What do you think of this area? (Detroit, Garden: crime, houses)

[foggychicksrule]

There is a crazy good deal on a house at 7604 La Salle Blvd, but I am not familiar with the area. Anyone have any input? We are a family from a small town in Michigan with 3 school aged kids.

[fmax]

foggy,

Can you really afford to maintain an 8,000 Sq Ft house that is about 100 years old?

You'd really have to go into the house. Some of those houses have been looted of fireplace mantles, door handles, ornate wood moldings, sconces, etc. And this stuff is usually pried off the walls with crowbars and what-not. Never removed professionally.

Like anywhere, walk around the neighborhood by yourself for a couple of hours. Get a feel if you are welcome or not.

I could be off but think some of the former mayors family lived on LaSalle.

[Retroit]

Originally Posted by fmax

I could be off but think some of the former mayors family lived on LaSalle.

Kwame's sister lives at 7435 La Salle (4 houses down from the house in question), the scene of Kwame's assault on a police officer.

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foggychicksrule, a few questions:

1. Will you be sending your kids to public or private schools, or home schooling?

2. Do you like to do things in your neighborhood (walk, ride bike, let kids wander around playing with kids in the neighborhood).

3. Do you mind living in a high-crime area? Are you aware of the crime level? www.crimemapping.com

4. If you are not an African-American, would you have any problem living in a predominantly African-American area? [I hope this isn't taken offensively by anyone. I only ask because for some people this would be a problem.]

I will concur that this looks like a very nice home and would like to live in such a home myself. However, when you buy a home you also buy a neighborhood.

[usroute10]

I am the biggest CITY of Detroit booster there is, but I can't recommend you buy that house to live in with 3 children. The neighborhood is a little known historic district that consists of one long street (La Salle Boulevard), and an ornamental park surrounded by streets called La Salle Gardens North and La Salle Gardens South. The neighborhoods around this district are in steady decline and have been so for many years. The surrounding neighborhoods have their fair share of crime and a great about of blight. The people in the surrounding neighborhoods are basically poor for the most part.

The Detroit Public School system - there are some good schools, great schools. But for the most part, they are no good, and the emergency financial manager is closing tens of schools EVERY YEAR. Also, shopping options are very limited in that area. There was a Farmer Jack fairly close by, but that closed like 5 years ago.

I would only recommend this neighborhood if you are true, tough urban pioneers, who don't mind living around black people, who have great street smarts, and who don't mind sending their child to a private school or charter school or good public school (they are few!). And you have to put a lot of money into renovating.

[Remisc]

Originally Posted by Retroit

However, when you buy a home you also buy a neighborhood.

I couldn't agree with this more. But, in this case, foggychicksrule would also be buying surrounding neighborhoods - one of the most blighted, run-down neighborhoods in the city is just a few blocks south of this home. And that blight and crime has nowhere to go but up through LaSalle Gardens. The home to the east of the property is potentially abandoned, with a rotted-out front porch; http://maps.google.com/maps?q=7604+L...,30.57,,2,0.71

There's much better neighborhoods throughout the city where she could get less house for that money, but its worth it, because she will be further removed from bad neighborhoods.

[Yac]

25 deleted posts later I'd like to remind everyone here that if you respond to a troll, you're doing what he wants. If you see a troll post, report it, ignore it and move on.
Yac.

[Retroit]

Originally Posted by Yac

25 deleted posts later I'd like to remind everyone here that if you respond to a troll, you're doing what he wants. If you see a troll post, report it, ignore it and move on.
Yac.

Damn, I missed it!