Birmingham rental rates for 3 BR homes... (Detroit, Ann Arbor: real estate, housing, travel)

[BookLover08]

Hi,
We are looking for a 13-month rental in Birmingham that includes 3 bedrooms, preferably 2 stories. We have an agent right now but have been disappointed at the rental rates for 3BR houses. They seem high. We are renting a house right now near Detroit that is $1900/month, 2 stories and pretty big (not sure on sq. footage). Much smaller homes seem to go for substantially more in Birmingham - WHY? In other words, we have looked at 3 houses with our pref. and they have all run about 1400 sq. ft. and want around $2000/month! That seems unreasonable to me.

BTW, we are renting in Grosse Pointe right now and even got laughed at for paying $1900 for our spacious house. What's up with the high Birmingham house rentals?

Is it possible for me to get something cheaper? Should I just ditch my real estate agent?

[Cato the Elder]

Why do you specifically want to be in Birmingham? If it's because of the schools, you can also rent in Beverly Hills, north Southfield, southwest Troy, etc. and still get Birmingham schools. If you have to be in the city proper for whatever reason, houses closer to downtown will generally go for much higher. There are cheaper rentals south of Lincoln on both sides of Woodward, but relatively few will be 1900+ sq. ft.

More information about your circumstances would help.

[BookLover08]

Why would anyone want to move to an area? Because they like it. Simple as that. Got a good vibe from it. Grosse Pointe is okay I guess but it's so far from everything else - cultural activities, decent shopping center for kids clothes (my daughter doesn't wear Talbot's and I'd barf if she did!), etc. Just more going on.

Less than 1900 sq. ft. is fine but why would I pay more for less sq. footage and that seems to be what our agent is showing us and the renters want. They don't seem to be very flexible when we're negotiating. I would have thought that in this market they would be more flexible but they're not. I just don't want to go to a smaller house for more money. It doesn't make sense. Birmingham is nice but it's not all that.

Keep in mind - we have lived in various large cities - Cleveland, Columbus, OH, Washington D.C., Miami. Birmingham isn't that great compared to the neighborhoods we've previously lived in. It seems overrated and overpriced, IMO.

[Cato the Elder]

Alrighty then...

[BookLover08]

The owners countered and we were offered $1800 for a 3 BR house, 1480 sq.ft. in Birmingham. It is a 2 story cape cod-ish house, built in 1952. Does that seem like a good price or are we being ripped off?

I just don't want to be laughed at again by a neighbor for being a sucker. Very painful. Should we counter with a lower price?

[alwaystraveling25]

Originally Posted by BookLover08

The owners countered and we were offered $1800 for a 3 BR house, 1480 sq.ft. in Birmingham. It is a 2 story cape cod-ish house, built in 1952. Does that seem like a good price or are we being ripped off?

I just don't want to be laughed at again by a neighbor for being a sucker. Very painful. Should we counter with a lower price?

Birmingham is considered the most prestigious and desirable place to live in Michigan. If you tell anyone from the Metro Detroit area that you live in Birmingham, it automatically means that you have some serious $$$$.

To put it this way: The Detroit Free Press ran an article a few years ago, when I still lived in Michigan, about Birmingham (relative to zip code 48009). The median income for a person residing there is 90,000 a year, and over 91% of the residents 25 and over have college degrees. It is the highest in the state.

Even with the depressed economy, it will always be expensive to have that "Birmingham, MI" mailing address. As a previous poster said, you could live in Beverly Hills or somewhere and be within minutes of Birmingham and save that extra money...but that's your choice.

Additionally, I pay 1200 a month for a 600 sq. foot apartment in chicago with no washer/dryer, no dishwasher, and very little closet space...does that make it seem any better?

[BookLover08]

Originally Posted by alwaystraveling25

Birmingham is considered the most prestigious and desirable place to live in Michigan. If you tell anyone from the Metro Detroit area that you live in Birmingham, it automatically means that you have some serious $$$$.

