Thinking of moving too edwardsburg,MI and i want advice (Grand Rapids: home, unemployment rate)

[curt1969]

My wife and daughter and I use to live in Missouri and moved to West Texas the most horrible place in the US. Its nothing but dust, no trees, no wildlife, the people are beyond stuck on themselves and they have food in the shape of the state. And theres absolutely nothing to do here and if there is something to do its either way to hot or just lame as hell. We moved here because of business and on a business aspect i do great. I run a cleaning service that cleans anything in a home or office including chimneys and air ducts. But we cant take living here anymore and we heard southwest Michigan is a good place to live. We are so confused because of the good and bad things you here. Is my business going to do well in southwest michigan or am i shooting blanks. We have thought about kalamazoo but we just recently found a place on eagle lake in edwardsburg. I heard i could get alot of work around the area and even in Elkhart IN. Is this true. How are the winters in southwest michigan. We are very outdoorsy people and enjoy hiking and things like that. Are the schools any good there and is the K prosime worth looking at? Ive heard the K schools are crap compared to most. All im looking for is dead honest answers whether you have lived there a year or all your just give me the honest opinion of what you have experienced.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by curt1969

My wife and daughter and I use to live in Missouri and moved to West Texas the most horrible place in the US. Its nothing but dust, no trees, no wildlife, the people are beyond stuck on themselves and they have food in the shape of the state. And theres absolutely nothing to do here and if there is something to do its either way to hot or just lame as hell. We moved here because of business and on a business aspect i do great. I run a cleaning service that cleans anything in a home or office including chimneys and air ducts. But we cant take living here anymore and we heard southwest Michigan is a good place to live. We are so confused because of the good and bad things you here. Is my business going to do well in southwest michigan or am i shooting blanks. We have thought about kalamazoo but we just recently found a place on eagle lake in edwardsburg. I heard i could get alot of work around the area and even in Elkhart IN. Is this true. How are the winters in southwest michigan. We are very outdoorsy people and enjoy hiking and things like that. Are the schools any good there and is the K prosime worth looking at? Ive heard the K schools are crap compared to most. All im looking for is dead honest answers whether you have lived there a year or all your just give me the honest opinion of what you have experienced.

That area is pretty far from Grand Rapids. You may want to repost this in the general Michigan section and you'll probably get more feedback.

[northstar22]

OK - I can answer most of these questions. I live in Niles, about 8 miles from Edwardsburg.

First of all, why did you ask this in the Grand Rapids forum? Edwardsburg is over 100 miles from Grand Rapids, and I doubt that most GR residents have even heard of the town. Edwardsburg is in fact a suburb of South Bend, Indiana, and much more connected with Michiana than (South)west Michigan cities like Kalamazoo or Grand Rapids. You would probably get more responses on Edwardsburg in the Indiana forum.

Is your business going to do well? It may or may not. Edwardsburg is a fairly wealthy area, but the economy there, like eveywhere else, is down. I know there are already several cleaning services in the area, but another one may do well. Most job opportunities in Edwardsburg are going to be in South Bend or Mishawaka. Elkhart has the highest unemployment rate in the nation, finding a job there is almost impossible.

As far as Kalamazoo goes, it is over 60 miles from Edwardsburg. I lived in Kzoo, and I really like it and would suggest it over Edwardsburg, which is just a sleepy bedroom community of South Bend. Kalamazoo has everything you would need, while from Edwardsburg you would have to drive to Niles, South Bend, IN or Mishawaka, IN to do anything. Do you prefer small towns or large cities? As far as the schools, Kalamazoo schools aren't the greatest, but aren't that bad, and they do give out the free college tuition.

There are plenty of outdoor activities in the area. Lake Michigan is nearby, and there are many inland lakes in the area. There's also plenty of hiking trails and ski hills in the area.

Michigan winters are very cold compared to Texas. We get pelted with snow from November through April, and temperatures stay in the 20s or colder for most of the winter. Bring a hat, gloves, and heavy coats.