Possibly moving to the area, some questions (Detroit, Ann Arbor: for sale, apartments)
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I'm a 27 year old white male. I may accept a position in Dearborn. I need suggestions/ideas on where to live.
My income will be 60-70k per year. I enjoy fishing, biking, live music, playing poker, and going out to bars occasionally.
I would like to drive no more than 30 minutes to work, but I could make exceptions.
It will be just me. No wife, girlfriend, or children.
I don't mind a little bit of a rough neighborhood. I grew up in not the greatest of areas. I don't mind if it is urban or suburban.
Also, by chance, does anybody know how I would go about moving to Windsor? I haven't really looked into it much, but if someone has any tips, it's appreciated.
Hi Dave, congratulations on your job offer. There are a number of communities that you could live, but based on what you said about yourself, I'd suggest Dearborn or downtown Detroit.
Dearborn is a suburb of Detroit, but with some urban elements. The city is roughly divided into east and west portions, with east Dearborn being a vibrant ethnic enclave of Arab-Americans. West Dearborn is more traditional, and has some very nice homes and parks. The most appealing area of Dearborn for me is its small downtown area located along Michigan Ave between Oakman Blvd and Military St. There are some neat bars and restaurants within walking distance in that area, as well as Westborn Market, which is an awesome independent grocery store.
Dearborn has two obvious advantages for you- first, it will be close to your work, so no long commute, and second, you will be close to all of the entertainment and nightlife in downtown Detroit. In terms of places to live, Dearborn is not much of a renter's town; most people own their homes, especially in West Dearborn. I cam across these lofts in downtown Dearborn a while ago, but unfortunately, I can't offer you much more: West Dearborn Lofts, Upscale Lofts in Downtown Dearborn, Michigan If you're interested in Dearborn, you can run an apartment search or check Craigslist for people renting out their houses as flats.
Now, in regard to Downtown Detroit, it is obviously the urban choice. You and I seem to have similar interests, and I think downtown is a good fit. Your commute to Dearborn will be around 10-15 minutes depending on whether you take Michigan Ave or I-94. If you are looking to rent, there are many options, however, availability in some buildings is becoming increasingly limited. This website is a pretty good place to start looking for apartments/lofts: Downtown Detroit Partnership | Housing - For Lease (http://www.downtowndetroit.org/ddp/housing-lease.htm - broken link)
If you are looking to buy, there are lots of options as well, including many walk-ups and condo units: Downtown Detroit Partnership | Housing - For Sale (http://www.downtowndetroit.org/ddp/housing-sale.htm - broken link) Keep in mind that these links are not comprehensive, but a good starting point. Overall, deals are pretty good right now. I am aware of coops in nice buildings in Lafayette Park selling for ~$5,000. That's a pretty good deal, IMO.
The advantages of downtown Detroit are these: you can walk or cab it to a lot of entertainment and nightlife, there's a good selection of bars and restaurants, you can walk to sports games and shows, there are 3 casinos downtown, and there is abundance of cultural attractions in Midtown, such as museums and art galleries if that interests you. The city is great for biking. I ride the Detroit Riverwalk all the time, as well the Dequindre Cut, and I also ride Belle Isle, which is a massive island-park near downtown. You can fish off the piers at Belle Isle or even off the docks on the Riverwalk. I see people doing it all the time. Dearborn doesn't offer have anything like that.
In terms of proximity to work, Dearborn is your best bet. Overall it is a nice community. In terms of activities and energy, downtown Detroit wins hands-down. The downside is the commute, however, 12 minutes isn't too bad and you'll be going the opposite direction of traffic both ways. Please let me know if you have more questions, I'd be happy to help.
Sounds like Dearborn itself meets your criteria, along with other western suburbs.
