Posible Move to Elk Rapids Area Any Info??? (Grand Rapids, Traverse City: houses, rent)

[sillymommy627]

Hi there.. my name is Kristin...I came across Elk Rapids and Traverse City while looking for good schools and areas to raise my son...Being that I am from PA and have not been to that area I was hoping that someone from that area would be able to give me any information about the town, the community and most importantly the schools. My son is 5 and will be going into first grade... The most important thing to me is finding a great achool for him... I have found really good things about Elk Rapids so if any one can give me any information about this area I would greatly appreciate!! Thank you so much!!!!
Kristin

[Wabbit]

Kristin, - HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I live in Grand Rapids and I love it,
But....If I could live anywhere I wanted in Michigan
It would be somewhere around Grand Traverse bay.
The area from Suttons Bay (Leelanau) down to Traverse City
all the way up 31 to Petoskey is one of the most
beautiful spots in the Country. Bar none.
Torch Lake alone is worth living up there.
On the negative side: winters are the real thing,
(which I like) but there's not alot of industy for jobs.
Traverse City is really growing so you might be able
to find something there.
As for the Schools. Elk Rapids high school is highly
rated but I don't know anything about their elementary.
Traverse City has three Elementary Schools in the top
forty (Michigan). They include Willow Hill, Eastern, and
Old Mission. There's a lot of money around that area so
you're bound to find some good schools.
Come on all you Traverse Folks, Let's hear from ya!
Help Kristin out!

[sillymommy627]

Happy New year to u too!! Thank you so much for responding... I'm looking into the schools that you mentioned... yeah it looks absolutely beautiful there... i found all these wonderful pics.... I'm not too concerned about finding work .. I'll be graduating as a nurse in the summer so there are lots of choices for me plus i dont mind traveling if i have to.. as long as my son is in a great a school and in a great area....And all the information I have received Elk Rapids/Traverse City seems to be that spot!!!
Thanks again

[Piggy]

There is a town of Kingsley, just south of Traverse City that has very, very good schools. We looked at moving up there at one time.

[bones20]

I graduated from Elk Rapids. Went through elementary, some middle (moved then came back), and graduated high school in 1995. Both of my parents also graduated from Elk Rapids (back in the stone age I believe...)

The academics when compared to the private Catholic school in Traverse city are a joke. But the school is safe, and the academics are probably fairly good for a public school. We had a graduating class of around 100 and its been that way for 40 years. If you have any specific questions feel free to post and I'll try and respond.
URL removed

[Rapunzll]

Bones, my kids who graduated from TC Central all said that ER was known to have a huge drug problem in their HS. You graduated the same year my oldest did, and my youngest graduated in 2000. We all know (if we are honest with ourselves) that we aren't going to find a school these days with no drugs, but ER has a bad reputation when it comes to drugs.

[GuardRail]

sillymommy627.

My son may have a birthday two days after yours.

Anyway, you'll find Elk Rapids similar to PA in ways. There are hills and not as drastic but the countryside is beautiful. We had kids in TC district of Acme/Williamsburg. Elk Rapids has it's own community and town area though. nice place. Busy during the summer.

[missy3681]

I grew up in Traverse City and graduated from Traverse City Central High School.
Elk Rapids and TC are nice, but very expensive. You do not get the pay that you need to live there. I have finished my college education and have an opportunity to move there, but have decided not to. I even have a choice of houses in my family that I could buy, but am not going back. The reason why is the standard of living and the amount you are paid for wages. My fiance has a construction/farming background and can not make the money that he could somewhere else.

Northern Michigan is an excellent place to live, but hard to afford. Good Luck!

Missy

[Rapunzll]

I was speaking with a teacher from a local school district tonite and he told me that ER has cleaned up their drug problem pretty well. I just wanted to get that out there, it was great news!

[movingfromil]

My husband's family is from Traverse City and I would move there in a heart beat. There are expensive areas but there are also very affordable areas. The schools are great in both Traverse City and Elk Rapids ( I have nieces and nephews in both systems.) My sister in law is a nurse in Traverse City at the Hospital. She enjoys her job there. They live out in Kingsley but they wish they lived a little closer to her job. It is about a 25 minute drive into town from where they live.
Like I said before I would move there in a heartbeat. Every season is so beautiful up there. There is so much to do with your kids. I love taking our 2 year old up to visit.