Grosse Pointe Vs. Rochester, Royal oak (Detroit, Flint: best city, how much, cheap home)

detroit81 · 07-19-2010, 09:05 PM

You can but hard to find, and the selection is very very limited.

us66 · 07-19-2010, 09:17 PM

For the size of house you want and the character of neighborhood you desire, the GPs seem the best fit overall. Stay off the first block off Mack (below Moross, above it it's not such a bad thing afaik) unless you feel comfortable there...if you have the $$$ do it right and go closer to Kercheval or Jefferson. Grosse Pointe Shores is also cheaper than you think, if you don't require a showplace. The cheapest house there is an unbelievable $190K. I don't think it's a train wreck but looking at the pictures it's retro...some people don't mind (I love avocado and harvest) but some just won't have any of it. When you go house hunting in GP check the basement. I know this from experience. An agent once told me there were two types of basement in the Pointes: ones with water problems and ones that will have water problems someday.
37 Putnam Place, Grosse Pointe Shores, MI, 48236 - MLS #715952 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com®
Looks okay from the pics (needs a remodel if you think it does), the price is unreal for where it is. There's others nearby for somewhat more.

golden11 · 07-19-2010, 09:31 PM

Huntington Woods has excellent parks as well.

Dexterguy · 07-19-2010, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by us66

For the size of house you want and the character of neighborhood you desire, the GPs seem the best fit overall. Stay off the first block off Mack (below Moross, above it it's not such a bad thing afaik) unless you feel comfortable there...if you have the $$$ do it right and go closer to Kercheval or Jefferson. Grosse Pointe Shores is also cheaper than you think, if you don't require a showplace. The cheapest house there is an unbelievable $190K. I don't think it's a train wreck but looking at the pictures it's retro...some people don't mind (I love avocado and harvest) but some just won't have any of it. When you go house hunting in GP check the basement. I know this from experience. An agent once told me there were two types of basement in the Pointes: ones with water problems and ones that will have water problems someday.
37 Putnam Place, Grosse Pointe Shores, MI, 48236 - MLS #715952 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com®
Looks okay from the pics (needs a remodel if you think it does), the price is unreal for where it is. There's others nearby for somewhat more.

This is a great price for a house in Grosse Pointe Shores, I don't think it's exactly what detroit81 is looking for in the Pointes though. The houses in Grosse Pointe Shores were mostly built in the 1940's through 1950's, which means that retro type ranch house.

The houses that you'll find with that early 20th Century character in the Pointes are mostly in the Park, City, and Farms.

Don't get me wrong though, that house in the Shores is a great house at an even better price!

detroit81 · 07-20-2010, 08:00 AM

Yea, if we move to GP, I am really set on being in the South End of the district, plus since we will be in our next home long term, I really want a 20s or 30s colonial or tudor.

detroit81 · 07-20-2010, 08:03 AM

Does anyone else have any compelling reasons to move to GP or to Rochester ? <br><br>

brandytab · 07-20-2010, 09:05 AM

I'm watching this thread closely - as we are moving to the area.

Berkley seems to be our top choice right now, good schools, easy commute to work, close to entertainment. Detroit81, is the only reason you are moving from Berkley the size of the homes?

We are a very social family and like to get out and do "stuff".... so we also worry that the Pointes will limit us. We have been told to consider Rochester also, but the commute just seems to be hellish.

detroit81 · 07-20-2010, 09:29 AM

Yes the main reason is the home size, and to get a bigger home, there isn't a huge selection. I use the website Great Schools to check out every school in the neighborhoods we are looking provides a lot of great information. Berkley is defiantly in the center of EVERYTHING! Which is awesome.

Not to sway you, but the debates we go through in regards to "Stuff to do" , is that GP , everything is walking distance like 2 or 4 blocks depending on where you live. So you can walk to the library, the village etc, and these are things my wife does on a daily basis as opposed to us going out one night a week. Plus the parks in GP are not what we think of as parks they are like mini private clubs. They have Olympic size pools, splash pads, courts, and are all water front, you can even dock your boat.

Rochester, the only bonus my wife and I see is you can get a huge house with cheaper taxes. Other than that... and you are right the commute is awful.

The draw back for us is we love Berkley and all of our friends are here. But we basically broke the term "Stuff to do" down into two categories, stuff we do with the kids, and stuff we do without. And the second there is absolutely a ton to do with the kids in GP more than almost any other place.

brandytab · 07-20-2010, 10:49 AM

We do most with the kids - or will be once we are out there, as we have no family or friends in the area there. So that's a big factor for us also. I guess we were thinking it might be easier to meet families in Berkley than in the GP's. But we have no idea since we aren't in the area yet. My husband is, during the week, working there - but he flies in and out of town and isn't really "living" there.

Are your children in school currently?

Our thoughts of Rochester are the same, good schools, nice house and yard. But that's pretty much it. We really don't need a big house, just our choice. I built a brand new, 3000 square foot house in Virginia about 9 years ago - and I have no desire to ever clean a behemoth like that again

But that's just me!

It sounds to me that you already have your mind made up, that you and your wife really desire to go to GP and your friends are telling you otherwise. You've done your research well and should go with your gut. That said, the taxes in GP made my jaw drop!

For us, it's down to Berkley or GP. I have no idea which one we're going to choose at this point.

detroit81 · 07-20-2010, 11:32 AM

Our kids are not quite school age yet. I think both Berkley and GP are great options. And you are absolutely right all of my friends are saying stay in Berkley or Royal Oak, because they live there, not to mention there is a ton of night life. However my priorities for night life are slowly changing.

Its hard to go with your gut when all my friends counter my decision.

One thing that is so untrue about the Pointes is people being snobby and such. Sure there are a small portion, but I have a ton of people I associate with because of work who live there, and I am impressed by them, as well as how well behaved their children are.

Have you seen Grosse Pointe South High school, google it , it is amazing looks like Harvard or something.

The taxes are high because of the private parks, and the services are stellar, they plow your side walks, streets, and in some cases come behind your house to take your trash.

So since you built a new house, how do you feel about new houses vs. old homes ?