[mandaloof]

Hi there,
we're looking at buying a house and are looking at Oak Park v Ferndale.
We're married, no kids, forties, a dog.
want a safe neighborhood with local restaurant, bar, shopping scene.
what do you recommend?
Currently in St. Clair Shores renting.
thanks for any and all inout

[mandaloof]

input

[Bydand]

Give it time. Not everybody is sitting at their computers just waiting for orders. An hour is kind of short to think there is going to be much input.

[mandaloof]

i retyped input as i mis-spelled it in the first post

[mandaloof]

jump to conclusions much?

[electric_lady]

Mandaloof, I have never lived in Oak Park but generally, it is seen as somewhat less desirable than Ferndale mostly because of a slightly higher rate of crime and lack of a downtown area. However, the two towns are spitting distance apart, and Oak Park is more affordable. I think Oak Park is getting better, as well and I don't think it's an unsafe area by any means. Lots of families and younger couples moving there for the affordable housing. HOWEVER, avoid Royal Oak Twp as it is notorious for violent crime (not to be confused with Royal Oak).
In short, I think Ferndale would better meet your desire for a local bar scene and restaurants than Oak Park, but if you're looking for affordability, Oak Park might be worth looking into. In some areas of Oak Park, you'd only be two miles or so from Ferndale's downtown area.
Hope that helps. Good luck and congratulations on becoming a homeowner!

[mandaloof]

thank you electric lady, im ,eaninhg towards ferndale right now. Invaluable help, thanks again

[us66]

Just watch out when you're house hunting as Royal Oak Township shares Ferndale's Zip Code. Also, some areas of Ferndale are more desirable than others. I've heard okay things about far north Oak Park, south of Nine Mile is probably better avoided.

[electric_lady]

To clarify, us66 does have a point. There are neighborhoods in Ferndale which are better than others, though just for reference the proximity to 8 Mile Road doesn't matter as much as you'd think, and none of the town is ghetto. Best to take a tour and see for yourself how you feel about the area. I personally would avoid Ferndale areas south of 9 Mile and east of Hilton, but that's just me. Hazel Park creeps me out much more than Oak Park does.

[Northsider 248]

Originally Posted by electric_lady

Hazel Park creeps me out much more than Oak Park does.

To you, sure. To most people... hell no. Oak Park is disgusting.

@OP - If you haven't already moved yet, I truly suggest you stop considering Oak Park unless you're looking to live north of 696. Basically all of the city south of there is bad.

The only bad place in Ferndale I can think of is the first couple blocks off of 8 Mile and a little chunk between Hilton, the railroad, 9 Mile and Woodward Heights. The neighborhood east of Hilton and north of 9 Mile is actually a very nice place - huge parks, lots of cape cod houses, about 4 of the blocks by the service drive are nothing but huge faux-Victorian new development houses that are going for about 200k even in this economy. Pretty much all of the people who trash talk Hazel Park or Ferndale have most likely never lived there or only been there once or twice.