How crazy would I need to be to move to Detroit?

[Fiji Hill]

Sounds like a good move. Housing is very inexpensive, and in places like Florida Street on the West Side or Exeter Street on the North Side, you can probably buy a mansion that is cheaper than a studio apartment in San Francisco.

[be-baw]

Best to visit your prospective place of employment first. Yeah there are communities outside of downtown that are nice, but there are some areas near downtown that are still war zones

I see others are raving about the weather, and it’s true that last few years’ winters have been mostly mild, but I expect this cycle will end. Winters can be nasty there.

Detroit politics have historically been notoriously corrupt. Maybe they’ve changed for the better but I doubt it. Heavy Muslim communities in Dearborn and Hamtramck.

[madison10]

Near, yes; TO, never. There are many places to live near Detroit, although Dearborn is no longer one of them.

Look north of Detroit proper. Not necessarily Wayne County.

[leaning conservative]

Grosse

[Berlin_Freeper]

A Fistful Of Dollars

[Larry Lucido]

You don’t have to live in Detroit. I live in Hazel Park (affectionately nicknamed “Hazeltucky”). I can see 8 Mile Road from my back window, but I’m surrounded by gun-toting rednecks. Good folks, mostly. You can buy a house here for well under $100,000.00. The farther north you go, the more you’ll pay.

[EnglishOnly]

“avoid Detroit, Flint, Dearborn, and a few more if you value your safety.” -—— I”ll SAY! and let me add........

“If you have a wife and kids , or plan on having a family,?,
just Scratch Detroit and all of S.E. Michigan. It won’t be worth it and you’ll be forever in remorse.”

I left in ‘79. There are just too many other places to live where you can Live - Well!

[fuzzylogic]

I live in a north-of-Detroit suburb (Sterling Heights). I’ve lived here for almost 30 years. It’s been a great city to live in, very low crime per capita.

Facts:

- Yes, there’s still areas to avoid outside of the immediate downtown area.
- It’s non-downtown areas of Detroit that are still full of blight
- As soon as you get outside the Detroit border there’s some fantastic suburbs
- You won’t believe the amazing homes in Gross Point, immediately outside Detroit to the east (on the lake)
- It’s a culturally diverse environment, while Dearborn is very Islamic, Sterling Heights is full of Iraqi Christians (Chaldean)
- Avoid Flint
- Downtown Detroit is a sport hot spot; Lions/Tigers/Red Wings....and now the Pistons are returning there
- Downtown Detroit has been recognized as a food mecca, any type of food is there
- Downtown Detroit not what you think, downtown San Fran is far worse
- Summers are nice and warm, not too hot
- Winters need a 4 wheel drive vehicle
- The lakes are great to take advantage of; boating in summer, hockey in winter
- Michigan is a huge hunting and fishing state
- West Michigan is great in the summer, you’d think you’re in Cali (minus palm trees!), sandy beaches, etc
- Home prices are rising, the area has easily come off the bottom, still very affordable
- 90% of the crime comes from a couple of zip codes

I suggest you get on Google Earth, if an area looks like crap, it probably is. There are some areas of Detroit that look very green from satellite, which is because the homes have been removed (nature returning), entire blocks now may just have a single home....but many blocks still have abandoned homes yet to be removed.

Last of all, the City now has a budget surplus, people are moving back. I find myself in Detroit far more often than in the past and I’ve even considered moving downtown myself (just other family reasons not to).

Hope that helps!

[ronniesgal]

Get going! it is time for an adventure.

[Brilliant]

Go for it. Live in the suburbs though. Dearborn or Gross Pointe would be good choices. I lived in Dearborn for 20 years. My brother lives in Northville.

[ClearBlueSky]

To work there? Got a gun, know how to use it? Cash in when you can, but live outside the war zone and commute. Save everything possible for a quick getaway if necessary.

[Larry Lucido]

Steel mill is likely in Ecorse, so you’ll likely look to live in Allen Park, Taylor or Gibraltar area (the “downriver” area). Lots of nice areas around there.

[Brilliant]

West Dearborn is nice. East Dearborn is more like Detroit.

[Aut Pax Aut Bellum]

Go for it. Get a carry permit when you get settled in, and everything will be fine. Just stay out of certain parts-the same as every other city.

[Mears]

I’d go——do a short term rental for a couple of months to get the lay of the land and see where you want to eventually settle.

Good luck,whatever you decide.

.

[Bullish]

How crazy? you’d have to have a death wish.

[freepertoo]

I was a little kid in Hazel Park, born in Highland Park. Have been in Maryland since age of 8, however.

[HiTech RedNeck]

A K Steel in (sigh?) Dearborn.

So given that, do I need a tank?

[discostu]

Only for the self loathing. Snow sucks (especially in the humid flat lands of the Lake zone), humid summers suck, cold sucks. The best thing the ever happened in my life was putting the Lake region (suburban Chicago) in my rear view mirror. Worst weather on the planet.

[HiTech RedNeck]

A K Steel in (sigh?) Dearborn.

So given that, do I need a tank?