relocation to GR from Texas. (Grand Rapids, Hudsonville: rental, house, buy)

[intelfan11315]

Originally Posted by croc

still self debating about when to move......

I will work in the downtown area, and probabaly choose a house in ADA or EGR, because of their better schools. Is winter driving in these area a problem? I have 2 cars in Houston, normal two front wheel drive car. Will they be fine in GR winter driving? Another concern is the "winter blue", I was told West michigan has too much snow without sunlight that make people depressed. Is that a problem? does it affect kids' emotion? and how do you fix it?

Fransishsu had a great point that I may get a good bargain if buying home during winter time. In GR, is March considered as winter or is it spring already and how is the house market at that time? I have two options: one is around new year, another is March 1. who can help me to make a decision?~~~

I spent a few winters driving a rear wheel drive BMW and never had a problem, you definitely won't have any problems with front wheel drive cars. The only thing is that it is VERY important to have good tires on your car. It is flat out unsafe and stupid to not have good treads. Other than that, don't drive like the other idiots out there who have been living in the area all their life and forget how to drive in the snow every year. Drive a little bit slower and you won't have to even think about it.

Winter blue? Yeah it does happen, but I don't think it's too much to concern yourself over. I've noticed the people that get it the "worst" are usually the attention seekers. It's definitely easy to feel a little down in the winter from being cooped up and no snow, but when you start feeling a little down.. just go outside and have a little fun and you wont think about the bad.

[croc]

Originally Posted by RegalTDP

Front wheel drive cars will handle just fine, I've never driven anything else. It may take some time for you to get used to it. In EGR, the roads will be plowed and salted before you even wake up in the morning. Most of Ada will be too, but I don't know about some of its more remote parts. Also, some of the newer housing developments out there have private roads, so I can't say whether they have plow service as reliable as the county roads do.

I grew up in MI so I'm used to Winter. I like the brisk weather in the Fall months, and always cheer on the snow in December and January. Usually by February or March I start getting sick of it and am ready for Spring. I don't know about about "Winter Blue," but a harsh Winter makes Spring weather all the more uplifting. So remember, you can't just think of Winter or the other seasons in a vacuum, they each have an effect on each other. I've spent years in warm climates too, which I thought were boring. At the end of the day, I prefer Michigan weather.

The neighborhoods are quite different, and you'll want to see which fits you better:

EGR = Classic Victorian houses, densely-populated neighborhood, walkable and quaint downtown, close to the city.

Ada = Newer housing developments interspersed between forests and ponds, low density, much more rural.

Wonderful information and points! I think I will like Michigan's 4 seasons and the outdoor activities. The snowy winter is also something interetsing to explore. Texas is somewhat boring...

[croc]

Originally Posted by burgler09

I spent a few winters driving a rear wheel drive BMW and never had a problem, you definitely won't have any problems with front wheel drive cars. The only thing is that it is VERY important to have good tires on your car. It is flat out unsafe and stupid to not have good treads. Other than that, don't drive like the other idiots out there who have been living in the area all their life and forget how to drive in the snow every year. Drive a little bit slower and you won't have to even think about it.

Winter blue? Yeah it does happen, but I don't think it's too much to concern yourself over. I've noticed the people that get it the "worst" are usually the attention seekers. It's definitely easy to feel a little down in the winter from being cooped up and no snow, but when you start feeling a little down.. just go outside and have a little fun and you wont think about the bad.

Thanks!

[canewbie]

You have gotten good advice from others here but don't ignore what you have heard about the winter blues. It is not just the attention seekers. The sun rises late and sets early here during the winter. It is cloudier than Seattle and truly bone chilling cold for a non native. The best way to combat it is to get as much light as possible, get outside when you can, and make sure to squeeze in some exercise. Spring is unbeatable here though.

[michmoldman]

The best advise? Embrace winter and learn to love it. Find things you like to do outdoors. Snowmobiling, skiing, hiking, photography, fishing...anything. Get out as much as possible. If you have an "I hate winter" mentality...you will be miserable.
If you can learn to love it...Michigan is absolutely amazing!!

[magellan]

Originally Posted by canewbie

You have gotten good advice from others here but don't ignore what you have heard about the winter blues. It is not just the attention seekers. The sun rises late and sets early here during the winter. It is cloudier than Seattle and truly bone chilling cold for a non native. The best way to combat it is to get as much light as possible, get outside when you can, and make sure to squeeze in some exercise. Spring is unbeatable here though.

Actually the sun sets at around the same time all over the U.S. in the winter. Even earlier out on the West Coast like in L.A. The earliest is about 5:15 in Grand Rapids, 5:20 in Texas.

Sunrise varies all over the place.

[beachmouse]

Sunrise/sunset also varies based on where you are in relation to the time zone lines. Grand Rapids has an advantage in that it's on the far western edge of Eastern ST. I lived in Washington DC for a while, (eastern edge of EST0 and it was noticeable how much earlier the sun went down than it did in GR.

[RegalTDP]

Originally Posted by beachmouse

Sunrise/sunset also varies based on where you are in relation to the time zone lines. Grand Rapids has an advantage in that it's on the far western edge of Eastern ST. I lived in Washington DC for a while, (eastern edge of EST0 and it was noticeable how much earlier the sun went down than it did in GR.

Agreed. I've been in Boston the past couple years. Sunset is around 4:30 pm in December, and about 8:30 in June. Sunsets in GR are way later than that year-round. On the other hand, sunrises in Boston range from 4:30 am in the summer to no later than 7:00 am in the winter.

I think the late sunrises in the winter in GR might throw you more, as December sunrises creep as late as 8:00 am. I've never seen that anywhere else.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by RegalTDP

Agreed. I've been in Boston the past couple years. Sunset is around 4:30 pm in December, and about 8:30 in June. Sunsets in GR are way later than that year-round. On the other hand, sunrises in Boston range from 4:30 am in the summer to no later than 7:00 am in the winter.

I think the late sunrises in the winter in GR might throw you more, as December sunrises creep as late as 8:00 am. I've never seen that anywhere else.

True. Going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark is tough, especially when it's cold.

[croc]

Thank you all for the helpful infomation. I have decided to move to GR on 2/25/2013. All the best.