How About Some Positive Posts? (Detroit, Grand Rapids: realty, house, condo)

[Maven]

I'm looking forward to moving back to Michigan to retire. Midland is looking like the place we will go. It'll be wonderful to have some family around. I have missed that.

[jetengineman's wife]

Mmmmm... here's a positive.... with land prices dropping so fast, hubby and I have decided to invest sometime this year in a piece of property on that little slice of heaven called Bois Blanc Island (oooppps... shhhhhh... that's a secret hideaway for ATVing, deer-hunting, nature loving enthusiasts who love all the best things Michigan has to offer in one place...).... so even if we have to move out of state eventually for a decent job opportunity and schools that aren't sinking into despair, we know we'll always be able to come back. It will be our haven... and someday our summertime retirement mecca.... Can't wait!

.... If life gives you lemons.... pour on the sugar and make lemonade!

[magellan]

Here's a shocker:

Detroit Metro home sales up by 15%

With the city of Detroit home sales up 45% in January 08 over Jan 07.

[Coldjensens]

Once again we have another beautiful day today (no comments about Sunday please).

Aside from the GM thing, thee are some signs that the Michigan economic debacle may have bottomed out. Someone mentioned here somewhere that foreclosures have dropped to 68% of 2006 rates. I was also told that Real estate sales were up considerably from last year (hopefully not due to a burst of new foreclosures). and that investors from other states and countries are starting to take notice of the opportunities available in Michigan right now.

That does not mean that it is getting better, just means that maybe it has stopped getting worse, or perhaps it is starting to stop getting worse. Any news other than things getting worse is good news.

[Cato the Elder]

I ate lunch down in Bricktown today and I was surprised by how many suits were walking around. I was curious and boldly went up to some of them. They were all out-of-towners salivating at the business opportunities in downtown. Surprisingly, one group was a MSU contingent taking some D.Os for a tour (presumably to show off the city). For those who want a great burger and beer, head down to the Detroiter - fantastic food and atmosphere.

[Coldjensens]

Suits on Friday? That IS odd.
I thought that pretty much all businesses had gone to casual Fridays.

[Cato the Elder]

Yep, basically old, white guys in suits going around in groups of 3 or 4 (not the DOs of course - there were more like 10 of them dressed casually, though let by one older white guy in a suit).

[Cato the Elder]

Wow, anyone head to Greektown last night? We couldn't get a table for dinner for 45-60 minutes. We figured the cold would keep people at home - boy were we wrong. There must have been some event in the area.

Another observation we made is that 90+% of the patrons were white. Where are they coming from? Suburbs like us? Canada?

We also noticed on the way down that BB King was playing at the Fox. Did anyone catch his show?

[TigerDan]

Anyway, here's another positive:
Spring is just around the corner and the Tigers have just begun Spring training.
Eat 'em up Tigers, eat 'em up.

[Bydand]

Tigers in Spring Training! Now that IS a positive post.