[Remisc]

Originally Posted by chiroptera

That said, I don't know Pontiac well - I imagine it's like Flint, mostly fairly crappy but some better neighborhoods?

Pontiac does have some decent areas, especially up along Sylvan Lake, near the Waterford border. And there's a pretty pleasant area filled with larger homes off W. Huron and Telegraph, but it was surrounded by some pretty blighted and gross neighborhoods. The creator of that video I posted has a video on Flint, actually. Pontiac actually seems worse.

I guess my thinking was, if the OP wanted to save up some money to buy a house in a better area, living in Pontiac and renting a cheaper house might not be a bad idea, temporarily.

While that could be a viable option, I wouldn't recommend it with the current job climate. If her husband loses his job or has to take one that pays less, the OP could be stuck in Pontiac and may not be able to get out before her children have to attend Pontiac schools. I wouldn't suggest ever living there with children, under any circumstances.

[chiroptera]

Yah...tolerance for blight and crime (or perceived crime) is an individual call and my tolerance is admittedly high plus I don't have kids...I was just posting my "other side of the coin" opinion for the OP. That not everyone is horrified by places like Pontiac (or Flint or Detroit) and many people make it work.

OP - you probably ought to visit, drive around, talk to people on the ground, to figure out what areas you'll be happy in.

[mostie]

We lived in Pontiac for a year, this was 2.5 years ago- my son had just started Jr. High, and he was hiding in the bathroom because he was being slammed against the walls between classes by a lot of the kids- he had never done anything like that before, either- missing from class, and nobody EVER called to tell me he wasn't there, or ask why he wasn't there- he wasn't the kind to stick out, either, seriously. He was pretty disturbed by the fact that a kid in one of his classes started a fight with the teacher- and once he brought a paper home from school that asked parents not to drop their kids off early for school, because high school kids were hanging around at that time robbing the kids of their school lunch money, etc.-If you have kids, even if they aren't in school yet, I would definitely steer clear of Pontiac. The principal at the time told me that the city (or whatever) was offering to pay for the college ed. of kids who would attend and graduate from the high school- I'll never forget him saying, 'I may send my kids for their last year of high school!'--- ha....why not the whole four years? lol

[FF-fan]

Being from Pontiac and having family there, I can say that it's not entirely the best area in Oakland co. Yes it does have some very nice areas (near Waterford, Sylvan Lake, north of Walton Blvd. etc); however the land values are low and although there are some blighted buildings being torn down, there's still a hell of a lot more to tear down. lol

I don't consider Pontiac to be "a mini-Detroit" in that I haven't see the level of abandonment and despair in Pontiac compared to Detroit. However I would have to say the jr. high and high schools in the city are corrupt and need ALOT of work. That's why there are so many kids from Pontiac going to other schools outside the city to get their education. That's the only similarity I can make between the two cities; crappy schools.

As for suggestions; Auburn Hills is pretty inexpensive compared to other cities around here, and there are some amazing homes for rent/sale. Just look online or go around the town. Great neighbors here.

[stanman13]

I wouldn't live in Pontiac with children at this point, even if they aren't school age yet. The surrounding communities in any direction are nice, though. In the ones immediately bordering Pontiac, you'll find that the areas along the borders are dubious.

Auburn Hills, Lake Orion, Clarkston, Waterford, West Bloomfield, Rochester, etc. all are nice communities, each with a different flavor. You can get quite a distance away in a 45 minute commute, all the way up to Lapeer if you so choose. You could find some very nice homes for rent within your range, both single-family and condo/townhouse types if you like. You could even find lakefront homes within that range.

45 minutes would get you to Milford to the west, all the way to Detroit to the south, well into Macomb county to the east, and to the north Lapeer as I mentioned. Take a look at a map and you'll see how wide a circle that is. I would think you could find nice areas much closer, unless you are looking for a rural setting.

Not much shopping left in Pontiac proper. Auburn Hills/Lake Orion has the Great Lakes outlet mall and many businesses around it. Troy has excellent shopping, as does Birmingham, although B-ham is pricey. Rochester also has very good shopping. Any of these communities are pretty easily accessible to each other. They all also have good schools.

Welcome to Michigan!

[mostie]

Ah, Pontiac wasn't too horrid- but man, I sure love Michigan at any rate, lol.

[Detroiteanca]

If for some reason you would like to stay in Pontiac (although I do not suggest it) stay in the 48340 zip code. There are fewer abandoned houses and more viable businesses in the area. Although, with 1300 a month, you can rent a nice home in Troy, West Bloomfield or Auburn Hills which puts you in a more upscale area with more shopping and recreation opportunities. If your husband is working near the Centerpoint Parkway area, the north end of Bloomfield Township and Troy are beautiful, upscale areas. Here is a house a little above your price range, but in an amazing area with a huge lot and nice square footage.

1390 Fieldway Dr Bloomfield Twp MI - Home for Rent - MLS #211054603 - Realtor.com®

Here is a home a little closer to your price range in a nice area of Troy, just to give you an idea.

4678 Chapel Dr Troy MI - Home for Rent - MLS #211042073 - Realtor.com®

Good luck with your move to the area!

[michmoldman]

Originally Posted by Detroiteanca

If for some reason you would like to stay in Pontiac (although I do not suggest it) stay in the 48340 zip code. There are fewer abandoned houses and more viable businesses in the area. Although, with 1300 a month, you can rent a nice home in Troy, West Bloomfield or Auburn Hills which puts you in a more upscale area with more shopping and recreation opportunities. If your husband is working near the Centerpoint Parkway area, the north end of Bloomfield Township and Troy are beautiful, upscale areas. Here is a house a little above your price range, but in an amazing area with a huge lot and nice square footage.

1390 Fieldway Dr Bloomfield Twp MI - Home for Rent - MLS #211054603 - Realtor.com®

Here is a home a little closer to your price range in a nice area of Troy, just to give you an idea.

4678 Chapel Dr Troy MI - Home for Rent - MLS #211042073 - Realtor.com®

Good luck with your move to the area!

I would take that second one. $1300 for 127 sq. feet is quite a deal!

[chancy319]

You will do well to stay away from that hell hole. I was actually just taking a drive through that place two days ago and I was reminded why I hated that place so much. Its dirty, neighborhoods are torn down with so many abandoned houses and beat up lawns and roads, it's not a surprise. The place is so deserted, it's almost depressing. I don't know about the crime rate ( you will want to look it up yourself) but the place doesn't look safe to me. I wouldn't even advise your husband to work there but since you mention that he is willing to drive 45 mins then I can suggest living in places like West Bloomfield, Southfield, Beverly Hills, Troy etc. All great suburbs within a nice driving distance to Pontiac.

Don't let my post depress you. Michigan is a great place but like any other place, it has its bad spots. Pontiac just happens to be one of them. Good luck with your move and hope you enjoy it here!