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04-08-2009, 06:47 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2009
95 posts, read 36,578 times
Reputation: 13
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The time has come...Michigan or Alabama
Hello! I've posted before about trying to decide on where to go. We live in Iowa/Illinois area. My husband is under BRAC to go to the Detroit Arsenal. However, he just got a job offer for Huntsville. We have to decide in three days whether to take the Huntsville offer. As I said before, my mother is from AL, small town called Guin, south east part. I spent many a summer there. So I'm familiar with AL, but, have never been to Detroit. I HATE the cold, BUT, I'm scared of your creepy crawly poisonous spiders and snakes because I love the outdoors and we have children and dogs. I never saw any the times I visited my grandparents in Guin, but I was attacked by fire ants when I was around 8 years old and I will never forget the pain! Then there is the tornado thing...and no basements! Those are the things making our decision so hard to make, that, and the fact that everyone in the South hates yankees I've been told.
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04-08-2009, 07:21 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hampton Cove, Huntsville, AL
11,488 posts, read 10,571,924 times
Reputation: 2927
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04-08-2009, 08:48 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Madison
57 posts, read 29,617 times
Reputation: 16
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I lived in Flint years back - way back in the 80s.
Now live in Huntsville.
People here don't hate Yankees ... they make jokes about them --- rarely and no harm intended.
I've been to a Civil War re-enactment and there was absolutely no disparaging comments about northerners. For majority of people - they have moved on.
I've been here 3 months now ... and I've asked my office mates who are locals --- and they have not yet encountered any snakes, brown recluse spiders etc ... but yes, fire ants are plenty ... but they can easily be avoided.
On tornadoes - I did experience a tornado in Flint. Basements are more common there for some reason despite the freeze line. I've seen only 1 fairly new house here with a basement ... they are usually more common in older homes - but you can find them.
By your own words - it seems you are more inclined to Detroit. It might all boil down to non-location factors ...
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04-08-2009, 09:56 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Somewhere in northern Alabama
3,944 posts, read 3,247,433 times
Reputation: 3005
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? Guin is in the central-west part of the state, near Jasper.
For me, the choice would be obvious. Detroit and the automaker mess means lots of bad problems. Huntsville is growing and will continue to grow. If you stay in the city area, you are less likely to see snakes and critters and spiders. They typically inhabit the storm shelters...  |
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04-08-2009, 10:25 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2007
473 posts, read 385,236 times
Reputation: 83
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I grew up in Saginaw, have lived in Detroit, the northern suburbs of Detroit are really nice but the economy of Michigan is just horrible. I think it gets a bad rep because there are some really nice parts (just not inside the city limits) and the problem is Michigan gets its entire reputation almost completely based on the Detroit city limits which for the most part is a horrendous looking place. There are some cities in the South who's crime rate rivals Detroit which include Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis and New Orleans they just don't have the economic problems that Detroit has. The main problem with living in Michigan overall is the economy is horrible, the population base is decreasing rapidly not just Detroit city limits anymore the state of Michigan has lost almost a million people just in the last 7 years mostly the more educated and professional people.
In some ways I think Huntsville has become overrated but if you are an engineer or someone associated with the defense industry there really isn't a better place to locate now especially if you want to live a relatively simple life. Huntsville is really prosperous right now due to the defense buildup of the last 8 or 9 years but that could always change. Michigan used to be a nice place in its time but I just wouldn't move there today its just declining too rapidly and there just aren't enough jobs. Regardless of how well you are doing in your job you can never prosper too much there due to declining property values, declining population this means the tax base is decreasing but the infrastructure services there were built for a far larger population base which means you will be paying more and more taxes every year. As far as bugs Huntsville seems to be more tolerable than the rest of Alabama I lived in Tuscaloosa and I never seen bugs that big in my life except in Africa! I say don't listen to the people who bash other places see for yourself most people know nothing about Michigan except what they hear actually go visit both places before you decide but even so I personally think Huntsville is a much better for you to relocate you. There may be things about the South that you aren't used to and may irritate you but I guess most of it is tolerable. Huntsville I think would be less of a transition for you than moving to someplace say like Montgomery or South Alabama.
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04-08-2009, 10:34 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2008
428 posts, read 283,036 times
Reputation: 103
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Lived in NW suburb of Chicago for 16 years, moved to Savannah, GA for 2 years, moved here 8 months ago. I'll never move north again. I don't see the bugs here, they make poison for fire ant hills, the cost of living here is so low and the people are so friendly. Don't forget the fabulous weather. You can actually go outside from October to April. Can't do that in IL. It is hot in summer but that is why God created the person who invented air conditioning and pools. 
Why would anyone want to move to Michigan? Isn't everyone leaving that state?  |
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04-08-2009, 10:54 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Madison, AL
1,459 posts, read 654,102 times
Reputation: 326
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wls2624
Hello! I've posted before about trying to decide on where to go. We live in Iowa/Illinois area. My husband is under BRAC to go to the Detroit Arsenal. However, he just got a job offer for Huntsville. We have to decide in three days whether to take the Huntsville offer. As I said before, my mother is from AL, small town called Guin, south east part. I spent many a summer there. So I'm familiar with AL, but, have never been to Detroit. I HATE the cold, BUT, I'm scared of your creepy crawly poisonous spiders and snakes because I love the outdoors and we have children and dogs. I never saw any the times I visited my grandparents in Guin, but I was attacked by fire ants when I was around 8 years old and I will never forget the pain! Then there is the tornado thing...and no basements! Those are the things making our decision so hard to make, that, and the fact that everyone in the South hates yankees I've been told.
