[Virginia1]

Hello Michigan folks,

I currently live in Virginia Beach and have become newly engaged to my girlfriend who lives in Flint. Due to various reasons she cannot move down to Virginia anytime soon, 2-3 years. So I will sacrifice the warm weather and relative good economy to move up to the land of the Wolverines. I have visited Michigan many times visiting my girl. I have been to Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Ludington, Saugatuck, Detroit (surrounding areas, Royal Oak, Warren, Ferndale etc. ). I am in the medical field so I guess I would be considered fortunet in being able to find a job. I really don't want to live in Flint.....she knows this....sorry Flint is not exactly on the rise and I am not willing to hang out and see if things will look up for that area. I am in the Radiological field and have noticed that there are abundant jobs in the downtown Detroit area, mainly Wayne State. Hospitals in the burbs of Detroit have less positions, my point I guess is that the nice areas have less openings, ie....Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and low paying in Grand Haven, Traverse City, Saugatuck etc. I am active, like culture. I could live in a small quaint town and commute up to 30 minutes to work. I guess I just need some advice on what areas are the best to live in. My concerns are economy, crime, a good standard of living. I liked Grand Rapids, seems clean, not so dependent on the auto industry if at all, but I also liked Royal Oak, Ferndale area. So any thoughts or advice would be great. Thanks.

[abhimulamalla]

Welcome to Michigan....! SUMMER PARADISE....WINTER WONDERLAND.....!
I live in holland....30 mins from grand rapids....real quaint town....There is lot of things going for grand rapids.....spectrum health, st marys and metro hospital are 3 major hospitals in gr area.....and all the 3 hospitals are going through major expansions....so i am sure u will not have any problem finding a job....all the best....!

[mariatherese]

ferndale is one of my favorite places in SE MI. a shorter commute time than royal oak, and more affordable. that would be my suggestion for working in the city and living in the burbs. it has so much authentic character, a great vibe.

plus, ferndale might be good because whether you got a job in royal oak or in detroit, you would be right in the middle and able to commute to either.

but royal oak, ferndale, berkley, troy- all good places. those would be my picks of places to live around here.

[mich2fla]

Have you considered Grand Rapids, Michigan?

GR is building a 'medical mile' on Michigan avenue. Van Andel Institute started a while back and transformed the whole area into medical school/research area. Just google Van Andel Institute and go from there.

Metro Hospital is building a new hospital south of GR in Byron Center off M-6.

Spectrum Health is the largest hospital and it's located next to the Van Andel Institute.

St Mary's is located about 2 miles south of Spectrum on Jefferson Avenue.

Michigan State University is moving some of their medical school to GR later this year.

Housing in the GR area is much affordable than the metro Detroit area. Commute times are much shorter and you will be about a 2.25 hrs drive from Flint.

Good luck on your search!

[Virginia1]

Thankyou all for the input. I have looked at the 3 major hospitals in the GR area and I even did a impromptu visit last year at Spectrum. Everyone there seemed real nice. GR must be a popular place to work medically because the jobs in my fiel are few and far, at least full time status. Detroit........well, all kinds of jobs. I have done the inner city trauma 1 gig and great for experience but gets old after a while. I agree the Ferndale area seems a cool eclectic sort of area and if I do end up working in Detroit then I will find a place there. Does anyone know anything about Ann Arbor U of M hospitals and is it affordable the live there, does one have to live outside of Ann Arbor to afford housing. If I buy I will most likely do it on my own, so I can only afford something no more then 110,000, 2 bedroom, condo or house. Any input will be appreciated and thanks for those who have done so far. Helps with cutting the umbilical cord in terms of leaving this area, housing here is just insane. Just trying to convince myself that Michigan will be okay to live in, I know economy is hurting somewhat and man......it is cold there he he.
Again, Thanks

[thisguy]

Originally Posted by Virginia1

Thankyou all for the input. I have looked at the 3 major hospitals in the GR area and I even did a impromptu visit last year at Spectrum. Everyone there seemed real nice. GR must be a popular place to work medically because the jobs in my fiel are few and far, at least full time status. Detroit........well, all kinds of jobs. I have done the inner city trauma 1 gig and great for experience but gets old after a while. I agree the Ferndale area seems a cool eclectic sort of area and if I do end up working in Detroit then I will find a place there. Does anyone know anything about Ann Arbor U of M hospitals and is it affordable the live there, does one have to live outside of Ann Arbor to afford housing. If I buy I will most likely do it on my own, so I can only afford something no more then 110,000, 2 bedroom, condo or house. Any input will be appreciated and thanks for those who have done so far. Helps with cutting the umbilical cord in terms of leaving this area, housing here is just insane. Just trying to convince myself that Michigan will be okay to live in, I know economy is hurting somewhat and man......it is cold there he he.
Again, Thanks

I was going to recommend Ann Arbor before you said it in this post. You will love the town, culture, etc. It is not the chepest place around but there are MANY cheaper communities within a 20 minute commute.... the hospitals are wonderful there, the people are from all walks of life, you have the student body and if my work was anywhere nearby I'd live there. You can also live halfway between Ann Arbor and the western suburbs such as Plymouth/Canton, and get to each part of town within 20 minutes, and then you can double your places to work (go west to Ann Arbor or go east to the western Detroit suburbs)

If you didnt work in medical I'd seriously adivse you not to move to MI, the economy in Southeast michigan is in serious dumps... but you are insulated in your field.

