Areas to avoid in SE michigan? (Detroit, Warren: relocating, real estate, property taxes)

[strangemood]

I'll be moving to Woodhaven next week, from the stats I have gathered and the people up there I have talked to, its doesn't sound like a bad place to live, I am going to give it a try. I will be working in Warren, didn't want to live there wanted to be close to Toledo, so this puts me exactly halfway from both.

[someguy23475]

Woodhaven's OK. The Downriver area has some good (Trenton, Wyandotte, Woodhaven), and some real nasty areas (Ecorse, River Rouge). South of you, it's more countrylike, especially in Monroe County.

As for cities in the area I don't feel safe in, my list is Detroit proper, Southfield, Oak Park, Royal Oak Township (different from Royal Oak), Pontiac, Flint, Burton, southern Warren, Ecorse, River Rouge, Highland Park, Redford Township, Inkster, parts of Westland, especially near Inkster, Ypsilanti, much of Toledo, parts of Dearborn, and Eastpointe.

Communities that aren't bad but I don't really care for are Madison Heights (lived there for six years, taxes are very high and the city has an anti-business climate), Royal Oak (city is deep in the red and homes are still overpriced; lived there for 12 years), Ferndale (overpriced; many of the homes are old and in poor condition), Bloomfield/West Bloomfield Twp. (too many snobs and people who don't know how to drive), Walled Lake (bad experiences). There's more, but I'm too tired to think of all the communities in the area. Hope the move went well and you enjoy your area.

[nmichael7517]

I must say, my husband and I are on our way out of Michigan, the state is horrible right now. We live in Dearborn, which all in all.. is a wonderful city, taxes are ok. We get alot from our city though, we have great schools, my children are in a school with 220 kids.. no class is more the 20 kids!!! Would you want to rent for a short term or are you looking to buy? There are tons of houses for sale or even to rent right now!! Good Luck

[flinty]

Livonia is regarded as a nice city by most but it's getting too big. Check out Orchard Lake.

[someguy23475]

Actually, Livonia's population is shrinking. It was just barely over 100,000 at the 2000 census, but estimates now have it closer to 90,000. It's a nice city, but taxes were a bit too high for me. I bought a house in Wayne. Nice area, low taxes, good services, balanced city budget, nice people, etc. The homes are mostly old, circa 1940s and earlier, but if you're just starting out or looking for deals, that would be an area I'd look at.

[Coldjensens]

If you are looking at Woodhaven, take a gander at Grosse Ile. great community with great schools. Waterfront houses are expensive, but inland houses are all prices. Loads of nice people, very low crime and lots of wildlife.

[djacques]

Roseville, Eastpointe and southern Warren are the anus of Detroit's northern suburbs.

[colleenj2]

All are good areas with good schools.

[PinkString]

Originally Posted by rudyboo

Hi, I recently went to see my childhood home in Warren. Okay, Warren itself was pretty scary, but when I saw my street, Tallman, it looked exactly the same! Sweet little houses on a sweet little street in a sweet little neighborhood! I took so many pictures of the house, finally! Home Sweet Home! I'm so glad I went back. Tallman Street in Warren was a wonderful place to grow up, and it looks like it still is. Well maintained houses and nicely kept yards. Anyway, it was a dream of mine to go back and see the house and it was well worth the trip, over 2000 miles round trip! Thanks for reading this!

We stayed in Warren off of 13 mile road/Van dyke at the La Quinta inn. This was Thanksgiving week and weekend. I didn't notice any 'bad' area's while we were there. We mainly stayed between Warren and Clinton Township. I thought the neighborhoods there were just fine. The houses were a little small in Clinton Twp and old, but quaint.
Next time though, I want to find a motel/hotel in clinton twp so we don't have to commute so long back and forth.

[someguy23475]

Northern Warren (where you were) is fine. Southern Warren, especially south of 10 Mile, is not. That's where I'd avoid.

Roseville never seemed that bad to me, but I've never lived there.