Moving to MI in Nov. Can't decide which city! (Detroit: condos, lease)

[Christoph83]

My current lease is up at the end of Oct. and I would like to move back to MI in early Nov. Please help me decide which city to move to. After voting please tell me why you chose your answer. Thanks!

[Bydand]

GR would be my choice out of those four. I like GR because it is a larger city that still maintains that small city "feel" while having decent shopping, and other activities.

Marquette is very nice and would be number two for me personally. A bit snowy for me now. After living in it year after year, I just get tired of looking at and dealing with snow after a very short time. Give me West Michigan and it's milder climate any day. I do like the UP better than Lower Michigan though overall.

Muskegon just doesn't do much for me. Wife has worked there and I grew up an hour away, but just never cared for the town at all.

Traverse City = Fudgies. Plain and simple, after living in the Soo for years and dealing with the influx of Fudgies every year, I just can't take it. Nice place and I have family that live there and love it, I stay as far away during the Summer as I can. You couldn't drag me there with wild horses during the Cherry Festival.

[Christoph83]

Originally Posted by Bydand

GR would be my choice out of those four. I like GR because it is a larger city that still maintains that small city "feel" while having decent shopping, and other activities.

Marquette is very nice and would be number two for me personally. A bit snowy for me now. After living in it year after year, I just get tired of looking at and dealing with snow after a very short time. Give me West Michigan and it's milder climate any day. I do like the UP better than Lower Michigan though overall.

Muskegon just doesn't do much for me. Wife has worked there and I grew up an hour away, but just never cared for the town at all.

Traverse City = Fudgies. Plain and simple, after living in the Soo for years and dealing with the influx of Fudgies every year, I just can't take it. Nice place and I have family that live there and love it, I stay as far away during the Summer as I can. You couldn't drag me there with wild horses during the Cherry Festival.

I'm assuming Fudgies are tourists. I've never heard the term before. *lol*

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Christoph83

I'm assuming Fudgies are tourists. I've never heard the term before. *lol*

It's because of the shops that sell fudge up there and tourists buy it especially when it's Cherry Festival. You can spot a fudgie by their camera, clothes, and the fudge they're eating.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Christoph83

My current lease is up at the end of Oct. and I would like to move back to MI in early Nov. Please help me decide which city to move to. After voting please tell me why you chose your answer. Thanks!

I went with Traverse City because if I would have to be cold then I'd want to live where it's a big enough area to have at least some variety of jobs but also where winter activities would be nice, of course have the lakes and woods. Next would be Marquette, for the same reason, but if I had to live in a big congested city then I'd want one that has warmer weather and more sun.

[cardwellave]

Originally Posted by Bydand

GR would be my choice out of those four. I like GR because it is a larger city that still maintains that small city "feel" while having decent shopping, and other activities.

I can see where you're coming from. Personally I really like Grand Rapids, though for me living in Detroit right now, I'd be afraid of going anywhere where I can't do as much driving within a metro area, go as many places, etc. I just feel at home on the East coast of the state. I've heavily considered Port Huron since it is pretty close to Detroit yet still pretty charming with all necessities. It's really too bad that Saginaw and Flint are not thriving since the East coast is really my favorite part of the state. I've also considered a move to the Mackinac area, though I worry about any small place in the winters since everyting pretty much shuts down.

Well that's enough of my off-topicing. I guess my suggestion for you is to see if you can adjust to something unlike what you have now.

[MIcouple]

Grand Rapids is growing up, and in a good way. If you're looking for a big city feel without actually being a very big city, then GR has a lot to offer you. Some of the new condos downtown are simply amazing and with all of the new restaurants and shopping you really have the chance to walk to almost every place you want to go. In the summers you aren't very far from the Lake MI coast, and downtown you can enjoy the mini-music festival every Wednesday - Blues on the Mall. The city itself is very clean and fairly safe, I've spent lots of nights downtown without feeling in danger although some crime is bound to be present in a thriving city. There are also good opportunities to buy right now.

Marquette would be my second choice. Although I've never lived there myself, my cousin has resided there for many years and loves it. A great place to be if your an outdoorsy person. The beauty that is in the UP is unbelievable! Wonderful hiking, camping, etc. The UP really seems like a different state, and that can be a good thing. My only objection is the distance to some of the lower peninsula cities (like GR, DET, etc) as well as the fact that the UP can get closed off in the winter because of the heavy snow. I like my share of snowmen, but when I got 'snowed' in a few years ago over a long weekend I wasn't too thrilled!

Based on the four cities that you've listed in the poll, I think that you might be dissapointed with the east side of the state because of the difference in lifestyle (all four are on or near the water with access to outdoors activities, and none are HUGE).

Good luck with your move! I hope you find a place that you love!

[Christoph83]

I used to live in Utica when I was a kid. My brother currently lives in Sterling Heights. I just always hear bad things about the east, like how crime infested and dangerous Detroit and Flint are, and how east MI is the worst when it comes to the state recession/depression. Plus, I'm a nature guy. Being close to really beautiful MI coast/beachs would be a plus and I often like to take walks in the woods. Somewhere with lots of trees is a must. Grand Rapids might be best for me out of the choices when it comes to finding jobs and also because I'm vegan. I think I'll have more opportunity to find organic vegan goods, etc. in GR than in a smaller town. Although I do like the small town feel, with it's slower pace, and Traverse City seems like it's a really pretty place, surrounded by lots of nature. But, I'm not sure I would like to live somewhere flooded by Fudgies every summer. I'm also open to other suggestions.

[Christoph83]

I hear East Grand Rapids is really nice. With a couple Harvest Health Foods, an Apple Valley Natural Foods, Panacea' Natural Health Foods and Wellness Center, and a handful of veg-friendly restaurants, it sounds promising. I wish EGR had a Whole Foods. *sighs* Any Kroger Signiture stores in EGR?

[CowCatcher]

TC Muskegon and Marquette are not places to go for employment. I would hit GR. You can live in any one of the several bedroom communities adn drive in to the city easily. GR is growing and will soon swallow Caledonia and Middlevile on it's way to commandeer the city of Hastings. So, Gr is a place for employment!!