Will you tell me about HAMTRAMCK? (Detroit, Troy: rent, loft, condo)

[azie]

I'm considering renting an upper flat in Hamtramck with my friend. We're both 22, white, females, students in the design field. I was hoping someone could shed some light on the Hamtramck area, specifically around Yemans Ave. - where to shop, dine, go out, etc. What should expect to pay in rent? How are the residents? I don't want to be taken advantage of, really. Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!

[scolls]

I'm guessing you are students at Wayne State? Hamtramck isn't as bad as the surrounding Detroit and Highland Park, but it is surrounded by Detroit and Highland Park. You maybe better off renting a loft in downtown Detroit. A lot of people here are terrified of Detroit and anything within a 15 mile radius of Detroit so you'll get a lot of different opinions. The crime rates are high but not as high as Detroit or Highland Park. Hamtramck is probably one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Michigan. I had known people who lived their and liked it but that was some 10-15 years ago.

[Tehspilly]

Hamtramck is a dump.

[Osito57]

I would not rent in Hamtramck if I had other options.

At the least, you should get a dog, and a secure place to park a car. You cannot just park on the street or just rent in an unsecured home. You will eventually have problems.

It's safer than average parts of Detroit, but not as safe as the better parts of Detroit.

[Cliffie]

Yemans Ave in Hamtramck is home to the Whiskey In The Jar tavern -- shrine to the infamous Rat-A-Lope. That might give you an idea of the local culture...

It's cheap and not that pretty, but not a bad place to live.

[Rexer]

There used to be a pretty big Plymouth factory there. Probably dismantled by now.

[Dexterguy]

I love to VISIT Hamtramck to this day. But if you really want my honest opinion I would not want to live there. Crime has really gotten bad there sadly, you even have to watch your back when you go down there to eat at the great remaining Polish restaurants. A friend of mine got their window smashed in a few weeks ago because they left their cell phone on the console. Yes, this can happen in any city but it's more likely to happen in areas of Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck before others.

Like others have suggested there are many places in Detroit that are much nicer than Hamtramck, Corktown to name one. My best suggestion would to be look into a downtown condo, one of the more inexpensive ones, you can actually get a good deal on many right now. If you decide against downtown, look into Ferndale or the surrounding suburbs to the north. It's a longer commute to WSU (if that's where your going) but it's much safer these days than the Hamtramck/Highland Park area.

[azie]

Neither myself nor my future roommate attend WSU. She will be going to U of D Mercy, and I attend a school in Troy. However, we have about $500 a month to spend, so as nice as a loft would be, it's more than likely out of our budget =/

Thanks for all of the opinions! (although some of them I won't be relying on too much without solid information to back up the opinion...)

[Dexterguy]

Originally Posted by azie

Neither myself nor my future roommate attend WSU. She will be going to U of D Mercy, and I attend a school in Troy. However, we have about $500 a month to spend, so as nice as a loft would be, it's more than likely out of our budget =/

Thanks for all of the opinions! (although some of them I won't be relying on too much without solid information to back up the opinion...)

$500 a month does not get you to much these days.

Good luck on your search

[azie]

Originally Posted by Dexterguy

$500 a month does not get you to much these days.

Yes, I realize that. But sadly, that still doesn't make our budget magically higher.