Michigan Looking up! (Detroit, Royal Oak, Southgate: foreclosure, property taxes, budget)

[TurboState]

Wow theres been some fantastic news around Michigan from friends and family! My neighbor just got a great job - he admitted he wasn't looking that hard until recently. Such great news for him.

Also we noticed houses in Royal Oak selling at a frantic pace for the $200-250K range once again. There were 8-9ish homes on our street for sale and I don't believe there is a single one now. We've noticed some really great new people moving into the area as well.

Anyone noticing surprising turnarounds? I always love Michigan summers, colorful fall, and quite mild winters.

Thumbs up here for deciding to stay!

[lavendersunrise]

Most of the "for sale" signs that disappear around here, are just taken down or the house has gone to foreclosure.

I really don't think anyone CAN buy a 200K+ house right now. But i could be wrong.

I wouldn't call a $125 per child education cut a turn up. But then again, who needs educated people. Look at the job Bush landed, and we all know he's the best edumakated person ever!

[RedWingsFan]

Originally Posted by lavendersunrise

I wouldn't call a $125 per child education cut a turn up. But then again, who needs educated people.

Schools waste SO much money that it's crazy. That cut isn't going to affect their learning. The schools would like you to believe it will, but it won't. The kids will receive the same education and yet the budget will have been trimmed.

Michigan will bounce back. And I've known several people over the last year there to buy homes in that price range. Some people are doing great (especially those working in the medical field).

[mpaquette]

Nobody has purchased my house yet, going on 7 months. The prices keep going down, but nobody is buying. If I sold it today at my current asking price, I'd have to bring about $15k to the closing. I used to joke about just calling the bank and tell them I'm sending in my keys along with a thank you note, now it's become less of a joke.

[lavendersunrise]

Originally Posted by RedWingsFan

Schools waste SO much money that it's crazy. That cut isn't going to affect their learning. The schools would like you to believe it will, but it won't. The kids will receive the same education and yet the budget will have been trimmed.

Michigan will bounce back. And I've known several people over the last year there to buy homes in that price range. Some people are doing great (especially those working in the medical field).

I know schools waste money. But it isn't the Administration they are cutting. It's the teachers, the supplies, the extra activities, etc. I'm a teacher. Do you think class sizes for 35+ are good for your child and their learning? Lemme tell you, those class sizes aren't good, it becomes crowd control and not teaching.

Schools waste money, but they are going to continue to waste money and cut things they NEED.

[lavendersunrise]

Originally Posted by mpaquette

Nobody has purchased my house yet, going on 7 months. The prices keep going down, but nobody is buying. If I sold it today at my current asking price, I'd have to bring about $15k to the closing. I used to joke about just calling the bank and tell them I'm sending in my keys along with a thank you note, now it's become less of a joke.

I know 3 people that have let their house go to foreclosure.

[oneredhonda]

We have been strugling to keep our house out of foreclosure now for almost a year. Our income this year looks to be about $15K less than it was when we purchased this house and it not a delux house by any means. My husband is looking for work again this will be the 3rd job is 18 months. His postion was just eliminated in the last 2 jobs, and he is not in manufacturing.

We feel beat up and are seriously wondering how much longer we can take it.

[Michigan Aaron]

Originally Posted by TurboState

I always love Michigan summers, colorful fall, and quite mild winters.

Mild winters? I was with you up until that, Turbo. No one loves Michigan more than me, but let's not sugarcoat things in the spirit of revitalization. Our brutal winters are part of what makes us, well..........US!

[Cato the Elder]

The winters are relative; I grew up in Chicago and the Metro Detroit winters are nothing. I have friends who grew up in Minnesota and they would tell me in college that the IL winters were nothing. Isn't it funny how the winters are less or more of an issue depending on one's perpective and life situation? Minnesota currently has charming, winter wonderland winters while MI has brutal, harsh winters, lol.

[CaboolBound]

We hear that about Michigan's economy. My husband is on disability and we just can't afford things up here. We live in the Downriver area and were told that we would have to bring money to closing in order to sell our home and we were just wanting to sell it for what we owe, which is well below the value. We are leasing with the option to buy. We lucked out. We bought a home in Missouri in November with the VERY small settlement that we received from our car accident. We pay about $3000 a year in property taxes in Southgate and we pay only $273 a year in Cabool,Missouri. We have 5 acres and a 1600 + square foot house in MO. Here in MI we have a 3 bedroom ranch on a city lot. We wish we could have stayed here but it is too expensive. The job market is not all that great in the area where we are moving but we don't have to worry about that. The job market is better than here in Michigan. Good luck to all who is staying in Michigan.
God BLess,
Kim and Jim