Best and Worst Detroit suburbs (Livonia, Royal Oak: for sale, homes, high schools)

[Daniel_T]

That home in Bloomfield Hills is stunning. I have heard of the Indian Village area in Detroit and while it is nice, I have heard it suffers from a lot of petty theft due to it being in the city. I assume the true would be same for Boston-Edison?

So far, I feel like the Bloomfield TWNP and the Grosse Pointe areas fit me most. I like Grosse Pointe more because of the older homes they have. Their real nice.

[Cato the Elder]

Originally Posted by Dexterguy

http://www.realestateone.com/property_images/41/E25157041_101.JPG (broken link)
The Bloomfields have newer McMansions, in more modern subs. This is an example of a modern typical house in Bloomfield Hills.

Yes, Bloomfield Township and a few areas of Bloomfield Hills have McMansions, but Bloomfield Hills is by and large full of mature trees and old homes, not McMansions with little foliage as shown in your picture. Your "modern typical house in BH" statement is patently false. You've been drinking way too much of the ColdJensens, Birmingham-and-Bloomfield-Hills-are-all-mcmansions koolaid. Bloomfield Hills is a tiny 5 sq. mile area of homes from the early 20th century. By 1927 it was a village and by 1932 it became a city so Birmingham couldn't gobble it up, but it had largely been bought and developed by wealthy people years before. Drive down Cranbrook or Lone Pine Road; you'll see all the grand old mansions. You will also see the Cranbrook Institute and the beautiful Christ Church, all from the early 20th century and reminiscent of an old country road in England.

For those interested in Bloomfield Hills and Oakland County, make sure you take note of the source of information. You'll find many of the blanket statements on here are made by people living miles away in places like Wayne County.

[Cato the Elder]

Here's a more representative picture:


And a whole lot more:
Bloomfield Hills, MI pictures from us travel photos on webshots

[Dexterguy]

Originally Posted by Daniel_T

That home in Bloomfield Hills is stunning. I have heard of the Indian Village area in Detroit and while it is nice, I have heard it suffers from a lot of petty theft due to it being in the city. I assume the true would be same for Boston-Edison?

So far, I feel like the Bloomfield TWNP and the Grosse Pointe areas fit me most. I like Grosse Pointe more because of the older homes they have. Their real nice.

Yes, you will find more of the petty crime in Detroit, even if you are in Indian Village or Boston-Edison. But you hardly ever have to be scared for your safety living in Indian Village or Boston-Edison. Some one I knew who once lived there said that the biggest crime that they had ever experienced was a stolen bike out of the garage, but this could happen in any community.

Bloomfield Township and the Grosse Pointes are both great communties, good luck on your continued search!

[cardwellave]

Originally Posted by Cato the Elder

Yes, Bloomfield Township and a few areas of Bloomfield Hills have McMansions, but Bloomfield Hills is by and large full of mature trees and old homes, not McMansions with little foliage as shown in your picture. Your "modern typical house in BH" statement is patently false. You've been drinking way too much of the ColdJensens, Birmingham-and-Bloomfield-Hills-are-all-mcmansions koolaid. Bloomfield Hills is a tiny 5 sq. mile area of homes from the early 20th century. By 1927 it was a village and by 1932 it became a city so Birmingham couldn't gobble it up, but it had largely been bought and developed by wealthy people years before. Drive down Cranbrook or Lone Pine Road; you'll see all the grand old mansions. You will also see the Cranbrook Institute and the beautiful Christ Church, all from the early 20th century and reminiscent of an old country road in England.

For those interested in Bloomfield Hills and Oakland County, make sure you take note of the source of information. You'll find many of the blanket statements on here are made by people living miles away in places like Wayne County.

Whiel I don't appreciate the Wayne County sentiment as I live in Wayne County and my dad lives in Oakland (Bloomfield Township as a matter of fact) I echo your thoughts abot Bloomfield Hills having lots of old nice houses. They really are stunning. My dad's house is a 70s ranch near Auburn Hills, across the road are McMansion subs, but within Bloomfield Hills proper, there are STUNNING old mansions. There are many of these in Birmingham as well. Be prepared to pay in the millions though, but they really are true high end living.

Now THIS is Bloomfield Hills:
http://photo.ewebengine.com/pictures/mirc/mls/84/28034184_0h.jpg (broken link)
http://photo.ewebengine.com/pictures/mirc/mls/84/28034184_1h.jpg (broken link)

1923 built 13 bedroom, get this: 24,000 square foot mansion.
Price? Oh about $6 million.

Of course there are smaller, but that's the real money that is in Bloomfield Hills, which has the #2 highest income of any city outside California or Florida, and ranks as one of the top five wealthiest cities in the country with between 2,500 and 9,999 people.

[Daniel_T]

Wonderful. Sounds great. Thanks everyone

[kimba01]

Originally Posted by cardwellave

It is such a comfort to know prejudice and narrow-mindedness is still alive and well.

