Is Farmington Hills Safe? I'm moving & need help (Detroit: affordable apartment, foreclosures)

[HeleenieWeenie]

Originally Posted by ossira84

Hi:

My fiance and I are looking into buying a home in Famington Hills...The house is off Grand River and 9 Mile Road...I heard good & bad things about the neighborhood and I'd like an objective opinion before buying.

Your help is appreciated.

Nine Mile & grand river is NOT Farmington Hills honey. Trust me, that is Boushie-Snobby black-hi-yellow-new-money folks. Crimes committed? B&E due to the nice things the people have in their homes while working to earn them. Not much carjacking anymore; but lots of other irritations; beggers outside the liquor stores that abound the borders along 8-9 Mile Rds. near the strip bars/clubs that are allowed to flourish along 8 Mile also. talke to someone who lived there; NOT the Chamber of commerce or the Tourist bureau, okay?
More like 12 Mile...anything REMOTELY NEAR 8-9 Mile Rds. is NOT out of Detroit, it is detroit; along with all the ills, decay, gloom of a dirty city.

[Londonjuju]

That area is o.k. I thought it was Farmington, but maybe it is Farmington Hills. It's pretty walkable around there, and the downtown Farmington area is really nice. I live in Farmington Hills 12 Mile between Middlebelt and Inkster. I've been very happy here. Unfortunately, we have to sell our house because we're being relocated. I also have a friend who owns a very nice condo at 13 Mile between Middlebelt and Orchard Lake. Nice area. Best of luck and I'm here if you have any questions.

[jrmontag]

yes it's safe

[sea2006]

for 5 years, almost 5 years ago. 4 blocks off of Inkster, between Grand River and 9 mile.
It is a decent area, especially if you want to live in Oakland County, but don't have the funds to buy a million dollar home. We made $30,000 on our house in 5 years, but moved out of the area b/c we couldn't afford to buy much of a bigger house than what we had.
My block had a mix of charming houses that were all in good repair. The neighborhood across Shiawassee Rd. from us was beautiful w/ brick homes and well-kept lawns.
Of course, it HAS been 5 years and a lot can happen in an area in that time. We moved about an hour away, so I haven't been back much.

[Shohin]

Originally Posted by HeleenieWeenie

Nine Mile & grand river is NOT Farmington Hills honey. Trust me, that is Boushie-Snobby black-hi-yellow-new-money folks. Crimes committed? B&E due to the nice things the people have in their homes while working to earn them. Not much carjacking anymore; but lots of other irritations; beggers outside the liquor stores that abound the borders along 8-9 Mile Rds. near the strip bars/clubs that are allowed to flourish along 8 Mile also. talke to someone who lived there; NOT the Chamber of commerce or the Tourist bureau, okay?
More like 12 Mile...anything REMOTELY NEAR 8-9 Mile Rds. is NOT out of Detroit, it is detroit; along with all the ills, decay, gloom of a dirty city.

Someone from Rochester Hills calling Farmington Hills "Snobby" is like the pot calling the kettle black . . . I don't know what this individuals experience is with Farmington Hills, but I know what mine is.

I have lived in Farmington Hills, SPECIFICALLY the 9 Mile & Grand River Area for almost TWENTY YEARS. I was essentially raised in the area and bought my first home there last year. Of course its not as nice as the northern parts of the city, but that doesn't mean its a bad neighborhood . . . far from it.

Carjacking? In Farmington Hills? Are you kidding me? I've NEVER heard of anyone getting carjacked in Farmington. PERIOD.

Beggers anywhere in Farmington Hills? Never seen that either . . .

Sure there are strip clubs a few miles down 8 mile, and yes the border of Detroit isn't that far either, but so what?

The point is that the quoted post is grossly inaccurate. I know . . . I'm living here now and have lived here for most of my life. The school districts are some of the highest rated in the state, I leave my car unlocked most nights and don't think twice about it, i walk the streets of my neighborhood at any time, day or night without concern for my personal safety. I've never seen the police on my street, and I've never heard of any home on my street getting broken into (and yes, I've talked to just about every person on my block).

