[insearchmom]

Hi! We are planning to move to Lansing this summer and I'm lost! Not sure about neighborhoods and I have 2 kids.
My husband is going to work at MSU and I'm a stay home mom and love voluntary work. We are from Peru and we had being living in Syracuse for the past 7 years so it makes it difficult for my 2 kids (11 and 8) that now need to go a different school because there are no k-8 public schools in the area.
In really freaking out and need give advice for schools or zones? Maybe the best YMCA location, etc?
Also we plan to buy our first house there and want a nice space for the last years the kids are going to be with us before going to college but the slow market really scares me for the future.
Any help, please, would be really apreciated, the web doesn't always give you the "real" information you need and some posts that I read are from like 3 to 5 years ago.
Thanks a lot!

[michiganbob]

Lansing has many different areas and most have their own school districts and personalities that it would be hard to recommend one to you.

I understand that you want to move here and put down roots immediately, but I would seriously suggest that you rent for a year or so and visit different neighborhoods and towns to see what you like and don't like. Due to the week housing market, you should be able to find a nice house with a yard in a decent school system to rent. The supply of houses still outstrips the demand and that will likely continue for many more years so there really isn't a need to rush to grab a bargain.

I moved to the area about 25 years ago and can tell you that if I had bought a house then, without knowing the area better, I know it would have been a mistake. Your husband might like living in East Lansing to be close to work, but you may not like being so close to students. You might love living in a small town like Williamston or Mason, but your husband might hate the commute . . . especially in the winter time.

Do you like to go to parks?
Do you want to walk to shopping?
Do you want some quiet or don't mind the noise?

Finding a the perfect place takes time and is impossible to do long distance.

[insearchmom]

Thanks for the answer!!! Yeah! I tought the same but we dont want to move more than one time and change the kids from one school to another more than once... also we were renting where we live and we wanted to have a place for our own.
We are planing to go there and check out some houses in February and ask as much as we can. I know that is a very difficult shot but we will see how things are going and if we are not "sure for sure" a rent/buy is also an option...
We like parks and prefer a lot of trees around the house!!! We normally do a lot of afterschool activities but mostrly inside stuff, piano lessons and different classes.
And it is true that he will prefer to be close to campus, I guess that holton, Okemos or Haslett are good options to get both things...
Please, lets keep in touch I'll be posting more info and doubts as time pass... did I mention we are peruvians??? do you know about any latino people or population over there???
Thanks a LOT again

[teachbeach]

The ethnic makeup in/around East Lansing will not be a problem. There are many international students and professors, as well as several IT and insurance companies that hire globally. I think you'll find the area to be very culturally diverse, and the schools will be as well.

Okemos, East Lansing and Haslett seem to be have the top rated schools. Students generally go to an elementary school (through grades 4, 5 or 6) then a middle school (up to 8th grade) and then a high school (grades 9-12). Holt schools are not bad, but the other 3 seem to offer more AP courses and would probably have a more diverse student population. The home ownership may be somewhat confusing~you could have an East Lansing mailing address, your children would attend either East Lansing, Okemos or Haslett schools, and you might live in Meridian Township, Okemos or Lansing Township or East Lansing itself. A good realtor will help you straighten it all out. If you want to live in newer housing, there are some nice developments north Lake Lansing Road that have energy efficient homes, and they are near the malls, Route 127, the airport and many restaurants. There are several developments where the homes are about 20-30 years old, but they are lovely, well maintained and in a safe neighborhood where kids play outside and the people are friendly. Your children would be able to walk to elementary schools in some of the developments, and be bused to junior or senior high.

You did not mention what your housing budget will be~but there are many homes (existing) in the area for sale in all different price ranges. If you would like the name of a realtor, I can recommend the company that we used as being very helpful and professional. They would also know which areas might have residents with a background similar to yours.

The YMCA/YWCA is 5 different buildings, but they are part of the Greater Lansing area. There are different locations for each so you could belong to one and go to another for programs. There is also a community center in East Lansing, non-residents can use it for slightly higher fees. Ingham County has many parks, there are always activities going on at the university and in many of the communities.

Good luck!

[insearchmom]

You are great! All seems to be so great! I'm really sad lo leave our lives here but at the same time I think that change is good! and we'll still be at a driving distance to come back and visit or get friends over
I have a question (another!!!) what are AP courses? It gets really confusing to me all the difference between my country and here in the US (everything is diferent!) and my kids used to go a k-8 school together and are sad to be going to different schools now (like moving wasn't enough). I guess I'll need to take an intensive course od "american schools" as my kids get older, so far elementary it's being very easy and their school here is adorable!
We are pretty sure will be getting a house, we have our eyes in one on Holton but is a little far from campus and I've heard a lot that the schools in the other districts are better, thats also a turn down.
We'll, thanks again for all the help and feel free to give me the realtor's name, it would be very helpful!
Read ya!

