[pitchinrules88]

thanks alot! well, the studio is in ann arbor i thot those were pretty nearby cities but i guess not, especially grand rapids, i saw the map yesturday and boy i was wrong about its location haha. i thot it would be right next to ann abror lol. for now tho, i think when i go there i mite just get an apartment until i find a house i like. i guess thats better to do, getting used to the place and settle in and all. thanks all for your help!

[Gordy M]

There are several communities around the Ann Arbor area that might fit what you are looking for. Plymouth and Northville have small city atmosphere and activities and are between Ann Arbor and Detroit, about 12-16 miles from AA. Dexter, Saline and Chelsea are located on the west/south side of Ann Arbor and each has there own charm. Home prices vary widely from area to area, the closer to metro Detroit the higher the price generally.

Compared to southern Cali you will find housing is generally less expensive and the lots size considerably larger. Pricing for a 2200 ft colonial/bungalow range from $200,000 to 450,000. The higher priced homes are located in Saline, Plymouth and Northville.

Nite life is pretty good in Ann Arbor with Plymouth and Northville more of Restaurant/Bar scene and the others more family orientated.

Good luck on your move and if you need any help or info let me know.

[suydam]

If you're young and you want to go out at night with other young people, try Royal Oak too. Great downtown, friendly people, centrally located for most metro-detroit jobs, stable property values (at least compared to the rest of Detroit). It's a big of a long haul from Ann Arbor though.

As mentioned above, Dexter is nice, Chelsea is nice. So is the city of Ann Arbor itself. Your $80k down payment should help out quite a bit.

[michiganbob]

Not to bash Michigan, but are you sure you want to buy a house ANYWHERE right now, especially at your age?

Most experts recommend renting in a new area for a while, just to make sure you like it before you start committing large chucks of cash to it. The economy in Michigan is also "unstable" at the present time and even folks who are not directly involved in the auto industry are losing their jobs. My guess is you'd be willing to move somewhere else if you could get a job, but what if you can't sell your house here in Michigan? It's a very tough market here right now for sellers (in some areas homes are sitting on the market more than a year with no offers and go into foreclosure) . . . just read some of the threads related to houses here if you don't believe me.

Look, I'm glad to have you moving here and I'm sure you're excitied about the new job, but unless you can committ to one area for 7 to 10 years, I'd think twice about buying. But hey, you're young, you got 80 grand, what could possibly go wrong?

[pitchinrules88]

yea well i think im going to rent an apaprtment or a condo forawhile and then when things are settled and i got some network connectiosn goin on and all that, then i mite buy one, for now im just gonna look around so yeah. thanks for the help!

[pitchinrules88]

hey btw how are the income tax like? liek wat percentage of income does it get taken off? i know its not as bad as california i heard but i still want to know the exact. thanks

[michiganbob]

Originally Posted by pitchinrules88

hey btw how are the income tax like? liek wat percentage of income does it get taken off? i know its not as bad as california i heard but i still want to know the exact. thanks

Rather than look at just the income taxes (other taxes here might be higher or lower than CA . . . doubtful, but possible) you would be better served to search online for one of the cost of living comparison websites. You can plug in your current city and your Michigan city, your wages, and see exactly where it's going to be more, and where it might be less.

[scottmi]

Originally Posted by pitchinrules88

hey guys, I live in socal rite now and i am thinking about moving to detroit area as soon as i accept the job offer. Well, Im 26 and my job pays me around 85,000 dollars, with that, I also saved up around 80,000 dollars that I could make downpayment with. So wat do you think price range of house I can buy in southeast michigan? like wat part of town I can afford. Ive been reseraching around ann arbor and grand rapids coz i really like the neighborhoodliness and freidnly downtown in stuff so yea, if you got any ideas then throw it in here! Im really excited moving to michigan and see all the beautiful snow haha.

****. I wish I made $85 grand a year at TWENTY SIX.

[MainStreet]

Originally Posted by scottmi

****. I wish I made $85 grand a year at TWENTY SIX.

See the "Is college worth the pay-off in Michigan" thread, lol.

[Bricla]

Sorry to burst you bubble, but the weather stinks. I mean really stinks during the winter. It just never seems to end. Go to a warm climate like.... San Diego! You are crazy for leaving.