Family planning on moving to MI (Detroit, Flint: homes, living, restaurants)
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Oakland County is growing and one of the most prosperous counties in the state. The northern part of Oakland County is very close to Flint. Nearly every place of any size has good areas and bad areas. Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and others all have sections of of high crime, murder and the like. I don't think you are planning on moving to the "hood" any city that you go, from what I can glean. Yes, the city proper of Flint and especially certain areas of Flint have a very, very high crime rate.....but don't fall for the fallacy of composition by listening to people who imply that what is true of some part is thus true for the whole or what is true for the whole is thus true of its parts. Places that are heralded as nice to raise a family have areas where it is not nice or conducive to raise a family. Places that are said to be bad places to raise a family have areas that are excellent for raising a family. Few metro areas are all or nothing like that.
Sadly this is too true. The saving grace for me is that my best friend since Kindergarten and his family still live here. 100% Hispanic with Mama and Papa C being born and raised on the TX/Mexico border. Mama makes some MEAN tex/mex food so I just go for a visit when the cravings start.
Without a scource like that though, you better know how to make it yourself, because you are not going to stop into a restaurant and buy any good stuff.
Re. Flint: Yes, I see they are opening a truck plant there. Possibly a fledgling turnaround in the works - something that may grow and transform the area.
A new seed planted...
Eateries and other support businesses always accompany a project like this.
I have pretty much decided on Kalamazoo, or surrounding area. Seems to be around the same size city im in now. I was wonder about utilites, and average prices, including food. Thanks for all the information. I have been watching the Pure Michigan videos. Amazing.
Jeebus, apparently I touched a defensive nerve when I described Michigan as "rural." It was intended as a compliment, but apparently Michiganders are a tad techy and defensive about a perception of being called hayseeds. I've had several uber-defensive posts in response to mine. Please go back and read what I wrote.
Magellan, if you read my original post, I did say "Michigan", not "Michigan except for the entire UP, Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon and any parts not generally perceived as "metro Detroit, and any part that Magellan is possessive about; mainly Grand Rapids."
And, thank you. I have spent lots of time in Grand Rapids. It's a nice little upper-mid-western city. I don't want to live there. You don't need to perceive this as an insult, you know. It's not personal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by magellan
That's interesting that you say that, because the United States is about 3% urbanized area and the rest of the 97% is rural. Michigan is really no different. It's actually more densely populated than 42 other states, if you just look at the lower peninsula.
You should check out Grand Rapids sometimes. The metro area is probably 600 square miles (or twice that if you include Holland and Muskegon like some people do).
Wow, thanks for all the replies. Lots of reading Whats funny is someone mentioned Denny's. Thats actually where i work currently. My wife is disabled so we also get SSI. Checking around, i found some decent prices for a house in KALAMAZOO. Seems to be a good fit for me. Hopefully this loan will go through, and i can just buy a place, rather then rent. We are moving, i can always find a job. We have modest needs, as i said before, so making just a little over minimum wage will do. Its always better the more you can make but still. Just have to manage money a lot tighter. its 95 degrees in my house right now, with 3 ACs going. The lakes are drying up, and everything is going to sh*t in San Angelo. To the poster that mentioned drug cartel. Really? I mean, i live close to Mexico. We have far more cartel here in Texas then you could possibly have. Just google it, and you will see. Again, thanks for all the input. Also, Thanks to the mod for clarifying for me the difference between the metro area and the actual city. Anyone know where i can watch a few videos in MI? Like actual videos, not some j@ck@ss linking violent crimes videos. Ty in advance.
These are not videos, but a friend of mine has an amazing Flickr stream...almost all from Michigan. Check it out!
I have pretty much decided on Kalamazoo, or surrounding area. Seems to be around the same size city im in now. I was wonder about utilites, and average prices, including food. Thanks for all the information. I have been watching the Pure Michigan videos. Amazing.
Kalamazoo/Portage is a good choice. Portage has less crime and most of the amenities. Kzo is the home of Western Michigan University. You are close to Fort Custer rec area and Lake Michigan beaches. The culture has some overlap with northern Indiana and Chicago. Kellogg philanthropy has had an impact.
Can't speak to food/utility prices because they should be compared to what you have now. Rents are higher in Portage. Notice the area lakes - they are highly developed but have access for fishing.
Smaller nearby towns like Schoolcraft, Richland, Alamo, are really laid back if you like things quiet. Otsego/Plainwell has a long mall shopping area along M-89 that the other small towns don't have.
Jeebus, apparently I touched a defensive nerve when I described Michigan as "rural." It was intended as a compliment, but apparently Michiganders are a tad techy and defensive about a perception of being called hayseeds. I've had several uber-defensive posts in response to mine. Please go back and read what I wrote.
Magellan, if you read my original post, I did say "Michigan", not "Michigan except for the entire UP, Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon and any parts not generally perceived as "metro Detroit, and any part that Magellan is possessive about; mainly Grand Rapids."
And, thank you. I have spent lots of time in Grand Rapids. It's a nice little upper-mid-western city. I don't want to live there. You don't need to perceive this as an insult, you know. It's not personal.
I wasn't getting defensive or taking it personally. I was merely pointing out that your perception that "Michigan, with the exception of metro Detroit, is a rural, farming state" applies to the entire U.S., and is not necessarily true for the lower peninsula of Michigan. It's not a Michigan thing. And that there are big urbanized areas other than Southeast Michigan. And I'm not trying to get you to live here. Go back and re-read MY post.
But I do have to ask, how would anyone take a comment like "the entire state is mostly rural and farmland outside of where I live" as a compliment?
I wasn't getting defensive or taking it personally. I was merely pointing out that your perception that "Michigan, with the exception of metro Detroit, is a rural, farming state" applies to the entire U.S., and is not necessarily true. It's not a Michigan thing. And that there are big urbanized areas other than Southeast Michigan. And I'm not trying to get you to live here. Go back and re-read MY post.
Umm, OK.
PHRACK, call Consumers and the water dept, they'll tell you what the charges are for any given address basecd on past usage.
PHRACK, call Consumers and the water dept, they'll tell you what the charges are for any given address basecd on past usage.
If you have a problem with my posting, I'd prefer you take it up via the message system. Public pissing matches don't usually end well.
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I've had several uber-defensive posts in response to mine. Please go back and read what I wrote.
Whats funny is someone mentioned Denny's. Thats actually where i work currently. My wife is disabled so we also get SSI. Checking around, i found some decent prices for a house in KALAMAZOO. Seems to be a good fit for me. Hopefully this loan will go through, and i can just buy a place, rather then rent. We are moving, i can always find a job. We have modest needs, as i said before, so making just a little over minimum wage will do. Its always better the more you can make but still. Just have to manage money a lot tighter. its 95 degrees in my house right now, with 3 ACs going. The lakes are drying up, and everything is going to sh*t in San Angelo. To the poster that mentioned drug cartel. Really? I mean, i live close to Mexico. We have far more cartel here in Texas then you could possibly have. Just google it, and you will see. Again, thanks for all the input. Also, Thanks to the mod for clarifying for me the difference between the metro area and the actual city. Anyone know where i can watch a few videos in MI? Like actual videos, not some j@ck@ss linking violent crimes videos. Ty in advance.
