Quote Originally Posted by poobert View Post
I live in East English Village and am really, really tired of people on this board saying it is "declining." I don't know how they are in a position from afar to make such as sweeping statement, but here is the reality coming from someone who wakes up each morning in EEV, good and the bad:
No, it isn't "what it used to be" even 20 years ago it was basically an extension of Grosse Pointe in terms of housing values and the like. It isn't the same, but NOTHING is.
The housing crisis hit EEV really hard. We pulled though finally, though. Vacancy is now at its lowest level since 2008 or so [[about 8.5% now). The difference here is we have a crew of local residents to clean up the properties and mow the lawns. I drove through Harrison Township and saw unmowed vacant properties! We don't have a single unmowed yard as of writing this. Take a drive through if you don't believe me.
Housing prices have finally bounced back. I admit, I didn't know if they ever would. If you're going to buy, buy soon.
I've never been robbed in my driveway, but my dog got out at 10pm on a Saturday night and the President of the Association, my next door neighbor, and someone a few blocks away spent hours about 10 hours combined looking for her [[we found her!). I didn't ask them to, they just wanted to.
My neighbors have become my best friends. We barbecue together and drink together and have dinner parties. People lament the loss of such community as from a bygone era. In EEV you are basically living in that bygone era, except we're integrated [[white, black, gay, straight, every profession and income level you can imagine). I sit on my porch and watch the kids play until the sun goes down.
Crime is mostly limited to property crime [[not surprisingly, vacant houses). Harper and Warren are really junky and there was a carjacking on Warren within the past year. We have both a private security company and volunteer patrollers. You have a problem? You have the phone number of all the board members in your newsletter. Any time, day or night, a bunch of people will come over at the drop of a hat to help you.
The housing stock is out-of-this-world, as you've stated.
In terms of areas, the best area is easily south of Warren. The houses currently listed average around 50K but there are deals to be had still. You're basically okay anywhere in EEV, but I would avoid the blocks immediately off of Harper. They aren't as genteel as the rest of the neighborhood, for the most part, but compared to the rest of Detroit look fine.
If you've lived in any other urban area, you'll do fine in EEV. I compare issues here with average areas of any other major city, as opposed to the rest of Detroit or the suburbs.
Now what do I like best? The neighbors, the housing stock, the TREES. The silence at night. Living that Detroit life so many people who fled swear up and down is dead and gone.
What now? Come to a neighborhood meeting. You will be astounded. We have 100 - 200 attendees every month. They're at St. Clare of Montefalco, at Mack and Whittier, at 7:30pm on the second Wednesday of each month.
Also we'll be having a home tour in September...keep your eyes on the website and the e-newsletter on there. Best of luck and hope to see you around the neighborhood!
That sounds awesome, poobert.