[animatedmartian]

As far as the climate change, some people will get used to it, some people won't. Who knows, you might come to enjoy the white powdery stuff.

As far as housing, what do you prefer? Townhouse, condo, apartment, or house? Have a certain price range? Specific commute distance? Most people rent before they buy so they get a feel for the area.

Detroit is notorious for its high crime rate, but for the most part, downtown and a few select neighborhoods are just as safe as any suburbs. Speaking of suburbs, Ferndale and Royal Oak are the more LGBT-friendly communities if you prefer to live in one.

The only cons would be if you can't find what you're looking for which really depends on how picky you are.

[belleislerunner]

You'll get over the climate pretty quickly - it's not as bad as you think. Detroit only gets maybe 3-5 heavy snowstorms a year - otherwise it's an inch here an inch there. The beauty about Detroit's location is its only 4 hrs to Chicago and Toronto - so you have plenty of cities to visit for weekends - or 3 hrs to the beaches of Lake Michigan. The crime in Detroit is largely relegated to victim on victim crime (i.e. drug deals gone bad/domestic relationships) and it's very rare for a random stranger to be subject to it - other than the smash and grab if you leave your gym bag in plain sight.

There's a new dog park opening in Detroit in the spring - Detroit Dog Park by Detroit Dog Park — Kickstarter - so that should be fun. As for a job downtown - congrats. Most of the LGBT life is centered around Midtown/Ferndale and Royal Oak like Animated mentioned. www.pridesource.com is the weekly newspaper so that can help give you some pointers. You'll find housing relatively inexpensive in Metro Detroit - you can get a nice home for 150K nowadays - not sure how that relates to Greenville. This website does a good job of highlighting the various neighborhoods/housing stocks you can choose from.

Hopefully those 4 years in NW Indiana weren't at Notre Dame - boy did they get a spanking =) Congrats on the new gig!

[rdub1968]

Originally Posted by belleislerunner

You'll get over the climate pretty quickly - it's not as bad as you think. Detroit only gets maybe 3-5 heavy snowstorms a year - otherwise it's an inch here an inch there.

You'll get over it if you don't mind cold weather. I lived in MI for 40+ years, and now live in the Charlotte area - across the border in SC. I hated the cold my entire life and will never move back.

The cold is bad - it can be below freezing for weeks and you will not see any snow. On top of that, you may not see the sun for over a week at a time. From November to April, you will be living in an area that has very little life regarding trees and plants. Depending on where you are in upstate SC, be warned. The people on the road are not nearly as nice as in SC - if you want to get into a lane either during a merge or from a parking lot, people are not as willing to wave you in. You will definitely encounter some culture shock.

As long as you stay away from most of the neighborhoods in Detroit, you will be OK. The suburbs are nice if you don't mind the commute. There are a lot of really good restaurants in the metro Detroit area - a lof of good ethnic restaurants.

Bottom line is - if you are not a cold weather person, you will be miserable. A large pay increase may not be enough to compensate for this.

[zthatzmanz28]

South Carolina to the big D? As for living, I would look at the Royal Oak area. A quick ride on Woodward to downtown Detroit. Downtown has some nices hosing but you will probably be driving to Royal Oak / Ferndale for events and entertainment.

The cold is relative. It will be the snow that gets you. Though we usually average a few inches at a time. it does have a tendency to stick around. Remember here we drive in 6, 10 even 12 inches of the stuff if we have to--unlike NC / SC where life comes to a stand still with just one inch.

As for working in Detroit, it will probably be a blast.

[Coldjensens]

Living in cold is up to you. Some people embrace winter and look forward to it. Others hate it and even fear it. They often take the attitude winter is something you just "get through" They spend half their lives just "getting through" THat is a terrible way to live. If you embrace winter, this is a great place to live.

For me it is a mix. Last year I was dreading winter. I di dnto want to deal with it. I tried to set up as much work in Claifornia as possible. This year I am really enjoying winter a great deal. It varies from one ear otthe next, but it is really all about your attitude and approach.

As far as driving, the roads are usually clear and relatively dry a day after a snow. There are times you will need to drive during or immediately after a snow storm, but not too many. THere are some days with black ice conditions, but that is even more rare.

