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We are new to Michigan, and we are deciding where to buy a house. At the moment, the Saline and South Lyon areas are top considerations. Does anyone have comparisons between the two? They both seem to have a central town location with some small businesses, and quite a bit of new growth and more chain stores in the surrounding areas. Are there distinct differences between these areas that we should consider as newcomers? Attitudes, conveniences, traffic, etc? I would guess we would travel to Ann Arbor, or maybe Canton, for certain amenities if we moved to Saline, while Novi would probably cover most things if we lived in South Lyon.
The commute would be to Dearborn/Allen Park. In all likelihood, we will end up in a township, as we are looking for a little more space than what we see offered actually in town. The Salem side of South Lyon would be closer to work, but more houses seem to be available up by I-96. I know there are other towns that would have a shorter commute, but I'm curious about the differences between these two specifically right now.
Best of luck with your move. You're right, the commute you are thinking about wouldn't be pleasant, and you could do a lot better in other locations. Attitudes in most places are generally nice, but road conditions and fellow drivers can be very upsetting. Might wear on you after a while. Depends on what you are accustomed to, I guess...and what you are easily able to tolerate.
One of my kids and her husband recently left S. Lyon because the commute was too inconvenient, although they liked their home and neighborhood a lot. It was a relief for them to move closer to their jobs.
Not sure how much politics matters to you but just for information South Lyon is in Oakland County which has a slight conservative leaning with respect to the counties elected officials whereas Saline is in Washtenaw County with a distinct liberal lean in their county elected officials.
I wouldn't put too much in to it but there is a possibility of a commuter train running from Ann Arbor to Detroit with a stop near FOMO World headquarters in the near to far distant future.
We are working with an agent, although she has mostly given us websites to look up information on schools and such and not made many comments about the actual vibe of the different locations.
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Originally Posted by mgkeith
Best of luck with your move. You're right, the commute you are thinking about wouldn't be pleasant, and you could do a lot better in other locations. Attitudes in most places are generally nice, but road conditions and fellow drivers can be very upsetting. Might wear on you after a while. Depends on what you are accustomed to, I guess...and what you are easily able to tolerate.
One of my kids and her husband recently left S. Lyon because the commute was too inconvenient, although they liked their home and neighborhood a lot. It was a relief for them to move closer to their jobs.
We are aware the commute won't be exciting, although we did have a fair bit of traffic in our previous location, as well. We were focusing on these two areas due to previous recommendations we received for special education programs. Saline was specifically mentioned, basically all of Oakland County was mentioned, and Wayne county was mentioned as a place to avoid. I am under the impression that most other places in Oakland County, especially those where we could find a house on at least an acre, will be just as bad of a commute as what we are finding in South Lyon. If we could find somewhere that had a little under an acre, but you could walk to places like the library or restaurants, we might consider that, too.
It may be best to decide Saline is the way to go; I was just trying to get a comparison before we officially made that decision. If you have additional suggestions that will meet our needs, we can consider those, also. Thanks!
Not sure how much politics matters to you but just for information South Lyon is in Oakland County which has a slight conservative leaning with respect to the counties elected officials whereas Saline is in Washtenaw County with a distinct liberal lean in their county elected officials.
I wouldn't put too much in to it but there is a possibility of a commuter train running from Ann Arbor to Detroit with a stop near FOMO World headquarters in the near to far distant future.
We are new to Michigan, and we are deciding where to buy a house. At the moment, the Saline and South Lyon areas are top considerations. Does anyone have comparisons between the two? Are there distinct differences between these areas that we should consider as newcomers? Attitudes, conveniences, traffic, etc? The Salem side of South Lyon would be closer to work, but more houses seem to be available up by I-96. I know there are other towns that would have a shorter commute, but I'm curious about the differences between these two specifically right now.
Thanks!
Salem Township is in Washtenaw County. However, they are part of the South Lyon Community Schools and share a tax base for the South Lyon - Salem library.
Saline is more isolated from Ann Arbor than South Lyon is isolated from the Metro Detroit area. At least it seems that way to me.
