OT: Need advice for moving to Michigan
I have spent most of the last 10 years on the west coast in Washington and California. Washington for the Army, California to be near my kids after the ex relocated here. My youngest is a senior and I am ready to get out of here when he graduates. California is beautiful when it isn’t on fire, but it’s too damn expensive. I’m from Toledo but I have no desire to live in Ohio, I like the legal weed too much. So I have been looking at Southern Michigan and I am curious to hear any recommendations on where I should be focused. Hoping to work remote in my current role, remote is the key part, I’m not married to my company. Would be nice to have some land or be on a lake. $350k is about the max I want to spend. Hoping to be inside of 2 hours from Toledo to visit the family.
This is the only online community I participate in regularly, and as much of a bunch of assholes you all can be, I value your opinions and I can’t think of a better group to ask this question. If it’s too OT, feel free to nuke it, moms.
November 17th, 2021 at 12:07 AM ^
Are you Domani Jackson’s Dad? Don’t worry we got you.
November 17th, 2021 at 12:10 AM ^
Have you thought about W. Chicago and Livernois Ave? I hear it’s lovey this time of year.
November 17th, 2021 at 6:47 AM ^
Thurston Howell has already spoken for Lovey.
November 17th, 2021 at 8:48 AM ^
You mean Thurston Howell, III and Lovey.
November 17th, 2021 at 12:19 AM ^
Monroe, Michigan may check all your boxes. Nice little downtown, not far from Toledo, Detroit, Ann Arbor, and the airport, and you can look for a place on the lake.
November 17th, 2021 at 2:33 AM ^
Too close to the border if you like legal weed, A$$hat Ohio cops will feast on your forgetfulness.
November 17th, 2021 at 3:49 AM ^
Did you get high and accidentally drive to Toledo instead of Detroit or what?
November 17th, 2021 at 8:02 AM ^
If he plans on visiting family in Toledo, I don’t think it really matters if he’s “too close to the border,” as long as he lives on the correct side. Sounds as though he plans on visiting Ohio fairly often so living a bit further from the border doesn’t do anything other than create a longer drive to get to Ohio
November 17th, 2021 at 8:11 AM ^
The most idiotic comment I've seen on here in a long time. What, are the Ohio cops gonna drive to his house when they smell him smoking, and arrest him for smoking in Michigan?
November 17th, 2021 at 9:24 AM ^
Plus up to a certain amount, weed is decriminalized in Toledo.
November 17th, 2021 at 2:14 PM ^
I believe it's 100 grams. They could give two shits if you have a whole bag of week in the passengers seat. All they are interested in is giving out DUI/OVI violations, which are exponentially worse than a $100 fine.
November 17th, 2021 at 12:22 AM ^
Speaking of Toledo, it shouldn't be in Ohio. It should be in Michigan. Although we very well appreciate congress giving us the UP in exchange (and Wisconsin getting dicked big time!), there was never an official peace treaty to end the Toledo War. Everyone just accepted the compromise. I think its about time we resume hostilities, and send in the Michigan militia to take back what was and should still be a part of Michigan. The Toledo strip.
That way the OP (and everyone else who cares to partake) can be free to enjoy legal weed and everything else that makes Michigan great, while living in Toledo.
November 17th, 2021 at 5:31 AM ^
I thought Michigan won the border war and Ohio was forced to take Toledo
November 17th, 2021 at 10:58 AM ^
/pushes glasses up nose
Tehcnically, if not spiritually, Ohio “won” the war, since Toledo was the actual objective. Being an extant state, its leaders had Washington connections that Michigan did not and it leveraged those connections to get the feds to rule in their favour, proving that time is a flat circle…. that would get revisited in both 1973 and 2016.
November 17th, 2021 at 8:42 AM ^
Is Ohio’s militia filled with 4.5 and 5 star talents? Not liking our chances…
November 17th, 2021 at 8:42 AM ^
The joke I always heard goes like this:
Michigan and Ohio fought a war over who would get Toledo. Ohio lost and hasn’t gotten over it yet.
November 17th, 2021 at 8:28 PM ^
Wisconsin didn’t get dicked because the UP was never part of Wisconsin, even when it was territory. Maybe it would have ended up with Wisconsin, but the UP was always partially or wholly a part of Michigan.
November 18th, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^
Sure, Wisconsin wasn't Wisconsin yet, and neither was Michigan, but there is no way that the UP would not have otherwise become a part of Wisconsin, since it is when they eventually became a state, unless you think it would have become an independent state on its own, despite being connected to the rest of Wisconsin.
