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Sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree with you about the car insurance - ours is way more here than it was in California. The annual registration fees are lower though..
All I can say is shop around. Our old provider tried to double our rates. We shopped around and got roughly the same rates.
Most of these questions were already answered, but, as a fairly recent transplant who has similar issues, I'm going to pile on.
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Originally Posted by taylor-2017
We are considering a job offer in Troy, MI. Job is great—only problem it’s in Michigan. I hear the horror stories about Detroit and crime and I hope it can’t be as bad as the rumors.
There are parts of Detroit that are that bad, but they are fairly easy to avoid.
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Things I’m curious about: Roads— are there some cities/suburbs that are better/worse at snow removal and repaving? I would hope that most suburbs are on point with snow plowing/pre-treating roads. When driving around roads were horrible and then all of a sudden it would be newly paved for a stretch before becoming rough again.
Honestly, to me it's six of one, half-dozen of the other - they're all relatively good (or relatively poor, depending on how much of an optimist you are) at doing this. In 80% of the cases it will be on point, but a particularly bad (and sudden) snowfall/cold snap could still leave you stranded. I remember once being stuck on I-96 on the way to Lansing in 30-31 degree weather with a thin layer of ice covering the entire surface because Ingham (or Livingston, I forget which) county didn't pre-treat that day.
I've lived in Dearborn (Wayne County), Royal Oak, Farmington Hills and New Hudson (Oakland County, same as Troy) and the roads were generally pretty well pre-treated apart from some side roads (Dearborn was the particularly egregious offender in terms of not treating/plowing on occasion). As far as potholes are concerned, it really depends on what that particular city was able to afford in the last couple of dry seasons. Even the more affluent suburbs (Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham, etc.) will have potholes.
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weather—I can handle cold and snow but I need sunshine on a regular basis (I suffer from severe depression that is exacerbated by prolonged gray, dreary weather)
I'm afraid you are pretty much screwed, then. Starting in late October and through mid-April, Southeast Michigan can be dreary for weeks on end. I never knew what SAD was or how high the incidence of weather-driven M.S. was in MI, having lived in L.A. for 14 years and Virginia for two, until I came to MI and experienced my first winter. I've learned to adjust since, being dysthymic myself, but it can be very difficult. Vitamin D helps, even if sometimes it feels a bit like placebo effect.
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rentals — is it difficult to find a rental? ideally, we would like to rent a place with a garage and no more than $1700/mo while looking for a place to buy.
Depends on what you're after. $1,700 can get you a fairly decent, modern 2-bedroom rental in Troy proper, assuming you're good with that. You could probably even find a place in a trendier spot than Troy for that much, but it all depends on what matters to you and what you might be willing to sacrifice. Some details on that would help vector our advice.
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crime -- it seems as though much of the crime in the "safe" areas is property and vehicle theft. is this accurate?
Pretty much. Our info comes from the same statistics you're reading.
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Due to my struggles with depression we are wondering if this area is a good fit for us, even in the short term (we would be looking to stay approx 5 years, or until my husband is ready for the next step up on his career path). Any input would be greatly appreciated.
If your depression is really bad (as in, medication, not talk therapy bad), you need to be very careful about managing it in MI - much more so than in sunnier places. If you're willing to give it a shot, you can make it work, but it won't be easy.
I'm afraid you are pretty much screwed, then. Starting in late October and through mid-April, Southeast Michigan can be dreary for weeks on end. I never knew what SAD was or how high the incidence of weather-driven M.S. was in MI, having lived in L.A. for 14 years and Virginia for two, until I came to MI and experienced my first winter. I've learned to adjust since, being dysthymic myself, but it can be very difficult. Vitamin D helps, even if sometimes it feels a bit like placebo effect. If your depression is really bad (as in, medication, not talk therapy bad), you need to be very careful about managing it in MI - much more so than in sunnier places.
