Any reason to want a 'future' in Detroit?

[night-timer]

... Question Asked!

So, any reason?

Please don't get me wrong; I'm not here to present yet another round of negative 'cartoon stereotypes' about The D.

In fact, I truly love Detroit - probably more than you know.

But for 'the rest'... why would/should they move here ?!?

[aj3647]

... Question Asked!

So, any reason?

Please don't get me wrong; I'm not here to present yet another round of negative 'cartoon stereotypes' about The D.

In fact, I truly love Detroit - probably more than you know.

But for 'the rest'... why would/should they move here ?!?

Well if you work for Quicken Loans or someone else in the city, to live closer to work. Lots of childless young professionals fresh out of college are doing just that, as evidenced by the rise in condo prices.

And if you're savvy enough to predict the next big area to get gentrified/developed, there's always the investment potential.

[SammyS]

That's easy. Hot areas in Detroit are outperforming the suburbs by miles. NEZ makes The D even more attractive.

[Junjie]

Well if you work for Quicken Loans or someone else in the city, to live closer to work. Lots of childless young professionals fresh out of college are doing just that, as evidenced by the rise in condo prices.

I have a friend who just got a job at QL - has lived in small towns outside Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor most of his life. Really wanted to live in the city but the school issue was a deal-breaker since they have a kid. I would never have expected that consideration at all, though, given his background.

Negative read: schools are still one more reason to avoid Detroit.

Positive read: jobs are a powerful draw.

[Jason]

In terms of city vs suburbs, 95% of metro detroit is mediocre bedroom communities. There are a handful of neighborhoods with mini-downtowns that have some civic life and community institutions. Each of them cater to different types of people. Some of these neighborhoods are in the suburbs and some of them are in the city itself. They each have pros and cons.

Separate from those neighborhoods, Downtown/midtown has a lot going on and is lot of different things to a lot of different people. For some people it's sports and concerts and casinos, for some people it's culture or education, for some people it's business, for some people it's an urban lifestyle. Even for business, for some that means hipster startups, and for some that means law firms.

In terms of Detroit vs other cities, Detroit is cheaper, and it's easy to digest. And if you already have money there's a lot you can do here that you can't do other places.

[MicrosoftFan]

Are there any “new detroit” residents putting their kids in Chrysler Elementary in Lafayette Park? I’ve heard it’s a good school even by suburban standards.

[313WX]

It depends on what you're looking for.

If you want to be in an "IT" city with a ton of good-paying professional jobs that's growing by leaps and bounds and where your property values will triple, then Detroit isn't it.

If you're a Mechanical Engineer or want to be an urban pioneer that can get big city amenities on the cheap, then Detroit's the place for you.

[SammyS]

It depends on what you're looking for.

If you want to be in an "IT" city with a ton of good-paying professional jobs that's growing by leaps and bounds and where your property values will triple, then Detroit isn't it.

Except property values HAVE tripled in the past few years with no signs of cooling off. But before you knock me on the head, I'm talking about select areas.
As for profesh job opportunities, come on now!! One company alone has added >10,000

[masterblaster]

It depends on what you're looking for.

If you want to be in an "IT" city with a ton of good-paying professional jobs that's growing by leaps and bounds and where your property values will triple, then Detroit isn't it.

If you're a Mechanical Engineer or want to be an urban pioneer that can get big city amenities on the cheap, then Detroit's the place for you.

I don't understand why you keep insisting, that in a metro area of 4.3 million people, the only good-paying jobs are mechanical engineers in the auto industry.

[313WX]

I don't understand why you keep insisting, that in a metro area of 4.3 million people, the only good-paying jobs are mechanical engineers in the auto industry.

Because the fact is those are the only *new* jobs being created in decent numbers.

[313WX]

Except property values HAVE tripled in the past few years with no signs of cooling off. But before you knock me on the head, I'm talking about select areas.
As for profesh job opportunities, come on now!! One company alone has added >10,000

First, to be clear, "Detroit" to me is the entire metro area.

That being said, what company is the bolded [[and *please* don't mention any of Gilbert's enterprises!)?

Concerning the rest of your post, I was speaking relative to normal markets [[I.E. homes in the suburbs of Detroit compared to homes in other metro areas). Detroit proper simply isn't a normal market.

[EGrant]

Cost of living in the Metro area is pretty low, especially compared to the major cities in this country.

[dtowncitylover]

It depends on what you're looking for.

If you want to be in an "IT" city with a ton of good-paying professional jobs that's growing by leaps and bounds and where your property values will triple, then Detroit isn't it.

If you're a Mechanical Engineer or want to be an urban pioneer that can get big city amenities on the cheap, then Detroit's the place for you.

I take issue with this post and this thinking which I hear often.

I grew up in the inner suburbs as close to "city" living as one would get before actually being in the city. Because of this I love cities. I love Detroit. It's my hometown. I want a future here. Not in Novi, or Royal Oak, or Rochester. Or NYC or LA or Chicago. I want to live in Detroit. I want to raise my kids here. I want to rake and mow my Detroit lawn. Shovel my Detroit sidewalk. Look out on my quiet Detroit street in my Detroit home. Those dreams are a bit far off for now, but I've never wanted city living anywhere else because I'm not from those places.

I also never cared to live in downtown or midtown. Give me Bagley, Rosedale Park, or University District. I want home ownership.

I'm not an engineer and I don't think me wanting to move to Detroit makes me pioneer. People already live there. I would just simply be moving and being a part of the community.

[313WX]

Cost of living in the Metro area is pretty low, especially compared to the major cities in this country.

Yeah, for a city Detroit's size, you can live like a king if you're able to find a high-paying job.

The only thing that gets people is car insurance.

[Shai_Hulud]

Cost of living in the Metro area is pretty low, especially compared to the major cities in this country.

Yes, enjoy low cost of living in Detroit. Visit other places regularly.

[Richard]

Because the fact is those are the only *new* jobs being created in decent numbers.

It depends on how straight line one thinks,I mentioned DDC before,2 year degree that pays over 100k a year a couple years out of college.

But yet they cannot fill positions,it is the same as automotive engineering but applying it to a building,why is it that engineers like to stick to the confines of a box instead of expanding thier horizons.

There is not a building,automobile or factory in the city built or being renovated not that does not require input from DDC.

One can go to any city and find reasons to convince oneself how it is a lost cause,the ones that succeed are the ones that find a way to make it work for them.Sometimes you have to create opportunities where they do not exist.

[Scottathew]

Are there any “new detroit” residents putting their kids in Chrysler Elementary in Lafayette Park? I’ve heard it’s a good school even by suburban standards.

Chrysler Elementary out-performs the elementary school my daughter goes to in the Rochester district. From what I've seen, Chrysler elementary is top-notch.

[Carolyn.F]

Detroit has as much of a future as the rest of our country. Unless of course, you think North Korea is going to bomb us into oblivion and Kruschev buried us back in his day.