We moved to Lyon Township about a year ago. We have a South Lyon address. Most of the growth is actually in Lyon Township or New Hudson (1-96 area). South Lyon, as I've been learning, is really stuck in the past in a lot of ways, regarding growth and new businesses. Also, there are plenty of pizza places, but it's hard to find good ethnic food in the immediate area. And traffic on Pontiac Trail is just awful between 4-7pm.
Novi/Brighton/Northville/Ann Arbor cover the suburban amenities very well for our area.
Some of people in the area are discouraged that they aren't "country" anymore and that people who move here aren't necessarily interested in the country lifestyle. They hate "the growth" and apparently, the township didn't plan it out well.
However, most people are really laid back and generally welcoming. A lot of it is just sadness over what was and what isn't going to be anymore. I can understand people needing to mourn that.
Currently, Lyon is deciding if we want to build a new library to accommodation the projected growth and some people are having a fit because if it passes taxes will go up.
All I know is that it's a miracle that a handicapped person hasn't filed suit under ADA because there's simply not a lot of room for all the stuff that they try to provide. I really can't imagine anyone actually getting around in a wheelchair given the size of most of the aisles.
Residents in our area either pay to their yearly fee of $135 to use the South Lyon library or use Novi's because they have a better selection, so that they don't have to build a decent library specifically in Lyon Twp.
(Lyon residents have to pay a fee because we aren't in the tax base for the south lyon library. And we can use Novi's through the Michigan Library Network which Lyon and Novi are both members of.)
Obviously, I'm pro-library.
However, the South Lyon schools are amazing. In fact, if you move to Salem Twp and you have elementary school age kids, they'd go to Salem Elementary - and you won't regret sending your kids there. Our family loves the staff and programming there.
In fact, they are building a new elementary school to accommodate all the growth in the area.
Saline also has great schools too.
We never considered Saline because we wanted to be in Oakland County or closer to Ann Arbor. We really didn't want to be "in the country". In fact, we agreed that South Lyon/Lyon Township was as rural as we could get and we moved as close to 'downtown south lyon' as we could get.
We just aren't country people, but my son loves that there's a John Deere store on Pontiac Trail, near our subdivision.
From what I understand, the commute from Novi to Dearborn is about 45 minutes, so add on about another 15 minutes to get to South Lyon area.
Things here are quiet - which is nice, but I miss being closer to the denser suburbs.
We moved to Lyon Township about a year ago. We have a South Lyon address. Most of the growth is actually in Lyon Township or New Hudson (1-96 area). South Lyon, as I've been learning, is really stuck in the past in a lot of ways, regarding growth and new businesses. Also, there are plenty of pizza places, but it's hard to find good ethnic food in the immediate area. And traffic on Pontiac Trail is just awful between 4-7pm.
Novi/Brighton/Northville/Ann Arbor cover the suburban amenities very well for our area.
Some of people in the area are discouraged that they aren't "country" anymore and that people who move here aren't necessarily interested in the country lifestyle. They hate "the growth" and apparently, the township didn't plan it out well.
Why would you be surprised that a good number of people resist becoming swallowed up by the suburban sprawl? That they don't want there rural community to turn into generic suburbia, with all of the traffic, strip malls, increased population, and subdivisions with houses that all look the same and are 12 feet apart?
Lyon Township is 50 minutes from downtown Detroit. You would think that within that 45 mile radius, people could find a nice suburban community to live in without continuing to encroach on small towns and rural communities.
Just in case you didn't know, the population of Metro Detroit has not grown SINCE 1970 (see the U.S. Census/Wikipedia), yet it continues to sprawl further and further out, gobbling up forests and farmland, all because people keeping racing to live in the next newest, fashionable suburb (which will become passe in 20 years like Farmington Hills and Livonia are now)
Another note to mention about this, South Lyon seems to be on the upswing in terms of new construction. A lot of new communities are being built in the area, so it is growing in population. This also means more options to suit what you would like in a home, but long term it may not keep as much of the small town feel you are looking for.
