[Coldjensens]

Right now, if you have a job here or can work from home or telecommute, Michigan is one of the best places to move to. You can sell your hovel in an expensive state and buy a palace here with no mortgage. Smart people would buy a couple of rental properties too (i wish that I had). Eventually the economics will balance and begin to recover.

[Terry & Janice McMullen]

I also had left Michigan and lived in California and Florida in my younger days then moved back married a wonderful man and 15 years later we moved to Green Valley, Arizona where it was, boy oh boy, oh so hot! Eight years later we moved to Mimbres, New Mexico where we reside now for the last two years. But our hearts and a lot of our children are still in Michigan. We are going for a 2 week vacation this summer to Lexington and have been looking at Real Estate there now. We are very excited about the prospet of maybe moving back. We are not real familiar with that area so if anyone has any good pointers would love to hear them. My husband is just retiring this summer and I have a few more years to go but I think we could swing it. We would probably go back to Arizona to see mom & sister in the few bad months, January and February.

Originally Posted by jgg38

[SIZE=2]I’ve read through most of the questions and answers based on “Where is a good place to live in Michigan”, and thought I would put in my two cents worth. Seems like there is a lot of negative input on the poor old Wolverine state, but let me tell you that from a guy that has lived on this planet for almost 70 years now, and has resided in the Arizona deserts, the Colorado mountains, the Big Apple, costal Florida and most of the areas in between, Michigan, in my opinion, is truly the best place to live if you want a very good quality of life. I grew up in rural Michigan (thumb), and couldn’t wait to get out of there at the age of 18. I retired from Airline flying about 8 years ago and have been driving a big rig around the 48 ever since. I am going to return to Michigan and spend the rest of my life there. Can’t compare anyplace I have been to the exceptional quality of life that she offers. If money is your only goal in life, then the big metro areas in the southern and western US are probably the place to go, but if you want to raise your children in a sane atmosphere, and be surrounded by folks that won’t try to kill you or steal you blind, then rural Michigan is the place to go. After all, money comes and goes, but the enjoyment of a life well lived is priceless. Hope this helps some of you, and for those that don’t agree, we are all entitled to our opinion, and this is mine.[/SIZE]

[jejones]

balance and begin to recover? Based on what? the auto industry? Manufacturing? Housing? What the heck are you talking about? That statment is akin to saying jesus is just about to return, based on what that he has not for 2000 years? Good observation.

[downthathighway]

Originally Posted by Terry & Janice McMullen

I also had left Michigan and lived in California and Florida in my younger days then moved back married a wonderful man and 15 years later we moved to Green Valley, Arizona where it was, boy oh boy, oh so hot! Eight years later we moved to Mimbres, New Mexico where we reside now for the last two years. But our hearts and a lot of our children are still in Michigan. We are going for a 2 week vacation this summer to Lexington and have been looking at Real Estate there now. We are very excited about the prospet of maybe moving back. We are not real familiar with that area so if anyone has any good pointers would love to hear them. My husband is just retiring this summer and I have a few more years to go but I think we could swing it. We would probably go back to Arizona to see mom & sister in the few bad months, January and February.

If you have a secure income source, Lexington and any area in the thumb (especially along Lake Huron) is a great choice. You can buy much cheaper than in a metro area and its still rural ,though more 'resort-oriented' along the lakeside towns. It's an easy drive down to Port Huron for city shopping needs. I lived in Sanillac County about 10 years ago, saw alot of real estate bargains then, imagine it's even better now, with people selling off their vacation places.

[kaypurdue]

I like living here, and I even live near Flint.

I think the state has great potential for science, technology and research. If nothing else, maybe someone can set up a research institute in one of Flint's old buildings and conduct experiments on the population... haha.

In all seriousness, though... science/tech is the way to go. I think once climate change starts hitting the coasts hard, businesses and research facilities might think about relocating here where we're still pretty safe from that, for now.