I'd like to know how many of these places you've been to and really experienced. Dearborn Heights the poor man's version of Dearborn? I've lived here all my life and we make a good living here. Homes in my subdivision continually surprise me by getting up to $200,000 for modest three bedroom homes. I am not fond of the city, it's boring, etc, but it is a nice place to call home and obviously people still want to call it home by dishing out that much to live here. And they are building and have been building million to two million dollar homes on Cherry Hill and Beech Daly, and smaller homes in the neighborhoods continually get dozed down for $300k dollar houses. I don't really like this practice, but the median income of DH is certainly on the rise. I'd rather live in Dearborn Heights than Dearborn. So many people think Dearborn can do no wrong and has no bad neighborhoods. In fact it is a big misshaped city which has parts that poke down by Detroit and River Rouge and a great deal of east Dearborn covered in blight. Most people think "Dearborn" and think Outer Drive, Michigan Ave and Monroe (Which people will call downtown Dearborn, which is totally wrong. Downtown Dearborn is Michigan and Schaefer.) Sure these areas are nice but they sure aren't this ideallistic place.

And yeah we've all heard the nicknames: Taylortucky, Hazeltucky, Smellvindale, Wasteland, Garbage City, Dearborn Frights, Smellvindale. Don't forget about the nicknames for your "good suburbs" such as Sterile Whites (Sterling Heights). Anyone can come up with nicknames, even a two year old. Does that mean they are bad places? Not a chance. I'll take my Wasteland and Garbage City with a good deal of great down to earth people and a great deal of character of your Richester Hills and Sterile Whites covered in urban sprawl and lack of city planning, poorly constructed McMansions, and desolate gridded roads. I agree with everyone here that says they'll take the old money of Indian Village as a REAL wealthy place over the new wealth of West Bloomfield and Rochester Hills.

Not really fair when they DID put a disclaimer on there about the fact that it is their own opinion and for entertainment purposes only. I have lived here a long time and I don't think some of the assessments were that far off. I am currently in the process of making the move to Las Vegas due to my husbands job and I tell ya, I like to read everyone's opinion of the area-keeping in mind that they are just that-opinions. Sometimes they are better than sifting through facts. Facts do not always tell the true story. Different strokes for different folks. I realize there is an extreme loyalty to certain areas and the Vegas board is no different.

I lived in Fab Ferndale, Hazeltucky, Royal Joke, Warren and now reside in Sterile White. I never would have considered Sterling Heights EVER, until I drove around and really saw the community. I love it here. I can truly say I am home. I am sad about having to leave. I will not even attempt to try to sell my home and even if the market was good, I wouldn't. I have the best neighbors and the street is full of kids, and quiet. The schools are awesome! The schools in the other cities I mentioned stunk so bad, I had to get out to save my kids education. If I didn't have kids, it wouldn't have been so bad. Royal Oak and Ferndale are trendy, but congested and WAY overpriced comparably to other cities. My home in SH would go for over 400K if it was in RO, but it was half that and better than alot of them there. There are some upscale areas and they are nice, but like I said congested. I go there to visit people and I hate driving there. I can't wait to get back to more open roads and less lights. If ya got the moolah--go big and go to the Grosse areas for sure!

[Daniel_T]

This is the home that I am interested in. It's in the Boston-Edison Neighborhood in Detroit. The house is immaculate for only $899,000. I figure the price is LOWER than what you would get elsewhere because it's actually in the city?? If you could take a look at the home on the page and give me your thoughts!! Also, once you get outside the vicinity of the home, where does the decay and neglect begin to be seen? It is immediate?

Royal Oak Real Estate, Berkley Real Estate, Oakland County Real Estate, Angie Tucker

[cardwellave]

I was only trying to defend my area as a whole and show how there are goods and bads of pretty much any place you go. I saw the disclaimer, but it doesn't mean I'm not going to be offended when someone attacks my hometown. I am certainly not a poor man and don't like my city called a poor man's city. I actually don't have much allegiance to Dearborn Heights at all; I plan on leaving in the next few years to a nicer suburb, but like I said, there are certain things that are great about the community. I felt it needed to be shown in a good light, just as you wanted to show Sterling Heights in a good light.

I think every community has a different appeal and there are some that are the perfect fit for some people, and some are bad fits. But every one caters to one person or another.

[cardwellave]

Originally Posted by Daniel_T

This is the home that I am interested in. It's in the Boston-Edison Neighborhood in Detroit. The house is immaculate for only $899,000. I figure the price is LOWER than what you would get elsewhere because it's actually in the city?? If you could take a look at the home on the page and give me your thoughts!! Also, once you get outside the vicinity of the home, where does the decay and neglect begin to be seen? It is immediate?

Royal Oak Real Estate, Berkley Real Estate, Oakland County Real Estate, Angie Tucker

The house looks stunning! As people have said, yes this house is cheaper due to its location in the city. I'm sure your neighbors would be fine, though I suspect there is a certain degree of petty crime in the area. Also be willing to travel for your major shopping and drive through some unsavory areas to get there. Its basic location is Woodward and Chicago Blvd. I DO see that the house is somewhat close to Hamtramck, which is a really trendy, ethnic area, around Holbrook and Jos. Campau is the center of activity. Though I'm assuming someone paying nearly $ 1 million for a house might not want to hang around small bars and clubs, though I may be wrong.

Also here is the Google Street View of the address. You can check out the major roads and neighborhoods around it as well. 150 w boston blvd detroit - Google Maps