South Lyon.. What's all the hype about? (Detroit, Ann Arbor: low crime, new house)

[pojack]

When we were shopping for houses, we drove through South Lyon proper. It was the original, older part of town. It felt like we were driving downriver somewhere and it turned us off to South Lyon. Honestly, the "booming" parts of South Lyon appeared to be overpriced, cheaply built Mcmansions. I don't see what all the South Lyon hoopla is about. I work with and know a lot of people who moved there from Livonia, Westland, Redford, Garden City, etc. who work in or close to Detroit. Why the desire to add 20-30 minutes to their commute to move to what's becoming another suburb? Is it a white flight thing?

[brodie734]

White flight, declining prestige (especially in Livonia) and a desire to escape the Wayne County tax burden.

[MS313]

Nothing is special about it. Some people just like to act like their in some sprawling sunbelt city where people flock to the newest furthest out developments. It's freaking ridiculous how uncontrolled the sprawl is in Detroit. Some suburbs are losing population or are stagnant yet most of the investment is an hour away in the middle of nowhere turning cornfields into Suburbia.

[pojack]

Livonia, and all of the other suburbs that are relatively close to Detroit have changed in the last 15 years. Middlebelt is like the new Telegraph. However, west of Farmington Rd, Livonia still seems to be the nice suburb I grew up in 25 years ago. The 6/7 mile and Newburgh areas are still nice. I know the schools aren't what they used to be, but I can't imagine making that commute to and from South Lyon every day. Plymouth and Northville are still really nice as well.

[belleislerunner]

While you may know some people who commute to Southfield or Detroit - South Lyon is only 15 miles from Ann Arbor.

It more accurately is an Ann Arbor suburb - there are many white collar professionals who want the amenities of Ann Arbor but without the high cost of living directly in the city. So Oakland County taxes are lower and they get more money for the new build.

It would be very rare for someone to move from Garden City to South Lyon. That's like saying people in Fraser or New Haven are flocking to Grosse Pointe. Statistically based off income demographics - it doesn't add up - maybe 1 or 2 outliers.

[uchi90]

New houses. Safe. Good schools that are only going to get better. Farmington, Livonia, West Bloomfield are old and in decline.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

In addition to Ann Arbor, there are plenty of white collar jobs in Farmington Hills/Novi that those folks commute to.

There's nothing "special" about it, but some people want newer construction, low crime and good schools. South Lyon is a place where you can get that combination at a much lower price than Novi or Northville.

[usroute10]

Originally Posted by pojack

When we were shopping for houses, we drove through South Lyon proper. It was the original, older part of town. It felt like we were driving downriver somewhere and it turned us off to South Lyon. Honestly, the "booming" parts of South Lyon appeared to be overpriced, cheaply built Mcmansions. I don't see what all the South Lyon hoopla is about. I work with and know a lot of people who moved there from Livonia, Westland, Redford, Garden City, etc. who work in or close to Detroit. Why the desire to add 20-30 minutes to their commute to move to what's becoming another suburb? Is it a white flight thing?

I agree with uchi90. Everything is new, new, new! New houses, new shopping centers, new schools that are improving, it's free of those pesky racial minorities (although David Ruffin, the former lead singer of the Temptations lived there for a spell in the late '80s). That's what most families want - new! Then when it gets 20-30 years old, it will lose its luster like Farmington Hills, and people will be onto the next NEW suburb!

- From what I gathered, it is Lyon Township, not necessarily South Lyon, that is getting the lyon share (punch intended) of the new housing development.

[Coldjensens]

It once had a bit of a quaint downtown and until very recently, still had a small town atmosphere to it.

It is "rural" or at least was until it became the latest frenzy and then all the people who flocked to the "rural" location and made it non-rural, start looking for some other rural location. It used to be the horse capital of the United States accordnign to Farmers almanac.

Excellent schools.

Extremely low crime. The listing as the second safest place in Michigan certainly added to the frenzy.

Proximity to Kensington Metropark and the vast mall and chain jungle called Novi.

Proximity to Ann Arbor?


Lots of cool old farm houses to tear down and forests to destroy to create McMansion farms. Lots of available land.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Heading west out of the city South Lyon used to be the first place where I'd feel like there was a hint of being "out West." Something about the combo of soils and precip. It has a slightly more arid look and does not resemble The East Coast. However, as noted by others here it will soon become yet another vanilla burb indistinguishable from other Eastern / Midwestern new, new, new burbs.