Moving From Quiet Suburbs of Western Chicago to Detroit

**ajax1736** · January-25-13, 05:36 AM

Hey guys. Looks like my wife will be selected for the pediatric residency program at the childrens hospital up there. If this ends up being the case, where are some nice apartments in decent areas? I know, I know, "your coming from Chicago and they have a horrible crime rate" I have heard it all before when talking about a move to Detroit. I am curious as to what you guys think about the outer areas of Detroit. I have looked at Dearborn and there are some nice apartments over there. Also heard Troy isn't that bad of an area. We may be young but we don't head out to the bars or clubs like most younger people do so nightlife isn't that big of an issue. Hopefully I can get some good feedback. And if you need more info just ask away. Thanks in advance.

**DTFellow** · January-25-13, 07:28 AM

Three questions: 1) Do you plan to take transit to work, walk, or bike, or do you plan to drive in every day? 2) Does living IN Detroit proper matter to you, or would you be just as happy helping out a different municipality? 3) What kind of unit are you looking for, high-rise, low rise, townhouse, etc.?

**Chicago48** · January-25-13, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by ajax1736

Hey guys. Looks like my wife will be selected for the pediatric residency program at the childrens hospital up there. If this ends up being the case, where are some nice apartments in decent areas? I know, I know, "your coming from Chicago and they have a horrible crime rate" I have heard it all before when talking about a move to Detroit. I am curious as to what you guys think about the outer areas of Detroit. I have looked at Dearborn and there are some nice apartments over there. Also heard Troy isn't that bad of an area. We may be young but we don't head out to the bars or clubs like most younger people do so nightlife isn't that big of an issue. Hopefully I can get some good feedback. And if you need more info just ask away. Thanks in advance.

Have you consulted a real estate agent? Also there is a forum at Trulia.com, a lot of RE agents hang out there. Right now Midtown near Children's Hospital is a relatively safe place. Any suburb outside Detroit [[Royal Oak, Bloomfield, Troy) is better than Detroit proper for housing. You will be a little disappointed with Detroit's access to commercial shopping, restaurants, etc. You need a car, definitely, because the better grocery stores and shopping malls are outside the city; that's a downside of Detroit. Your wife should also talk to her co-workers / hospital director in Detroit.

**gnome** · January-25-13, 08:27 AM

Do you have children? Do you have one or two vehicles? Price range ? Will you be looking for a gig or do you have one lined up? If so where is it.

For example, you have two children ages 7 and 1, a single vehicle and your gig is in Madison Heights. Then living in Dearborn would be insane as you'd spend several hours a day in your car rushing hither and yon picking up and dropping off children.

On the other hand, maybe you have no children, own three cars - one being a '54 DeSoto - and need covered parking with some work space to accommodate your avocation as a custom woodworker. Then the Parkstone in Indian Village could work for you.

the more information you give, the better the advice you will receive.

**DetroitPlanner** · January-25-13, 08:30 AM

My sister had the opposite happen. She started out in Detroit and ended up in Algonquin/Barrington! She adjusted. She is now in Laguna Beach living the hard knock life. She misses Detroit.

**Eber Brock Ward** · January-25-13, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

Have you consulted a real estate agent? Also there is a forum at Trulia.com, a lot of RE agents hang out there. Right now Midtown near Children's Hospital is a relatively safe place. Any suburb outside Detroit [[Royal Oak, Bloomfield, Troy) is better than Detroit proper for housing. You will be a little disappointed with Detroit's access to commercial shopping, restaurants, etc. You need a car, definitely, because the better grocery stores and shopping malls are outside the city; that's a downside of Detroit. Your wife should also talk to her co-workers / hospital director in Detroit.

YOBS is better than most anything in the suburbs, and Whole Foods will be here within 7-9 months. Depending on their time frame, they would likely have better and closer grocery options than just about anywhere else in the suburbs.

Also, depending on what they want for housing, Detroit could be superior or inferior. For mid- or high-rise living [[Broderick, Merchants' Row, etc.) or housing with details and craftsmanship [[Canfield in Midtown, Woodbridge, etc.), Detroit is not going to be bested, save for a few spots around the lake in the GPs. But for almost all other types of housing, Detroit will likely be beat.

Totally agreed on commercial shopping.

**Eber Brock Ward** · January-25-13, 09:21 AM

Also, which suburb are you moving from and are you happy there? If not, are there other suburbs that you really like out that way?

Which neighborhoods in the City [[Chicago) do you like/dislike?

I just moved to Detroit last summer after living Chicago the better part of a decade, so I could help with comparisons and stay away from value judgments.

