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We moved here from Orange COunty CA where we lived for 18 years. We love it here. WE loved it there too. There are good an bad things about both places. We can only compare So Cal. We have never been to Washington.
To make a short list, the air and water are cleaner. Rivers and lakes have water in them. Forests actually have trees and there are forests right next to our house. Real estate is amazingly cheap. You see wild animals regularly. Fireflies are amazing inthe summer. Fresh fruit and produce abound and are very cheap in season. The four seasons are nice and fall is so incredibly beautiful that you will gasp. People are really fabulous once they get over their initial suspiciion/ closedness. Frinedhisps are harder to establish, but deeper and more real. Your neightbors will do anything for you (some yupppie/ritzy areas are exceptions). Outdoor activities are unparalelled. Morals are generally better (note: "GENERALLY"). It is not crowded or crazy busy, there is rarely any traffic to speak of. It is not hyper competitive in most areas. Public schools are outstanding and universities are even better. The kids love the snow, the mud, and everyhting else. They play outside a lot more here than they did in CA. Things grow like you would not believe, but only for a while. You do not have to water your lawn and garden (usually), but you do have to heat your house and shovel your drive and walks.
No Santa Ana winds; no 100+ degree weeks; no cockroaches to speak of, at least by comparison; you rarely wait in line or sit in traffic. No earthquakes. No rolling blackouts (although weather caused blackouts occur fromt ime to time).
The negatives: There are comparatively few places to eat or find cultural entertainment. No mountains or canyons anywhere. No good downhill sking. (But loads of other snow sports). Most places are very racially segregated. Driving in the snow takes some getting used to. The economy is terrible. The state and most local governments are terrible, but then California is as bad or worse. The are not very many wierdos to look at. (No Venice Beach type areas, except Ann Arbor for a couple of days each year).
Some people woudl say beaches, but the beaches in Western Michigan as much prettier than any Southern California beaches. (Water is cold though). You have to drive for several hours, but that it little different than spending several hours looking for parking at the Ca beaches.
I have to disagree with this statement too. Detroit has some suburbs that rival anything any other city has to offer. The outlying areas here in SE Michigan aren't too shabby either. We live in a small town in Monroe Co. and have a wonderful quality of life: it's safe, clean, the people are very friendly, and the neighborhoods are really nice. And, we only live half an hour from Detroit Metro Airport. I LOVE where we live in SE Michigan! Also, Ann Arbor is a world class city that probably has a very Seattle-like vibe in many ways, since it is an intellectual, artsy town and home to one of the most well respected universities in the country.
Agree...many places in SE MI are beautiful. Anything and everything to pick from, the new, trendy suburbs or the older towns filled with history and amazing architecture. And you want to talk scenery? Drove up 75 last week to go to the U.P., and let me tell you, when driving on I-75N, the scenery you will see (hills, woods) in Detroits northern suburbs is the most scenic part of the drive you will see until you get up to about Gaylord.
If you live and enjoy the city of Seattle...you'll have a very difficult time adjusting to Metro Detroit.
Really...I think the only people that would really enjoy Metro Detroit are the kind of people who don't like urban areas whatsoever, and have a strong suburban preference. These people probably live around other undesireable cities that don't offer much.
Being that you live in Seattle which offers so much, much, much more...imagine taking out everything cool about Seattle...flattening everything out (i.e. no cool topography like in Seattle)....straighten out your roads...and just have a bunch of national chains all over the place with big parking lots...and you have Metro Detroit.
"Really...I think the only people that would really enjoy Metro Detroit are the kind of people who don't like urban areas whatsoever, and have a strong suburban preference. These people probably live around other undesireable cities that don't offer much.
Being that you live in Seattle which offers so much, much, much more...imagine taking out everything cool about Seattle...flattening everything out (i.e. no cool topography like in Seattle)....straighten out your roads...and just have a bunch of national chains all over the place with big parking lots...and you have Metro Detroit."
Tiger Beer, metro Detroit's "strong suburban preference" doesn't explain the massive investment and resurgence of the "suburban downtowns" in the Detroit Area. Granted, a lot of people desiring that big city lifestyle have fled to cities like Chicago because they became impatient with Detroit. However, the downtowns of Ferndale, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Wyandotte, Plymouth, Rochester, etc. are thriving and growing, and before the housing market fell out, condos were being built in these downtown areas. In fact, an 18-story condo tower was built in downtown Royal Oak, a suburb of like 30,000 people. And let's not forget the downtowns of the old industrial towns - Pontiac, Mount Clemens, and Hamtramck.
Also you state "bunch of national chains all over the place with big parking lots" - uuummm, every single metro area has sprawl with national chains and parking lots all over.
To the original poster, you will find a good quality of life in Metro Detroit. Although the Detroit city, where I live, is in rough shape, overall the metro area has a lot to offer - except mountains and rapid transit.
"Really...I think the only people that would really enjoy Metro Detroit are the kind of people who don't like urban areas whatsoever, and have a strong suburban preference. These people probably live around other undesireable cities that don't offer much.
