[lilbear]

I'm from MI not far from Ann Arbor. My parents still live there. I moved south when I got married but need to come back for my parents. Hubby's company he works for here has an office in Caro. I can tell from what little research I've done, it's a small area. But it's only 2 hours from my parents, if it becomes a possibility, I'd like some info on housing, (rent or buy) shopping, just general living. We have pets though and are in our mid 20s, without children. I'm a Jane of all trades lol but Customer Service and Childcare are my primary skills.

I know how bad the economy is in MI right now. But we're not coming with baggage. We live very simple. Hubby's company is very stable right now. So I just want information on the areas.

Thanks.

[stanman13]

Caro is very rural. Flat compared to where you are. Lots of farmland. But it is a nice little town. You will be headed probably to Saginaw for most of your shopping, etc. It does have grocery stores, etc. but if you want Costco that will be farther away.

There is not a ton of work nearby, so be sure your DH's job is secure before taking it. Otherwise, I like the area. You are not too far from Frankenmuth, Port Huron, or Bay City. The big water (Lake Huron) is not far, either. If you hunt, it is a good area for that as well.

Don't forget to look it up on City-Data.com

[lilbear]

Oh cool, didn't realize I could search cities. Thanks for the info.

I grew up in MI so flat land isn't new to me. I'm called the flat lander here. But hills aren't all they're hyped up to be. Properties tend to be one big hill, can't do anything on that but roll down it.

We're in a small town now, hubby is used to that. He'd feel comfortable with that I'm sure. We're coming up to visit sometime this year, we should go drive there and take a look around.

We wanna go to Frankenmuth anyway. The boat wasn't in service when we went there for our honeymoon. lol

[stanman13]

You have to leave the forum area and go to the actual website area.

City-Data.com

[michiganmom48]

We don't live in MIchigan anymore we moved to another state due to the economy. I would love to come back. We lived not too far from Caro. It is a smaller town. Walmart is the largest store. m-81 is the road that goes through Caro and that can be very hard to drive in the winter. Caro is in Tuscola County. If you like to shop the bigger stores will not be in Caro or big malls. We lived in Reese and that is a nice area it is about 25 mins from Caro longer in the winter. My husband worked in Caro for awhile and I went there to shop. THere are a few daycares and one was looking for help alot. I would try the Tuscola Advertiser. I'm not sure about crime, they have a mental hospital there and had a few people break out. They have a really nice parade around Halloween. I liked Reese because it is nice much smaller than Caro. But you can be in Saginaw and Bat City and Caro in like 20-25 mins and all you need are in Bay City or Saginaw. You have other choices to live but Caro that your husband could drive to work without much problems. THe only thing to remember when living in country area that if you have one car you have to drive to get to stuff. There are no buses or stuff like that. It also can be a trip in the winter with blowing snow and the ditches are big so you need to slow down as I said M-18 can be tricky and going to Caro it is hilly

[lilbear]

I did go check out just city-data.com. That was informative.

Thanks for all your input michiganmom. It's been a long time since I've been to Bay City but I am a little familiar with that area. We live in rural spot right now, have to drive about 45 min to the nearest mall. But a 30 min trip to work each morning isn't bad, hubby wouldn't mind that. I think we should visit all those areas when we come up.

I have much winter driving experience, hubby a little. We lived in MI again for 6 short months a few years ago but came back to the south.

I've never lived with buses to commute. :lol We'll have two cars. Like I said, we live simple. We're setting ourselves up right now while we can. I probably wouldn't move back to MI if it weren't for my parents but they can't make a big move to the south. They have fabulous doctors up there and don't have good health, so that's why I have to make this sacrifice and move. I'm their only child between them and my half siblings don't do the job I require done of looking after them, so it's up to me.

Thanks for all the info again. It sounds like a decent area at least.

[michiganmom48]

Good luck we moved to North Carolina and I would move back to Michigan in a heartbeat I hate it here. But no Jobs. You will like the areas you have to pick from. I will say that renting is less in these rural areas because they aren't as big. Reese has a big condo community. I don't know if renting a home or apartment is what you are looki9ng four.

[MichiganMovesSouth]

Originally Posted by michiganmom48

Good luck we moved to North Carolina and I would move back to Michigan in a heartbeat I hate it here. But no Jobs. You will like the areas you have to pick from. I will say that renting is less in these rural areas because they aren't as big. Reese has a big condo community. I don't know if renting a home or apartment is what you are looki9ng four.

I'm sorry to go off topic but can I ask why you hate it in NC? My husband and I considered moving to NC or SC but changed out minds - we both have good jobs in MI and most of our family and friends are here so we ended up taking the plunge and buying a house near Lansing (in Holt). We are very happy here and I'm glad we stayed although I find myself reading about MI all the time just to confirm my decision. I like to hear about others experiences with moving to NC or SC just to see what I might be missing...or not missing I guess.

[michiganmom48]

Well I won't take too much time if you look at the Moving thread I share there a lot. One of the reasons is I think we have to leave Michigan not by choice. I think when you decide you want to do something you own that. We just couldn't find jobs to replace the lay off jobs. My husband got a good job in Virginia so with 4 kids still at home and needed to provide we did what a lot of people from Michigan had to do..move. For me I 'm 49 lived all my life in the Saginaw( Carrollton area) We have three older kids still in MIchigan and I miss them. I just miss where I feel I belong. Family, friends, church. I never knew how great it feels to just know how to get somewhere and not feeling like your on the outside looking in. Now for North Carolina we are living in an area that is like the phrase watching paint dry. THe largest store is Walmart everything else is 45 mins away. We are Lutheran and they just aren't popular in the South. People are slow and there isn't anything wrong with that but it gets on my nerves. Education is something that I never expected to be a issue. WE have a 16,6,6,2 year old here and my 16 year old had Sp. Ed titles and had for 6 years. Reese is a good school system and he had to retested here and wipeed all his Sp Ed clases out. Said he didn't need that he had no issues by their test. I was like are you kidding me. THen my two 6 year olds were to go in first grade, Both passed Kindergarten. My son was six when he started forst grade but my daughter was 5 and turned 6 in Nov. This really bothered them. They wanted to put her back in Kindergarten, all they spoke of is why Michigan would let her start school at 4 for Kindergarden as she was a young 5. I was like who cares. I pulled them and I 'm homeschooling them. I just look around and you never see kids playing outside. In the summer it like 100 and they don't come out in the winter either. My kids go out everyday. THey look around to play with kids in the neighborhood but they never come out. In Michigan there would be 5 kids or more out as they seen other kids out even in the winter. I also do not like having to spray for bugs in the house around children. I hate bugs so I will. It just is another way of living in the South and for those that live her they love it but sometimes where you have to be isn't where you want to be or where your heart is. I pray that in time Michigan will once be the great State I know it can be. And mabe those who want to come home can.

[lilbear]

The south is entire different culture. Rural in the south isn't like rural in the north. It's like survival here. I'm in SC and probably one of the worse (but locals think the best) area of the state. I agree, it's slower and if you don't move that slow, it might get annoying. Feeling like I belong is an issue with me too. I've never belonged here, no matter how much people might like me. Although, many don't cuz they're just too stubborn in their ways. They think if you move here, you must be like them, your old ways of where your from are now dead. The southerners hate Yankees. I've even heard it on the radio.

Anyways, I have another question. How about high speed internet in that area? Availabity?