Think hard before you relocate to Michigan (Detroit, Wayne: relocating, real estate)

[AmySue]

The downturn in the economy means hopefully that housing will be cheap for those of us who make a living off of our early retirement. What I want to know is, how bad are the winters in the UP? I can deal with the cold, but a roaring wind is a different matter all together... and not a storm every few weeks, that is ok, but grinding cold wind all winter long is not to my liking. How expensive is it to heat a home in the winter in the upper peninsula of Michigan? Does anyone know?

[Outdoors_Man]

Everyone always speaks of the unemployment in Michigan. I used to live in West Bloomfield years ago, and loved it. I want to go back and live, but all of you on this forum scare me to death. Is it really true that people are constantly losing their jobs and homes? Is this more focused on the automotive industry? If one was to work as a Physical Therapist and a Physician, would they be affected in this state with job opportunites?

[michiganbob]

Originally Posted by Outdoors_Man

Everyone always speaks of the unemployment in Michigan. I used to live in West Bloomfield years ago, and loved it. I want to go back and live, but all of you on this forum scare me to death. Is it really true that people are constantly losing their jobs and homes? Is this more focused on the automotive industry? If one was to work as a Physical Therapist and a Physician, would they be affected in this state with job opportunites?

I can't speak for every part of the state (if I do "someone" will jump in and give me gas because things are great in their small corner of the MI world) but in many places jobs are being cut and it's not always directly for an auto maker . . . but it could be related. Let me give you an example: I know a young couple who live in Dearborn. He works for Ford--for now--and she worked in a beauty salon doing nails. (Not exactly your example, but follow me here.) They bought a home near where both of them worked which was fine until Ford started laying off white collar workers. He still has his job, but most of her customers either moved away with their husbands or stopped coming in to save money. So she had to find work across town at another beauty shop but has to drive about an hour each way and is only seeing a few customers every day. If he loses his job it is unlikely he will find work in Detroit (too young, too inexperienced, limited skills) and she can't support them on what she makes. If they hadn't bought that overpriced house they could probably make a clean break. As it is, they appear to be stuck. As I see it, there is a domino effect in play in many parts of the state right now and playing it is a risky game.

My point is: even if your job appears to have nothing to do with the auto industry there can be ramifications if the jobless rate overall continues to go up even for supposedly "recession proof" areas like health care. You should also consider that in a down economy there is usually a rise in crime and a reduction in government services.

If you really love Michigan and are willing to do what it takes to survive here, then I say "come on down." If not, don't be one of those who end up on the forum complaining about how bad things are and how you wished you had moved to North Carolina.

[Cliffie]

Originally Posted by Outdoors_Man

Everyone always speaks of the unemployment in Michigan. I used to live in West Bloomfield years ago, and loved it. I want to go back and live, but all of you on this forum scare me to death. Is it really true that people are constantly losing their jobs and homes? Is this more focused on the automotive industry? If one was to work as a Physical Therapist and a Physician, would they be affected in this state with job opportunites?

Healthcare is the one solid field where you can get, and hold a job in ANY state. Everyone's battening down the hatches for the onslaught of the aging Baby Boomers. It's going to be very interesting to see how this changes the healthcare system, not to mention retirement benefits and la de da.

What I want to know is, how bad are the winters in the UP? I can deal with the cold, but a roaring wind is a different matter all together... and not a storm every few weeks, that is ok, but grinding cold wind all winter long is not to my liking. How expensive is it to heat a home in the winter in the upper peninsula of Michigan? Does anyone know?

Let's put it this way -- every house in the UP has 2 mailboxes. One at the usual level, and one eight feet higher up, mounted on a looooong pole so you can still get mail after you've gotten 8' of snow. The winters are long and bitter there. I am in Brighton, down near the "wrist," and winter ends almost a month later for my friend Nancy who lives on the upper edge of the UP on Lake Superior. If your place is not too big and it's well-insulated, your heating expenses should be reasonable, but they'll still be about twice what we flatlanders pay. Sensible folk combine a petroleum-based heating system with a woodstove or wind turbine or something to generate energy on the cheap.

[MIhome]

or if you work for osha...

[zakian]

Originally Posted by AmySue

The downturn in the economy means hopefully that housing will be cheap for those of us who make a living off of our early retirement. What I want to know is, how bad are the winters in the UP? I can deal with the cold, but a roaring wind is a different matter all together... and not a storm every few weeks, that is ok, but grinding cold wind all winter long is not to my liking. How expensive is it to heat a home in the winter in the upper peninsula of Michigan? Does anyone know?

