[akit]

I'm considering purchasing a house in either Montague or Whitehall and would appreciate any/all info you can give me on these two areas. Not looking for lakefront property, just want a small "cottage" type house for a summer home and to run a photography business out of. We currently live in KY. Working with a realtor but would like info from people who live in or near that area. What's it like? I'm a photographer and am hoping to have a small summer business up there. Then come back home to KY for the winters.

Thanks in advance to everyone who can help me out.

[akit]

Does anyone out there know anything about this area?

I've gone through the forum, about 18 pages back and no one seems to know anything about the areas north of Muskegon, at least I've not seen any comments. I've visited the Montague/Whitehall areas and they're small but seem to be nice.

Any locals out there who can tell me their opinion of their town?

[Rapunzll]

I don't live in either town, but I worked a pt job there temporaily a couple of months ago and it was much nicer than I remembered it being. If I had planned to stay in MI, I wouldn't mind living in the area. Both are small towns, but not all that far from larger ones. Have you visited them?

[akit]

Yes, I visited the towns. They seem nice. Very quiet, not much going on.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by akit

Yes, I visited the towns. They seem nice. Very quiet, not much going on.

That pretty well sums up both towns. I was born and raised just north of there in the Ludington area

[mackinac81]

I would go to whitehall in the summer to see friends and I loved it! It's just a nice little lakeside town. Murray road snakes along the south end of White Lake. there are lots of great homes there, and you're only a few miles from Lake Michigan and a good uncrowded beaches

Montague has the world's largest weathervane...and that's about it. Not a bad town, just nothing to it.

[tuebor]

Last week I read an article about a bookstore/cafe that opened in Montague not long ago and is now enjoying steady business. Apparently, it filled a need, as there was no bookstore there before it opened, and the locals seem to have adopted it as a place to meet and chat. Montague is also close to the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, so there may be more artsy NPR-listener types than one might expect to find in a rural area like that.

[mr0801]

I have family in Montague. Nice little town. I would live there if I wasn't happy here, about 20 miles north.

[highcountry38]

Originally Posted by akit

I'm considering purchasing a house in either Montague or Whitehall and would appreciate any/all info you can give me on these two areas. Not looking for lakefront property, just want a small "cottage" type house for a summer home and to run a photography business out of. We currently live in KY. Working with a realtor but would like info from people who live in or near that area. What's it like? I'm a photographer and am hoping to have a small summer business up there. Then come back home to KY for the winters.

Thanks in advance to everyone who can help me out.

Akit, I lived in montague/whitehall most of my life. They are beautiful, low crime, clean towns. There is a photography business on Ferry st. in Montague. I think there are also a couple in Whitehall. The thing about the white lake area you have to remember is...it is a small town and people can't afford high prices. From experience the studio in montague... not the best. You can't beat the summers. The Lake's, pier and bike trail are very nice. We recently moved to Colorado due to the bad economy of Michigan. I agree the mnts here are beautiful but I miss the big lake and the towering oaks!

[FisherOne]

I grew up there. All I will say is go carefully and look at the recent industrial history of the place, since the 70s if you plan on establishing permanent residence. I enjoyed growing up there and enjoy returning for a visit, but will not return to live out my life there.