Moving to Ann Arbor this summer (Grand Rapids, Lansing: apartment complex, home, job market)

[burnedtoast]

Hey everyone! Hope your are all doing well! I could really use some advice from you all! I plan on moving to Ann Arbor from the Traverse City area this summer and need some advice on apartments, safe areas to live, etc.

I am a mid 20's single guy, college graduate (I.T.), with a budget of up to $900/month for a 1br apartment, preferably less than $850. I know this is a huge stretch for Ann Arbor proper, but I am cool with looking at the smaller towns around Ann Arbor. My main requirements are that it is within commuting distance to Ann Arbor and that it is safe. I don't want to worry about being broke in to or having my life threatened. That actually concerns me a ton, since right now I live in one of the safest areas in the state. Like, there is no need to worry about locking things around here because theft is almost non-existent. That is a habit I will surely have to change lol.

The move seems backwards to a lot of people I talk to lol, they make me seem crazy for moving from where I am. Traverse City is the Ann Arbor of northern MI and it is spectacularly beautiful and safe, but there just isn't a great job market up here like there is downstate. Plus I have family in the Ann Arbor area that I would like to live near. I actually grew up in the area, so I am somewhat familiar with it. Up until recently I was looking to move towards Des Moines, IA just because of the job market and the low cost of living, and I would probably move out there if it wasn't for family living in the A2 area.

What do you guys think, is this feasible? Any recommendations? A lot of my searches are showing Ypsi as being my best bet, but if I am going to commute I would rather live in a safer/smaller town like Dexter, Saline, Chelsea, Milan, Whitmore Lake, etc. I am just totally unsure of what area to focus my search on.

Thank you guys in advance!

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by burnedtoast

A lot of my searches are showing Ypsi as being my best bet, but if I am going to commute I would rather live in a safer/smaller town like Dexter, Saline, Chelsea, Milan, Whitmore Lake, etc.

It's going to be Ypsi or further east. Almost all of Ypsi is safe. The 1 bedroom I rented my sophmore year at EMU goes for $720 (double what I paid in 1997-98 ). If you are close to EMU, you get college kids. Between EMU and Ann Arbor is safe. East of downtown Ypsi there are some pockets of unsafe. Anything on Washtenaw is loud and busy though.

You aren't finding a 1B in Dexter, Saline, or Chelsea for under $900.
The single apartment complex in Whitmore Lake lists their 1B for $900-950, if they have any available. I almost moved in there about 19 years ago. It's a quaint town, or was back then. It's probably really built up now - everything between Howell and Ann Arbor on US23 is built up.

[burnedtoast]

Originally Posted by scorpio516

It's going to be Ypsi or further east. Almost all of Ypsi is safe. The 1 bedroom I rented my sophmore year at EMU goes for $720 (double what I paid in 1997-98 ). If you are close to EMU, you get college kids. Between EMU and Ann Arbor is safe. East of downtown Ypsi there are some pockets of unsafe. Anything on Washtenaw is loud and busy though.

You aren't finding a 1B in Dexter, Saline, or Chelsea for under $900.
The single apartment complex in Whitmore Lake lists their 1B for $900-950, if they have any available. I almost moved in there about 19 years ago. It's a quaint town, or was back then. It's probably really built up now - everything between Howell and Ann Arbor on US23 is built up.

Yeah you're probably right, I will focus my search towards Ypsi. I found a few apartments that are within my price point right on the boarder of Ypsi and Ann Arbor. Some reviews are good, some are horrible. Might have to make a trip down to look around when it becomes a bit safer to meet people in person. Any word on Evergreen apartments?

I saw that one in Whitmore Lake you are talking about! It looks really nice, but just a bit out of my budget. However, if the difference between worrying and not worrying about my safety is $50/month, I could try to swing that. I am thinking about possibly extending my radius to include Plymouth, Novi, Wixom, etc. I am kind of open as long as it is somewhat near Ann Arbor. I don't know. It has been a while since I have really been in that area other than weekend visits to family!

I appreciate your input!