I'll tell you from my experience. Touring musician with a cottage in Alpena. Well we just happened to land a 2 week gig in Alpena. Great, we can stay at the cottage. LOL. Couldn't pull into the driveway so we parked on the road and walked to the house. I'm thinking I'm nuts cause I can't find the house. Well guess what, we were standing on the roof, couldn't tell.

[rutha1105]

Originally Posted by zakian

I'll tell you from my experience. Touring musician with a cottage in Alpena. Well we just happened to land a 2 week gig in Alpena. Great, we can stay at the cottage. LOL. Couldn't pull into the driveway so we parked on the road and walked to the house. I'm thinking I'm nuts cause I can't find the house. Well guess what, we were standing on the roof, couldn't tell.

And on the Western side of the state you could have been asleep inside that house and woke up to find you couldn't leave!! Because the snow had covered all the windows and doors.

[Kybound]

to outdoors_man
If you have a health care job, you won't have a problem anywhere.
anyone with needed skill out of the construction, auto, or related jobs will do well. My son owns a Waste hauling company in northern Mi. and can hardly
keep up with the growth. It is still a very tourist oriented area, and is quite
busy in the summer,(tourists), winter,(skiers), and fall (leaf peepers),
it is just the long, cold ( I have been walking on our lake at -45 degrees),winters. but it is still beautiful, and the taxes are still low, (unless you own a company), then the single business tax, (which REALLY keeps business out of Mi) kicks in.

Hoorah for Jennifer Granholm, (governor), the Hillary of the North.

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by Outdoors_Man

Everyone always speaks of the unemployment in Michigan. I used to live in West Bloomfield years ago, and loved it. I want to go back and live, but all of you on this forum scare me to death. Is it really true that people are constantly losing their jobs and homes? Is this more focused on the automotive industry? If one was to work as a Physical Therapist and a Physician, would they be affected in this state with job opportunites?

Originally Posted by michiganbob

I can't speak for every part of the state (if I do "someone" will jump in and give me gas because things are great in their small corner of the MI world) but in many places jobs are being cut and it's not always directly for an auto maker . . . but it could be related. Let me give you an example: I know a young couple who live in Dearborn. He works for Ford--for now--and she worked in a beauty salon doing nails. (Not exactly your example, but follow me here.) They bought a home near where both of them worked which was fine until Ford started laying off white collar workers. He still has his job, but most of her customers either moved away with their husbands or stopped coming in to save money. So she had to find work across town at another beauty shop but has to drive about an hour each way and is only seeing a few customers every day. If he loses his job it is unlikely he will find work in Detroit (too young, too inexperienced, limited skills) and she can't support them on what she makes. If they hadn't bought that overpriced house they could probably make a clean break. As it is, they appear to be stuck. As I see it, there is a domino effect in play in many parts of the state right now and playing it is a risky game.

My point is: even if your job appears to have nothing to do with the auto industry there can be ramifications if the jobless rate overall continues to go up even for supposedly "recession proof" areas like health care. You should also consider that in a down economy there is usually a rise in crime and a reduction in government services.

If you really love Michigan and are willing to do what it takes to survive here, then I say "come on down." If not, don't be one of those who end up on the forum complaining about how bad things are and how you wished you had moved to North Carolina.

Outdoors Man, if you are working in health care DO NOT be afraid to come to Michigan. I would say line it up before you get here, yes, but I am going into healthcare myself and they can't get people in quick enough! Yes, the economy in general is bad in Michigan, but that does NOT include the healthcare industry, and I know this firsthand.

Additionally, my wife and I both are white coller workers who live and work in Oakland County and we both have never had an issue finding a job. That doesn't jive with what alot of people say on these forums, but our experience has only been positive to the point of surprise here in Michigan. We moved here in July of 2006 from southern California and I came out to 3 job offers. My wife re-entered the work force 5 weeks ago to her dream job that she found within 2 weeks of looking.

So yes, times are tough, but as evidenced even in the story above, it generally affects auto workers and related fields, and businesses surrounding the areas predominately populated by those losing these jobs. There are exceptions both negative and positive...my father in law was transferred here from Cali last year with a promotion IN AN AUTOMOTIVE COMPANY.

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by zakian

I'll tell you from my experience. Touring musician with a cottage in Alpena. Well we just happened to land a 2 week gig in Alpena. Great, we can stay at the cottage. LOL. Couldn't pull into the driveway so we parked on the road and walked to the house. I'm thinking I'm nuts cause I can't find the house. Well guess what, we were standing on the roof, couldn't tell.

That's crazy! Here in southeast Michigan the winters are generally the mildest in the state from what I'm told. That held true for last year, our first winter, although everyone told us last year was even milder than normal.

I know my parent's live over in Greenville, northeast of Grand Rapids just outside the snow belt, and they got TONS more snow than we did...