Moving to Detroit as an Expat (Republic: live, best, money)

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by valium97

Thanks for the additions Coldjensens and highlanderfil!

Are there any Insurance companies you'd recommend in addition to AAA? I'd like to get in touch with them before we get there so I don't have pressure to sign a contract quickly...

Just shop around. Because we bundle 7-9 cars with our house and boat, we have a very different circumstance than you will.


What we found in general is the companies that advertise the most offer the worst coverage for the money.


It depends on what you want too. If you just want to be legal, then get the cheapest you can find. If you are actually concerned about whether you have coverage or want good service, our have to shop around/research.


We found State Farm had the best combination of coverage/service/price that we could find. However they cancelled our home policy because we did not paint the house fast enough (good luck making sense of that), so now we have Allstate. Allstate is pretty terrible service wise and their coverage is not as good. However our house is hard to insure and no one comes close to the bundle prices on our cars if we try to insure them separately.


As I said originally, while no driving record makes some difference, it is not a huge difference. Actually almost nothing makes a huge difference. Age seems to be the biggest factor.


If you really want to save money, live in Ohio. Ohio has the cheapest car insurance in the USA, Michigan has the most expensive in the USA.

[valium97]

Thanks so much for all the info. I just want to make sure we don't step into all the traps set out for the naïve ones.


BTW: When buying a car: is sales tax on top of the price listed? How much is it in MI? Is it a big hassle / what do I need to know when buying a car in Toledo?

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by valium97

Thanks so much for all the info. I just want to make sure we don't step into all the traps set out for the naïve ones.


BTW: When buying a car: is sales tax on top of the price listed? How much is it in MI? Is it a big hassle / what do I need to know when buying a car in Toledo?

Your taxes (which, yes, are extra to the price listed) will be determined by the state in which the vehicle will be registered.

[Coldjensens]

In Michigan sales tax is 6%. It charged along with the registration fee when you register the car with the Secretary of State.

[valium97]

Thanks again!


We visited Metro Detroit for 12 days before Easter and found your information to be very helpful.


We found a house on a great lot (1.3 acres) with many trees in one of those soulless suburbs. It is the spot we were looking for since moving to a more rural area didn't make sense for us. Due to my work being in the Troy / Auburn Hills area anything else just didn't make sense in regard of commute time and schools.


So now we're trying to get everything set up so we can move in the summer and really look forward to it.


Thanks a lot again, if there's more I need to know I'll just ask.


If I can return the favor by answering some questions about Germany just let me know ;-)

[Coldjensens]

With that much land, you can have chickens! Chickens are cool. Ducks are even better, but less useful and more work. Check with your local city or township if you care whether your chickens are legal or not.

When get get settled in, it is time to explore. Come back here and people will help you with ideas. We can keep you busy for 4 or 5 years with awesome things to see do in Michigan. Then you can go see what is what in Chicago.


I may have some questions about Germany someday. I am writing a book about a danish guy in the 13th century and many of the places where events take place are now part of Germany. (Schleswig, Kiel, Husum, Rugen). Someday I will go visit, probably in a couple of years.

Do you know anything about Estonia? I also want to visit Tallinn, but I am concerned it might be dangerous.


My brother lives in Germany, but they are down in Bavaria someplace. Salzburg Austria is actually their closest major city. I do not recall the name of the village where they live.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Do you know anything about Estonia? I also want to visit Tallinn, but I am concerned it might be dangerous.

Based on what??? I know you don't hold much stock in statistics, but Estonia is one of the safest countries in the world. Beautiful, too.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by highlanderfil

Based on what??? I know you don't hold much stock in statistics, but Estonia is one of the safest countries in the world. Beautiful, too.

Based on I know nothing about it. i do not know if the government is stable. It borders Russia, I do not know what its relations with Russia are like. Before I started working on my book, I had never heard of it. I assume it is former eastern block, and I believe many of the former eastern block countries are not well regulated and/or unstable governments. But mostly I just do not know, that is why I am asking. Urkraine for example I would not consider very safe. Estonia, who knows. I am more concerned about government stability, internal strife or fighting, terror attacks.


