Moving to Detroit

Hey, I'm moving to Detroit after graduating from law school for a job. I will be working in the downtown area. I would like a nice older house in Detroit proper or an inner ring suburb. I don't have kids and don't see myself getting married in the forseeable future so schools arn't a huge deal for me. My budget is 250,000 but i would prefer to stay below 200,000. I would like to have a house in a fairly safe neighborhood. I was raised in Columbus,OH in a upper middle class mainly white suburb so urban living is somewhat new to me. I looked at some homes in East English Village and I liked the type of homes but I also saw many abandoned homes for sale there. I'd like to know the neighborhoods that would be good for me to look at. Thanks,
Ben

My husband and I are both youngish attorneys [[30/31) - just moved here from Chicago. I work for a firm downtown too [[he's in house, lucky sob). We bought in Woodbridge, a historic neighborhood with great old houses and community. Very stable, closeknit hood [[we have neighborhood-wide bar crawls, holiday parties). Love it here so far. There are not a ton of houses for sale though.

Check out Midtown too - personally, I would love to buy a condo in Park Shelton. Beautiful old hotel turned to apartments. Right in the museum district with ground level retail [[sushi, creperie, french tapas/lounge, coffee shop, boutiques). And it will be right at a Woodward light rail stop when it's done in a couple years. We just needed a more kid-friendly home since we plan on kids in the next year.

Welcome to the D! Purchasing a home, especially if it's your first, is a big investment and you'll definitely want to take your time and do lots of research before you commit. The folks on this forum can offer a wealth of knowledge about the neighborhoods of Detroit and the various pros and cons of each.

My only suggestion would be to take it slow and possibly consider renting for a year before you buy. That way you can get a taste of life in Detroit and scope out the different neighborhoods in-person before you make your choice on where to buy.

If you're going to be working downtown, you might want to consider finding an apartment or loft in downtown or in nearby midtown. These are the safest sections of the city, are very walkable and have the most to offer in terms of entertainment, dining, culture and nightlife.

The D:Hive Live Twitter feed is a great resource for finding available apartments in Detroit: https://twitter.com/DhiveLIVE

If you're set on buying right away, Corktown is a great historic neighborhood adjacent to downtown. Corktown is stable and safe and there's an ever-growing number of bars and restaurants on Michigan Avenue, the main commercial drag that runs through the neighborhood. The downside is it's a small neighborhood -- just a few blocks really -- and there generally aren't a great quantity of homes for sale at any given time. But if you're patient, you should be able to find a home in your price range.

Good luck!

It would be extremely wise to rent for a while and explore different areas so you don't regret making a long term commitment to any one particular area. Welcome to the D!

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Originally Posted by Mind field

It would be extremely wise to rent for a while and explore different areas so you don't regret making a long term commitment to any one particular area. Welcome to the D!

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This is probably sensible. Unless you have a whole lot of stuff so doing two moves would be too painful, it is much easier to get a sense of the different neighborhoods and towns after you have been around for a bit. If you are working downtown, you can rent something convenient downtown and then take your time looking.

I don't know how picky you are, but trying to buy a house in a relative hurry because you need a place to live right away doesn't give you the best chance of finding something you will end up being happy with. It is just much easier to find what you want when you are already local. Good luck!

I'd go with Sherwood Forest [[in Detroit proper).

www.thevillagesofdetroit.com

Thanks for all the great information, everyone. I would like to buy in the next 6 months because I think interest rates are good as they are. I keep looking up these neighborhoods and seeing 50-75k houses, is that unusual for Detroit?

With the amount of money you are working with for just outside of Detroit I would recommend Farmington Hills. Not a border city but not too far, part of it bordering Southfield... A bit of a drive but a couple of options for that drive. Farmington Hills is one of the few western suburbs that has some large older well built brick stand-alone homes, some even with driveways, like those in Detroit.

I worked in FH for a few years - back when it was very expensive. Now you can catch a deal of you shop around. A friend just moved there from Detroit and while her new home is a bit smaller than her residence in the city is it solid and has many amenities she had in her previous homes.

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Originally Posted by NewDetroiter

Thanks for all the great information, everyone. I would like to buy in the next 6 months because I think interest rates are good as they are. I keep looking up these neighborhoods and seeing 50-75k houses, is that unusual for Detroit?

