[CTwoman]

Originally Posted by michigan83

Thanks for letting us follow along with your decision making process! I lived and worked in the Lansing area for a little while and I thought it was a pleasant place to be. It’s a large enough metro to have things to do, but small enough that it lacks the traffic problems, etc of bigger cities. Good luck with your decision.

Yes, the Lansing area seems very similar to the Syracuse area. Hardly any traffic, nice countryside and active area. Hope we are happy there.

[tjay]

Originally Posted by CTwoman

Thanks for your thoughts. I love the finger lakes area. Wish the job was here so I could stay. I’m sorry you miss your family. I definitely know what that’s like since I haven’t been living near them in over 20 years. For my personal situation living near family is great but a bit complicated. I want to get back to them but we need to make this move for a few years first. I figure when my son is in college in 4 years we can see where my daughters are and figure out where to settle. For now we have decided to make the move to Michigan. I hope it’s the right one and I will make the best of it.

Good luck! I will say it is a much cheaper state to live in that NY! The property taxes here are crazy:}

[CTwoman]

Originally Posted by tjay

Good luck! I will say it is a much cheaper state to live in that NY! The property taxes here are crazy:}

Property taxes in NY are INSANE. The lakes and terrain are beautiful here though. I’m having trouble finding a house in the school district my son liked. I’m looking into building so I know it’s going to be a wild ride!

[michigan83]

Originally Posted by CTwoman

Property taxes in NY are INSANE. The lakes and terrain are beautiful here though. I’m having trouble finding a house in the school district my son liked. I’m looking into building so I know it’s going to be a wild ride!

The Lansing area isn’t as scenic as the Finger Lakes region, but northern Michigan has some of those qualities. The Traverse City area has scenery that will remind you of the finger lakes area, including the beautiful lakes, rolling hills and the wineries. It’s a few hours from Lansing, though. Best of luck with the big move! I really like Williamston, so hopefully you can find a house there or a place to build.

[CTwoman]

Originally Posted by michigan83

The Lansing area isn’t as scenic as the Finger Lakes region, but northern Michigan has some of those qualities. The Traverse City area has scenery that will remind you of the finger lakes area, including the beautiful lakes, rolling hills and the wineries. It’s a few hours from Lansing, though. Best of luck with the big move! I really like Williamston, so hopefully you can find a house there or a place to build.

Thank you for your good wishes! I’ve been keeping my eye on the Williamston market as I’m getting my house ready to put on the market. I’m going to miss our beautiful and nearby lakes but I know we’ll have good experiences in Michigan too. I will be sure to check out the traverse city area.

Don’t think we will be building after all. I hope to find a reasonable house in Williamston in the next month or so.

[CTwoman]

Just thought I’d post a follow up. We found a house in Williamston and have been living here for 5 months. We have 10 acres but also have very nice neighbors. My husband is happy doing yard work and cutting up wood. Overall it’s been a tough move for my son and I. My son, who is outgoing finds the kids very cliquey and not very welcoming. He joined the xc team and now is on the swim team. He likes his teammates but doesn’t have friends in his grade. I feel a bit isolated out here and pretty much regret moving. It’s nice enough here but I miss my life in Manlius. I underestimated how much that felt like home. I know it will eventually get better but I’m not sure I can wait. I’m thinking about moving back to NY.

The taxes here are MUCH better. The school in Williamston is adequate. I don’t feel my son is getting a great education. I think we should have picked Okemos or Haslett.

Not sure what we will decide about moving back. We are headed to NY in January because I promised my son he could visit his friends.

On the bright side the job is going well.

[Coney]

I just found this thread. I am a New Yorker but have only been a visitor to Syracuse. I have family in the Lansing area and go there a few times a year. To me, on the surface at least, the 2 areas are somewhat similar.

I have seen Okemos HS from the outside. It is huge and there is nothing like that where I live. My family, who has been inside, tells me that the school is all state of the art in terms of technology, lab equipment, art supplies, classrooms. They use the high school pool on occasion when nonstudents have access. The same family member has said that the kids in that high school are very bright and I suspect that many of the parents are professors at MSU. Many professors live in Okemos. I've met a few recent Hazlett HS graduates during my visits. These students seemed more working class, nothing wrong with that, just less into academics. Of course, this was only a small bunch of students. They were all very nice kids.

To me, the area is dirt cheap, but I'm from downstate New York. Not just housing, but everything else, including entertainment and food. I forgot what a gallon of milk cost at Kroegers but I haven't seen prices like that in 30 years, lol.

[michigan83]

Originally Posted by CTwoman

Just thought I’d post a follow up. We found a house in Williamston and have been living here for 5 months. We have 10 acres but also have very nice neighbors. My husband is happy doing yard work and cutting up wood. Overall it’s been a tough move for my son and I. My son, who is outgoing finds the kids very cliquey and not very welcoming. He joined the xc team and now is on the swim team. He likes his teammates but doesn’t have friends in his grade. I feel a bit isolated out here and pretty much regret moving. It’s nice enough here but I miss my life in Manlius. I underestimated how much that felt like home. I know it will eventually get better but I’m not sure I can wait. I’m thinking about moving back to NY.

The taxes here are MUCH better. The school in Williamston is adequate. I don’t feel my son is getting a great education. I think we should have picked Okemos or Haslett.

Not sure what we will decide about moving back. We are headed to NY in January because I promised my son he could visit his friends.

On the bright side the job is going well.

I am sorry to hear that the move isn’t working out so far. Changing schools at that age is certainly difficult. You may be right that Okemos could have been more welcoming, if only because of the diversity and slightly more transient population in that community. But I wouldn’t have pegged Williamston as an unwelcoming place. That doesn’t sound like fun for you and your son at all. I’m sure it will get better over time, but I also wouldn’t blame you for pulling the plug.

I wish you the best of luck with your future decisions.