I feared this. I was on anti depressant medication and it took me years to wean off with the help of my doctors and psychologist. I know winter and lack of sun will be a major issue for me and I'm trying to be realistic before we consider a cross country move to a place that would set me back in the progress I fought so hard to achieve.
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Originally Posted by highlanderfil
Depends on what you're after. $1,700 can get you a fairly decent, modern 2-bedroom rental in Troy proper, assuming you're good with that. You could probably even find a place in a trendier spot than Troy for that much, but it all depends on what matters to you and what you might be willing to sacrifice. Some details on that would help vector our advice.Pretty much. Our info comes from the same statistics you're reading.
After years of living on top of other people in an urban environment, we want peace, quiet, and space, and privacy. And of course, safety.
I feared this. I was on anti depressant medication and it took me years to wean off with the help of my doctors and psychologist. I know winter and lack of sun will be a major issue for me and I'm trying to be realistic before we consider a cross country move to a place that would set me back in the progress I fought so hard to achieve.
Honestly, given these constraints I would look elsewhere. Your health and sanity is worth more than any job.
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After years of living on top of other people in an urban environment, we want peace, quiet, and space, and privacy. And of course, safety.
This was very thorough, thank you.
Glad to help. My own depression is rather mild (a couple visits to the shrink as a band aid kind of mild), which is a main reason behind our still living here (I originally moved for a dream job which I still hold). But if I start feeling worse over the course of the next few years, it'll be time to consider other options.
I'm sorry, but I completely disagree with highlanderfil's assessment.
Another thing to note about Metro Detroit is that there are a handful of people in Metro Detroit who Looove to hate on Metro Detroit. Also many ran into bad economic conditions here in the 2000's due to the recession. They'll take typical urban issues (bad roads for example) and pretend like there is no place on the planet with bad roads. They only exist in Detroit. In this case you've got weather. Apparently only Detroit has cloudy days, but let's contrast Detroit with.. the "Sunshine State" (specifically Miami).
In Detroit you get clouds in the winter, in Miami you get clouds in the summer. Miami cloud cover peaks in June/July where you have 40% overcast days and 68% Mostly Cloudy/Overcast days. Detroit cloud cover peaks in January where you have 45% overcast days and 63% Mostly-Cloudy/Overcast days. Miami has 7 month a year of more sunlight than clouds, Detroit has 6 months a year of more sunlight than clouds.
Detroit is significantly colder and receives more snow and less rain, but Miami cloud cover is comparable to Detroit cloud cover. Detroit is not Glasgow (or Grand Rapids). You get clouds, but they don't just sit there for weeks on end with no sunlight in sight (though in fairness that does happen once or twice a year - as I've said, typically in January). Please don't misinform people.
Another thing to note about Metro Detroit is that there are a handful of people in Metro Detroit who Looove to hate on Metro Detroit.
And yet another thing to note about Metro Detroit is that we have people who are, for whatever reason, so defensive about Metro Detroit that they don't see the objective truth for what it is. Allow me to demonstrate:
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They'll take typical urban issues (bad roads for example) and pretend like there is no place on the planet with bad roads. They only exist in Detroit.
They do not only exist in Detroit, but they do exist in Detroit. OP isn't asking us to compare Detroit to other places - she's asking if there are issues with the roads in Detroit. The conditions of the roads in Miami, Los Angeles, Milwaukee or Buffalo are completely irrelevant in this context.
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In this case you've got weather. Apparently only Detroit has cloudy days, but let's contrast Detroit with.. the "Sunshine State" (specifically Miami).
Once again: we are not comparing Detroit with anything, be it Miami, Seattle, Portland or Providence. I am not sure why you arbitrarily chose Miami (which will definitely have lots of partly cloudy days being on the ocean and all). Why not choose L.A.? Or does that throw your entire argument out the window?
185 heavily cloudy days, 290 mostly cloudy days. Meaning you only have 75 mostly sunny days in a year. Yeah, we're a freakin' Vitamin D paradise.
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Please don't misinform people.