Biking - don't know how serious you are with that, but I enjoyed Edward Hines Drive for biking, motoring, picnicking (it's nearby). I know people fish in some small "lakes" there but I can't imagine what they catch. You can explore with Google maps and Bing maps. It's called the Hines Park Bikeway on this link. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/md...k_333797_7.pdf
This link shows the recreation areas close to the western suburbs. There is biking, fishing, and everything else. You can explore these in Bing Maps. You can bike through Hell with its restaurant/grocery/ice cream parlor - nice stopoff. pinckney mi - Google Maps
Absolutely no reason to live in a rough neighborhood making $70,000.00 and single. I wouldn't go to Dearborn. I'd go to downtown Plymouth. It's a great drive to Dearborn down Hines Drive and there's a great town square that has something going all the time during the summer and even sometimes during the winter. Great bars and restaurants and lots of hot babes.....or guys if that's your thing. Check out houses or apartments within walking distance of downtown Plymouth before you even think about living as close to Detroit as Dearborn or any of the inner ring suburbs. You may also want to check out Royal Oak. The only advantage over Plymouth is that it's in Oakland County. I think Plymouth is a better drive to Dearborn. You don't have to drive though the ghetto. There are great deals on houses now and if you buy in Plymouth Township instead of the city of Plymouth, you'll get a big tax break.
Absolutely no reason to live in a rough neighborhood making $70,000.00 and single. I wouldn't go to Dearborn. I'd go to downtown Plymouth. It's a great drive to Dearborn down Hines Drive and there's a great town square that has something going all the time during the summer and even sometimes during the winter. Great bars and restaurants and lots of hot babes.....or guys if that's your thing. Check out houses or apartments within walking distance of downtown Plymouth before you even think about living as close to Detroit as Dearborn or any of the inner ring suburbs. You may also want to check out Royal Oak. The only advantage over Plymouth is that it's in Oakland County. I think Plymouth is a better drive to Dearborn. You don't have to drive though the ghetto. There are great deals on houses now and if you buy in Plymouth Township instead of the city of Plymouth, you'll get a big tax break.
Dearborn, a rough neighborhood? There is nothing "rough" about Dearborn. Most of Dearborn is upper-middle class professionals. Doctors, engineers, auto execs, etc. Downtown Detroit is not rough either. These days it's mostly yuppies. Trust me, I fall into that category for better or worse and my building is becoming increasingly so. MD and JD students galore, young GM employees, Quicken and BCBS are all well-represented here. Downtown is dynamic and exciting, especially if you're outgoing. The pace of life compared to Plymouth is 100 to 1.
That said, the best part of Plymouth is downtown, but rents are ridiculously high. The rest of Plymouth is generic suburbia- aging colonials and McMansions sprawling out towards Beck Rd. Get ready to be a suburban wallflower. I don't think Plymouth is a bad community, but for a single guy in his 20s, Plymouth fails miserably. How many times can you go to the handful of bars in downtown Plymouth? They are all mostly a 30+ crowd anyway, except for Penn Bar & Grille and even then... I'd be bored of Plymouth in 1 month flat. The "concerts in the park" are fun for geriatrics and kids under 10- a band of old men play hit music from 70 years ago while people eat sandwiches on the lawn. Hot girls, you say? Sure, if your type is high school chicks. Plymouth is not known for its singles scene; Plymouth is a great place to settle down, raise a family, walk up to the ice cream parlor and check out a Curious George book from the library... but for an active guy in his 20s, stay clear of Plymouth unless you're an anti-social hermit.
In terms of Royal Oak, I would have recommended it if it made sense. The commute to Dearborn would be tough. The fastest route would be down I-75 then to I-94, which Google says is about 21 minutes, but traffic in that direction is going to be insane in the morning. I say forget it. Who wants to deal with that nightmare considering the way our roads are in the winter? I mean, if you really love Royal Oak, it's doable, but I wouldn't consider it given the commute time. Quality of life trumps. However, Royal Oak is definitely a hot-bed for singles, so maybe that's enough to put up with the drive.
Plymouth is certainly a nice place, but laid back from my recollection.
For a single guy who desires action there are 3 pockets of "culture" (my opinion). Detroit, Ann Arbor, and North Woodward. Detroit trumps them overall, despite its reputation.
I'm considering Dearborn or Dearborn Heights myself. I know I would be frequenting the places mentioned, since I'm familiar with them. Dearborn itself has culture due to the Ford legacy, as well as a unique Muslim community. Many suburban neighborhoods are relatively safe, but stodginess is part of the package.
Yes, if you have an ounce of adventure in you, you'll be visiting Corktown, downtown, and other parts of Detroit so you should not be too far away.
Btw as a resident for many years, I roamed the area far and wide.
ForStarters has it right and is a current resident. Check the Detroit posters - they know the area pretty well.
