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I guess I just can't imagine how different things are today in the '10s than the '80s and '90s, but the main argument against it was that kids raised well, but still young enough to be impressionable, were being placed into contact with the kids of pricks who never disciplined their kids and thus picking up on bad behaviour.
Yikes! Just checked out the pricing on a few of the pre-k programs in the area...wow! The one that is offered through the GP School District is $950/mo for 5 days and $750/month for 3. I'm surprised it's that much considering this is through the public school system. Ouch!
Yikes! Just checked out the pricing on a few of the pre-k programs in the area...wow! The one that is offered through the GP School District is $950/mo for 5 days and $750/month for 3. I'm surprised it's that much considering this is through the public school system. Ouch!
Yes! I saw that too and that is crazy. Even the private schools like Grosse Pointe Academy chrage less tuition than that! I'm finding there are many co-ops where the cost is lower, but parents act as assistant teachers. Not sure I'm into that for several reasons. There are a few montessori based programs that sound great. One that I need to do a follow up call to is called Grosse Pointe Preschool, it's in a Baptist church but is a secular preschool. Sounds similar to the preschool my daughter goes to here. If you check out the Grosse Pointe Public Library webpage, there is a link under "Adults" in a drop down menu and there is a preschool/daycare list there. I just found that last week and it's been helpful.
UKUKUK, preschool isn't so bad My daughter's school has awesome teachers, and they do all kinds of things - music, art, field trips to the fire department, town hall, local beach, we went last week on the commuter train for a round trip ride. And it's a play-based philosophy so the kids are learning their letters, numbers, thru play so it's not like they are sitting at desks doing worksheets.
I don't think "times" are so different (I'm a child of the 70's so thank god fashion is different LOL), but we know alot more now about how kids learn and develop. And it's fun for them! Even the little dudes need some fun!
Thex, I am going to go out in early June to visit a few GP elementary schools. Probably one in GPP and one in GPF. They are moving from half day to full day kindergarten starting in September.
My husband's first impressions (he landed a few hours ago), "It's very flat." Hopefully I get more details after he gets a good night's sleep!
"It's very flat!" LOL! Sounds like my husband! I'm anxious to hear! My husband is going to look at a property in GPP today.
I will check out the library site today. I'm heading out to MI the first weekend in June. Did you put your house on the market yet? It's going so slow here and I am getting nervous! Having an open house this weekend and praying to get some traffic through the door!
We have full day kindergarten here, so I'm happy that it will be the same there. Do the kids in GPF go to North or South HS? I saw a rental listed that looks really nice. I think it's $2900/month. I will send you the link if you are interested. I think it's GPF. Really nice, spacious, maybe 3800 sq ft.
Today he travels from Ann Arbor to Farmington Hills for a client meetings, so I think he'll get a better sense of the metro area in the daylight. Beside the "flat" comment, he said he had an awesome burger and a 28 oz beer at a restaurant for $12 -- he was pretty excited because the beer alone would have been $12 here! I think he's in Grosse Pointe on Thurs/Friday, and he's going to the Tigers game Friday night.
My house hasn't gone on the market yet, we need an exterior paint job and the rain today is once again delaying the start. I've been cleaning out on the inside like a mad woman, trying to be ready asap. Our realtor is a close family friend, so he's been very honest with us about the market, with our comps, and we are attempting to price to sell. Things here are sitting or moving very fast -- but that's because some sellers are still trying to get the over-inflated prices that people were paying a few years back. Good luck at your open house! Don't for get to bury a statue of St. Joseph in your front yard (yes, I'm the superstitious Italian) to help you sell! I'd love to see the rental link, thanks. I've seen a few online, but some won't take pets and we have a cat. I'm hoping to get out that first weekend in June, may not get there until Sunday, and connect with a realtor to see some rentals and maybe some homes for sale as well.
GPF is just about all in the Grosse Pointe South district/area. Here K is either full-day, or extended day where the kids go two full days, and three days they ar dismissed at 1pm. So not too big a difference. She's my first to go to K so I'll have a little anxiety about it anyway!