[caspper69]

Originally Posted by insearchmom

You are great! All seems to be so great! I'm really sad lo leave our lives here but at the same time I think that change is good! and we'll still be at a driving distance to come back and visit or get friends over
I have a question (another!!!) what are AP courses? It gets really confusing to me all the difference between my country and here in the US (everything is diferent!) and my kids used to go a k-8 school together and are sad to be going to different schools now (like moving wasn't enough). I guess I'll need to take an intensive course od "american schools" as my kids get older, so far elementary it's being very easy and their school here is adorable!
We are pretty sure will be getting a house, we have our eyes in one on Holton but is a little far from campus and I've heard a lot that the schools in the other districts are better, thats also a turn down.
We'll, thanks again for all the help and feel free to give me the realtor's name, it would be very helpful!
Read ya!

AP stands for Advanced Placement, where if you take the class and do well enough on the exam, you get college credit. It can be a very economical way to get a ton of credits out of the way in high school.

That being said, you are likely to want to live in either East Lansing, Okemos or Haslett, especially for the schools. I would say Okemos is the best school district, but not by a ton. Our kids are in East Lansing public schools, and we love it. We also happen to straddle the wealthiest and poorest areas of East Lansing (although there's no real bad area, per se, there is a poorer area). That makes our school one of the most diverse.

Haslett and Okemos are not nearly as diverse as East Lansing. You probably want to avoid Lansing altogether due to the schools, although there are great areas to live in within Lansing. But then you have an additional city income tax.

Some people like less bustling areas, and Williamston, Holt, Mason, Grand Ledge and Dewitt meet that criteria. The schools are likely to be above average in any of those communities, but not at the same tier as the 3 mentioned above.

For areas with a quick commute to MSU, it's basically East Lansing, Okemos, the far Eastern parts of Lansing (Forest Road area), and Mason.

Honestly though, depending on your budget, you can find affordable housing in any area. If you avoid buying in Lansing proper, you'll likely get great public schools too. Haslett and Okemos might be a little too non-diverse for your liking (i.e. it's very white). I'm not saying there are any issues at all with that, but some people like a diversity of cultures.

Coming from Syracuse, the people and the "vibe" of the area is likely to be similar, although it probably drops off quicker around the Lansing metro, as it's much smaller than Syracuse.

[insearchmom]

Hi everybody! I would like to ask you something different now. I dont know if someone knows about a good teacher or place to take piano lessons (and not crazy expensive -I've check MSU lessons-) or maybe these are just the prices??? like 20 for 1/2 hour?
I would like to have more options that what I found in the web, hope anybody have some info about it
Thanks and read you all soon!

[teachbeach]

You can probably find someone or post on Craig's List that you are seeking someone for private or semi-private lessons near where you'll be living. East Lansing has the MSU Community Music School which offers group lessons for 12 weeks for about $10 per week. MSU also has a large music department, so their may be students, graduate assistants or professors who would be willing to teach your child/ren piano lessons to earn some extra income.

[insearchmom]

Yeah! right! good idea! I'll check better when I go there! the students idea is good too
Thanks

[M_P_E]

It sounds to me that you should look at East Lansing. I think you will find that the schools, cultural diversity, and variety of activities available (between city-sponsored, university-sponsored, and other activities) to be quite satisfactory. It is also nice that you can (either by choice or of necessity) get by well without a car if you live in the downtown areas.

Having lived here for the past 10 years, and in a cute old house downtown for the past six+ years, I would recommend that you speak with a Realtor about properties available in Chesterfield, Glencairn, Bailey, and a few of the other neighborhoods just a hair further north or east. These areas would put you in a convenient location to walk/cycle to the campus and downtown areas, as well as the East Lansing library and community center. There are plenty of nice places to live around here, but it is REALLY nice to be able to go out for dinner, stop by the library, and pick up some groceries all in the course of an evening walk. It is also great to be within walking distance of the campus for events, visits to the gardens, the art festival/folk festival/etc., the E.L. farmer's market, and multiple coffee places. You can realistically do these things if you live in Chesterfield or Glencairn or Bailey.

It has not been our experience that the students are a bother in these areas, despite the fear that they may be. The student-only areas are readily identifiable, and they tend to stay in their respective areas. Choose wisely, look at the residential rental restriction overlay maps that the city publishes, and understand where the students are and where they aren't (and per the rental restrictions, can't be).

As for the issue of buying a home in this market, I think you'd be safe in the neighborhoods I mentioned. Prices seem to have stabilized, and the properties represent a solid value given their location, quality of life, and relative scarcity - there will always be a market for nice homes near the university, unlike in the tract subdivisions of Haslett or Okemos.