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No, that's not unusual. The home of the Emmanuel Steward -- the boxing manager who passed away last October -- is on sale in a northwest Detroit neighborhood for less than $70K. The home appears to be in good shape and is located in one of the best neighborhoods in the city:

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...d-asks-69k.php

However, if I were you then I would not buy in the city right now unless I could commit to staying for at least 5 years. I don't think you have to worry much about interest rates moving for a while either...

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Originally Posted by NewDetroiter

Thanks for all the great information, everyone. I would like to buy in the next 6 months because I think interest rates are good as they are. I keep looking up these neighborhoods and seeing 50-75k houses, is that unusual for Detroit?

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This summer, we got outbid on a Corktown house that went for $128K. This one sold for $150K:

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...ches-150-k.php

Well-maintained houses in Woodbridge are selling in the 80K-100K range right now, like these:

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...d-for-94-k.php

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...ches-105-k.php

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...woodbridge.php

However, I know of some that have sold much cheaper, but they need tens of thousands of dollars of work, like this:

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...-asks-40-k.php

So if they are on the cheaper side, there's probably a reason because the real estate market in those neighborhoods is bearing higher prices right now.

By the way, Curbed Detroit is a good real estate blog. Scroll down an bit and there's an index of neighborhoods along the right side, so you can filter for specific areas you may be interested in.

I am a lawyer as well, and worked in a firm for 6+ years. While I do not live or work in Detroit [[I have always lived on the east coast), I would highly suggest renting for at least one year.

First, do you have student loans? If so, you should probably concentrate on paying those back first, particularly if you have private loans with a variable interest rate. When interest rates go up in a few years, you will be glad to have paid them off [[or at least mostly off).

Second, you are moving to a new, unfamiliar city. My wife and I moved from the Boston area to Washington, D.C. about six months ago and we are renting a house. Even in the short-time I have been here, I have come to realize that there is a lot that I would do differently in terms of where to live and the like. I think you really need to be someplace for at least a year to get a sense of what you like, what tradeoffs you are willing to make, etc. For example, what neighborhood do you want? What kind of living would you like [[downtown or midtown condo, single family house, etc.) Renting preserves your flexibility.

Third, regarding interest rates, the Fed has said that it does not expect to increase interest rates until 2014. If you start a one-year lease on an apartment soon, you should be fine. Plus, buying a house takes at least 2-3 months, so you really are only waiting about 9 or 10 months. The chance of interest rates going up are relatively low.

Finally, Detroit is a complicated market in which to buy a house. There are some neighborhoods where buying a house is an outright negative-value proposition. While you will undoubtedly not buy in those neighborhoods, you still need to be careful, particularly given that you are not used to an urban environment.

Regardless of what you choose, best of luck, and welcome to the Forum!

CMan701, I don't have any student loans and I want a single family home. I also wanted to ask anyone that knew if there were any safety precautions Detroiters take? Coming from the suburbs, our idea of crime was getting your car broken into at the mall.

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Originally Posted by NewDetroiter

I also wanted to ask anyone that knew if there were any safety precautions Detroiters take?

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For reals?

I try to never discourage anyone with a job from moving to Detroit [[city of), but if you have to ask that, you really should not live there.

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Originally Posted by NewDetroiter

Hey, I'm moving to Detroit after graduating from law school for a job. I will be working in the downtown area. I would like a nice older house in Detroit proper or an inner ring suburb. I don't have kids and don't see myself getting married in the forseeable future so schools arn't a huge deal for me. My budget is 250,000 but i would prefer to stay below 200,000. I would like to have a house in a fairly safe neighborhood. I was raised in Columbus,OH in a upper middle class mainly white suburb so urban living is somewhat new to me. I looked at some homes in East English Village and I liked the type of homes but I also saw many abandoned homes for sale there. I'd like to know the neighborhoods that would be good for me to look at. Thanks,
Ben

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Hey Ben- You have a long time in your life to cut grass and do all the Wally-workshop crap you do when you own a house. You have decades to collect assorted mauls, step-ladders, drills and bits, hammers of different weight and more screwdrivers and putty knives than you will ever count. Before you are done you'll have heat guns with various tips, soldering guns and hundreds of tape measures, plumb lines, and plumbing supplies. You will discover what oakum is and why you need to know the what and when.

You will have all that one day, but what you won't have when your hair is gone, is the memory and experience of living as an adult in an urban environment.

do your old-guy self a favor, dump the idea of buying a house and move downtown. If you have to buy, do it where it makes sense: Lafayette Park, maybe the Fort Shelby or Book Cadillac.

a house for a young single guy is a burden. It will take time away from those memories that will keep you laughing in your long toothed years.