Sounds like the five Pointes encompass a pretty small area (relative to my town here which is 30 sq. miles), but the Farms seem to have a really nice residents park and a little more commerical activity. As long as there is a good coffee shop in town, I'm set! I was telling some friends that I'll be shopping at the Target on 8 mile soon!
I'll post more when I talk to him later. I know Zingerman's Deli is on his list of places to eat this week, and I'm sure he'll try and get over to UM to see the stadium, as well as scoping out any and all golf courses in the area as well as hockey rinks. I bet by the end of this week he's found a new men's hockey league to play in for the summer.
Today he travels from Ann Arbor to Farmington Hills for a client meetings, so I think he'll get a better sense of the metro area in the daylight. Beside the "flat" comment, he said he had an awesome burger and a 28 oz beer at a restaurant for $12 -- he was pretty excited because the beer alone would have been $12 here! I think he's in Grosse Pointe on Thurs/Friday, and he's going to the Tigers game Friday night.
My house hasn't gone on the market yet, we need an exterior paint job and the rain today is once again delaying the start. I've been cleaning out on the inside like a mad woman, trying to be ready asap. Our realtor is a close family friend, so he's been very honest with us about the market, with our comps, and we are attempting to price to sell. Things here are sitting or moving very fast -- but that's because some sellers are still trying to get the over-inflated prices that people were paying a few years back. Good luck at your open house! Don't for get to bury a statue of St. Joseph in your front yard (yes, I'm the superstitious Italian) to help you sell! I'd love to see the rental link, thanks. I've seen a few online, but some won't take pets and we have a cat. I'm hoping to get out that first weekend in June, may not get there until Sunday, and connect with a realtor to see some rentals and maybe some homes for sale as well.
GPF is just about all in the Grosse Pointe South district/area. Here K is either full-day, or extended day where the kids go two full days, and three days they ar dismissed at 1pm. So not too big a difference. She's my first to go to K so I'll have a little anxiety about it anyway!
Sounds like the five Pointes encompass a pretty small area (relative to my town here which is 30 sq. miles), but the Farms seem to have a really nice residents park and a little more commerical activity. As long as there is a good coffee shop in town, I'm set! I was telling some friends that I'll be shopping at the Target on 8 mile soon!
I'll post more when I talk to him later. I know Zingerman's Deli is on his list of places to eat this week, and I'm sure he'll try and get over to UM to see the stadium, as well as scoping out any and all golf courses in the area as well as hockey rinks. I bet by the end of this week he's found a new men's hockey league to play in for the summer.
Breakfast at Angelo's on UofM campus.
Tell him he can't miss it! It's heavenly!
Also, you'll be in for a treat if you are picky about your beer. Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio have some of the best microbrews on Earth, and they're cheap.
Best beer I ever had was in Ohio, don't remember the exact variety, but it was a specialty at this bar... 2$ for a pint!
Also, you'll be in for a treat if you are picky about your beer. Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio have some of the best microbrews on Earth, and they're cheap.
Best beer I ever had was in Ohio, don't remember the exact variety, but it was a specialty at this bar... 2$ for a pint!
Angelo's, got it! He was driving around the campus today and was in awe. Neither of us went to large universities, so the sheer size of campus blew him away. My brother went to Cincinnati, so I've stood in the middle of two pretty big sporting venues.
He also drove from A2 out to the Pointes tonight and really liked what he saw. Tomorrow he's back out by Farmington Hills and he said he'd take a drive out to Birmingham so he'd have something to compare GP too.
I think he's going to fall in love with A2 because he is a jock at heart, so he'll want to live there or in GP. I'll keep you guys posted!
Angelo's, got it! He was driving around the campus today and was in awe. Neither of us went to large universities, so the sheer size of campus blew him away. My brother went to Cincinnati, so I've stood in the middle of two pretty big sporting venues.
He also drove from A2 out to the Pointes tonight and really liked what he saw. Tomorrow he's back out by Farmington Hills and he said he'd take a drive out to Birmingham so he'd have something to compare GP too.
I think he's going to fall in love with A2 because he is a jock at heart, so he'll want to live there or in GP. I'll keep you guys posted!
If it weren't for my future job being in Detroit and the large marijuana community in A2, I'd love to live around campus. It's gorgeous, with some of the coolest little mom and pop shops and eateries I've ever been to.