**cmubryan** · January-25-13, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by ajax1736

Hey guys. Looks like my wife will be selected for the pediatric residency program at the childrens hospital up there. If this ends up being the case, where are some nice apartments in decent areas? I know, I know, "your coming from Chicago and they have a horrible crime rate" I have heard it all before when talking about a move to Detroit. I am curious as to what you guys think about the outer areas of Detroit. I have looked at Dearborn and there are some nice apartments over there. Also heard Troy isn't that bad of an area. We may be young but we don't head out to the bars or clubs like most younger people do so nightlife isn't that big of an issue. Hopefully I can get some good feedback. And if you need more info just ask away. Thanks in advance.

We need more info. Sounds like you definitely want to rent? Do you want to duplicate your quiet suburban life now or do you want something with a little more action. Both Dearborn and Troy are busier suburbs with a lot of commercial areas. If you go further south into southern Wayne county you are going to get more quiet and rural and the same with northern Macomb and Oakland counties. As a general rule any suburb within twenty miles of downtown I would not call having the "quiet lifestyle" you may be used to.

**poobert** · January-25-13, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by gnome

Do you have children? Do you have one or two vehicles? Price range ? Will you be looking for a gig or do you have one lined up? If so where is it.

For example, you have two children ages 7 and 1, a single vehicle and your gig is in Madison Heights. Then living in Dearborn would be insane as you'd spend several hours a day in your car rushing hither and yon picking up and dropping off children.

On the other hand, maybe you have no children, own three cars - one being a '54 DeSoto - and need covered parking with some work space to accommodate your avocation as a custom woodworker. Then the Parkstone in Indian Village could work for you.

the more information you give, the better the advice you will receive.

I'm guessing by "children's hospital" he means Children's Hopsital at DMC.

More info would be good, but you might keep on with the Dearborn idea. It's burby but older and has a lot of amenities and a nice housing stock. It's close to your work, too. West Dearbornites like to differentiate themselves from East Dearbornites, and as far as I can tell it's almost entirely racial animosity, although the areas closest to Detroit have more crime issues. Avoid Downriver. The Pure Michigan Downriver video sums it up.

Troy is great if you like malls, chain stores, chain malls, mall stores, and chain malls, and not much else, but I find it to be stifling and rather savage.

Metro Detroit, being so housing heavy, seems to have a stigma attached to apartments. You could probably rent a house in the Woodward Corridor of Oakland County very cheaply. Royal Oak seems too much of a frat party but places like Berkeley and Ferndale are quiet with affordable rentals, if you don't care about having a super nice house.

Apartments in Detroit outside of Midtown, downtown, the Riverfront, and Indian Village should probably be avoided. That said, I think downtown would be a nice fit for you, if you can find a place. Downtown is quiet [[oddly) and super close to your work.

**Detroit_uke** · January-25-13, 09:53 AM

Congrats to your wife! If she gets accepted into the residency program - have her talk to someone in the Med School offices. While she is an incoming resident - some are finishing up and leaving and their apartments will be available. They have all sorts of great information for you - contact the med school....which University is she going through? Wayne State? Michigan State? Children's Hospital also has lots of resources...good luck!

**Spartan** · January-25-13, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Eber Brock Ward

YOBS is better than most anything in the suburbs, and Whole Foods will be here within 7-9 months. Depending on their time frame, they would likely have better and closer grocery options than just about anywhere else in the suburbs.

The thing about grocery shopping in the city is that there are a decent amount of solid stores within a reasonable distance. I live downtown and have Honeybee, YOBS and Lafayette all within a mile or so. It's still nowhere near the options you have in the 'burbs though. Quality is great at Honeybee, YOBS and some other places, but selection is very limited and prices are high.

OP, what kinds of things do you like to do for leisure? You say you're not concerned about going out to bars/clubs much, are you home-bodies? or do you prefer to do things like theater, movies, sports, etc? If you like to get out and do things, Detroit proper, Royal Oak/Ferndale, maybe Plymouth, Birmingham or Troy would be good options. If you prefer more to hang out at home, places like Northville, Livonia, Taylor, Madison Heights might be a better value. Dearborn is probably a good example of a bit of a mix between.

**TexasT** · January-25-13, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

You need a car, definitely, because the better grocery stores and shopping malls are outside the city; that's a downside of Detroit.

Do suburbanites typically go without cars?

I live in Woodbridge and the Allen Park shopping center is ten minutes away [[door to parking lot) with every big box store imaginable. Closer than parts of the city. Makes no difference to me that I cross the city line - distance is the more important factor.

**p69rrh51** · January-25-13, 10:51 AM

If you do plan on renting look in the Cabbage Patch in Grosse Pointe Park. The area is 10 ish minutes from downtown and most of the shops mentioned above. You get a dense urban feel in a suburb and are able to use either pulbic transportation or your car. The area is also close to many other shopping venues. The big plus is something no other city in the Metro area can provide are 2 resident only parks on Lake St. Clair.

