Advice for Buckeye moving to Mi. via Al.

[Clarkx3]

You have been more than helpful! I have to do as much research online before we visit, just like we did before transferring to the south. Everything has it's pros and cons and I think living in different areas of this country makes for a well rounded and open minded individual. That being said I like what I'm hearing about your little town. I am also interested in things farther north but need to keep husbands commute in mind. Even in Ohio our daughter went to a smaller school, she thinks she wants a larger one now but I'm not totally convinced! Funny you mentioned LaZBoy since I work for a gallery down here between Atlanta and Birmingham but I'm not sure if I want to pursue full time work right away maybe a nice little gallery or boutique part time. I never used my college major "Art History" toward any vocation I've had so far and maybe that would be nice haha. Thanks again for all the advice!

[stock66]

Trenton is another downriver community you might want to check out. I know the schools used to be considered good, can't say lately. They have a downtown business district on Jefferson that has events and they are trying to redevelop. It isn't as good as Grosse Ile but I would say it is more accessible.

[Coldjensens]

Trenton schools are reasonably good. They are not Grosse Ile, and Trenton is not as nice, but it is cheaper and more accessible and still reasonably nice. Trenton is more working class. Wyandotte is a nice small city with a decent downtown and very arts oriented, but the schools are not too great. Wyandotte would have made our final list but for the schools.

Both Wyandotte and trenton can shave 15 nimutes off the trip to the freeway. Of course if you get close to the freeway, you have to hear it and breathe it. You will have a chance to look around all three if you venture downriver.

[Clarkx3]

Looking extremely probable that we'll be moving! I am not sure if daughter will finish out school year here (they get out early May) or up there however either way we need advice on districts. So my question is bar none, in your honest opinion what are the best school systems in the suburbs?? Of course it's not all about new facilities etc to us it's more about the following...student/teacher ratio, extracurricular activities especially arts based, not a huge definitive line between the haves and have nots...etc. I know no one area is "ideal" but I'd value everyones input or personal experience, keep in mind our daughter is 13 and will be in jr. high which is a tough time to change schools anyway. Just want the best possible transition for her and hope we dont move again for awhile. She has adjusted to Alabama as best she can, but being from Ohio she's always been a Midwest girl. I think it will be good to get back to the mindset were accustomed too.

[Coldjensens]

I no longer have all of the statistics, Some schools that are good I do not remember because the place did not appeal to us for other reasons. Some schools I heard were bad and never did the research (this includes Inkster, Gibraltar, Warren, Southfield and a few others). The districts that I remember that we considered were as follows. I am going by memory, not from my research which fills half a file drawer.

Ann Arbor (not all schools are great but several are)
Plymouth Canton (huge high school - highly rated).
Northville. (big)
Birmingham.
Rochester (or Rochester Hills cannot remember which.)
Detroit Renaissance High.
Grosse Ile. (small)
Bloomfield (or West Bloomfield).
Some small Villiage in or next to Southfield.
Grosse Pointe north and south (big schools with beautiful buildings offers loads of excellent programs)

Almost in the top schools:

South Lyon. (South Lyon east High school just opened. Beautiful building).

Novi.

Chelsea

Walled lake or Union lake (forget which)

Still pretty good schools:
Dearborn
Trenton
Brighton.
Huron (they may belong one level up, don't remember well).
Milford.
Livonia (their schools are falling)
Canton (not the Plymouth/Canton district which is better)


Not so good:

Wyandotte
Taylor
Ecorse.
Allen Park
Eastpointe.
Most of the rest of Detroit

China (this is really far away. We considered China because of a marvelous house that was for sale there. The schools are terrible).

Since we moved I learned the Woodhaven schools are pretty good. Gibraltar schools are not as bad as we thought. Dearborn has some pretty good schools.

Sorry that is about as much help as I can give you right now.

The state gives schools and school districts a report card. Only 34 out of 1000 high schools got an A. I am not sure what the criteria is, but that may give you some guidance if you can get a list of the schools that got As. Grosse Ile schools all got As so I assume that the better districts listed above did as well.

We found that there are three really good school rating sites on the internet. One of them you have to pay for, but it is not much. We also found that the parents and students who post on these sites are usually the extreme. they either love the schools or hate them for a specific reason. The average people are harder to find. Visiting the schools and talking to teachers, students and parents is critical. The statistics only tell part of the story. For example, the school with the most respectful and friendly students was Renaissance High in Detroit. I really liked that school a lot, but Detroit was eliminated for other reasons.

Good luck.

[Clarkx3]

Thank you all for the help we have taken the job! Now I have to sell a house down here asap. We plan to be in Mi. within 2 months! I had a question about registering vehicles...down here we pay an ad velorum tax based on your vehicles value i.e. I leased an 07 H3 last year and my first set of tags ran me over $350! Does Michigan do that as well or a flat rate such as Ohio? I know unless it's a commercial vehicle there it usually runs around $60 or so to renew your plates each year. Just trying to be prepared for everything. Any other hidden "fees" or taxes I should know about would be great. Can't wait to get back to the Midwest!

[Coldjensens]

I do no thtink that it is based ont he value of your vehicle, but it might be. I can give you our cars as an example:

1998 Ford F-150: $109

2002 Chevy Express van $246

You registration expires on your birthday. this makes is a litte bit easier to remember.

[Clarkx3]

Hubby already in Troy working...gotta sell this house and get moving! I appreciate everyone with the help. Think we have some areas in mind such as Rochester Hills, Waterford and maybe areas of Troy. Can't wait to make some new friends back home in the Midwest, be able to drink a beer without people looking at you for being "unladylike" and going to a Michigan Nascar race again. Hope everyone is staying warm with the brutal cold I'm going to enjoy the 60 degree weather as long as I can.

[djmilf]

Regarding Vehicle Registration and taxes:

I've got a 1977 car ($25 fee), a 1997 Dodge truck ($65 fee), and a 2004 Ford truck ($105 fee). The vehicle registration fee (or license plate fee) for both trucks is based on the original sticker value of the vehicle. The fee for the car is based on vehicle weight. Historically, fees for vehicles were based upon weight, but some time between 1977 and 1987 this fee was changed to being based upon original sticker value (roughly speaking).

Also, the vehicles fees for my trucks are valid deductions on line 7, Schedule A, of the Federal 1040 tax form, as it's considered a personal property tax due to the "value" of the vehicles being the basis for the tax. The vehicle fee for the car is not tax deductible as the fee is based upon the vehicle's weight.

One other consideration regarding Michigan and vehicles -- car insurance (but not collision insurance) is required for all vehicles registered in the state of Michigan. This can start at $600 per vehicle per year and will go up with respect to age of drivers in the household and their driving records.