Saline is a nice area, but is a bit older. Not as much activity in terms of new building and updating. You would probably have to venture further out for more than basic shopping/dining etc. Although you might be able to get a little more property for the price in the Saline area.
If it's feasible, I would recommend asking your agent for some current listings in your price range in both areas, and driving the areas that the listings you like are in to get a feel of the vibe. everything looks its best in pictures on a listing, but there is a lot you have to find out for yourself at the actual location.
I grew up in Lyon township/South Lyon and my Dad still lives there, so we are there a lot.
Best thing about Lyon/South Lyon IMO is proximity to Kensington Metropark.
South Lyon is a formerly quaint small town that got Yuppified. Lots of chain stores and strip malls now, and less and less charm, but it still has charm. My dad still spends 4 hours going to get groceries because he has to talk to everyone for fifteen minutes. McMansion subdivisions are abundant and they are not pretty. Golf courses spring up everywhere. The homey annual Pumpkinfest got commercialized, but it is still sort of homey. The schools grew and got better - way better. One of the charming parts of town Historic South Lyon hotel just burned down, but there is enough left they plan to rebuild it. The attitudes vary, in large part with where you settle. Lots of homey outside types still in surrounding area with acreage. Lots of typical subdivision people in the subdivisions.
South Lyon used to be the horse capital of the United States, but that is all gone to subdivisions now. Traffic can get heavy on the old two lane roads built when South Lyon was a town of 3500 people, or less.
50 minutes to downtown Detroit is very optimistic, especially in rush hour. There might be a day here and there you will make that time. 50 minutes to Allen Park will not happen. Dearborn is doable, depending on where. My daughter lived with Dad for a time two years ago and worked at the Henry Ford/greenfield villiage. It took her 48 minutes on good days and she did not have to go on the freeway at all.
In most locations, a big chunk of your commute will be getting to and from the freeway. You have access to 96 freeway in new Hudson, or 14 off of Beck road in Plymouth or Northvlle township, or 275 off 8 mile in Northville. On the extreme west side you can pick up the 23 pretty quickly.
Depending on where you end up, Your best place to go is Ann Arbor (20 minutes or so). Novi is closer and if you like horrid crowded shopping mall chain store/big box shopping - it is perfect(personally I would prefer a root canal over a day at 12 oaks Mall, but that is just me). Before Novi you have Meijers and home depot in Wixom or Walmart and Lowes in New Hudson. Thos are much better options for get in get out shopping.
Here is what is close:
Kensington Metropark! (The most awesoem metropark ever (I worked there for five years). They have a couple of beaches, boat rental, trails, big open park spaces and you can stop at Dairy Queen on the way home.
Island Lake State park. Kensingtons little neighbor. They have a beach too.
Mabury State Park. trails and a working farm. Corn maze in the fall.
Silver lake (you need to know someone there to use it).
Ann Arbor. Awesome college town. Fiun to just go walk around. Lots of pubs, a cool theater, college sports, a river where you cna rent canoes and shoot the chute. . .
Novi chain/big box shopping and the most cramped crowded mall ever.
Milford. Charming small town. GM proving grounds.
Brighton. Bigger town with a little charm downtown (all the restaurants are pricey) but also more strip malls/big box stores near the freeway. A calmer alternative to Novi.
Northville. Cute, charming, somewhat yuppified, but still worth spending some time feeding the ducks.
Cider Mills (Erwins is the best one because he is my dad's friend).
You are not horribly far from Hell. (there is actually nothing there, but you need to say you have been there).
Farmington Hills has Marvins Magical Mechanical Museum which is great for kids. (bad pizza and vintage/antique coin operated games and machines).
I cannot help much with Saline. They have a nice park and a huge and highly regarded school complex. It is a very clean small city. Not highly accessible to most places. Friends who live there love it a lot. Some complain about it getting ruined like South Lyon did, by the invasion of McDonald's, Sav On and the like. I think they have a more pleasant/charming downtown than South Lyon does. Some awesome housing in downtown Saline.
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