Relocation to Ann Arbor area - HELP!!! (Lansing, Portage: real estate, day care)

[ahldouglas]

Currently, my husband & I live in Western Colorado, but he was born and raised in Lansing, Michigan and is anxious to return to his home state.

He is a Restaurant General Manager, but is in the process of completing CNA classes and, ultimately, his Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration. Prior to this, he was a Maintenance Technician for six years and then the Director of Environmental Services at a Skilled Nursing Facility for almost two years.

I am a full-time student - I'll be graduating next spring with my BA in Sociology.

We are wanting to move to Ann Arbor or the surrounding area once I graduate so that I can attend graduate school at the University of Michigan. And we can be closer to my husband's family. There are several other reasons why we've decided that Michigan is where we want to settle, but I won't bore y'all.

I was just hoping to get answers to a few questions...

First of all, we have two young children: 2 1/2 and 1 1/2. We would like to buy a house. Preferably at least 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with a basement and on a little property (a half acre or more). We're saving our down payment now, but I don't want to spend a fortune on a house. We are looking in the $140-$180k range. Is that even possible in the Ann Arbor area?

What are the areas to avoid? There are so many that seem to be around: Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Chelsea, Dexter, Saline... all of which we're looking at.

We want to be close to excellent schools for when the kids are older and preferably within close distance to U of M, shopping, etc. But in a family-friendly area and safe neighborhood!!!!!

Coming from a small town (under 5,000 people), I'm a little nervous about such a big move.

I'm also going to need to find an excellent daycare (does anyone know if U of M offers that service on campus?) that is affordable. I'm a SAHM right now, doing my schooling online. Leaving my kids with someone else is going to be really hard on me so I'm really hoping the school offers a daycare. Or, if not, there is one you guys can recommend that is reputable.

Furthermore, what is the cost of living like? How about the wages? Will it be difficult for my husband to find a job with such a diversified background?

I think that's all I have for now... maybe more will come up as I research. But any help/insight/advice/etc. you guys could give would be really helpful.

Thank you!!!

[karen_in_nh_2012]

U. of M. is generally VERY hard to get into for grad school (although that can vary by field, of course). Is your degree an online degree? They don't have the best reputation. Sorry, don't mean to be pessimistic, but I am a little surprised by "we want to move to Ann Arbor so I can go to grad school there" -- you have to get IN first.

I went to grad school at Michigan in the '90s (graduated '99). I still have friends there and have been back many times. Not too many of us had kids back then so I'm not sure if U. of M. offered day care, although I expect there are a lot of options in a place as large as Ann Arbor (and some of them are likely subsidized).

$140k to $180k sounds low for a house in Ann Arbor, especially the size that you want (and the land!). However, there are several decent areas nearby that might fit. Hopefully some others who know current real estate conditions will chime in.

Good luck!

[ahldouglas]

Hi there!

Thank you for your response!

I am currently a student at the University of Colorado Denver - a very reputable school, I assure you. They just happen to have an all-online program for Sociology, which is what I'm getting my Bachelor's degree in. I currently have a 4.0GPA, am a member of Phi Theta Kappa and a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Several of my professors have also promised to write glowing letters of recommendation to help me get in. I am hoping to be accepted into the Masters of Social Work program.

I've been researching Dexter, Chelsea, Saline, and Ann Arbor. We're willing to compromise on some of the things - especially the land portion. It's just a dream. I think our biggest priorities are just that there are at least 3 bedrooms/2 bathrooms, in a quality neighborhood, with good daycare and schools. Close to U of M and the shopping, but still quiet and safe.

We're planning a trip out there soon to check things out.

Until then, I definitely appreciate your response and hope others chime in, too!

Thanks again!

-Amber

[karen_in_nh_2012]

Your credentials sound good (especially if you degree does not indicate in any way that it was an online degree). Graduate admissions are a crap shoot -- often what is emphasized depends on who is on the admissions committee each year. (EG the year I got in, GRE scores were THE most important factor; the year after I got in, where students went for undergrad was THE most important factor, with everyone coming from an Ivy League or similar institution or a TOP state school like Berkeley -- I would not have gotten in that year. Of course you don't find these things out until you get in and go!)

I remember hearing decent things about Saline, and it was much more affordable than Ann Arbor itself. There are also good areas of Ypsi, although when I was trying to figure out where to live (I was in California and knew NOTHING about U. of M. other than it was #3 in my field for grad school), I was warned away from it. When I got to Michigan, I realized that the warnings of Ypsi probably were more about race/racism than anything else (although for anyone with kids, like you, the schools might raise issues).

[moving2013]

If so, how is it?
Me and my husband are thinking about relocating there (we live in ohio, about 50 mins from Ann Arbor). We went there twice, didn't spend much time there, we love the restaurants there and the campus looks beautiful, didn't get the chance to really do much.
Is expensive to live there? How much is the rent? Well, we don't habe kids for right now, so we will be looking for a two bedroom apt.

Thank you so much fo your help! And I hope you are enjoying your new life!

[scorpio516]

If you want the best possible schools while staying as close as you can to Ann Arbor, Dexter or Saline are your choices. Finding something in your price range might be an issue (I don't know, last time I looked at real estate in MI was 6 years ago).
Chelsea is a bit further out (twice as far as Dexter, and it took me 20-30 minutes to get from Dexter to north campus during undergrad).
Whitmore Lake doesn't have as good of schools, but still decent (better than Ypsi city or Ypsi township)
Pinckney is a bit of a longish commute, but good schools too.
Milan is pretty OK.

If you could pick and chose anything, I'd avoid anything east of US-23, and I'd stay in Washtenaw county. Ann Arbor is great, and the schools are good, and give you lots of options, but they are HUGE - before Skyline opened, Pioneer and Huron were 2 of the largest 5 HS in the state, IIRC Pioneer was usually the biggest school in the state, my wife's graduating class was 800+ - when I was a freshman in HS, Dexter only had 800 kids in the whole high school. Basically, there are lots of ways to fall through the cracks.

[Coldjensens]

South Lyon, Lyon Township, Northville Township, Salem villiage all have great schools and safety. They are more rural areas. Not cheap though. Plymouth is a really neat little city also with great schools and just a skip away from Ann Arbor (My brother lives there and his wife teaches at U-M). Plymouth township has some rural areas. Tecumseh is also a neat little suburb of Ann Arbor. You have tons of coices. Ann Arbor and most surrounding communities are very safe, have great schools and are really neat places to live. The only excpetions I can think of are Ypsialnti, Ypsi township, Belville. Grass Lake also has not so great schools, but it is way out there.

Alaso rural and not too terribly far from Ann Arbor is Hell. I am not certain, but I think they are in Pinkney school district.

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Alaso rural and not too terribly far from Ann Arbor is Hell. I am not certain, but I think they are in Pinkney school district.

The actual village is Pinckney, but go south about a quarter mile and it's Dexter. Go SW the same distance, it's Chelsea.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by scorpio516

The actual village is Pinckney, but go south about a quarter mile and it's Dexter. Go SW the same distance, it's Chelsea.

Chelsea and Dexter both have great schools (especially Chelsea). So you can live in Hell, or at least wlkaing distance to Hell and have heavenly schools?

Which way is South? towards the Buffalo ranch, or towards the lakes?

[scorpio516]

Towards the lakes. Once you get to Silver and crooked lakes, you are in Dexter. The south shore of Portage Lake is Dexter too, but the north shore is Pinckney. Half moon lake is in Chelsea

Not the best maps, but the official district maps:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/CG...D_104706_7.pdf
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/CG...D_103935_7.pdf