November 17th, 2021 at 12:36 AM ^
We live in Chicago but have spent time in southwest Michigan. The area near New Buffalo and Union Pier is nice, as well as north of there. It's on Lake Michigan (not sure if you wanted a smaller lake?) and it's about 3 hours from Detroit and about 90 minutes from Chicago.
November 17th, 2021 at 7:14 AM ^
Just have to be rich af
November 17th, 2021 at 9:20 AM ^
Haha! $350,000 may get you lake access in SW MI but you won't be on a lake. Too many Chicago people coming in overinflating the prices. We do appreciate the taxes you pay, though. :)
November 17th, 2021 at 1:03 AM ^
The Irish Hills area around Brooklyn has lakes and land. I think 350k will get you lake front.
I saw another poster mentioned Monroe. The Frenchtown Twp area outside of Monroe has land and cheap taxes. It is a boring town, but the natives are very nice with many of them related to me: My Dad had a nice brick ranch house there recently with 1.5 acres. His tax bill was 2k a year which is a bargain in Michigan. Go luck!!!
November 17th, 2021 at 6:51 AM ^
Second this one. Irish Hills area is great if you want some space and some inland lakefront options. West of AA, so not really close to Detroit or the suburbs, if that matters.
November 17th, 2021 at 7:46 AM ^
Thirding this. Irish Hills. 45 min toledo, 45 min a2, 100+ lakes. Tons of land.
350k maybe hard to get waterfront in this current market depending what you want. But lots of options.
November 17th, 2021 at 9:05 AM ^
It really depends on what you want. saying "lakefront" and "some land" doesn't tell us much about what you want. Do you want an all sports lake or just a lake to fish and kayak? How much land? Irish hills is nice but if you want an allsports lake (waterskiing, wakeboarding/surfing), you might find a shack for 350k but you can forget about a large lot. If you are more flexible on what you mean by "lakefront", you might be able to get more land on a body of water that's less populated. The Irish hills real estate is outrageous, especially on lakes where all types of boats are allowed. This area is also heavily populated by Ohio people. I'm also not sure that I'd prioritize being in Michigan simply because of the legal weed. Its been about 20 years since I think anyone had difficultly finding weed and was overly concerned about getting caught smoking it.
November 17th, 2021 at 10:17 AM ^
I meant one or the other, Doc. I don’t expect 2 acres on Devils for 350. Also my main motivation to move to Southern Michigan is to be closer to the family in Toledo. A couple of hour drive is much easier to manage than living 2500 miles away. The weed thing is just one more reason not to live in Ohio.
I really appreciate everyone’s input. It will be nice to live around water again, not much to speak of near Fresno.
November 17th, 2021 at 7:32 AM ^
Plus Detroit Beach Pizzeria is there
November 17th, 2021 at 9:32 AM ^
I'll add another thumbs up for Irish Hills. We used to go fishing here when I was at school. It's been a few years, but that area was sleepy, laid back and relaxed, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Ann Arbor and Detroit but within spitting distance.
If I hadn't married a wonderful woman from the west side of MI and moved to St. Joe, this is where I'd want to be.
November 17th, 2021 at 9:41 AM ^
I will also agree with the Irish Hills area. My late, great uncle had a small house on Posey Lake in that area. Being a tight knit family I spent a lot of time there over the years. It is a nice area.
November 17th, 2021 at 10:44 AM ^
I live in the Irish Hills, 350K will get you on one of the smaller lakes out here if you don't need a big house. Lenawee and Jackson county have reasonable taxes. Its great year round except when Faster horses is at the track. Best to stay on the lake for those days.
November 17th, 2021 at 1:12 AM ^
Monroe county area would be the closest. The eastern part of it is on Lake Erie. Could also go with Belleville on lake Belleville. Would be close to A2 and the airport. Within an hour from Toledo. Also south of Hillsdale has a few smaller lakes within a 2 hour drive into Toledo but it’s more rural out there.
November 17th, 2021 at 6:49 AM ^
It’s Belleville Lake not Lake Belleville.
November 17th, 2021 at 8:00 AM ^
I will second the Belleville suggestion, and not just because I live in the area (because I am not a draw - I am a reason people leave). There is actually quite a bit of real estate action along Belleville Lake at the moment, and there are also numerous lots in southern Wayne County with sizeable ponds too as the entire area is just one big marsh, which has its drawbacks, but they make for the appearance of scenery and even actual scenery in some cases.
