Moving to Traverse City Michigan (Petoskey, Caro: housing, rent, hotels)

[mareen9]

Hi my name is Maureen, I am curious about Traverse City, Michigan beings that my boyfriend is in the Coast Guard and he will be working for a Coast Guard Air station and a possible place is Traverse City. I will be moving with him so we have been researching some areas he could possible be stationed. We are in our mid twenties and love the outdoors and enjoy hiking, biking, running and basically anything outdoors. We are very laid back people originally from South New Jersey. He is currently stationed in Alaska but will be leaving sometime in the summer to a new station, possibly Traverse City. I currently work as a Speech Pathologist in a private school setting but I am looking to eventually get a job in a hospital. So if anyone has any information about living in Traverse City and cost of houses and job opportunities please let me know, we would greatly appreciate it!
Thank you so much!
Maureen

[mike231]

Maureen,
Traverse City might be the perfect match for you
The economy isn't very good but it sounds as though your boyfriend will have a stable job and if you're into the medical field, you should be able to find work.
Housing - prices have fallen, which is good news for the buyers and foreclosures are on the rise -you may be able to take advantage of that.
I'm personally moving out because construction jobs are disappearing and I have little left to do but pack it up.
But still a beautiful place to live.

[malachigal]

There are miles and miles of bike,walking and jogging paths in Traverse city.Very nice place but somewhat expensive to live there in regards to housing...

[bluebird39]

I really like Traverse City. They hav ean excellent hospital there: Munson Medical Center

If you're used to Alaska, then the winters shouldn't be too big of a shock.

I live abotu 1 1/2 hours Eat of there, but go there regularly for various reasons. It's the main "hub" in Nortern LP Michigan. Schools are really good, economy there is better than much of the state, and it really is beautiful. It is a small city with a very urban feel. The population though explodes in the summer. I try to avoid it then.

Good luck.

[Rapunzll]

It sounds like TC might be a good match for you. Just remember that the saying locally is 'half your pay is a view of the bay', and I have to say that's pretty accurate.

Someone already mentioned Munson, which is an excellent hospital, and there are a couple of speech pathologist openings on their website.

Good luck! I think you would enjoy it.

[mareen9]

Thank you all for your quick responses I appreciate it greatly, any information is helpful! Thanks again!

Maureen

[jaybrad77]

I lived in Glen Arbor, Michigan, which is about 30 miles West of Traverse City. Glen Arbor is in the center of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. You can conoe the Crystal River, climb the dunes, relax on the many beaches on Lake Michigan, go to a casino in Suttons Bay or Turtle Creek outside of Traverse City, hike the miles and miles of paths and scenic walks all over the Dunes area, camp, you name it, it's there! Summers in the TC area, like most of Northern Michigan are great during the summer, and plenty to do in the winter, with cross country skiing, down hill skiing, snow mobiling and so forth. But, like already mentioned in other responses, there isn't much for work. Michigan is #1 for unempolyment right now, and foreclosures. Your boyfriend has a job with the Coast Gaurd, so it shouldn't be a problem. There's 2 hospitals in Traverse City that I'm aware of, but other towns not to far from TC have hospitals as well. Over all, it's a nice area with good schools.

[4WD Greg]

I love the Traverse City area. There is so much natural beauty related to the lakeshore. There are the sand dunes, the woods, and just so much to see and do. I love the Mission Peninsula and Leleenau County. The cherry blossoms during late spring are just incredible. The one and only bad thing I can say about TC is that in the summer time, the place is just completely overrun by tourists. The bay shores are jammed with hotels, motels, people, and cars. It can be downright unpleasant during the summer. Good thing tourist season only lasts about 3 months!
Nearby Charlevoix and Petoskey are great get-away areas, and the ultimate place for natural beauty isn't too far away (the Upper Peninsula). Golf and downhill skiing are very popular in that whole area.

[Rapunzll]

Oh but Greg, most of us wouldn't be living in TC were it not for the tourists.

[goblue1231]

Mareen

I moved up to TC about four years ago from Metro Det, the best move I ever made. The whole area around there is just awsome. So much stuff to do outside plus alot of great resturants and all the shopping you need. We are currently looking at moving to North or South Carolina due to jobs. If we could stay in TC I would do it, after living there my wife and I said we would never move any where else in Michigan because it could not compare to TC. Unfortuanlty the job market is bad everywhere and TC is no exception, I have a teaching degree and can not find a job to save my life (kinda of feel that since I am not a native I wont find a teaching job there). My wife on the other hand worked at Munson and said it was the best hospital that she ever worked at. We are depressed that we have to move but atleast we could call TC home for the past four years.