Detroit is a neat city to work in. I work downtown. There is a lot of stuff going on downtown all the time. I woudl at least seriously consider living downtown or mid town if I did not have kids. Mid town has a pretty low crime rate. Downtown is not bad either. It is the surrounding parts of the city that cna be dangerous. For the most part, avoid selling or buying drugs, sex, or guns and you should not have any problems. The odds of being a vicitm of a random crime are pretty low.

THere are a lot of great suburbs, especially for famiy life. Some are decent for single, or dink life. Most are listed above. Ann Arbor is probably the best IMO, but Detroit can be seen as better. It is more real. Royal Oak is ideal for people who do not want ot admit they are older than colelge kids. It is a fun place for semi-adults. WHen you get ready to settle down long terms, you have loads of very different, but execellent options.

[TinaC101]

I moved from the Detroit metro area (lived in Livonia, worked in Royal Oak) to Huntersville, NC (north of Charlotte) two years ago. We just bought a house in the Fort Mill, SC area and we haven't looked back. I don't know anything about Greenville, but I do know that I wasn't happy living in Michigan.

First the weather sucks. That was our biggest motivator for moving. Winter lasts for 6 months in Michigan. It's just grey and cold for so long. Someone mentioned upthread about 'just getting through it'. I agree with that.

Second, the economy. Michigan's economy is really bad. I hear the it's bad in SC too, but since I have not expierenced it first hand, so I can't compare. My husband has done really well on the job front here in the Charlotte area.

The roads suck. Your car is going to rust out faster because of all the salt on the roads.

People are a lot nicer here in SC. Which is odd, because most of the people I know are transplants from up north. Funny, they were probably jerks up north, then they come here and get nice. Go figure.

There is only one thing I miss besides my friends and family, and that's having ammineties so close. Sometimes it drives me nuts that I have to drive 8 miles to Target, Walmart, restaurants etc... when I had all that stuff pretty much within walking distance in MI.

Good luck

[cbryantl120]

I've lived my entire life in Southfield, MI (about 5 minutes outside Detroit) and less than six months ago moved to Columbia, SC.I greatly prefer Detroit and can not wait to move back home after I graduate. Personally I think some people are exaggerating with the weather claims. Six months of winter? Not really. Detroit has a very beautiful spring and especially beautiful fall season. The only thing about the weather in Michigan is that one day it can be 70 and the next day 50. That may take some getting used to.

Just wanted to give you another opinion of the weather.

[adams_aj]

via 25 years spent in Kansas City MO in between. Got a bit older and found that I didn't enjoy the winters as much as I did as a kid.

Of course, last night, here in Youngsville, we had about 2 inches of snow! However, it won't be here long.

I have family and my wife and I had a choice of moving back to Detroit (she said "absolutely not") or to a warmer climate. We chose N.C. Whenever I go back to Detroit, I wonder how anyone could want to stay there or even more surprisingly: want to move there. I can't picture myself doing it. There's just not enough there anymore to hold my interest, though I do have to go back occasionally to remind myself of that.

[peppermint]

Wow, it's amazing how many people post on the Detroit forum who seemingly hate Detroit.

My husband and I grew up in the Deep South and moved to PA for six years. He transferred back down to the Deep South for three years and then changed jobs and moved to MI. We live in Oakland County, and we really love it. MI is the best place either of us have ever lived, and we log six states between us. We dislike living in the south because of the heat, lack of seasons, lack of snow, and the racial, political and religious homogeneity. People in metro Detroit are, for the most part, socially liberal, and we like that.

We enjoy the weather here. The wind can be absolutely fierce though. That's something I never dealt with before, but we've got the appropriate clothing now so it's no problem.

It's true that people here aren't as "nice" as in the south, but I found some of that sugary sweetness to be insincere and annoying, frankly. While they may not be as talkative and sweet as the south, they are MUCH, MUCH nicer than in the Mid Atlantic states. No contest. The first week in PA (from Memphis) a woman slammed her shopping cart into my leg, looked at me like I ran into her, and walked off. I cried. I was 23, and I never met such hateful, rude people in all my life. By 28 I could handle it. I learned. I've never had to "turn my NY on" outside of the Mid-Atlantic, but at least I know how.

As a previous poster said, it's about your attitude. Despite the fact that I generally hate living in the Deep South, I did love our home in the Appalachians. The job just didn't work out. I think it would be good for you to try something different and stretch yourself, but that's just my opinion based off one post. I wish you the best, regardless of your choice.