Also I live in Royal Oak... I do like it too, but Ann Arbor is just a great town and if you can get a job at U of M hopsitals you can find a nice house in outskirts type of town nearby and you will really enjoy it. Ferndale is cheaper than Royal Oak but more crime but nothing like Flint...so its all relative. But these areas are struggling as people are leaving the state and housing is depressed etc (people can't sell homes) Ann Arbor is less dependent on automotive so not going through the same issues to the same degree... west side of state is even better off (Grand Rapids for example).

So the issues that effect your fiancee allow her to stay IN STATE but not out of state? I would think it would be something that would tie her to Flint itself but it sounds like not... I don't see much difference in moving from Flint to Grand Rapids as there is to move to Flint to Chicago - thats why I ask.

[thisguy]

Originally Posted by Virginia1

Thankyou all for the input. I have looked at the 3 major hospitals in the GR area and I even did a impromptu visit last year at Spectrum. Everyone there seemed real nice. GR must be a popular place to work medically because the jobs in my fiel are few and far, at least full time status. Detroit........well, all kinds of jobs. I have done the inner city trauma 1 gig and great for experience but gets old after a while. I agree the Ferndale area seems a cool eclectic sort of area and if I do end up working in Detroit then I will find a place there. Does anyone know anything about Ann Arbor U of M hospitals and is it affordable the live there, does one have to live outside of Ann Arbor to afford housing. If I buy I will most likely do it on my own, so I can only afford something no more then 110,000, 2 bedroom, condo or house. Any input will be appreciated and thanks for those who have done so far. Helps with cutting the umbilical cord in terms of leaving this area, housing here is just insane. Just trying to convince myself that Michigan will be okay to live in, I know economy is hurting somewhat and man......it is cold there he he.
Again, Thanks

I'd also reconsider buying a home if you are only planning to stay 2-3 years. With appreciation non existant, you are going to pay a 6% commission when you sell your house, so it makes sense to rent if you only plan to stay that long. Just a thought. If you buy a 120,000 home your commission is $7200 when you sell, so unless house appreciates that much (plus closing costs all that sort of stuff) you won't even break even... your payments in first 3 years of a 30 year mortgage are almost all interest anyhow, now much is paid towards the principal.

[Virginia1]

Thanks...thisguy for the info, didn't even think of the buying house issue. My fiance has a daughter who is a senior in high school this year and when she graduates she wants to go to college at U of M in Flint and stay at home. We have had a long distance relationship for 6 years now and personally it is getting old ( the distance thing). She likes Virginia, I live one block from the ocean (rent, own would cost me about 600,000). I work at a Childrens Hosptial, been at this job for about 8 years and really like it here. But...the housing is outraegous, it is getting crowded. People like moving here, nice area, crime relatively low, great schools, mountains are 2-3 hours away, D.C. is 3-4 hours away, just have to dodge an occasional hurricane. Michigan will be a change for me, but I see that the homes are less expensive, pay within my field seems to be the same and of course my girl is there. I don't know if I will fit in though.......I drive a foreign car.....he he, something I noticed right away vs. down here, but given GM country I can see why. The Ford plant that makes the F-150 is closing down here in Norfolk, about 2,400 will lose there jobs, so I hope the boys in Detroit turn it around. Again thanks for the advice from everyone in Michigan, really helps.

[thisguy]

Originally Posted by Virginia1

Thanks...thisguy for the info, didn't even think of the buying house issue. My fiance has a daughter who is a senior in high school this year and when she graduates she wants to go to college at U of M in Flint and stay at home. We have had a long distance relationship for 6 years now and personally it is getting old ( the distance thing). She likes Virginia, I live one block from the ocean (rent, own would cost me about 600,000). I work at a Childrens Hosptial, been at this job for about 8 years and really like it here. But...the housing is outraegous, it is getting crowded. People like moving here, nice area, crime relatively low, great schools, mountains are 2-3 hours away, D.C. is 3-4 hours away, just have to dodge an occasional hurricane. Michigan will be a change for me, but I see that the homes are less expensive, pay within my field seems to be the same and of course my girl is there. I don't know if I will fit in though.......I drive a foreign car.....he he, something I noticed right away vs. down here, but given GM country I can see why. The Ford plant that makes the F-150 is closing down here in Norfolk, about 2,400 will lose there jobs, so I hope the boys in Detroit turn it around. Again thanks for the advice from everyone in Michigan, really helps.

Don't worry about the car thing- the line between foreign and domestic is blurring. Honda and Toyota and Nissan have big US plants that employ US people so how can you criticize them. Chrysler is now part of Mercedes etc.

Housing is cheaper here - but weather is not as nice as your area. If you can land a job here its a good place to live as long as you don't mind the winters. Economically its tough right now.

[Virginia1]

Yeah............my fiance always gives me a hard time (in a fun way) about driving a foreign car. Her dad retired from GM in the "golden years". I don't mind winters, it's just that they last a weeee bit longer up there and the temperature is certainly colder. My main concern is the economy. I am aware that businesses are affected (trickle down effect) by the auto industry and I assume people are leaving the area (Eastern Michigan). I just hope the leadership private and government can bring in other industries to help the situation. Which brings me to this question. What type of industry or services fuel the Western side of the state, i.e. Grand Rapids, Holland, Ludington etc. and do they have a high unemployment rate comparable with the East side. Any info would help. Oh......anyone in the Medical field out there?