I have lived in the metro Detroit area (Rochester Hills & Troy) for the past 2 years. Ever since getting deployed from Kuwait back to the states.
In that time, I have not done much exploring around the city or state for that matter. What I have seen can take some getting used to.
1. Left turn on red
2. No left turn at a major intersection (Michigan left means passing your street then making a u-turn and a right)
3. Clowns behind the wheel (that's everywhere I know) that have these weird growths protruding from their ear at ALL TIMES!
There are some other things but they are small. I do enjoy the seasons up here, I have yet to experience a bone bitter cold winter or a scorching hot summer. I have 4 children and they don't have any complaints either.
I,ve worked downtown (for the city) for 17 years and you couldn't pay me enough to actually live down here. There are "NO" safe places after dark and during the day only a hand full. I've had guns pulled on me and fellow employees have been shot and stabbed, thankfully no fatalities in our group.
The taxes are much higher as well. You will want to live at least five miles outside the city limits for basic security.
City taxes are definitely something to consider. Your income may make it absorbable, but don't expect to get services anywhere near commensurate with the amount you pay.
When I lived downtown, we had someone break in to our apartment while I and several of my roommates were home. Now, this was a fellow who had been stealing our empties while we were doing the construction on our apartment (we had just put the front door on), and was probably just there to grab some more. However, he was huge after all, and clearly had the cajones to walk into an occupied abode. Add to that the fact that he was cornered.
In the suburbs, they call that a "home invasion", and dispatch several of the closest squad cars to collect the potentially dangerous miscreant. In Detroit, they call that "five against one," and tell you to "take care of him yourself," because "we're not sending anyone."
As with any Major City, Detroit has its good spots and bad spots. Part of Detroits problem
1. Run down buildings that the city will not force the owners to deal with.
2. Detroit does not have a great Lake Front like Chicago, which hurts the economy.
I have lived in both the suburbs of Detroit and Chicago and would not live downtown in either city, but that is me.
A bit of Humor:
"Chicago is smarter than Detroit, as the crooked politicians are smart enough to build and maintain parks and keep up the lake front. They want more people to come to Chicago so they have a bigger population base to steal from, Detroit steals from the population first and then asks the question "Why are people not moving to Detroit?""
A lot of people will say that they would never raise kids in Detroit, but most of those people live in exurban and rural areas, far away from the city. Obviously they prefer this environment to an urban one. Detroit has many problems, not the least of which are crime, blight and terrible schools. It also has a lot of things going for it, such as a rich history, beautiful architecture, a vibrant downtown and some really great people.
I was a kid raised in Detroit, in a beautiful neighborhood as a matter of fact. Rosedale Park, Grandmont, University District, Green Acres, Sherwood Forest, Palmer Park, Boston Edison, Corktown, Woodbridge and Indian Village are all historic residential neighborhoods with a great community base. If you're young and single (or at least one of those things!) you can do no better than one of the center city neighborhoods. The cultural center, Cass Corridor, downtown, Corktown, Lafayette Park and Easter market are all great neighborhoods to rent an apartment or buy a condo.
I currently live in a residential neighborhood that is a bit rundown, but I know all my neighbors and we look out for each other. I'm restoring my great-grandparents old house, and feel good about helping to support a neighborhood that has suffered from Detroit's decline. I like to tell people that I've only ever been held-up at gunpoint once, and that was when I lived in NYC. Detroit certainly has crime and you have to be realistic about that, but don't let the fear mongers scare you into thinking it's some zombie wasteland. They can snooze in the suburbs while you experience a city that has real heart. And sorry, coming down for the occasional Tigers or Red Wings game doesn't count.
As for accounting jobs, I can't help you there as I work in the Arts. I also work in the suburbs while living in the city, so the reverse commute against the flow of traffic is nice.
A lot of people will say that they would never raise kids in Detroit, but most of those people live in exurban and rural areas, far away from the city. Obviously they prefer this environment to an urban one. Detroit has many problems, not the least of which are crime, blight and terrible schools. It also has a lot of things going for it, such as a rich history, beautiful architecture, a vibrant downtown and some really great people.
I was a kid raised in Detroit, in a beautiful neighborhood as a matter of fact. Rosedale Park, Grandmont, University District, Green Acres, Sherwood Forest, Palmer Park, Boston Edison, Corktown, Woodbridge and Indian Village are all historic residential neighborhoods with a great community base. If you're young and single (or at least one of those things!) you can do no better than one of the center city neighborhoods. The cultural center, Cass Corridor, downtown, Corktown, Lafayette Park and Easter market are all great neighborhoods to rent an apartment or buy a condo.
I currently live in a residential neighborhood that is a bit rundown, but I know all my neighbors and we look out for each other. I'm restoring my great-grandparents old house, and feel good about helping to support a neighborhood that has suffered from Detroit's decline. I like to tell people that I've only ever been held-up at gunpoint once, and that was when I lived in NYC. Detroit certainly has crime and you have to be realistic about that, but don't let the fear mongers scare you into thinking it's some zombie wasteland. They can snooze in the suburbs while you experience a city that has real heart. And sorry, coming down for the occasional Tigers or Red Wings game doesn't count.
As for accounting jobs, I can't help you there as I work in the Arts. I also work in the suburbs while living in the city, so the reverse commute against the flow of traffic is nice.
That's kind of what I was thinking too. I understand that there is going to be crime living in Detroit, but there is going to be crime no matter what big city you go to. It's not like I'm going to be walking through Mt. Palmer by myself at night. Oddly enough, only one neighborhood in Detroit was named to the "25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods" and it came in 23rd. Chicago had the most of any city with 4.
My fiance and I are looking at either Corktown or somewhere along the Woodward corridor near Comerica. Both of those places seem to have a lot going on in terms of bars and restaurants and seem like pretty save places. I think I'd prefer to be near Woodward just because having the People Mover nearby would be really convenient, but looking at the costs of apartments we'd be paying a bit more to be there.
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