[hooxen]

Hi,

With the new work from home flexibility I am considering moving to Michigan and commuting to Chicago 2-3 times a week. The areas I have researched so far as closest include Michiana, Grand Beach, New Buffalo, and St Joseph. As someone who has never been to MI I was hoping to hear from anyone in a similar position or with similar experiences.

The first couple of areas along the coast are by far the closest - but I can't seem to find much rental availability on Zillow in these areas - is that normal? Are there not many residential apartments or complexes at walking distance from a train stop? The other issue with this area is the Amtrak schedule is not great (have heard the South Shore commuter line is another option but this might require a car to pick it up at the Michigan City stop)

The most feasible so far without owning a car given train schedules seems to be St Joseph, close to the Whirlpool Compass Fountain (which is very close to the Amtrak station). Here there's a few apartments at walking distance and it's south of the river (I have read that north of the river can get sketchy).

I know that even 2-3 times a week this type of commute can be uncomfortable but this is why I want to make it as close as possible and make sure I am not missing any better choices...

[Bondurant]

Did you check the current Pere Marquette schedule? It may be running at a reduced capacity. No car? Tougher to do in MI than in Chicago. Public transport in Chicago is more robust than anywhere in MI let alone SW MI. You are also pushing a 2 hour commute each way with nothing impacting travel.

[Coldjensens]

You could try Naples. The train runs right through there and I think it still stops in Naples. Cute little town.


Also be aware the great hordes of people from Chicago who are doing this have made thenmselves odious in many communities so you may not be as welcomed as you might like lo expect. (hide your accent and just do not say where you came from, try really hard to avoid being rude or Karenish, clean up your litter, participate in the community and work hard (government does not do everything for you here, we have to volunteer and get our hands dirty to get things done).

[DTWflyer]

This sounds like a terrible idea. Terrible commute by any mode of transportation, and for what?
If you said 2-3 times a month, I could see maybe moving to MI.
2-3 times a week is a lot of time wasted commuting.

The Amtrak service is not that frequent and not scheduled at ideal timing/frequency for Chicago commuters.
The drive is miserable around the bottom of the lake into the Loop.

[lynnc99]

Not sure where you're "from" but if it's an area with easy access to mass transit, you may be in for a big surprise. And a not so nice surprise at that.

Amtrak is great in the eastern and mid Atlantic states. Trains are frequent, reliable, and interface easily with local mass transit in NJ, PA, NY, Boston, and DC.

But outside that central corridor, it can be a different story. Amtrak becomes more of a novelty. Do your homework and especially delve into what happens to those routes during snowfalls (you mentioned work from home so perhaps that question answers itself).

The other issue to explore - and I have no insight here - is tax requirements when your life involves 2 states. Car insurance in Michigan is a frequent topic as well, even with recent changes in regulations.

[hooxen]

Originally Posted by Bondurant

Did you check the current Pere Marquette schedule? It may be running at a reduced capacity. No car? Tougher to do in MI than in Chicago. Public transport in Chicago is more robust than anywhere in MI let alone SW MI. You are also pushing a 2 hour commute each way with nothing impacting travel.

I did, and it is. Though from various of the closest locations the schedule does not include a morning train. I do plan on trying out the commute a number of times to get a better sense for it.

[hooxen]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

You could try Naples. The train runs right through there and I think it still stops in Naples. Cute little town.


Also be aware the great hordes of people from Chicago who are doing this have made thenmselves odious in many communities so you may not be as welcomed as you might like lo expect. (hide your accent and just do not say where you came from, try really hard to avoid being rude or Karenish, clean up your litter, participate in the community and work hard (government does not do everything for you here, we have to volunteer and get our hands dirty to get things done).

Do you mean Niles? If so, I did look into Niles on a map + station planning and it has a similar train schedule currently which lacks a morning train I would really prefer to be as close as possible like Michiana/Grand Beach/Niles but am finding it a bit tricky to reconcile a lack of a morning train right now.

Also, thanks for the advice on the community - I am not originally from Chicago so that helps and I'm pretty sure I can be a good community member.

[hooxen]

Originally Posted by DTWflyer

This sounds like a terrible idea. Terrible commute by any mode of transportation, and for what?
If you said 2-3 times a month, I could see maybe moving to MI.
2-3 times a week is a lot of time wasted commuting.

The Amtrak service is not that frequent and not scheduled at ideal timing/frequency for Chicago commuters.
The drive is miserable around the bottom of the lake into the Loop.

This is why I'm trying to minimize the distance and potentially consider getting a car if, e.g., Amtrak does not present a viable option and next to the border makes things "tolerable"

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by hooxen

Do you mean Niles? If so, I did look into Niles on a map + station planning and it has a similar train schedule currently which lacks a morning train I would really prefer to be as close as possible like Michiana/Grand Beach/Niles but am finding it a bit tricky to reconcile a lack of a morning train right now.

Also, thanks for the advice on the community - I am not originally from Chicago so that helps and I'm pretty sure I can be a good community member.

Sorry yes Nile. Sometimes my fingers and brain do not communicate properly.

[Bert_from_back_East]

Not only do you have to account for the tax requirements of living and working in two different states, you must also consider the time difference. All of southwestern Michigan is located in the Eastern Time Zone, whereas Illinois and northwestern Indiana are located in the Central Time Zone. I love Michigan, but the tax and time issues would be probably be a deal-breaker for me, even more so than the lengthy commute.