Relocation help ( Dearborn area) (Detroit, Livonia: apartments, rentals, houses)

[Midwestgirl30]

My family may be relocating to the Dearborn/Detroit area. My husband has been offered a job in Dearborn, somewhere near Fairlane town centre, if that helps !? Our current housing budget is around 1000/mo. plus utilities. That could change since they haven't nailed down all the details of the new job offer or pay. We are a family of 4 with 2 young boys 8 and 3. Coming from a very small town of under 100,000. Just looking for some help on where to look for housing, a safe neighborhood is first priority, then schools, budget, and distance to work. Any suggestions or info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[zthatzmanz28]

LOts of choices. Most cities rent between $800 and $1100 that are within a decent commute of the Fairlane area.
Livonia, Redford, and Dearborn are probably the closest top 3?

[Coldjensens]

For family andschools, I suggest Plymouth, South Lyon, if you lie subdivisions and big box stores, Novi.

Dearborn is pretty decent in pplaces and some of the schools are very good. Redford does nto have good schools. Livonia schools are OK. You can do better than livonia though. It is not bad, just nothing special.

I woudl not recommend Taylor, Lincoln Park, Allen Park.

Southgate, Riverview and Woodhaven are OK. Pretty much the same leval as Livonia. Trenton is really neat and has somewhat better schools. It you can live next to elizabeth park, it would be pretty neat.

Northville is close and awesome, but much more expensive. (Novi will be pretty pricy too). Canton is ok for subdivision living as long as you are in the Plymouth Canton school district.

I cannot really recommend westland or garden city with kids.

Farmington/farmington hills has decent schools and lot and lots of rentals.


Grosse Ile is fabulous and the schools are awesome, but it is 40 minute commute. My daughter does that commute and does not mind it. Grosse Ile also does nto ahve a lot of rentals and $1000 would be hard (but not impossible to find).

My brother does the commute from Plymouth to Ford HQ in dearborn. He says it is nto a bad commute at all. Plymouth is a really neat little city with great schools.

Walled lake is getting nito a bit of a commute, but it is a decent community with good schools.
You are going to be busy checking out all those areas. There are a lot of great towns near dearborn. Want some more?

[zthatzmanz28]

Northville can be had for around $1000 month rent. Novi and Farmington may be more difficult. Grosse Isle is probably untouchable for less than $1500-$2000 month.
How far do you want for a commute? That will help determine where the best area for your family is.

Getting from Canton / Plymouth area to Dearborn can be rough in the morning and between 4 and 6 pm I 96 can be a parking lot. Ford Road isn't always much better.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Given your budget, needs and location, Livonia is probably your best bet. Just make sure you find a place in Livonia schools proper and NOT Clarenceville schools, which make up part of Livonia. Livonia schools are still very good.

Dearborn schools are terrible, and there aren't many nice neighborhoods left out there.

I think you are priced out of Novi or Northville (probably the 2 best districts in the area). Probably Plymouth too, but it would be worth checking out.

South Lyon to Dearborn would be a miserable commute. Plan on spending 3 hours a day in the car.

[belleislerunner]

Dearborn has lots of nice tree lined neighborhoods and the schools are not terrible. I would definitely check it out. Dearborn also has a performing arts center, public pools facilities and has great proximity to many other things.

Livonia is also another safe choice in the same population area that you are used to - though it lacks the charm/downtown of Dearborn. E Hines Drive is very nice and worth seeing.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

Northville can be had for around $1000 month rent. Novi and Farmington may be more difficult. Grosse Isle is probably untouchable for less than $1500-$2000 month.
How far do you want for a commute? That will help determine where the best area for your family is.

Getting from Canton / Plymouth area to Dearborn can be rough in the morning and between 4 and 6 pm I 96 can be a parking lot. Ford Road isn't always much better.

There are rentlals in Grosse Ile for $1000, but not often. There are not all that many rentals period. ou are not going to get a place in Hawthorn Glenn for $1000, but there are a few smaller apartments and some tiny houses. Just check and make sure they have heat and plumbing and such.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by Arthur Digby Sellers

South Lyon to Dearborn would be a miserable commute. Plan on spending 3 hours a day in the car.

My daughter lives just outside South Lyon (during school) and goes to dearborn frequently (The Henry Ford). It usually takes her 35 - 40 minutes. Northville will that cut down by 5-10 minutes.

Her sister lives in Grosse Ile and works and goes to school in Dearborn. It takes her 35-45 minutes.

Dearborn itself offers quite a lot. There are some good schools and good neighborhoods remaining. They have two colleges, an orchestra, a community theater group, an ok downtown, a major shopping mall, some of the best middle easern resturaunts and bakeries in the world, and best of all "The Henry Ford" - a world class desitnation meaning people come form other countries to see it and almost everyone visiting SE michigan makes a trip there. The Henry Ford has an IMax theater and fairlane has several typical mall theaters. Working there our daugthers meet lots of political figures, royalty, entertainment stars, all kinds of people, it is a neat place. Plus they change programs and events regularly, so you do not get bored having been once.

Dearborn is not perfect, but it is certinaly a decent place.

It might be a good idea to rent in Dearborn for a short time (6 - 12 month lease) while you check out other areas and decide where you want to put down roots.

[gameguy56]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

My daughter lives just outside South Lyon (during school) and goes to dearborn frequently (The Henry Ford). It usually takes her 35 - 40 minutes. Northville will that cut down by 5-10 minutes.

Her sister lives in Grosse Ile and works and goes to school in Dearborn. It takes her 35-45 minutes.

Dearborn itself offers quite a lot. There are some good schools and good neighborhoods remaining. They have two colleges, an orchestra, a community theater group, an ok downtown, a major shopping mall, some of the best middle easern resturaunts and bakeries in the world, and best of all "The Henry Ford" - a world class desitnation meaning people come form other countries to see it and almost everyone visiting SE michigan makes a trip there. The Henry Ford has an IMax theater and fairlane has several typical mall theaters. Working there our daugthers meet lots of political figures, royalty, entertainment stars, all kinds of people, it is a neat place. Plus they change programs and events regularly, so you do not get bored having been once.

Dearborn is not perfect, but it is certinaly a decent place.

It might be a good idea to rent in Dearborn for a short time (6 - 12 month lease) while you check out other areas and decide where you want to put down roots.

I will add that the 48124 area has some very nice historic homes.

[detwahDJ]

Is there a downtown Livonia? Just can't recall.