Royal Oak, Mi (Detroit, Warren, Livonia: section 8, apartments, lofts)

[lauren0311]

I am considering moving my family to Royal Oak. I have an assoc. in Human services and the husband likes hands on type work. We have 2 small children in elementary school. Can anyone tell me is the job situation really that bad? and any info on schools would be helpful as well..

[maplest14]

Royal Oak is just like any other place in MI, not that great for jobs. But the elementarys are great and close to neighborhood homes.

[Ohio248]

Royal Oak is a pretty nice community, with decent schools.

Keep in mind that property taxes are kinda high and you don't get a whole lot of house for your money.

Royal Oak isn't really expensive or upscale, but compared to other towns, the homes are relatively small, and prices are fairly high (for what you get).

[scolls]

Originally Posted by Ohio248

Royal Oak is a pretty nice community, with decent schools.

Keep in mind that property taxes are kinda high and you don't get a whole lot of house for your money.

Royal Oak isn't really expensive or upscale, but compared to other towns, the homes are relatively small, and prices are fairly high (for what you get).

Actually compared to the neighboring communities it's affordable. Pleasant Ridge, Huntington Woods, Berkley, Clawson, Birmingham and Troy are all more expensive. I'm also just going to copy and past the response I posted in the other thread.

Originally Posted by scolls

Look into Huntington Woods. (Huntington Woods technically owns half of the Detroit Zoo) I just moved here from Harper Woods and I think it is quite possibly the best place in Michigan. It's small. It's called the city of houses because it literally lacks any real main roads with businesses. However, it's right on the border with Royal Oak and within walking distance to downtown Royal Oak so really it doesn't need a downtown. It's situated by the 696/75 interchange and right off Woodward. It's about 15-20 minutes to downtown Detroit, 15 minutes from the Bloomfield/Auburn Hills area (where I work), about a mile from downtown Ferndale, 4 miles from downtown Birmingham, and within walking distance of dowtown Royal Oak. It's one of the safest areas in Michigan. It has quiet tree lined streets, mostly older brick homes that have been well maintained. As a resident you get access to their community center which has a pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, and private parks. Being that Huntington Woods is less than 1.5 square miles, the community center and parks are within walking distance of anywhere in the city. It also belongs to Berkley schools which are very good. They are also starting a rail project on Woodward in Detroit which may in time run up into the suburbs but don't hold your breath. The negative to Huntington Woods is the cost of housing. For Michigan it's pricey.

Royal Oak is not bad either. People who say it's only for younger non families don't realize there is more to Royal Oak than the downtown. They renovated a lot of old warehouses in Royal Oak and created a downtown with bars, restaurants, shops, lofts, and condos. It's a trendy place. You can find some of Detroit's athletes there as I know Matthew Stafford lives there. That is downtown but there is more to Royal Oak. If you go north towards 14 mile and the Birmingham border, there are lots of single family neighborhoods that are safe and quiet. Before it gets mentioned, I've been driving through Royal Oak a lot and have yet to see a car on a lawn.

[Ohio248]

Originally Posted by scolls

Actually compared to the neighboring communities it's affordable. Pleasant Ridge, Huntington Woods, Berkley, Clawson, Birmingham and Troy are all more expensive. I'm also just going to copy and past the response I posted in the other thread.

This isn't really true.

Clawson is definitely cheaper than Royal Oak. So are Ferndale, Madison Heights and Berkley, other neighboring cities you didn't mention.

I never said Royal Oak is expensive; I said it's expensive for what you get. Troy is slightly more expensive, but the homes are generally much bigger, so you get more for your money in Troy. Lower taxes too.

Huntington Woods is more expensive than Royal Oak, but, again, the homes are bigger. It's probably about the same on a per-square-foot basis.

Birmingham is more expensive than Royal Oak, but Birmingham (on a per-square-foot basis) is probably the most expensive community in Michigan.

[scolls]

Originally Posted by Ohio248

This isn't really true.

Clawson is definitely cheaper than Royal Oak. So are Ferndale, Madison Heights and Berkley, other neighboring cities you didn't mention.

I never said Royal Oak is expensive; I said it's expensive for what you get. Troy is slightly more expensive, but the homes are generally much bigger, so you get more for your money in Troy. Lower taxes too.

Huntington Woods is more expensive than Royal Oak, but, again, the homes are bigger. It's probably about the same on a per-square-foot basis.

Birmingham is more expensive than Royal Oak, but Birmingham (on a per-square-foot basis) is probably the most expensive community in Michigan.

