My family wants move to Detroit advice?

**Scottathew** · November-30-15, 07:41 PM

I live in Rochester Hills and love it here. It's a very safe community, great schools [[go for Rochester district), and lots of outdoor recreation activities including a railway converted to a trail, a river you can kayak, woods to walk through, lots of parks, and plenty of shopping areas.

**dtowncitylover** · November-30-15, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

I live in Rochester Hills and love it here. It's a very safe community, great schools [[go for Rochester district), and lots of outdoor recreation activities including a railway converted to a trail, a river you can kayak, woods to walk through, lots of parks, and plenty of shopping areas.

Except it takes forever to get anywhere. Work in Southfield? 45-50 minutes commute easy. Work and visit Detroit? Up to an hour. If you crave a big city, living anywhere north of Big Beaver would be the bane of one's existence. Sorry, but Madonna is completely right about Rochester Hills.

**TTime** · November-30-15, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Except it takes forever to get anywhere. Work in Southfield? 45-50 minutes commute easy. Work and visit Detroit? Up to an hour. If you crave a big city, living anywhere north of Big Beaver would be the bane of one's existence. Sorry, but Madonna is completely right about Rochester Hills.

Rochester is a pretty nice area and if one craves a big city they probably don't and shouldn't live in Michigan.

**hybridy** · November-30-15, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Except it takes forever to get anywhere. Work in Southfield? 45-50 minutes commute easy. Work and visit Detroit? Up to an hour. If you crave a big city, living anywhere north of Big Beaver would be the bane of one's existence. Sorry, but Madonna is completely right about Rochester Hills.

very true, because any attractive suburban location with good public schools and under 30 minutes to downtown isn't affordable [[>$250k). you have to drive out beyond that circle to get good public schools at a good price aka exurban sprawl...[[novi, brighton, south lyon, clarkston). who would live there is beyond me.. i didn't consider the pointes or downriver...but i don't believe they're good prospects long term. another strange SE MI thing, but it's long range commuters. i'll never understand it. 35 min is my max...

**Scottathew** · November-30-15, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Except it takes forever to get anywhere. Work in Southfield? 45-50 minutes commute easy. Work and visit Detroit? Up to an hour. If you crave a big city, living anywhere north of Big Beaver would be the bane of one's existence. Sorry, but Madonna is completely right about Rochester Hills.

I work in downtown Detroit, it's 45-50 minutes from my house. Commute to Southfield would be 30-40 minutes.

It's a lot of driving, but to give my kids great public schools and lots of recreational opportunities is worth it.

Also, there are jobs in the area too, although those opportunities are not as dense as other areas.

If you don't get a job local, commuting is a negative, one that has to be weighed against the positives.

**Gpwrangler** · December-01-15, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

I work in downtown Detroit, it's 45-50 minutes from my house. Commute to Southfield would be 30-40 minutes.

It's a lot of driving, but to give my kids great public schools and lots of recreational opportunities is worth it.

Also, there are jobs in the area too, although those opportunities are not as dense as other areas.

If you don't get a job local, commuting is a negative, one that has to be weighed against the positives.

I commute the opposite direction, north in the morning. The southbound [[inbound to Detroit) is a parking lot every morning. Same way in the other direction at night. I'm convinced that commute takes years off people's lives.

**Zacha341** · December-01-15, 09:35 AM

Commuting IS horrid. The only thing making it worthwhile for me when I did it was listening to various talk radio formats and the like to make the drive time more meaningful.

Originally Posted by Gpwrangler

I commute the opposite direction, north in the morning. The southbound [[inbound to Detroit) is a parking lot every morning. Same way in the other direction at night. I'm convinced that commute takes years off people's lives.

**jmarie** · December-01-15, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by Gpwrangler

I commute the opposite direction, north in the morning. The southbound [[inbound to Detroit) is a parking lot every morning. Same way in the other direction at night. I'm convinced that commute takes years off people's lives.