It's also centrally located, more or less - 25 minutes to downtown Detroit, 20 minutes to downtown Ann Arbor and 45 minutes to Toledo, if one feels the need to visit Ohio. Most of the survey roads in Metro Detroit, some of which pass through Van Buren Township (Belleville is in the center of this township) will get you within earshot of the stadium in ways no one who isn't local would even realize, so bypassing traffic on gamedays is not a huge problem.
Also, as Wayne County and the rest of Metro Detroit goes, the prices / taxes aren't bad. They are certainly not Northville / Plymouth / Novi bad anyway.
November 17th, 2021 at 1:54 AM ^
Years ago, back in the 60s and into the mid 70s my Uncle lived between New Boston and Flat Rock. It was kind of rural back then, but I'm sure it has been built up. You may want to check that area out in southern Wayne County. Less than an hour drive to Toledo and 30 minute drive to Ann Arbor and Detroit.
November 17th, 2021 at 2:40 AM ^
I vote for Commerce Township, Orchard Lake, West Bloomfield, or Waterford. You should be able to get something decent in that price range on/adjacent to a lake in that area. You are still in the Detroit suburbs, so decent amenities. You will be within two hours of Toledo. If you want to go a bit cheaper, Milford or Highland.
November 17th, 2021 at 5:59 AM ^
They won’t find many homes in Milford around 350k. Especially with any acreage or waterfront. Milford’s downtown area is great though. Same thing with Brighton.
In that price range I would look in the Green Oak twp, Hamburg twp, or Pickney area on the chain of lakes.
Highland/Hartland/Howell are also fine areas.
November 17th, 2021 at 7:36 AM ^
Agreed. I live in Hamburg Twp near Pinckney and it's a great area. You have to drive a bit to Brighton/Howell/Ann Arbor to get to any major stores, but the area is beautiful, calm, and has plenty of lakes and other outdoor activities.
November 17th, 2021 at 7:56 AM ^
I was going to say much the same. Looking north—Pickney, Brighton, Whitmore Lake—you'll find LOTS of lakes. My experience is older but I'm guess it's still probably quiet and cheaper than south and east of AA. Fewer amenities but you're only 20-40 minutes from AA.
November 17th, 2021 at 10:39 AM ^
Whitmore Lake property taxes are crazy, though. Made an offer on a house there three years ago. The asking price for the house was about $425K and the annual taxes were between $15K and $18K (I can't remember more precisely). We ended up buying a similarly priced house in Plymouth Township where tax rates are comparable to Ann Arbor. Even at that level, our taxes are still less than half what they would have been in Whitmore Lake.
November 17th, 2021 at 7:39 PM ^
We live on an all sports lake in Brighton. Waterfront prices are crazy, haven’t seen anything less than 450k for even cottages in the last few years. An hour straight down 23 to Toledo. Might be able to find something cheaper on a no-wake lake but even the competition for those has been nuts. Good luck in your search, hope you find what you are looking for.
November 17th, 2021 at 2:44 PM ^
In Commerce, lake front would be impossible for under a half million, but you could live adjacent to a lake and be part of an association with a community beach. I live on Wolverine Lake..no more fitting place for a Michigan fan and an hour from Toledo.
November 17th, 2021 at 4:42 AM ^
Brownstown 30 min. from Toledo on Lake Erie $350K 1380 sq ft 4 bed 2 bath ranch
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/35305-Erie-Dr-Brownstown-MI-48173/88496390_zpid/?
November 17th, 2021 at 8:24 AM ^
Damn, maybe I should relocate! Nice...
November 17th, 2021 at 10:21 AM ^
nice house. I couldn't have neighbors that close though.
November 17th, 2021 at 6:05 AM ^
Harbor Springs: it's in the southern peninsula, on a beautiful harbor, and all of the seasons are spring. It's also near a beautiful city of sea shells at exit 326 of I75, the highway leading to nearby Miami, FL.
November 17th, 2021 at 6:50 AM ^
Dude's gonna miss out. Sea Shell City is closed.
November 17th, 2021 at 6:51 AM ^
Why not get a fully dressed Winnebago with Dolby 8-track?
November 17th, 2021 at 8:40 AM ^
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfY49zx7RU0
By far the best scene in Anchorman 2...
November 17th, 2021 at 7:22 AM ^
Wherever you settle, don't drink the water. It's not safe.
November 17th, 2021 at 8:02 AM ^
Bring a mask!