[Maxine3]

Originally Posted by downthathighway

If you have a secure income source, Lexington and any area in the thumb (especially along Lake Huron) is a great choice. You can buy much cheaper than in a metro area and its still rural ,though more 'resort-oriented' along the lakeside towns. It's an easy drive down to Port Huron for city shopping needs. I lived in Sanillac County about 10 years ago, saw alot of real estate bargains then, imagine it's even better now, with people selling off their vacation places.

My folks moved to Sanilac County 50 years ago. I have lived in Port Sanilac and Sandusky, as recently as 5 years ago.
PLEASE NOTE: if you weren't born there, you are never really accepted. Your money is, however.
And, watch out for "the good ole' boys".. You gotta go along to get along.
Lexington is still far enough "South" to be okay. Most homes are 2nd homes and most of the people are also "from somewhere else".

[odinloki1]

I'm Port huron, born and raised. No place can touch it. My problem is that Blanchard and Engler screwed the state up (with the help of the feds) and let it go downhill. It is really difficult to recover though and Granholm is not doing well.

I live in Arizona now. I hate it. It is a miserable Godforesaken unfriendly hellhole. Everyone hides in their houses year round. The roads are just as bad as Michigans, and the housing is overpriced. In Port Huron you can find something decent if you live alone. Not here in Arizona. Not to mention all the other good things about MI.

If you are fortunate enough to be in MI, I envy you (if you want to trade places I'm open to it). I was just back for the holidays and got back to Tucson on the 5th. It took about 6 hours before I was already sick of this place. Its all dry heat, crappy jobs and mexican food, nothing else.

[Maxine3]

Originally Posted by odinloki1

I'm Port huron, born and raised. No place can touch it. My problem is that Blanchard and Engler screwed the state up (with the help of the feds) and let it go downhill. It is really difficult to recover though and Granholm is not doing well.

I live in Arizona now. I hate it. It is a miserable Godforesaken unfriendly hellhole. Everyone hides in their houses year round. The roads are just as bad as Michigans, and the housing is overpriced. In Port Huron you can find something decent if you live alone. Not here in Arizona. Not to mention all the other good things about MI.

If you are fortunate enough to be in MI, I envy you (if you want to trade places I'm open to it). I was just back for the holidays and got back to Tucson on the 5th. It took about 6 hours before I was already sick of this place. Its all dry heat, crappy jobs and mexican food, nothing else.

Port Huron is/was a lovely city. That beautiful, blue river is amazing.
I thought of moving there a few years ago.
The residents aren't very happy with the economy "and the good ole' boys" at city hall.
Please read some of th posts in the Times Herald:
Times Herald - www.thetimesherald.com - Port Huron, MI

[gnab gib]

Originally Posted by Bydand

Once you are gone and seen other states and places, you realize what you had all along. And where was that? Oh right, Michigan. It may not do/have anything the BEST, but it does it all very well.

Yeah, it really can be a grass-is-greener type of thing. When I lost my job back home, I had a choice of taking a position in metro Detroit -- just a few miles away from my wife's mom -- or one in D.C. I was tired of kicking around in small-town Michigan, so I dragged my wife away from her mom and out here to the East Coast.

When I went back home this year for Thanksgiving, it struck me how much I really missed Michigan. Yeah, it has it faults and problems, but the people were so much warmer, friendlier, and more familiar than people are out here, and the overall vibe was a lot calmer and much more welcoming and inviting, not alien and imposing.

I've been out here in metro D.C. since 2003, and I still feel like a stranger. Yet I was back visiting Michigan for one measly little weekend, and I immediately felt like I was back home among familiar friends. It's one of those intangibles that you can't fully appreciate unless you've been away.

No, the economy isn't good right now, but it'll rebound, and in the meantime, you can probably afford to buy a nice house if you want to. Out here, owning a home is completely out of the question ... we simply can't afford it.

If you're in Michigan now and dying to get out, trust me ... you could have it a lot worse. And in fact, you have it a lot better than folks in other parts of the country!

[TwoSticks]

Originally Posted by Maxine3

...Please read some of th posts in the Times Herald...

Where exactly are those posts you mentioned? That's a pretty busy web site and I couldn't find any obvious link on the home page.