Grand Rapids Area - relocating?!! (Detroit, Holland: homes, job market, best school districts)

[Love the Rocky Mountains]

It looks as if we are relocating to the Grand Rapids, MI area. We have 5 kids and currently live in the Mountains behind Pikes Peak in CO. Would like to find a nice home not in the city with land and good school systems. We really like that small town sort of feeling. We have to do virtual schooling where we currently live. (Yes, I could definitey chase down a public school bus!) Any suggestions on where I should be looking for a home? I also would love to have any information on the tornado / flooding situation in MI.

Thanks so much!

[Cato the Elder]

Our GR compatriots can chime in with more details, but it sounds like you want something like East Grand Rapids - great schools with a small town feel. If you want something further out but still with great schools, Forest Hills is the other obvious choice.

[Love the Rocky Mountains]

Thank you very much.

[erics mom]

Cascade is a great area, forest hills is one of the best school districts in the state. You can find reasonable housing, to elaborate "executive" style homes. It's a pretty area, surrounding a river with rolling landscapes. You're not too far from the freeways and shopping either. Good luck, GR is a great town.

[virgokid1]

I think it's a great idea that you're moving there. I've only been to GR a couple of times, and although I'll be moving there in a year, I wish I were moving sooner. It's very peaceful, slower pace, you will not feel claustrophobic... not too far from lakes.. Fairly inexpensive housing and of course upper end available as well.. I've heard others say that East GR is best. The downtown of GR is really booming. At least it looks that way to me. I mean it's nothing like Detroit... There's new buildings going up all over, plus lots of older buildings have been recently refaced/refurbished or are in the process.. I don't know about the job market, but I think you'll be happy here in Western Michigan. Check out Holland and Saugatuck too.. Very nice communities as well (~20 minutes away). I found people very friendly and polite out in w. mich.

[virgokid1]

I was just curious, why are you moving away from beautiful Pikes Peak to Michigan? If it's cold you're trying to get away from, I doubt the weather is any less severe... well maybe a little less snow seeing as though the elevation is lower.. But CO is a very beautiful state too. Is this mainly for a job?

[Love the Rocky Mountains]

Originally Posted by virgokid1

I was just curious, why are you moving away from beautiful Pikes Peak to Michigan? If it's cold you're trying to get away from, I doubt the weather is any less severe... well maybe a little less snow seeing as though the elevation is lower.. But CO is a very beautiful state too. Is this mainly for a job?

Yes mainly a job. I know I have read alot about the poor economy in Michigan but we are having our own troubles in Colorado Springs. Intel closed down and now my husbands plant looks like it is closing down also. We have had lots of companies pack up and move out or move on. Mexico, China and Malaysia are killing us. We do love it here and I agree it is totally beautiful especially up in the mountains past Woodland Park. We aren't too worried about snow we had record breaking snow last year. It came at the end of September and stayed until the middle of May and then we had some snow showers on and off but it melted by afternoon. It finally quit sometime at the beginning of June. We are hopeful that things will work out with the company my husband is interviewing with as from what I have seen Michigan looks really beautiful too. After reading the message boards, I have to wonder why the company is looking for someone out of state. It sounds like there are plenty of people needing jobs there. That being said I am a firm believer that happiness is a choice not a location. So if it works out I think we would really enjoy it there. Thanks for your advice on the area.

One last thing, do you really have a lot of tornadoes? Thanks!

[Cato the Elder]

Originally Posted by Love the Rocky Mountains

Yes mainly a job. I know I have read alot about the poor economy in Michigan but we are having our own troubles in Colorado Springs. Intel closed down and now my husbands plant looks like it is closing down also. We have had lots of companies pack up and move out or move on. Mexico, China and Malaysia are killing us. We do love it here and I agree it is totally beautiful especially up in the mountains past Woodland Park. We aren't too worried about snow we had record breaking snow last year. It came at the end of September and stayed until the middle of May and then we had some snow showers on and off but it melted by afternoon. It finally quit sometime at the beginning of June. We are hopeful that things will work out with the company my husband is interviewing with as from what I have seen Michigan looks really beautiful too. After reading the message boards, I have to wonder why the company is looking for someone out of state. It sounds like there are plenty of people needing jobs there. That being said I am a firm believer that happiness is a choice not a location. So if it works out I think we would really enjoy it there. Thanks for your advice on the area.

One last thing, do you really have a lot of tornadoes? Thanks!

I think it goes to show that the entire country has seen better economic times. Using the dollar in Europe these days makes one feel like they are traveling with pesos...quite depressing.

In my experience, there are plenty of people looking for jobs here, but they are not qualified to fill the positions in demand that have benefits and whatnot. Many of the 7% who are unemployed don't have the right college degree or proper training. Your husband probably fills this type of burgeoning need here. Absolutely agree about happiness being a choice. Michigan and I believe Minnesota or Wisconsin are the safest states to live in when it comes to natural disasters. Tornadoes exist, but are quite rare compared to Iowa, Kansas, and even Illinois. Though MI is technically the Midwest, it reminds me much more of Pennsylvania than it does of Illinois.

[erics mom]

I agree, in the summer you will have your fair share of Thunderstorms, but tornados are quite rare. Most homes in Michigan have basements, so you can seek shelter pretty easily if you have a bad storm coming. One thing about western Michigan that surprized me when we moved there was how windy it is compared to eastern michigan. In the fall especially. I would lay awake at night listening to the wind howl.

[virgokid1]

es mainly a job. I know I have read alot about the poor economy in Michigan but we are having our own troubles in Colorado Springs. Intel closed down and now my husbands plant looks like it is closing down also. We have had lots of companies pack up and move out or move on. Mexico, China and Malaysia are killing us. We do love it here and I agree it is totally beautiful especially up in the mountains past Woodland Park. We aren't too worried about snow we had record breaking snow last year. It came at the end of September and stayed until the middle of May and then we had some snow showers on and off but it melted by afternoon. It finally quit sometime at the beginning of June. We are hopeful that things will work out with the company my husband is interviewing with as from what I have seen Michigan looks really beautiful too. After reading the message boards, I have to wonder why the company is looking for someone out of state. It sounds like there are plenty of people needing jobs there. That being said I am a firm believer that happiness is a choice not a location. So if it works out I think we would really enjoy it there. Thanks for your advice on the area.

Love the Rockies:

If you like greenery, you'll like Western Michigan.. It's not rocky like the rocky mountains, but there are plenty of lakes. Michigan, I believe, is up there with Minnesota as having the most lakes per state. I would not recommend SE Mich, although people on this board might want to smack me for saying that... However it's only because I find the scenery much more appealing out there.. Plus out there, you'll be close to Chicago.. I've lived in plenty of "big" cities my whole life and even some very tiny ones.. but I much prefer small city and rural life... Grand Rapids is NOT a small town, more like a small city. I personally love Colorado, but if you must move, then I wish you happiness in your pursuit. I myself am moving my family there in a years time. Good luck with your hubby's job. I've gotten laid off twice, so I know about losing contracts out to other more competitive companies.. regards.