Time of day makes a huge difference. I live at the Oakland County/Genesee County line with quick access to 75. My commute [[to downtown) takes me 45-50 minutes most mornings. I usually work 7:30-4, so I try leave at 6:15 and I'm early every morning. If I leave 15 minutes later, I will be on time 2/3 of the time, the other 1/3 I'm 10-15 minutes late. If I leave at 6:35, I will be late. Guaranteed. Traffic picks up so much in a 5-10 minute window, it is crazy. Leaving between 6:15 and 6:30, I don't hit any back-ups until 11 mile, then it clears for a minute after 696, then we slow back down so people driving in the exit-only lane that ends at 8 Mile can merge, then it clears the rest of the way. Pretty much the same thing in the afternoon. It normally takes me 60-70 minutes going home if I leave at 4. I was stuck over today and left at 4:30. I got home at 6:15.

**Scottathew** · December-02-15, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by Gpwrangler

I commute the opposite direction, north in the morning. The southbound [[inbound to Detroit) is a parking lot every morning. Same way in the other direction at night. I'm convinced that commute takes years off people's lives.

It is a bummer spending about 90 minutes in my car per day. Right now I'm the bread-winner, but my wife is about to get a big promotion and raise. Once she gets that I might look at taking a job closer to home.

**Gpwrangler** · November-30-15, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

?..including a railway converted to a trail...

and other brilliant uses of transportation infrastructure.

Couldnt resist, sorry.

**Mind field** · November-30-15, 11:05 PM

Detroit needs all the help it can get. So move here. But don't say you weren't warned about the negatives [[high insurance costs, poor schools, higher crime, mediocre city services) It keeps those who scare easily and who don't have a tenacious spirit away. But the positives [[for those with an open mind and who tend to look on the bright side) are considerable. There is a spirit here that is infectious and a sense that you are helping to rebuild a great american city to it's former glory, instead of a drop in an ocean, like you would be in Chicago or New York. There are many different city neighborhoods, each with their own character and ammenities. There is something for everyone, from the worst, most third world looking slum, to the most affluent communities and everything in between, it can be found! Welcome to Detroit.

**mikefmich** · December-02-15, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Mind field

Detroit needs all the help it can get. So move here. But don't say you weren't warned about the negatives [[high insurance costs, poor schools, higher crime, mediocre city services) It keeps those who scare easily and who don't have a tenacious spirit away. But the positives [[for those with an open mind and who tend to look on the bright side) are considerable. There is a spirit here that is infectious and a sense that you are helping to rebuild a great american city to it's former glory, instead of a drop in an ocean, like you would be in Chicago or New York. There are many different city neighborhoods, each with their own character and ammenities. There is something for everyone, from the worst, most third world looking slum, to the most affluent communities and everything in between, it can be found! Welcome to Detroit.

Best post of the bunch IMHO. Ignore some of the other Debbie Downers OP.

If I was 20 yrs. younger, I woulda moved back to Detroit 5 yrs. ago.

**Scottathew** · November-30-15, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by Gpwrangler

and other brilliant uses of transportation infrastructure.

Couldnt resist, sorry.

:-P

It was no longer used and a group of citizens went through great effort to create something amazing and great. I love the Paint Creek trail. I can hardly wait until the Dequindre Cut gets extended further so that folks in Detroit can have more rails-to-trails as well.

**Hermod** · December-14-15, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

:-P

It was no longer used and a group of citizens went through great effort to create something amazing and great. I love the Paint Creek trail. I can hardly wait until the Dequindre Cut gets extended further so that folks in Detroit can have more rails-to-trails as well.

I liked it better pre-1963 when I could board the Beeline in Rochester and ride in comfort up to my Aunt's place in Midland. I loved riding on that little Budd RDC-3 on the New York Central [[Michigan Central). Now, not only is the train gone, the tracks are gone and given over to a bunch on barbarians in Spandex.