[NoMansLands]

How long has it been since you have lived in this area? I ask because the drive down 23 has been hellish since the mid 90's. Even with the new HOV lane, the drive from Brighton/Howell/Novi/Wixom would be extremely frustrating unless you are able to leave for work an hour and a half before rush hour starts and come back home by 4 or after 6:30.
Apartments east of 23 on Washtenaw are doable, but you need to check out the neighbors for noise issues if at all possible, but there are others right in downtown A2, go to apartments dot com

[burnedtoast]

Originally Posted by NoMansLands

How long has it been since you have lived in this area? I ask because the drive down 23 has been hellish since the mid 90's. Even with the new HOV lane, the drive from Brighton/Howell/Novi/Wixom would be extremely frustrating unless you are able to leave for work an hour and a half before rush hour starts and come back home by 4 or after 6:30.
Apartments east of 23 on Washtenaw are doable, but you need to check out the neighbors for noise issues if at all possible, but there are others right in downtown A2, go to apartments dot com

It has been about 10 years. I pass through once every few months just visiting family, but that is never during rush hours. I am glad you mentioned that, I did not realize the commute between Wixom/Novi and Ann Arbor would be that bad! That would have been a rough lesson to learn the hard way I grew up on the west side of Ann Arbor, so I was never really on 23 unless I was going up north.

I will check out the ones right in downtown Ann Arbor, I would love to live there! Thanks for the advice

[lbj42]

I have a relative in Pheasant Run apartments and is paying around $900/mo. and is reasonably satisfied with it. Seems a reasonably safe area and the location is good just south of I-94 off Stone School Road. He's been in an Ypsi apartment and I've looked at a few other places in Ypsi with him in this price range and the quality all seem pretty similar to me. Pheasant Run at least has Ann Arbor location going for it and feels safer than the Ypsi apartments.

[burnedtoast]

Originally Posted by lbj42

I have a relative in Pheasant Run apartments and is paying around $900/mo. and is reasonably satisfied with it. Seems a reasonably safe area and the location is good just south of I-94 off Stone School Road. He's been in an Ypsi apartment and I've looked at a few other places in Ypsi with him in this price range and the quality all seem pretty similar to me. Pheasant Run at least has Ann Arbor location going for it and feels safer than the Ypsi apartments.

Thanks! I will check those out. That doesn't seem like a bad price compared to some other places I have looked at

[luckyrebel]

Sorry bout your luck.......Ann Arbor sucks!

[aa1986]

I'm easily restating the obvious that covid has pretty frozen most hiring around here, and I assume it will extend well past this summer... I know of a lot of IT guys looking for work right now in the area, so the competition is going to be high when things open up again.

Also, I've worked in both the suburban areas like Wixom/Plymouth/Novi and also downtown Ann Arbor... and I feel like there's more demand for IT out in the suburbs compared to Ann Arbor. But that's just subjective feel on my part.

The Wixom/Plymouth/Novi/Brighton areas are really safe, you'd be hard pressed to find a dangerous area anywhere there. The commute from those areas into downtown AA are going to be significant, easily add another 20 to 30 minutes to non-rush hour travel time just from traffic backing up, especially along southbound US23 and westbound M14.

[burnedtoast]

Originally Posted by aa1986

I'm easily restating the obvious that covid has pretty frozen most hiring around here, and I assume it will extend well past this summer... I know of a lot of IT guys looking for work right now in the area, so the competition is going to be high when things open up again.

Also, I've worked in both the suburban areas like Wixom/Plymouth/Novi and also downtown Ann Arbor... and I feel like there's more demand for IT out in the suburbs compared to Ann Arbor. But that's just subjective feel on my part.

The Wixom/Plymouth/Novi/Brighton areas are really safe, you'd be hard pressed to find a dangerous area anywhere there. The commute from those areas into downtown AA are going to be significant, easily add another 20 to 30 minutes to non-rush hour travel time just from traffic backing up, especially along southbound US23 and westbound M14.

Thank you for this, you have given me a lot to think about. I do really like the Novi/Wixom area a lot. I am totally open to that area if it means I can get stable work and a nice/safe apartment within my budget. I do have family that lives in both Novi and Ann Arbor, I feel that commute wouldn't be too awful even if I had to take side roads. It sure beats the 4 hour drive I have now lol!

I will take this into consideration as I continue my search

Edit: Also considering Lansing and maybe even Grand Rapids. I spent a lot of time in both cities growing up and loved the vibes in each. Obviously Lansing is closer to family in A2 but would Grand Rapids be worth the extra hour drive?