[Manox]

I too feeling a calling to return to Michigan and I m not even from there originally. MIchigan is a great state and it is pitiful how underatted it is compared to other states. Most people in other states have no idea of the physical beauty, natural resources and the talent that has come out of Michigan.

[bigjim]

Royal Oak is fine, I live there now and the downtown has stuff to do with plenty of good neighborhoods to choose from all over the city (or you could buy one of the overpriced lofts downtown, they're marked pretty far down now). Ferndale is pretty lively but in my opinion is going downhill with increasing speed. I moved from there three years ago and the fast food place on the corner of my street was robbed at gunpoint twice before I left and once since. A lot of armed robberies there lately, mostly by people coming across Eight Mile, committing the crime, then running back across into Detroit (before anyone flames me, read the Mirror for a few weeks and you'll see what I mean). You might like Ann Arbor better since you're used to a more urban/bigger area. Both Royal Oak and Ferndale are kind of small. Ann Arbor is more expensive but definitely the cultural hub of Michigan.

[missmeli0501]

Thanks for all the input, guys. Feel free to keep giving advice. I'm taking a trip to Ann Arbor in July to investigate that city as well as some other 'hoods in Detroit proper. I'm definitely looking forward to it.

[thePR]

Originally Posted by missmeli0501

Hello, Michiganders! (Michiganites? Er..)

Here is my story:

I grew up just outside of Cleveland, Ohio. C-town shares quite a bit with good old Detroit, in which I have some family and many friends. Long story short: I fought my way out of Cleveland for what felt like forever and ended up in Chicago for college. I begged for education, opportunity, and things I thought I could only find in Modern Urban Living.

Right now I am living in the city of Chicago about a year out from graduating with a business degree. Everything suggests that my income will only go up and that I will continue to reap the benefits of such a thriving metropolis if I stay here. But I'm feeling some kind of calling to..well..Michigan. I am so impressed by the creative community there in terms of art, music, etc. I've been following it for quite some time and I think the passion of people in Michigan is so much stronger than in Chicago where people are so...busy.

I feel like people in Chicago have money. I like money...but not so much the money "culture." You know? I don't do million dollar condos and cocktail parties and boutique shopping...I'm from CLEVELAND. I kind of miss not caring what I look like and just relaxing on people's porches. Chicago is amazing, don't get me wrong. There are so many people and resources, but I've never had that so it's really bizarre. It's weird when people in Chicago think $75K is a LOW income.

Basically, I'm contemplating a move to the Detroit area next summer to be closer to my friends and family. I'm really scared about finding a job, though. I'm hoping to work in the non-profit sector, or something that "gives back" and is gives meaning to my life blahblah. My current job is at an animal shelter. If I need to, I wouldn't be opposed to going to graduate school.

Believe it or not, I actually LIKE some of the economics of Michigan. I can rent a whole house for what I pay for my 500 sq. ft. studio apartment here. It gets really exhausting just getting by in Chicago when I know my dollars would go much further in Michigan. I'll be 21 years old with no commitments. All I have is my little dog and a Nissan full of clothes and furniture.

I like what I hear about artsy communities like Ferndale and Royal Oak. Is that all B.S. or could I really carve out a life in those places? I'm afraid of being spoiled by Chicago and basically wanting to die once I move to Michigan. I just really love 1)creativity and 2)low costs of living. But I know how depressing it is to live in an economically disadvantaged state like Ohio/Michigan. The people aren't as optimistic.

It shouldn't surprise you that most people laugh at me when I say I might go to Detroit over Chicago. What do you think? (As I don't want to royally **** up my life with my starry-eyed delusions or anything.)

Thanks!

I think you're selling Chicago short here. Chicagoans have a great love for their city more than any other comparable city. You must be hanging out with some high maintenance people for them to think 75k is a low income for Chicago.


Detroit isn't a small city so a move from Chicago to there, or the suburbs doesn't sound like it should be a big shock.

[GarySmith]

Michigan Association of REALTORS® (http://mirealtors.com/consumers.html - broken link) on the right hand side of the screen select search listings. This will give you a list of free sites across Michigan to search for condos, homes, and in some areas townhouses. Walk Score - Helping homebuyers, renters, and real estate agents find houses and apartments in great neighborhoods. is another website that will show you the walkability of a city or neighborhood. Select expand on the left hand column to view all businesses.

Just a thought. Some people are spending up to 25 percent of their income commuting to their jobs. Michigan does have some commuter parking, bus, and rail options.

[Bluefly]

I would recommend Detroit City itself, if you can block out the angry suburbanites (see above) and really buy into the mythos of Detroit's creative culture:

The abandonment of the city has left it to become a creative playground where pioneering people are not bound by the economic restrictions in places like NY, LA, and Chicago. Artists can live cheaply there and a lot of great art comes out of Detroit as a result. You might find the suburbs a little too sterile for what you seek. Royal Oak isn't so much creative as it is yuppie now. Ferndale's good, but I really think Midtown and Downtown is where you'll find the most unique and creative energy that's pushing boundaries.

It is a tough city. There is hardly any mass transit. There is hardly any middle class. Many who commit their lives to being part of Detroit's revival eventually give up. It's a daunting task and can be a daunting place to live. That said, it can also be an adventure in urban pioneering unlike any other in North America.

But, there is a strong (if somewhat beleaguered) artistic community unlike any other. It's a community that sticks together. There is a mindset there to try new ideas because the city, for many, is like an open canvas where anything can be tried.

[missmeli0501]

So I went to Ann Arbor and I LOOOOVED it...but I didn't realize how far away it was from Detroit proper. And it was kind of expensive...not as bad as the Chi, but definitely high prices for Michigan. I paid $5.95 for a MILKSHAKE.

I stayed with friends in Hazel Park. It wasn't Ferndale, but it didn't seem so bad. I saw lofts in Royal Oak in the "low $80s." So cheap! I can't buy a cardboard box in Englewood for $80,000 here in the Chi.

I definitely want to make the move. I miss my friends, and Michigan reminds me so much of home in Ohio, but it all depends on if I find a job next summer.

[Coldjensens]

Welcome home.

My brother works in non-profits in Detroit. Send me a PM with your skills and qualifications and I will forward it to him to see if he knows anyone who is looking for someone with your skills. Non-profits do not pay well and they like to keep your hours just below full time so they do not have to pay for benefits which they simly cannot afford. Not a problem for my brother because his wife gets awesome benefits, but it could be a problem for you. .