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You're approaching this decision all wrong, if I may say. You're letting these "secondary issues" to cloud your judgement & your decision. Answer the "most important questions" first.
You should be asking, what's best for my husband's career? What would make him happy? Which location offers him a better job satisfaction, promotion potential, and the best working environment?
I think you can find good neighborhoods, good schools, and good shoppings in either places. So what's left in your decision --- a happy husband, that's what's missing.
You should be saying "honey, we can move anywhere as long as you're happy. We will support you no matter what you decide to do. We're a family and we stick together for each other...". Now watch him touched and moved to tears and, I guarantee you this, he will NEVER complaint how much you spend on shoes again !
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04-08-2009, 01:46 PM
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Senior Member
Status:
"I love fall!"
(set 25 days ago)
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Athens, AL
201 posts, read 77,036 times
Reputation: 33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wls2624
Hello! I've posted before about trying to decide on where to go. We live in Iowa/Illinois area. My husband is under BRAC to go to the Detroit Arsenal. However, he just got a job offer for Huntsville. We have to decide in three days whether to take the Huntsville offer. As I said before, my mother is from AL, small town called Guin, south east part. I spent many a summer there. So I'm familiar with AL, but, have never been to Detroit. I HATE the cold, BUT, I'm scared of your creepy crawly poisonous spiders and snakes because I love the outdoors and we have children and dogs. I never saw any the times I visited my grandparents in Guin, but I was attacked by fire ants when I was around 8 years old and I will never forget the pain! Then there is the tornado thing...and no basements! Those are the things making our decision so hard to make, that, and the fact that everyone in the South hates yankees I've been told.
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Lets see... I was born off the John C. Lodge in Detroit. Grew up in Southfield, a norther suburb of Detroit. I have lived in N. Al for the last 16 years. Hi! I haven't seen much of the creepy/crawleys that would be worse than what I have seen in Detroit. We had blue racers and all kinds of snakes in MI. I have only seen DEAD snakes here, and we lived at the river (off of the Tenn. River, where snakes & bugs are worse) for a year. I did see a black widow once. killed it. Fire ants? yes, you have to watch for the brown piles of dirt. They don't seem to have as much venom here as the ones I knew in Tx. Then again, I haven't gotten bitten much here. No basements? Both the place at the river and my house in Athens, AL have basements. If you are worried about tornadoes, there there construction things you can do... build out of Insulated Concrete forms, for instance. I sure hope that everyone doesn't hate Yankees here. Maybe only obnoxious ones (and there are all types from all over). I seem to have friends. The worst thing you can do is keep saying 'but in xxxx we ....' in a negative way. People take that badly here, an rightly so.
I thought about moving back briefly...very briefly...and quickly decided that there was no way I would want to move there. And I don't really mind the cold. If you hate the cold, I would strongly urge you to visit Huntsville and see what you think. I absolutely love being able to store my winter coat (sweatshirt outside usually is sufficient) and to drop the top of my car periodically during the winter.
Good luck with your decision.
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04-08-2009, 02:21 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2009
95 posts, read 36,578 times
Reputation: 13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HB2HSV
You're approaching this decision all wrong, if I may say. You're letting these "secondary issues" to cloud your judgement & your decision. Answer the "most important questions" first.
You should be asking, what's best for my husband's career? What would make him happy? Which location offers him a better job satisfaction, promotion potential, and the best working environment?
I think you can find good neighborhoods, good schools, and good shoppings in either places. So what's left in your decision --- a happy husband, that's what's missing.
You should be saying "honey, we can move anywhere as long as you're happy. We will support you no matter what you decide to do. We're a family and we stick together for each other...". Now watch him touched and moved to tears and, I guarantee you this, he will NEVER complaint how much you spend on shoes again !
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No, he is fine with either one. That is why we are having such a hard time deciding. |
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04-08-2009, 03:25 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hampton Cove, AL
326 posts, read 100,535 times
Reputation: 76
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As long as your dh is happy wherever, there are 2 ways to look at it.
MI has a failing economy, but this could also work to your advantage in dropping home/rent prices.
but.....
Huntsville has a growing economy, but what happens if the defense cuts effect Huntsville?(not saying they will, just sayin' it could.....)
I wouldn't worry about the creepy crawlys, there aren't that many. I lived in Houston for 8 years so I have a different view of what "a lot of creepy crawlys" really is. I also grew up in Chicago so I understand the desire to be away from the cold, but are you ready for the heat? Again, not like Houston, but it is warm and very humid in the summer months. I keep saying that I want to go to Hawaii, I don't like the heat, I don't like the cold, but alas dh doesn't buy it 
Really, there are 2 perspectives, much of it depends on what you want and what you want as a family. I would pick Huntsville out of those choices, because HSV is a great place for children, many years ago I may have picked Detroit for the lower cost of living-don't know. The other thing you have to look at are taxes, state income tax in MI is higher also. I have out-laws in MI. One works for Dow and is very worried about his job, and if that goes what happens with the house(you know the one that they could barely afford before but the wife had to have-did I mention the love I have for her?)? The other outlaw works for the University, he is worried about his property value, but isn't going to sell so it doesn't really matter and he has said as much.
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