New Subdivisions mean Young Family & Young Kids? (Detroit, Warren: how much, new home)

[BBCity]

Being a young couple with a toddler we are looking for homes in subdivisions that have a lot of young kids. Looks like my best bet is going to be the newer subdivisions, it seems like a very subtle thing, no data on the internet seems to clearly indicate such stats nor the drive to seek newer subs, but driving around that is what it seems like. Although I am not certain of how much of a value its going to end up being, that is what we are shooting for! Any recommendations?

[animatedmartian]

Young families are pretty much spread all over Metro Detroit. I'm not sure newer subdivisions will necessarily mean a higher number of them, though probably what you will notice is a lower number of retirees and singles or couples w/o kids. So probably on the surface it looks like more but isn't really different than anywhere else.

In my experience, Sterling Heights was/is the most family oriented suburb I've lived in. Pretty much kids, teenagers, and young adults on every corner. Troy and Warren are similar with the main difference being the size, age, and prices of the homes.

[mgkeith]

Neighborhoods near elementary schools tend to have a lot of young kids. Often, the newer subdivisions do, too, but sometimes not the higher priced ones. They may tend to attract people with more established families. It really depends on where you want to live. What areas are you interested in? Where do you work? How long of a commute would be tolerable?

[Retroit]

Actually, I think you will find more young couples living in areas that are most affordable, often the older areas. The newer areas are often more expensive. Most of the people I know that have moved to newer areas are older people with grown children who are semi-retired and have money to spare.

[Almont1]

You will find the most young couples with children in the newest subdivisions. The fewest children are in the older bungalow suburbs (St. Clair Shores, Warren, Royal Oak, etc.)

So, if you want tons of kids, look to Lyon Twp., Oakland Twp., Macomb Twp., etc. New areas that are mostly new subdivisions.

My brother, who just moved to a subdivision in Lyon Twp., has an incredible amount of kids on his street. I swear that every home has at least 2 or 3 kids.

In contrast, my parents, who live in Royal Oak, live on a street with possibly no kids.

[Almont1]

Originally Posted by Retroit

Actually, I think you will find more young couples living in areas that are most affordable, often the older areas. The newer areas are often more expensive. Most of the people I know that have moved to newer areas are older people with grown children who are semi-retired and have money to spare.

I have actually never heard of this, and totally disagree.

The most expensive areas are never the newest areas. The most expensive areas are older established areas with few kids (Bloomfield and Birmingham). Young couples move to new subdivisons on the fringe because they can't afford a nice house in, say, Birmingham.

And I don't know too many older people with grown children who want to upsize to an exurban McMansion, with big yard, three levels, and 4-5 bedrooms. All the older people I know want to stay where they are, or downsize.

[313 TUxedo]

I would strongly advise against moving into a newer subdivision if you want to raise young children. Subdivisions built after about 1980 were not built to be good places for a family to live. They are built to bring the largest return on investment. Sterility is not an artifact of there neighborhoods - it's deliberately built into them.

When you move into a newer subdivision, you will be under deed restrictions that ban pets, many forms of hobbies, bicycles, even children merely playing outside. Your child will come to believe that all that talk of "freedom" in social studies class is irrelevant. The areas the new subdivisions are built in are very car-dependent, with the closest stores being the big-boxes, often more than a mile away. They will live an indoor lifestyle.

If you want to live in an outer suburb, hunt down an older house (usually ranch style) built on the main road before the subdivisions were built (some sense of freedom, but without the neighborhood feel), or consider a house in a good, older suburb (Trenton, Livonia, St. Clair Shores come to mind), where the streets are walkable, and small neighborhood stores are nearby.

[MIEng]

I live in NE Sterling Heights and this area is infected with kids. In my sub there are 2 to 4 per house all school aged. My sub is newer by SH standards (7 years old) but even the older subs around us as older people move out new families with young kids move in all the time.

When we were looking for places to live we were looking to places with decent schools and lot of kids that my kids could grow up with. We looked at places with sidewalks, with lots of city parks, we also wanted to be near trails so we could go bike riding with our kids. With young kids you may want the convenience of having drug stores and groceries stores nearby as well as shopping, restaurants, cinemas and theatre for entertainment.

Another thing that was very important to me was a short commute to work. I wanted to live as close as possible to work so in the case I needed to pick up a sick child from school or if needed to talk to their teachers I was available and not that far away. It takes me about 17 min to get to their school so is very reasonable.

I would not be too focused on a new subdivision. Drive around the places that you find desirable (good schools, close to work, whatever is important to you) at different times during the day on a sunny day. If it's a safe family friendly place you will see kids playing outside riding their bikes, people walking their dogs, people jogging and sometimes pushing a stroller, parents working on their yard while kids play in the yards, etc. See if the back yards have trampolines, pools, playgrounds.

I think it is safe to say that the super expensive places (Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham, Grosse Pointe Shores,..) tend to be older. Affordable or somewhat affordable places with good schools is where the families are going to be.

[PA Born]

Originally Posted by 313 TUxedo

I would strongly advise against moving into a newer subdivision if you want to raise young children. Subdivisions built after about 1980 were not built to be good places for a family to live. They are built to bring the largest return on investment. Sterility is not an artifact of there neighborhoods - it's deliberately built into them.

LOL. As opposed to subdivisons from earlier years, where apparently return on investment plays no role, and sterility is never present.

Originally Posted by 313 TUxedo

When you move into a newer subdivision, you will be under deed restrictions that ban pets, many forms of hobbies, bicycles, even children merely playing outside. Your child will come to believe that all that talk of "freedom" in social studies class is irrelevant. The areas the new subdivisions are built in are very car-dependent, with the closest stores being the big-boxes, often more than a mile away. They will live an indoor lifestyle.

This is all absurd. I have never heard of a subdivision than banned pets or children playing.

And deed restrictions have nothing to do with new homes. 80-year old neighborhoods (like those where my parents live) have deed restrictions.

And since when were older subdivisions less car dependent? You're seriously telling me that Sterling Heights and Southfield are walkable and transit oriented? LOL

Originally Posted by 313 TUxedo

If you want to live in an outer suburb, hunt down an older house (usually ranch style) built on the main road before the subdivisions were built (some sense of freedom, but without the neighborhood feel), or consider a house in a good, older suburb (Trenton, Livonia, St. Clair Shores come to mind), where the streets are walkable, and small neighborhood stores are nearby.

Right, Livonia really comes to mind when thinking about walkable communities with small neighborhood stores. Maybe take a charming stroll down Plymouth Rd. No big boxes there...

[Retroit]

Originally Posted by Almont1

I have actually never heard of this, and totally disagree.

The most expensive areas are never the newest areas. The most expensive areas are older established areas with few kids (Bloomfield and Birmingham). Young couples move to new subdivisons on the fringe because they can't afford a nice house in, say, Birmingham.

And I don't know too many older people with grown children who want to upsize to an exurban McMansion, with big yard, three levels, and 4-5 bedrooms. All the older people I know want to stay where they are, or downsize.

I wouldn't consider Bloomfield and Birmingham to be among the "areas that are most affordable" (my quote).

And, yes, believe it or not many older people (I'm talking about those near retirement age, not 85 year olds) buy these big homes so that their children and grandchildren (who have moved out of town) can stay with them.