[rinaldi3]

I am looking for any info on the city of new haven. I have found a nice home around 26 mile. I am married with kids. What is the city, area, homes, schools, and etc. Are like. I have heard that there is a dump zone around there.

[Bryan29]

I am looking at the 27 mile area. Not ONE, NOT EVEN ONE, person I have talked to said they would move there. I posted the same question a few days ago, go look at the responses. In my office, everyone is telling me no. My wife met someone at the gym the other night who lives across the street from where we are looking, she said she hates it and wants to move. I met someone at the barber shop who graduated from New Haven Highschool, and told me the schools are crap. If you are going to buy there, I would offer REAAAAALLLLL Low. Where are you looking, Decora Park?

[Bhaalspawn]

What is so horrible about that area? Does the ghetto really extend from Pontiac or Detroit up to 26 Mile road? Wasn't there an issue recently where one neighborhood on the border wanted to leave one of the districts and join another one in the hopes of its increasing its property value? (Leave New Haven for Lake Orion, I think.)

[Bryan29]

New Haven and Lake Orion are about 20 miles apart, and in different counties, so I doubt that. New Haven has been a poor area for a long time, and is in fact designated Federally as a disadvantaged area. Most of the people worked at the foundry, which is now closed, and trailor parks and cheap apartments dominated housing. During the boom, the city got a great influx of suburbanites, which probably helped the area out, but the last census was 9 years ago. Right now, house prices in New Haven are extremely low, I saw a house that was purchased 3 years ago going for $100,000 less than purchase price!!!! The schools are bad, there is a prison nearby, the foundry polluted the soil, and taxes are as high as anywhere without the great schools to show for it. Water is high, city corruption is well documented, although they have a new leader. The question is, have prices hit bottom in New Haven, and if so, will you be able to sell your house in a few years at a profit, if at all? I am still on the fence, because the house I am looking at is brand new, beautiful, and only asking 159,000. If you built the same house with Lasalle Homes, it is 230,000. Now, with all the money you save, you might just ignore the bad schools and send your kids to private school, but again, will you be able to sell your house when you are ready to move?

[rinaldi3]

IS IT REALLY THAT BAD? I WAS LOOKING IN Decora Park. IN FACT I AM LOOKING AT THE HOUSE TONIGHT. SO I GUESS I WILL DRIVE AROUND AND CHECK THE AREA OUT. I REALIZE THAT THE HOMES ARE CHEAP, BUT RIGHT NOW THAT IS EVERYWHERE. I READ SOME REVIEWS ON THE SCHOOLS AND IT SEEMS TO BE ALMOST LIKE EVERYWHERE ELES.

[Bryan29]

Are you from Michigan originally? I am not. I don't SEE anything wrong with the area. I drove all around there, and I have looked at houses in Decora. The problem is that it has a stigma, and is a low income area traditionally. Decora Park is nice, but if you go to sell the house in a few years, no one who is from around that area will buy it simply because it is New Haven. Are you looking at the blue house on Decora BLVD a few houses down from the school? If so, you are better off to wait for it to go to bank owned, you can probably get it for like $115,000. Better check your school reviews again. The data I saw showed their school's test scores are well below that of surrounding communities.

Here are some recent sales in Decora:


Decora Park Condo
3
1,530
$90,000
$108,000
70.59
10-31-08

Decora Park
4
2,119
$119,900
$108,600
51.25
01-21-09


Decora Park
5
2,000
$99,900
$110,000
55.00
01-09-09

[kathys]

The dump is at 29 and Gratiot. Coming from 27, it is on the right side.I would imagine that if you are interested in Decora Park the gas smell would go that far. I live at 27, right down the street from there.You can smell it all the way down to 26 Mile. I guess if you don't have your windows open and have the air on it won't bother you. If you drive down that way to go to Richmond most of the time you can smell that. I don't know how that can be healthy. If I had of known about it I would not have moved here. If I had the $100,000 or so thousand to spend, it would not be here. Great deals or not. Decora Park, they never even finished building in that one did they?
I forgot about the prison. That is right down on 26 before 94. I would rather deal with that, than the gas smell, and the bad water.I just got the city newsletter yesterday. I think the water rates went up.
The new bank is open on 27 Mile, and they said a Dollar store, and a Passport Pizza may come in along with possibly a laundry mat.

[rinaldi3]

Yes, i am from mi. I just came back from looking at 3 houses in decora park and really liked it. The school looks brand new. I spoke with the someone from the admins office today and she is going to send me some info on the schools. I know the area is a slow in developement, however that is not always a bad thing. The jail thing dosnt really bother me. I still have to check out the surrounding area alittle more. Bryan, let me know what you are up 2 with the whole house hunting thing.

[Bryan29]

I am about 50-50 with the house on 27. I absolutely love it, but as I have said a million times, I am worried about resale. My kids are home schooled right now, and will go to private school when they each reach 7th grade, so the schools don't bother me. I could care less about the prison, but future buyers might. I don't think you can go wrong with Decora Park, as it is well built up and the school is right there, as long as you are getting a fair price. In my situatiuon, the development I am looking at is half empty, and the builder can't pay the subcontractors, so the house has a bunch of liens. I am not sure what will happen when/if the builder goes bankrupt.

Make sure your realtor understands how low prices are in that area before you make an offer. Remember, your realtor makes a % based on sales price. Don't let them have you pay more than is necessary, especially in New Haven. Let me know what you find out from the admin office about the schools. I know you like the house Rinaldi, but take your time, they aren't going anywhere.