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Originally Posted by gnome

Hey Ben- You have a long time in your life to cut grass and do all the Wally-workshop crap you do when you own a house. You have decades to collect assorted mauls, step-ladders, drills and bits, hammers of different weight and more screwdrivers and putty knives than you will ever count. Before you are done you'll have heat guns with various tips, soldering guns and hundreds of tape measures, plumb lines, and plumbing supplies. You will discover what oakum is and why you need to know the what and when.

You will have all that one day, but what you won't have when your hair is gone, is the memory and experience of living as an adult in an urban environment.

do your old-guy self a favor, dump the idea of buying a house and move downtown. If you have to buy, do it where it makes sense: Lafayette Park, maybe the Fort Shelby or Book Cadillac.

a house for a young single guy is a burden. It will take time away from those memories that will keep you laughing in your long toothed years.

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I would have to agree with this. I know, coming from a suburban culture, it's odd but having been exactly in your shoes [[master-planned suburb of Houston), this is the advice I'd give. I love my Woodbridge house, I love my neighborhoods, I love my neighbors but I'm 30 and married and about to have kids. I can't imagine never having had the downtown high-rise/condo life! Do it while you can. Get your bachelor pad. Walk the mere 1 or 2 blocks to bars. Meet other young, non-families that will be living in your building.

Just my two cents. :)

Welcome to the D Ben. I concur with Gnome and Texas T. Woodbridge, where TexasT lives, would be a good choice with its quality-built houses. The neighborhood is energetic and close to everything. The areas around it are improving. There are a lot of smart people there who know each other and know volumes about everything.

Consider renting to housemates. It is a good way to get to know people who will know their way around, will give you a sense of security, provide companionship and help with the expenses. I did that and by the time the family thing rolled along the nest was all in place. In the meantime

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You have decades to collect assorted mauls, step-ladders, drills and bits, hammers of different weight and more screwdrivers and putty knives than you will ever count. Before you are done you'll have heat guns with various tips, soldering guns and hundreds of tape measures, plumb lines, and plumbing supplies. You will discover what oakum is and why you need to know the what and when.

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I would suggest renting a home for a few months to a year to get a feel of metro Detroit. If you are looking for a older home in a safe neighborhood I would suggest Sherwood Forest or University District. Both are in Detroit, in a central area with Metro Detroit [[like 20 minutes away from everything), most of the homes are priced under 200K, some of the safest areas in the city, many professionals live in those areas, and strong community organizations.

I would add Green Acres to the list of Sherwood Forest and University District. Super places to live, all of them. I am in Green Acres and have no desire to leave.

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Originally Posted by NewDetroiter

CMan701, I don't have any student loans and I want a single family home. I also wanted to ask anyone that knew if there were any safety precautions Detroiters take? Coming from the suburbs, our idea of crime was getting your car broken into at the mall.

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Do you have any friends in Detroit? I don't want to sound negative, because I want people to live in Detroit, but going from a peaceful suburb to more-or-less the most dangerous city in America is going to involve some culture shock. You are very likely to need support. If you don't have anyone local to help you, I think you should think about either buying a house in a suburb, renting an apartment in a secure building until you get acclimated and make some friends, or find a group house to live in until you understand the city better. It isn't that hard, but it does take some experience.

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Originally Posted by kanfar

I would add Green Acres to the list of Sherwood Forest and University District. Super places to live, all of them. I am in Green Acres and have no desire to leave.

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If he wants to ignore my excellent advice in the previous post, all these neighborhoods would be good choices.

New Center Commons [[1 block north of the Fisher Building) is safe, great historical neighborhood that is typically pretty tough to get into. But there's a great listing within your budget now:

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...303?source=web

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Originally Posted by NewDetroiter

Hey, I'm moving to Detroit after graduating from law school for a job. I will be working in the downtown area. I would like a nice older house in Detroit proper or an inner ring suburb. I don't have kids and don't see myself getting married in the forseeable future so schools arn't a huge deal for me. My budget is 250,000 but i would prefer to stay below 200,000. I would like to have a house in a fairly safe neighborhood. I was raised in Columbus,OH in a upper middle class mainly white suburb so urban living is somewhat new to me. I looked at some homes in East English Village and I liked the type of homes but I also saw many abandoned homes for sale there. I'd like to know the neighborhoods that would be good for me to look at. Thanks,
Ben

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