Also, Detroit has casinos, if you're serious about that.
I didn't say Dearborn was a rough neighborhood. The OP said he'd be willing to live in a rougher neighborhood. I said there's no need to live in a rough neighborhood considering his salary.
Nevertheless, Dearborn is an inner ring suburb of Detroit. Not somewhere I would want to be, married or single, considering the options.
As far as most of Dearborn being "upper middle class professionals", that is simply not true. Dearborn is and always has been mostly a lower middle class blue-collar company town. Of course there are neighborhoods for middle and upper middle class and even a few areas of "upper class" housing, but for the most part it's 3 bedroom bungalows on 30 or 40 foot lots. Typical lower middle class working man's neighborhoods.
"Culture" in Dearborn? Dearborn Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra, a few community vocal groups, the Arab-American Museum and the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. That's about it for culture as far as I can tell. They have a performing arts center that books C and D list acts. I've seen two shows there and will never spend my money there again. The quality was terrible. You can literally see better musicians at the local bars. By far the biggest draw in Dearborn is "The Henry Ford", which includes the museum and Greenfield Village. It's mostly Americana, automotive and industrial stuff in there. Not really cultural stuff like art....If you want to live around culture go downtown.
I still like Plymouth. If I was single again I might think about living downtown in a rental somewhere for a year or so just to say I did. However, I bought my first house when I was 20 and kept buying more after living in each for a year or two. I hated the idea of paying rent to someone else. Now, buying a house in Detroit is just a bad idea unless you're in it for the long haul or plan to get into the rental game or get one so cheap that it's a "disposable" house. Home ownership in Detroit for someone not planning to be there for a while is a bad idea, especially considering the taxes. Back to downtown, I have several friends who lived downtown when they were single and they didn't like it. They all bought houses in the suburbs (while single) and drove the 20-30 minutes downtown when they wanted to do something.
I wouldn't go to Dearborn. I certainly wouldn't buy there.
Both Dearborn and Midtown are good options. Dearborn will save you commuting costs and the town has everything from suburban aspects (e.g. Fairlane Town Center) to urban nightlife/bars along Michigan Ave (e.g. Crave Lounge/Bailey's/sports bars etc).
ForStarters hit on most of what's great in Detroit - Belle Isle is my favorite place to run/relax. It was designed by the same architect who designed Central Park in NYC - so it's pretty sweet. Plenty of fishing and you'll be close to the lakes wherever you end up. Check out Metro Times (www.metrotimes.com) as it's the Metro Detroit independent weekly newspaper that will give you info on live music selections. They came out with their "Best of Detroit" list a couple weeks back that you can view in the archive section so that will give you all sorts of info on cool bars, bowling alleys, fishing holes and everything under the sun.
I would suggest renting in Dearborn for the first year. Then you'll have a year to venture through Dearborn, Detroit and Royal Oak and determine which place has the vibe you want. The outer ring suburbs are great, once you're in your 30's and looking to raise a family, but would be very boring at this stage in your life.
"Culture" in Dearborn? Dearborn Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra, a few community vocal groups, the Arab-American Museum and the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. That's about it for culture as far as I can tell.
Dearborn has several orchestras, various vocal ensembles, at least two theater groups, two good sized colleges, a reasonably decent downtown the middle eastern cultural impact AND Henry Ford/Greenfield Village (where there is always something neat going on). Henry Ford has its own theater and there are frequent performance in the Village by various groups as well. Dearborn is also centrally located and reasonably close to most of the neat places to go. Unfortunately, Dearborn also has the Southfield freeway as its primary feeder. They also have a great library and H.F. has a great research facility as well. There is decent mall shopping at Fairlane (as well as movie theaters) and the IMAX theater at HF is a really neat way to see some movies (expensive though). There are some decent places downtown, both for shopping and for dining (and Coldstone Ice Cream!).
Overall while not a fabulous place to live in any one regard, Dearborn is a strong runner up in many aspects. It is a pretty well balanced city with lots of strong points. There are other area that I prefer for anything that Dearborn has to offer (except maybe community theater, and music groups), but it is certainly a place that is worth considering to live in, especially if you are going to work in Dearborn. One downside, is that it takes considerable time and effort to get to many parts of Dearborn. The closer you start from, the less annoying it will be.
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