Of course Farmington Hills doesn't compare to Rochester Hills, but by no means is 9 Mile and Grand River, or anywhere else in Farmington Hills for that matter, an unsafe place to live.

[jazminelj]

Originally Posted by Shohin

Someone from Rochester Hills calling Farmington Hills "Snobby" is like the pot calling the kettle black . . . I don't know what this individuals experience is with Farmington Hills, but I know what mine is.

I have lived in Farmington Hills, SPECIFICALLY the 9 Mile & Grand River Area for almost TWENTY YEARS. I was essentially raised in the area and bought my first home there last year. Of course its not as nice as the northern parts of the city, but that doesn't mean its a bad neighborhood . . . far from it.

Carjacking? In Farmington Hills? Are you kidding me? I've NEVER heard of anyone getting carjacked in Farmington. PERIOD.

Beggers anywhere in Farmington Hills? Never seen that either . . .

Sure there are strip clubs a few miles down 8 mile, and yes the border of Detroit isn't that far either, but so what?

The point is that the quoted post is grossly inaccurate. I know . . . I'm living here now and have lived here for most of my life. The school districts are some of the highest rated in the state, I leave my car unlocked most nights and don't think twice about it, i walk the streets of my neighborhood at any time, day or night without concern for my personal safety. I've never seen the police on my street, and I've never heard of any home on my street getting broken into (and yes, I've talked to just about every person on my block).

Of course Farmington Hills doesn't compare to Rochester Hills, but by no means is 9 Mile and Grand River, or anywhere else in Farmington Hills for that matter, an unsafe place to live.

i absolutely agree with all of this post, except for the part about beggers. i have been approached by beggers several times over the last year in various places around farmington and farmington hills. my mom has actually been approached twice by the same woman at 10 mile & orchard lake.... there are definitely beggers in the area, but i feel they are absolutely harmless and i don't think would do anything to hurt you.

9 mile & grand river isn't considered by most to be the "most desirable" area of farmington, but it's hardly an area that would make me worry about my safety, at any time of the day or night.

i teach in farmington, and the schools are high quality. if i had children of my own, i would totally feel comfortable sending them to farmington public schools.

[nycjefftrain]

I have to laugh when I see anybody questioning the safety of Farmington Hills. OK, yes I was orn and raised in Farmington Hills and my family still lives there. But it is the epitome of suburban living.....carjacking?? oh my!! That person needs to put down the crackpipe...

[cardwellave]

It is a fine area comparable to any other middle suburban area. It has more character than a lot of Farmington Hills. I've always found Orchard Lake and Grand River pretty bland roads but if you head up to the downtown area it is pretty charming. I drive through this area every week and my aunt knew a friend that lived on Purdue I think. Pretty decent area, neat older homes. I'd go for it if you like it.

[Bhaalspawn]

I get the sense that you're not from around the Detroit area. If you are, why not spend a couple hours driving around Farmington Hills, investigating the looks of the housing stock?

Farmington Hills has a mixture of upper middle class, solid middle class, and a smaller amount of lower middle class residents. I agree with what a previous poster said about trying to go North and West, which is where you'll find the newer development and nicer houses. You'll probably be able to purchase more home for your money in Farmington Hills than you would in the swankier surrounding suburbs--West Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills, Novi, Walled Lake, and Commerce.

I'm not sure how the crime rate compares to those swankier suburbs, especially the southeast portion of Farmington Hills/Farmington (which might have some iffy apartment complexes). The southeast area also borders Southfield and Redford and is closer to Detroit, which could endanger the long-term value of the property since the southeast is probably the part of the city that will go downhill first.

[jumpygh]

Originally Posted by nycjefftrain

I have to laugh when I see anybody questioning the safety of Farmington Hills. OK, yes I was orn and raised in Farmington Hills and my family still lives there. But it is the epitome of suburban living.....carjacking?? oh my!! That person needs to put down the crackpipe...

How about 8 Mile and Inkster, right next to Redford? Pretty sketchy area. The northwest section of the city is super nice, but the east end is a lot different.