What exactly am I misinforming people about? That Detroit has enough cloudy days to severely impact someone with depression and that I have first-hand experience with it? Please do elaborate.
That Detroit has enough cloudy days to severely impact someone with depression and that I have first-hand experience with it?
When depressed all these "little" things (roads, traffic, snow, etc) become compounding issues to me. I know other people can brush these off, I wish I could.
It's good to hear from all sides of this issue. I know weather affects each person individually. Due to severe clinical depression if affects me more so than others. My husband is concerned about moving us out there if it will have a negative impact on my mental health. I'm trying to get all sides of the issue so we can make an informed decision.
I want an honest assessment from all sides so I can walk in with my eyes open if we accept this offer. We don't need to take this job. It is just an opportunity that presented itself that we are seriously considering.
I'm trying to ask around for all opinions (which are by nature, subjective to the person expressing them).
If I could chime in here as someone living in SE Michigan who has struggled with SAD type symptoms in the past and is not a Michigan native:
First of all, we do get sunshine in the winter, and when we do it can be almost blinding. The colder the air temperature, the less cloud cover, so you will find that there are many days here in January and February with bright blue skies and abundant sunshine. Not every day, not even most days if it is a warmer than normal winter, but enough days that it is really hyperbole to state that it is gray here for "weeks on end".
Now, I have heard from people who live there that the PNW is literally gray for "weeks on end" between October and May, of which I cannot speak since I have never been there, but that is definitely not the case here. I won't lie, by mid- to late March I do get very anxious for spring to get here. But honestly, it just isn't as bad as you are being led to believe, and October, even late October, here is fairly sunny as well. In recent years, we are still out walking our dog in November with just a light jacket on and the grass is still green. Our winters can and do get cold, but people really do tend to exaggerate the length of the cold weather and the amount of cloudy days.
Interestingly, while I used to be the one who would get sad, and probably SAD, in the winter, I have never been diagnosed with or suffered from any type of long term depression, while my DH, who has been diagnosed with and is medicated for clinical depression, has never had any issue whatsoever with winter weather and/or lack of sunshine. He used to dread winter only because he knew that I would probably start complaining come March and he used to be right. His attitude with winter has always been that if you keep busy, it really doesn't matter. I know it isn't that simple for everyone, but it works for him.
What finally cured me of my SAD symptoms and complaining about winter, ironically, was going to Florida a few times in the dead of winter. After just a week of the congestion, massive number of snowbirds, horrific traffic, unfriendly people, and all of the other problems that make me never want to move to Florida, I was so happy to come home, even though it was still February. And honestly, there is something very cozy about snuggling under a blanket on the couch with a hot cup of something and looking out at the snow. I feel like we appreciate the absolutely gorgeous late spring through late fall weather that we get here (7-8 months of the year, so the majority of the year, BTW) more because of the winters that we have, and anytime I appreciate something, as opposed to taking it for granted, it deepens my quality of life.
Personally, I LOVE Michigan and hope to live here for the rest of my life. We live in a quaint, ultra-safe small town and really enjoy the friendly people, low COL, and relative lack of traffic and congestion, not to mention the gorgeous weather like we're having right now. Our son and DIL live in an outer lying suburb of Detroit and have turned down job prospects in places like Florida and Texas because they love it here so much.
Allow me to demonstrate:They do not only exist in Detroit, but they do exist in Detroit. OP isn't asking us to compare Detroit to other places - she's asking if there are issues with the roads in Detroit. The conditions of the roads in Miami, Los Angeles, Milwaukee or Buffalo are completely irrelevant in this context.
I do think in the case of roads it is a comparative thing. "Bad roads" is a bit subjective. Since no place has all "perfect roads" one fair way to answer "how bad?" is by comparing or ranking all roads.
my DH, who has been diagnosed with and is medicated for clinical depression, has never had any issue whatsoever with winter weather and/or lack of sunshine.
Do you think the medication helps your husband deal with the winters? I do not want to go back on antidepressants.
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