[windfarmer]

I have a buddy from out of state who's applying to NMU for Fall of 2009. His GF is also going to be attending the same school so they'll be living together. The question is about where to find rental listings. Says their limit is $700/mo for a 2 bdrm (needs room for his music stuff). Is Marquette expensive or does anyone recommend he find a place outside of town?

I have neither been up there nor researched the UP so I'm no help to him 'cept that I'll probably have to help him move.

[Bluefly]

Best place to look for rentals is miningjournal.net (I think that's the website - it's the Mining Journal newspaper, under classifieds).

Marquette isn't expensive. $700 can get you a decent 2 bedroom. It's about $350-$400 a bedroom here. A lot of group houses with the university nearby, too, if they want even cheaper rent (like $200 a month) and more of a social experience.

It's a nice city. Hope they enjoy it.

[SpaceGhost79]

Try the NMU Dean of Students Off Campus Housing List.

Off Campus Housing List*| NMU Dean of Students

The listings vary from apartments, townhouses, and houses to rent, some of which are just a room in a house to rent with other students, others full apartments/houses available.

[windfarmer]

Hey thanks a bunch Bluefly and Spaceghost. I'll forward him those links.

Is Marquette generally a safe place? I'm going to help the two of them move, but I'd definitely want to bring my family up there to visit sometime.

[Bluefly]

I never lock my doors, leave my keys in the car all the time, and pick up hitchhikers. Never had a problem.

Just stay away from the lake during a storm - people get killed out there more than anywhere.

[jeeg]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

I never lock my doors, leave my keys in the car all the time, and pick up hitchhikers. Never had a problem.

Just stay away from the lake during a storm - people get killed out there more than anywhere.

Absolutely agree with Bluefly (except I haven't picked up any hitchhikers). I've been all over the U.S. and this is by far the safest city I've ever lived in (okay, I live past Marquette mountain now but I used to live in the city).

Also agree with Bluefly & Spaceghost's earlier posts regarding rents in the area.

[SpaceGhost79]

Yep, ditto what Bluefly said. I leave my house unlocked but my two dogs will hold down the fort I've given random people rides a few times. Hard crime is a rarity up here. Most are drunken idiots and drugs...it is a college town, after all. But in terms of shootings, murders, things like that...nope!

Now, there are a few parts of town that I consider a bit more dumpy than the rest, but on a whole it's pretty nice.

If they decide to rent outside of town, do not rent at Sawyer (20 miles south of MQT where the airport is located). Rent is cheap there for a reason. That area is like the hood of the central U.P.

[windfarmer]

no renting in Sawyer – duly noted. Do you guys like living up there over all? I mean I always thought it would be nice to move somewhere rural, like a small city far from everything else, but I'd hate to become bored.. Is it boring during the winter or do most of you have snowmobiles or do some x-country skiing? I don't get bored easily.

[jeeg]

Bored?? Just about any outdoor activity you can possibly imagine can be done here. Plus there is the movie theatre, stage theatres, college & community sports, clubs, bowling, indoor/outdoor ice rinks, assortment of nightspots depending on your tastes, art galleries and many other various things to spend your time exploring or doing.
We may be a small city on the edge of the wilderness, but we sure have a lot packed into it!
If you are bored here, it's a state of mind...... not a lack of things to see/do.

We love it here! I've lived in several places around the U.S. and this is my favorite place so far. We came very close to moving to another state a few months back (transferring within spouses company) but we turned it down. We just couldn't leave this place.

Employment can be a problem depending on what you need, but that seems to be commonplace nowadays.

[Bluefly]

If you were moving from, like, New York or LA you'd probably find it woefully boring. Coming from a city the size of Grand Rapids, not so much.

You have what you need to be culturally satiated - movie theatres, theatres, upscale nightlife, downscale nightlife, dance clubs, good restaurants, cheap restaurants, big box stores, independent bookstores...

Then, you also have the benefit of being five minutes to the beach or the woods.

So, for the right people, Marquette's really an ideal place.