Leaving Michigan

[BrytEydBelle]

We are planning on moving early next year (when our apartment lease ends). I am in my early twenties and newly married, and we would just like to go somewhere with a more stable economy. We want to be able to buy a home/condo in the next few years, and I just can't trust that we will have jobs then!

His work just got bought out and he had to take a paycut of nearly 40%. At my job, they just had to fire someone due to budget constraints, and while I have the seniority to last a while, who knows if they will keep my branch office open if we continue to underperform (even though our poor numbers are due to the economy of Michigan).

Unless there is a drastic economic shift in the next six months, we plan on going to either Florida, where my husband grew up, or North Carolina, which is booming. I should be able to transfer to either area, so I am hopeful that it will work out.

[dbrooks411]

I left Detroit area in 2003 and moved to Phoenix, my husband and I could not find jobs. The housing in the surburbs rose. I lived in a 2 bedrooom townhome in Southfield, the rent rose from 840 to 900 in 1 year. I had only 1 full bath.

[janette moss]

Originally Posted by jeffncandace

Thinking about moving away? Already made the big move? Discuss why, where, and how you left or plan to leave Michigan.

I think weather is another factor to leave the Michigan area. Some people like snowey winters, but I like the heat. I know it can get devastately hot in the south (like this summer), but I don't care. This was out of norm and can happen in the future. But warm weather is what I prefer and plan to move to the Georgia area. I have been there on several occasions. The warm weather is longer than the cold weather.

[Giesela]

I know its bad for real estate and the economy, taxes, but I'm happy to see people leave. I love Michigan but love the rural life, no traffic etc. Michigan has what 11 million people? Too many. Go live somewhere else.

[Sociologist]

Originally Posted by Giesela

I know its bad for real estate and the economy, taxes, but I'm happy to see people leave. I love Michigan but love the rural life, no traffic etc. Michigan has what 11 million people? Too many. Go live somewhere else.

Well although you may like people leaving (and yes many are) you must not care about your house value, your chance of ever selling your home. By the way, as of the last census (2000) Michigan had shy of 9 million people. Its sad there is someone saying they want people to leave, maybe in 10 years your neighbors will be skunks.

[MichaelBC]

Subject: Medicine
>
> A Japanese doctor says, "Medicine in my country is so advanced that we can
> take a kidney out of one man, put it in another, and have him out looking
> for work in six weeks."
>
> A German doctor says, "That is nothing. We can take a lung out of one
> person, put it in another, and have him out looking for work in four
> weeks."
>
> A British doctor says, "In my country medicine is so advanced that we can
> take half a heart out of one person, put it in another, and have both of
> them out looking for work in two weeks."
>
> The Canadian doctor, not to be outdone, interjected, "You guys are way
> behind. We took a woman with no brains, sent her to Michigan where she
> became Governor, and now half the state is out looking for work."

[Jen Cosco]

My answer to your poll - none of the above.
1)Have a job...
2)Love Michigan Winters...
3)Upper Michigan is not facing the same "fiscal mess" that lower Michigan is and I have faith that the state's economy will improve...
4)Don't want a new state to complain about (although I have lived in other states and been far less happy with my surroundings)...
5)Love my surroundings - hardly any traffic, great people, very low crime rate...
6)Live close to my family who are still here in Upper Michigan...

In a recent USA Today article it was reported that The Upper Peninsula stands apart, geographically and economically, from the Lower Peninsula. While the Lower Peninsula has been suffering from job losses in the auto industry, home foreclosures, mortgage delinquencies, etc. the U.P. has benefited from tourism, mining and logging. And at a time when home sales have declined overall in Michigan, they have risen in the U.P. My hope is that Michiganders that are considering leaving the state intirely might also consider a move within the state intead.

[Timeless_36]

Originally Posted by rjmerrick

It seems whenever I am outside of Michigan - people's perception seems to center only on Detroit and never outside of it!

LOL! I was just talking to my husband about that.....there is definately more to Michigan than just Detroit! I live in a small SW town and it is fabulous. Jobs...are slim or none, but our community is nice and safe...just the way I like it!

[malamute]

Originally Posted by magellan

People seem to even stretch winter out longer than it really is. I'm waiting for that one poster to claim winter lasts year round in Michigan.

Yes, it does occasionally snow in October, but it's more the exception than the rule. We've driven to Saginaw from Grand Rapids EVERY YEAR for 10 years for Thanksgiving (late November), across M-46 or M-57, and I don't ever remember driving it in the snow. I've even wondered if we were going to have a white Christmas (snow on the ground) in the last couple of years, and we supposedly live in the "snow belt" over here.

I think if people determine that they don't like something (like winter in Michigan), than their mind amplifies that thing to reinforce their decision. It's just like once you determine you don't like your job or your boss. Every day that goes by, it (or he/she) gets worse and worse. It's just human nature.

I think of winter as any season you have to have the heater on. I lived in northern Michigan where one year the temperatures were still going down in the 30's in June, no heater at all in all of July, but August came and temperatures dropped in the 30's at night -- heaters were on again.

That got me packing up -- that was just too much -- although I do have to admit the scenery was very nice, the lakes are beautiful, people were fine.

I show back up every summer however. Even summers up there are on the chilly side -- so I try to aim for July.