Quote Originally Posted by JBMcB View Post
Not to dog-pile, but one more bit of anecdotal evidence.

I have two aquaintances who have bought and restored houses in the last 10-15 years, both before the real estate boom, and one before the housing crisis. One is still actively restoring and fixing up other houses in Detroit. Both have bailed on living there.

The #1 reason - city services. Water bills that are screwed up and don't get fixed. Police not showing up when someone is burglarizing a neighbor. Water main breaks causing sidewalks to collapse and never being repaired. These weren't minor, nit-picky issues. These are basic functions of government that aren't working.

Both have sold their homes and moved out of the city. One has a time-lapse video of pictures of his old house he takes every few months, and it's already starting to deteriorate.

Someone who cares needs to be in charge of this stuff. Every couple of years the mayor or a city council member will make a stink, it will get better for a while, then things begin to backslide again.

If you can't keep people in the neighborhoods, Detroit isn't going to complete it's comeback.
Not intending to distract from the thoughts but when they sold,outside of the labor of love aspect,did they sell at a profit? It seems not long ago the issue was people were stuck because they were unable to sell period.

I would be interested in knowing where they moved to,because even though it is known that I do not live there,Take out the word Detroit and honestly you could be describing any urban city USA,unless one lives in a high monied section that is the norm.

Detroit went through a bankruptcy and a lot of other cities that did not cut back city services so much in order to survive they mimic a lot of sediment posted here.

I live in a city that is high on the list that is considered good to move to,unless ones life is in immediate danger police calls are prioritized,if a water main breaks,unless it is in a major street or undermining a structure it will spout water for a couple of weeks and if it drops a sidewalk,the repairs will take a few months.

Dealing with city services is a nightmare,if things are done online then they actually seem to have priority,if you are trying to open a business they will do what every other city does,do everything they can to fee you to death,but that is how they gain revenue so it is expected.

Unless one moves to the country or deals with a small town,it is the norm anymore,show me the perfect urban setting and I will move there in a heartbeat,because it is no different anywhere you go,with urban living you have to be able to deal with a higher level of BS,I would say it is not for everybody.