Michigan football rules, too! They're great, just in a tough conference.
UC is pretty urban so it doesn't seem as wide as it does tall, I was just there over the weekend visiting friends, everyone was really awesome there!
Tell him to pass through Berkley/Royal Oak, as well, if he has time. They're not the upper class parts of town, but rather high-middle class. With your budget you could buy a home there and have closer access to the amenities as well as that "classic 1950s Mustang in the driveway, pretty green suburban neighborhood with kids riding bikes down the street while someone, somewhere is wearing an apron baking apple pie to set on the window" type feel you get in the movies so much.
If you're moving to Michigan and have as much money as you do, I'd get a cheaper home and buy one up north too. Traverse City lakefront real estate is definitely cheap right now, especially for what you get! You could probably still do these even in Grosse Pointe. Northern lake Michigan/Lake Superior are HEAVEN in the summer. Clearer water than you've ever seen, perfect for fishing/swimming.
I hope one day I have that big of an income :P The things I'd do!
My husband's relo advisor just sent him an e-mail saying she found us a realtor -- in Commerce, Michigan! Uh, I think I need to call her and let her know that's no where near where we want to live!
UKUKUK, we'll def. be checking out the UP for vacations. We live on Long Island Sound which is in dire need of cleaning up and some more environmental protections. I haven't seen LI Sound water clear since I was a child.
But no second house for us! Maybe a little fishing boat for my husband in a year or two. I consider us pretty middle-class folk. Even with a lower cost of living, we'll use the extra money for college and retirement savings We have some friends with lucrative jobs in finance, and you'd never know it. They drive used cars, live in modest homes, and save for rainy days. An excellent book to read is called The Millionaire Next Door. Talks about the common traits of millionaires (which we aren't! maybe someday...), and it's not what most people think of.
When you start making the big bucks, save, save, save. I'd rather be able to retire debt-free and travel the world than wear Manolo Blaniks for a few months now! We've seen people pay the price for livin' the good life. A closet of expensive clothes aren't worth much when your house is in forclosure.
Have him look at Plymouth too. It is just outside of Ann Arbor but not so crazy. It is a quiant small town with quite a few turn of the centuary homes. Small lots though. If you live in walking distance of the little downtown you will love it. It is only minutes from Ann arbor.
The Pointes are not snobby. They once were. This was the home of most of the blueblood families in Michigan. Now it is just a nice middle/upper middle class place. There are some remaining vestiges of snobbery, but you find that anywhere. Birmingham is far worse in that regard, but it is still a nice place to live.
People had us convinced when we were looking to move that the pointes are snobby. We eventually learned better. I have a lot of friends and coworkers from there and they are all very nice and mostly down to earth people. It is a great place to live.
Things are less flat up around Rochester/Rochester hills. Michigan was carved by glaciers so it is mostly small hills and load and loads of lakes and streams. The southern part of Michigan (down near Ohio) is very flat and open, kind of like the plains states, but the rest is forests streams, lakes and some small hills. You are not going to find skiing here. The further north you go, the prettier it gets. On the West side of the State you will find some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
As long as you come with an open mind, you will love it here.
People will seem closed and suspicious at first, but once they get to know you, they will do anything for you. Just walk around looking lost and confused and people will come up and offer to help you. Even if you do not really need help, take ti. It is a gret way to get to know people. People here love the help other people. You make us feel good by accepting our help.
Another surprise for you, the quality of college education available here is amazing. Not just the two big universities, there are awesome colleges everywhere. Check out Hillsdale sometime (then start saving).
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My daughter's school has awesome teachers, and they do all kinds of things - music, art, field trips to the fire department, town hall, local beach, we went last week on the commuter train for a round trip ride. And it's a play-based philosophy so the kids are learning their letters, numbers, thru play so it's not like they are sitting at desks doing worksheets. 
We have some friends with lucrative jobs in finance, and you'd never know it. They drive used cars, live in modest homes, and save for rainy days. An excellent book to read is called The Millionaire Next Door. Talks about the common traits of millionaires (which we aren't! maybe someday...), and it's not what most people think of. 