I knew it was considered 'upscale' by some but when we drove around, it seemed to have a variety of different housing options and therefore, income levels, I thought. Isn't the serious $$$ supposed to be in Grosse Pointe or Bloomfield Hills? This is what I've been told anyhow. I was under the impression that Birmingham had some wealthy people but a solid middle income variation mostly.

To put it this way: The Detroit Free Press ran an article a few years ago, when I still lived in Michigan, about Birmingham (relative to zip code 48009). The median income for a person residing there is 90,000 a year, and over 91% of the residents 25 and over have college degrees. It is the highest in the state.

That is interesting. Thank you for the info. You have been much nicer than this one person who responded in an unwarranted, nasty way that I didn't deserve. I certainly didn't mean to come across badly. I've been under a lot of stress raising a family, working a full-time job and looking for a place to live. So my apologies alwaystraveling if I came across badly and insulted you. Didn't mean to.

Even with the depressed economy, it will always be expensive to have that "Birmingham, MI" mailing address. As a previous poster said, you could live in Beverly Hills or somewhere and be within minutes of Birmingham and save that extra money...but that's your choice.

Our agent hardly showed us stuff in Beverly Hills and the two places I saw were okay but I just lived in a ranch home in Miami and found the floor plan unacceptable for my home office. Kids make too much noise - 2 stories are better for me.

Additionally, I pay 1200 a month for a 600 sq. foot apartment in chicago with no washer/dryer, no dishwasher, and very little closet space...does that make it seem any better?

Heh, those sound like the prices we are used to! I don't even want to tell you what we were getting for our money in Washington, D.C. or Miami so I sympathize. And wow, what a pain not to have a washer/dryer included for that price.

[Cato the Elder]

Originally Posted by alwaystraveling25

Birmingham is considered the most prestigious and desirable place to live in Michigan. If you tell anyone from the Metro Detroit area that you live in Birmingham, it automatically means that you have some serious $$$$.

To put it this way: The Detroit Free Press ran an article a few years ago, when I still lived in Michigan, about Birmingham (relative to zip code 48009). The median income for a person residing there is 90,000 a year, and over 91% of the residents 25 and over have college degrees. It is the highest in the state.

Even with the depressed economy, it will always be expensive to have that "Birmingham, MI" mailing address. As a previous poster said, you could live in Beverly Hills or somewhere and be within minutes of Birmingham and save that extra money...but that's your choice.

Additionally, I pay 1200 a month for a 600 sq. foot apartment in chicago with no washer/dryer, no dishwasher, and very little closet space...does that make it seem any better?

Alwaystraveling nailed it. For better or worse, 48009 is the 90210 of metro Detroit, even though Grosse Pointe has more tradition and Bloomfield Hills is wealthier. GP is a bit passed its prime as a wealthy enclave and BH is too exclusive and small to register. 48009 included surrounding towns like Beverly Hills a decade or two ago, but has since booted them to other zip codes.

Like I mentioned in my first post, if you HAVE to live in 48009, you can live south of Lincoln for cheaper rentals, but I think it's foolish when you can rent similar houses south of 14 Mile Rd in Royal Oak and Beverly Hills for much less. The latter even has Birmingham schools. If I insisted in living in Birmingham, I would just pony up the extra dough and live near downtown so I could enjoy its amenities and not just the Birmingham address.

[michiganalum]

I posted this on another thread you started -

I'm in a rental in Beverly Hills - Birmingham Schools (Beverly Elementary, Groves High School). It's a great neighborhood and it's within walking distance to Downtown Birmingham and other parks. It's 1800 sq. ft., all hardwood floors, new appliances, remodeled bathroom with jacuuzi tub. I pay $1450 a month. We just built a new house closer to Ann Arbor as I'm doing more work out of my Firm's office there, so we're moving out within the next 3 weeks. I still have 4 months left on the lease, so if you're interested let me know.

[tsnuffer]

I would be extremely interested in your rental if it is not already taken! My husband's job is transferring us in about 8 weeks and his office is in Birmingham so we'd there around the right time. Please let me know if it is still available!