Thanks for the link. I am not sure what goes into the crime index, or which parts of Estonia are safe or not. I am only interested in visiting Talinn and seeing the Danish town hall that remains there. Also I want to get a feel for the landscape and climate.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Based on I know nothing about it.

So you naturally assume it's unsafe?

i do not know if the government is stable.

It is. Start here for all the basic facts.

It borders Russia, I do not know what its relations with Russia are like.

They are a little tense, but nothing terrible is imminent. Also, Russia itself, contrary to what you may believe, is very safe for visitors, occasional subway bombings notwithstanding. In fact...

Russia also borders Alaska, Finland and Japan. Would you have a similar concern visiting those places?

Before I started working on my book, I had never heard of it.

A damning indictment of the American education system if there ever was one. Not really a negative comment on you, so don't take it as such - I'm the product of the same system and it amazes me just how much stuff about the world I don't know despite having traveled to over 25 countries..

I assume it is former eastern block, and I believe many of the former eastern block countries are not well regulated and/or unstable governments.

It's part of the former Soviet Union, but it's probably the most Westernized of all the republics. BTW, Czech Republic is also part of the former Eastern block and I don't think anyone has any qualms about visiting Prague.

But mostly I just do not know, that is why I am asking.

I understand and, as someone who grew up in Russia and have traveled to Estonia at least half a dozen times, I'm glad to help, but it just rubs me the wrong way when people voice unfounded concerns simply because it's in a place they haven't bothered to research.

Urkraine for example I would not consider very safe.

Ukraine is perfectly safe as long as you stay out of the contested territories. That may change (and there have been concerns, in all honesty, about the Baltic states being invaded, as well), but it's nothing that will affect you as a traveler in the observable future.

Estonia, who knows. I am more concerned about government stability, internal strife or fighting, terror attacks.

Of which there are none. Read the Wikitravel link. They are not totally wrong about Estonians sometimes driving like diсkhеads as one safety concern, but so do Americans.

Thanks for the link. I am not sure what goes into the crime index, or which parts of Estonia are safe or not.

Wikipedia has them as 36th safest, iirc, of 163. Still pretty good.

I am only interested in visiting Talinn and seeing the Danish town hall that remains there. Also I want to get a feel for the landscape and climate.

You are describing two different activities. Tallinn has its own microclimate - and I'm not referring to weather, although that it is on the water certainly does affect things. You will not get a good feel for the Estonian landscape in the city, but it's absolutely worth exploring, both in the Old Center, the area immediately surrounding it that is very modern and the other areas which still retain some Soviet influence (especially architectural). Plus, the food is amazing, especially if you are at least a little adventurous (traditional Estonian cuisine is big on game meats). The only thing that never fails to disappoint in Estonia is weather. It's milder than Michigan, but considerably darker, being much farther north, so in the winter you may get four or five hours of (sun)light a day. Like most Western Europe, May to early October is your best bet.

In case it hasn't yet come across, Tallinn is one of my favorite cities in the world and there's much more to see there than the town hall, so, again, happy to answer whatever specific questions you may have. Also, a friend of ours is an extremely well-educated and knowledgeable tour guide, so I'd be happy to hook you guys up, as well, if you ever decide to go.

[valium97]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

With that much land, you can have chickens! Chickens are cool. Ducks are even better, but less useful and more work. Check with your local city or township if you care whether your chickens are legal or not.

When get get settled in, it is time to explore. Come back here and people will help you with ideas. We can keep you busy for 4 or 5 years with awesome things to see do in Michigan. Then you can go see what is what in Chicago.


I may have some questions about Germany someday. I am writing a book about a danish guy in the 13th century and many of the places where events take place are now part of Germany. (Schleswig, Kiel, Husum, Rugen). Someday I will go visit, probably in a couple of years.

Do you know anything about Estonia? I also want to visit Tallinn, but I am concerned it might be dangerous.


My brother lives in Germany, but they are down in Bavaria someplace. Salzburg Austria is actually their closest major city. I do not recall the name of the village where they live.

Thanks a lot Coldjensens. I will get back to you guys with questions when we have moved.


I couldn't have told you anything close to Estonia as highlinderfil did.


But with Germany just let me know if you have any questions!