Grosse Pointers Please Opine! (Detroit, Dearborn: real estate market, foreclosures, house)

[amac626]

Hello All,

I am being transferred back to Detroit. I grew up in the area and have fond memories of the Grosse Pointes from my childhood, although I never lived there I had family who lived in the Farms and remember it as such a nice neighborhhod. Recently however, I've heard mixed opinons. I understand the slow real estate market, but has the area seen a noticeable decline in quality of resident, services, etc...? I have a hard time beliveing that is the case.

I was curious to obtain the opinions of those who still reside there, as often, the media overblows possible negative situations and the masses follows suit in their opinions. I'm looking in this area to buy a house and I'd love to hear favorable and dissenting opinion. Thanks!

[Twehttam]

Welcome back!

I can try to comment on a few GP topics for you.

First, what we like about the Pointes are their location to the city. Yes, Detroit has problems, but I personally am not going to let that choose where I'm going to live. Detroit also has a lot of great areas and people. In addition, my wife and I like going downtown for nightlife, sporting events and Eastern market. It's nice to be close.

Second, we wanted the "city" feel. We looked at nice communities in Oakland County but we didn't feel IT. We wanted 'sidewalks and street lights', we wanted to feel like we were in a community of people, connected and not in a generic subdivision. We wanted history.

Third, schools. GP schools are great but there are differences and this is what will probably help you pick WHICH of the five Pointes is the one for you. If you have kids and will be sending them to public schools, the preference is Grosse Pointe South versus Grosse Pointe North. GPN is a fine high school, but GPS has a "better" reputation. Regardless, I would be completely comfortable sending my kids to North. Check out the school ratings. It's a great community and great for kids/families.

Fourth, public services. We did not want to be out in the far suburbs where services such as trash, plowing, and safety rank lower. For example, and this is true in the Farms and City (possibly all five, but I'm not sure), they come and pick up your trash from your back yard so you don't have to bring it to the curb (they drive small golf cart-type vehicles up your drive). They also plow your sidewalks for you in the winter so you do not have to shovel them and are very good about plowing all side streets as well (not waiting days for the city to come and do this is a great benefit). In addition, public safety is great. The police force is VERY present in the area, be it officers in vehicles or, in the spring/summer/fall on bicycles as well. When you visit and drive around the communities you will be hard pressed not to see these officers out and about.

Fifth, the resident-only parks. Each Pointe has its own park. Non-residents of each respective city cannot access these. This means anyone. Not only residents from neighboring cities, but also the other Pointes. For example, as a Grosse Pointe Farms resident I have access to my park (Pier Park), but I cannot access another GP resident park and other GP residents cannot access ours. Seems restrictive and snobbish, and while it is to a degree, this is a BIG plus to each GP community. Our park has a large olympic-style swimming pool, clubhouse, concessions, tennis courts, ice skating rink and moorage for boats.

There's more, but you'll be hard pressed (IMO) to find a community with all that the Pointes can offer. You get a lot, and while the taxes are higher, they're not as bad as people claim. If you look at the millage rates they're actually less than Dearborn.

As far as differences between all five, it's hard to say as they're very similar but each has its own unique personality. I'd probably start with the Farms and City and branch out from there.

[Dexterguy]

The Grosse Pointes are far from being in decline. I've seen my fair share of national news stories about how foreclosures have risen in the Pointes and how things are tougher, but that's how it is for the entire country right now! They just love to pick the Pointes when doing those kind of stories because it makes a good news story.The Grosse Pointes are still great cities, don't avoid them just because you heard a stupid story about them in the national news or from someone that doesn't know what they are talking about.

[amac626]

Thanks for your opinions. I had a feeling it was still a wonderful place.