Actually Huntington Woods is mostly bungalows or small colonials just like Royal Oak. The condos and lofts in Royal Oak are pricey, but he single family homes are affordable. Highland Park is also cheaper too but I didn't mention it either. Royal Oak's milage rate in Royal Oak school district is 35 which is among the lowest of all these communities and the same as Troy school district.

[Vikki1]

What made you choose RO? I grew up in West Bloomfield but went to Birmingham schools and I think highly of that district. Also of Bloomfield Hills. It of course will depend on your price range but both are safe,upscale,with good school districts. I am not saying RO is bad cause it is a nice area but I am not so sure of the schools and overall suggest RO for a young single person.

[Northsider 248]

Royal Oak isn't terrible, but it's certainly gotten alot worse than it used to be. The elementary schools in Royal Oak are normally very good (there are a couple cruddy ones), but the rest of the district has major drug problems, alot of school fights, people getting arrested, et cetera.

For the amount you'd be paying in Royal Oak you could be in a much better place. Royal Oak isn't terribly unsafe but there are neighborhoods that have gotten to be trashy and redneckish. The city itself, not just the schools, have problems with strong drugs (crack and heroin, mostly).

You don't really notice this kind of stuff until you live here. It's certainly not first-glance stuff. Living here 5 years I've actually witnessed parking lot fights and drug deals just from riding around the neighborhoods.

I'd personally suggest Berkley. It's cheaper, schools are better, neighborhoods are nicer, bigger art scene. You could also try Birmingham, but it's more expensive. Stay away from Oak Park, Madison Heights and Southfield and you can't go wrong with that area of the county.

[Ohio248]

Originally Posted by [JS]

Royal Oak isn't terribly unsafe but there are neighborhoods that have gotten to be trashy and redneckish.

I would not call Royal Oak "trashy and redneckish". Maybe compared to Bloomfield Hills or something, but, c'mon, this definitely isn't true. If anything, it attracts the opposite demographic, especially around downtown.

To me "trashy and redneckish" is something like South Warren, Redford Township, parts of Livonia, parts of Waterford, etc.

The worst parts of Royal Oak (I guess the eastern parts, close to Madison Heights) are still 1000 times better than 9 Mile and Van Dyke in South Warren.

BTW, someone told me that the apartments along 13 Mile (east of Woodward, near Beaumont) now have problems with drugs and violence. Is this true?

I find it hard to believe, but, if true, then maybe this is the worst part of Royal Oak. Supposedly some of the complexes are now Section 8, and are filling up with welfare tpes.

Originally Posted by [JS]

The city itself, not just the schools, have problems with strong drugs (crack and heroin, mostly).

I'm a long way from high school (I'm 32) but there's really a crack problem at Royal Oak High? I find this hard to believe.

Maybe there are a few kids experiminting hard drugs like heroin, but almost no one does crack outside of street-dwelling derelicts, strung-out prostitutes and the like.

[Northsider 248]

I would not call Royal Oak "trashy and redneckish". Maybe compared to Bloomfield Hills or something, but, c'mon, this definitely isn't true. If anything, it attracts the opposite demographic, especially around downtown.

There are some nice neighborhoods around downtown but the outskirts of those neighborhoods are getting to be the worst. People just aren't taking care of their houses. Parking on their lawns, porch couches and petty stuff like that. It's a real common misconception that we're getting better because of Downtown. The downtown area attracts those kinds of people for sure, but there are alot of people coming in from Oak Park and Madison Heights and rural areas of Macomb County throughout the rest of the city.

The worst parts of Royal Oak (I guess the eastern parts, close to Madison Heights) are still 1000 times better than 9 Mile and Van Dyke in South Warren.

South Warren isn't very far from becoming Detroit, so I guess it's not too good of a comparison. The whole South Warren area is ridden with trailer parks, junkyards, abandoned houses and high school drop-outs. South Warren is straight up ghetto, Royal Oak is just turning into a less drunken Madison Heights.

BTW, someone told me that the apartments along 13 Mile (east of Woodward, near Beaumont) now have problems with drugs and violence. Is this true?

I know exactly which apartments you're talking about and the answer is yes. There was a man that got stabbed last year in that little intersection there, and there was a small-time gang fight in one of the alleys as well over drug territory. The apartments in the city have really contributed to the drug problems, especially the low-rises.

As for the crack problem, it's not just in the schools. The schools are most likely more involved in powder cocaine, weed and heroin; but as for the city itself Crack has made a name.