Where do young professionals live in the Detroit area? Royal Oak (Ann Arbor: apartment complexes, rental)

[Sweetkisses4511]

Hi!!

I am moving to the Detroit area next month and wanted to start looking for apartments. I will be working in Troy and want to be around other young professionals. I was thinking the Royal Oak area? Does anyone have any other suggestions? Also, any specifics on apartments? I am looking to spend around $650-$700 on a one bedroom or studio. Thank you!!

[Coldjensens]

The more exciting places for 20 - 30 s with no kids: Royal Oak, Ferndale, Downtown, Midtown, Corktown, Ann Arbor, maybe Wyandotte.

Lots of young uns live all over the place, Plymouth, Ann Arbor, Livonia, Dearborn, Grosse Pointes, heck we have even started allowing people under 40 to live in Grosse Ile.

If you are wealthy and like people to know it go live in Birmingham.

[ForStarters]

If you will be working in Troy, Royal Oak is your best bet for purposes of having a tolerable commute. There are lots of young professionals in Royal Oak, especially in and around downtown Royal Oak. There are some generic apartment complexes in Royal Oak, but the best housing (in my opinion) is older houses converted into flats or rental units. Ideally, you probably want to live within walking distance of RO's downtown area. There are quite a few bars, clubs, restaurants, coffee shops, and little retailers there, as well as a pretty active street scene. You are also not too far from downtown Detroit, where the region's major entertainment venues are located.

My biggest qualm with Royal Oak is that it is too yuppie, a little pretentious, and sometimes resembles a frat party more than a diverse urban environment. It is also relatively small, but there's enough stuff there to keep most people occupied for a while. They also just opened up a really cool movie theater/bowling alley right downtown. Personally, I prefer downtown Detroit over Royal Oak, but honestly, your commute time/distance should probably be the most important factor.

Looking for housing in Royal Oak is not super easy. At one time, I was doing some research, and I realized that it's hard to find houses for rent without actually driving the neighborhoods. I would try Craigslist if you're looking for a flat within walking distance of downtown. You shouldn't have a problem finding something in your price range, though. I have a few friends who rent for $600-800 in that area. However, if you want to live right at the center of downtown, it's mostly condos and they are usually very expensive, like $250k+.

Outside of Royal Oak, there really isn't much close to Troy that fits your description, except maybe Birmingham, which is like Royal Oak's uber rich cousin. While Birmingham has a small, upscale downtown area like Royal Oak, you may have trouble finding something within your price range. Birmingham can also seem a little snobbish, which will be for pretty obvious reasons if go there. Bars and restaurants in Birmingham can also be equally pricey. Birmingham is a community that doesn't attempt to mask its wealth, and unlike the rest of Metro Detroit, BMW, Mercedes, and Audis are just as common as Chevys, Fords and Chryslers. But, you will find some better-off-than-thou young professionals living there.

Good luck on your move, and welcome to Metro Detroit!

[ragnarkar]

Downtown Rochester or Birmingham.. if you want something more affordable, Royal Oak.

[Sweetkisses4511]

Thanks everyone! Looks like I am leaning towards Royal Oak!