**bailey** · January-25-13, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by p69rrh51

If you do plan on renting look in the Cabbage Patch in Grosse Pointe Park. The area is 10 ish minutes from downtown and most of the shops mentioned above. You get a dense urban feel in a suburb and are able to use either pulbic transportation or your car. The area is also close to many other shopping venues. The big plus is something no other city in the Metro area can provide are 2 resident only parks on Lake St. Clair.

+1 on GPP. Not only the two private parks, but they have their own private movie theater with first run movies at the park.

there are larger flats available than just what is in the cabbage patch. Also there are homes for rent all over GP. and of course all the GPs have their own lake front, resident's only parks.

**DetroitHabitater** · January-25-13, 11:50 AM

-1 for GPP. They have BSL on the books and that is just an indicator of deeper seeded motives that resonate in the community.

Shollin · January-25-13, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

Troy is great if you like malls, chain stores, chain malls, mall stores, and chain malls, and not much else, but I find it to be stifling and rather savage.

Or low crime, good schools, clean streets, decent paying jobs, and city services that work.

Either way driving from Troy to the DMC may or may not be a commute you want to undertake. Rents in Troy are kind of high. I work in Troy and chose to rent in Sterling Heights. It's like the poor man's Troy. Instead of white collar businesses it has factories and instead of Somerset it has Lakeside. Living in Midtown would be like living in Hyde Park. It's decent but it's surrounded by the wild west.

**gazhekwe** · January-25-13, 12:31 PM

If she will be at Children's for residency, that is a lot of hours. Closer to home is better. There are lots of places right in and near the Medical Center. As Detroit_Uke suggested, talk to someone at Children's to see if there is anyone vacating a nearby spot.

**TexasT** · January-25-13, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Shollin

Living in Midtown would be like living in Hyde Park.

Great comparison.

**p69rrh51** · January-25-13, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitHabitater

-1 for GPP. They have BSL on the books and that is just an indicator of deeper seeded motives that resonate in the community.

What do you think their motives are? The cabbage patch is one of the most diverse communities in the metro area.

**DetroitHabitater** · January-25-13, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by p69rrh51

What do you think their motives are? The cabbage patch is one of the most diverse communities in the metro area.

I totally agree with you!

Except you mis-spelled "Divisive"

**p69rrh51** · January-25-13, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitHabitater

I totally agree with you!

Except you mis-spelled "Divisive"

The Cabbage Patch? When was the last time you were there? I would look at the numbers before using the word divisive. So what do you think the motives are?

**iheartthed** · January-25-13, 03:37 PM

Sounds like he and his wife want cheap burb? If so then I'd say rent in an apartment complex close to either I-75 [[Troy), the Lodge [[Southfield) or I-94 [[in Macomb County). There are plenty of inexpensive apartment units in Southfield with gated parking and in close proximity to grocery stores. I'm not sure how your wife will feel about driving 15 miles after a 16 hour shift at Children's though... so if that's under consideration then I would recommend renting an apartment in the city near downtown [[Lafayette Towers, Habortown, Jeffersonian).

**TexasT** · January-25-13, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I'm not sure how your wife will feel about driving 15 miles after a 16 hour shift at Children's though... so if that's under consideration then I would recommend renting an apartment in the city near downtown [[Lafayette Towers, Habortown, Jeffersonian).

*IF* he is considering the city, Park Shelton Apartments would be very close as well [[long waiting list last when I was looking over the summer though). There's some first level retail, like 14 East [[coffee shop), Good Girls Go To Paris [[creperie), a sushi place, Rodin [[french tapas/bar/lounge) and some small retail boutiques. Private parking garage and it's what, a half mile from the children's hospital? Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe and Whole Foods [[when it opens) are a mile away. A 24-hour CVS [[where I generally shop for sundries) is a quarter mile a way.

Sounds like he's exclusively looking at the burbs though.

**iheartthed** · January-25-13, 04:15 PM

Also, am I the only one thinking that this sounds fake? I don't think the first thing people think about when considering a move to the Detroit area is the crime rate... Most people say something about the city being dead.

**TexasT** · January-25-13, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Also, am I the only one thinking that this sounds fake? I don't think the first thing people think about when considering a move to the Detroit area is the crime rate... Most people say something about the city being dead.

Well, if he's more of a homebody, then that makes sense. But recently being in his situation, the MAIN thing people mentioned to me was the crime rate. From the house inspector who pleaded with me to "PLEASE be safe" to my secretary who told me that it sucks because I can't go outside at night. And oh Lord, my poor mother back home in our master-planned suburb of Houston...yeah, crime rate was definitely at the forefront of the conversation.

My first online trip when looking at Detroit was crimemapping.com, not yelp to find bar and restaurant locations [[although those certainly were considerations).