Being that you live in Seattle which offers so much, much, much more...imagine taking out everything cool about Seattle...flattening everything out (i.e. no cool topography like in Seattle)....straighten out your roads...and just have a bunch of national chains all over the place with big parking lots...and you have Metro Detroit."
Tiger Beer, metro Detroit's "strong suburban preference" doesn't explain the massive investment and resurgence of the "suburban downtowns" in the Detroit Area. Granted, a lot of people desiring that big city lifestyle have fled to cities like Chicago because they became impatient with Detroit. However, the downtowns of Ferndale, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Wyandotte, Plymouth, Rochester, etc. are thriving and growing, and before the housing market fell out, condos were being built in these downtown areas. In fact, an 18-story condo tower was built in downtown Royal Oak, a suburb of like 30,000 people. And let's not forget the downtowns of the old industrial towns - Pontiac, Mount Clemens, and Hamtramck.
Also you state "bunch of national chains all over the place with big parking lots" - uuummm, every single metro area has sprawl with national chains and parking lots all over.
To the original poster, you will find a good quality of life in Metro Detroit. Although the Detroit city, where I live, is in rough shape, overall the metro area has a lot to offer - except mountains and rapid transit.
I like Royal Oak a lot....but it's NOTHING like Seattle.
Royal Oak is more like a small little tiny section of Seattle, that wouldn't even be acknowledged as much if it were in Seattle.
Having lived out west - Portland Oregon and San Francisco...and been to Seattle many many times. There just isn't a comparison. Take a cool spot like Royal Oak, and duplicate it by 100, and you'd get something like Seattle...sort of.
Granted, a person from Seattle would like Royal Oak and feel comfortable there...but it's way small in comparison to Seattle. (Same with the other little downtown suburb areas you mentioned, I just singled out Royal Oak because I like it the most by far of any of them).
I like Royal Oak a lot....but it's NOTHING like Seattle.
Royal Oak is more like a small little tiny section of Seattle, that wouldn't even be acknowledged as much if it were in Seattle.
Having lived out west - Portland Oregon and San Francisco...and been to Seattle many many times. There just isn't a comparison. Take a cool spot like Royal Oak, and duplicate it by 100, and you'd get something like Seattle...sort of.
Granted, a person from Seattle would like Royal Oak and feel comfortable there...but it's way small in comparison to Seattle. (Same with the other little downtown suburb areas you mentioned, I just singled out Royal Oak because I like it the most by far of any of them).
Of course, you probably meant to add a disclaimer such as: "This is strictly my personal opinion, though, and there are many people who are very happy in Metro Detroit"...right?
I have actually personally known of several people who moved to the Pacific NW, both to Seattle and the Portland, OR area, and hated it so much they came back, so that just goes to prove, different strokes for different folks. I can tell the OP that what she will probably experience in Metro Detroit vs. Seattle is much less traffic congestion, much more affordable cost of living, and (hard to believe, isn't it?) more sunny days, especially during our gorgeous Michigan summers and falls. She mentioned that she is personally conservative, so maybe the things that Seattle is known for don't appeal to her anyway. One of the people I know of who left for Seattle and came back said that the constant gray, drizzly days made him depressed. To each their own. Like I said, different strokes for different folks.
Of course, you probably meant to add a disclaimer such as: "This is strictly my personal opinion, though, and there are many people who are very happy in Metro Detroit"...right?
I have actually personally known of several people who moved to the Pacific NW, both to Seattle and the Portland, OR area, and hated it so much they came back, so that just goes to prove, different strokes for different folks. I can tell the OP that what she will probably experience in Metro Detroit vs. Seattle is much less traffic congestion, much more affordable cost of living, and (hard to believe, isn't it?) more sunny days, especially during our gorgeous Michigan summers and falls. She mentioned that she is personally conservative, so maybe the things that Seattle is known for don't appeal to her anyway. One of the people I know of who left for Seattle and came back said that the constant gray, drizzly days made him depressed. To each their own. Like I said, different strokes for different folks.
True. Except she seems to like Seattle quite a bit, and even loves the rain. She was also thinking of what other urban areas she could easily visit (like Chicago & Ann Arbor) to make up for what she'll lose in Seattle.
So, my guess is that Metro Detroit might not be her ideal place. She did say she was fiscally conservative...and houses are less expensive, so that might make up for it...she might be driving around a lot though, which will cost a lot more gas - especially trips to other cities, and just from suburb to suburb and the entire Metro Detroit area. It isn't like Seattle, where often you have amenities and things to do, sometimes even within walking distance, depending on where you live. She'll be in the car most of the time in Metro Detroit, and going from large parking lot to large parking lot a lot. If she likes that, it's ideal. Granted she could drive to Royal Oak or somewhere and walk around for awhile if she wanted. But it isn't that large with that many different places to walk.
I'm actually somewhat in the same situation. I'm a Michigander with family here, and thinking of being closer as well. Yeah, there are plusses here. Family, for sure. The few nice summer months are great for Great Lakes drives.
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