I am thinking of moving to Detroit. I'm female, single, early 30's, overeducated, completely mobile [[could live/work anywhere with an internet connection), have $60,000 in savings and make $50-80k/year [[depending on how much work I take on).

Main reasons for considering a move to Detroit [[also considering Pittsburgh) are based mostly on what I want and not on any wish to 'save' anyone or anything. Nothing against that, just trying to avoid what seems to be a somewhat common - and possibly deserved - opinion of newcomers riding into town on their white horses.

What I want is: a beautiful home - by 'beautiful' I mostly mean old, spacious rooms, hopefully a yard [[overall square footage not a huge concern - 1000sf of high ceilinged beauty is better for me than 3500sf of pokey rooms and bad light), a tightknit community, good friends, to settle down and make a home/life somewhere, a certain level of activity/action. I could live on the east coast of Canada for slightly higher COL but the countryside isn't for me [[I grew up in the middle of nowhere and have no wish to return). Home ownership is very important to me, but I am not willing to spend 20 years paying off a home I don't even like very much, which is what the case will be if I buy here [[Montreal) or British Columbia. If I'm going to be the bank's bitch, it has to be for something worthwhile, ya know? Scruffyness doesn't bother me - in people or neighbourhoods, but I would not choose to move somewhere crime ridden. It seems Detroit has all kinds of nabes. The usual suspects [[midtown, corktown etc.) would work, as would up-and-coming. I also like what I've read and seen of Hamtramck so far.

Just looking for thoughts, advice, opinions. If you're going to tell me I'm insane please outline the reason[[s) why.

Yes, I plan to visit before buying [[possibly rent for a couple of months) and yes I understand to do due diligence on real estate.

[[anyone else find this site impossible in Firefox? I'm having to use IE to post this)