Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Background: Married couple. Kids 15-b, 10-g, 8-b. Both parents educated. Wife with MPA, hubby (me) with B.S. Biology, currently graduate student in EVSP (environmental science). My current field is Financial/Business Analyst role. I telecommute and have blessing from company to relocate.
We live in Northern Virginia area, where we pave our streets with gold. Costs are eating me up. Wife does not work FT, because she can’t commute into DC (too far, long) and the non-profits won’t allow her to work remote. She is a substitute teacher to help make ends meet. She is also a licensed paralegal. Living expenses are too high and we are looking for a move so she can be closer to main city to drive in to work and help further with finances.
We have been to Pittsburgh for a recent hockey tournament and we did love the town. We found the people really awesome and the Italian food was a pure win. We find the housing rent prices a bit higher than we’re looking for. We intend on renting out our home here and renting elsewhere to get a lay of the land. While Pennsylvania is still on the map, Michigan is another idea due to low cost of living, the beautiful landscape and a couple killer universities, either I would love to be affiliated with.
What we want: The obvious stuff…Good schools, safety. A town with some character, not looking for pure urban living, but not interested in sprawl either. Would consider rural if not too rural. Both my sons play ice hockey so they should fit in well in Michigan, so we want to make sure there is some good opportunities for them there and we are close enough to various hockey programs. Proximity to MSU or UM is paramount. I have already spoken to representative at MSU and am impressed with their program. I like what I hear about AA, but fear cost is a bit too high. Looking to rent a house in the 900-1200 range, we could go a bit higher for good home. We are the type of couple that likes artisan shops, eateries, jazz music, wine bars and generally upscale nightlife. But we also like sitting on the deck, camping out or taking some food down to the lake. And then other times you'll find us blasting rock music on the docking station while drinking shooters and beer.
We are trying to narrow areas down within decent proximity of Lansing and/or Ann Arbor. I’ve heard awesome things about Chelsea in that it would fit our paradigm, but wanted to get further ideas.
Background: Married couple. Kids 15-b, 10-g, 8-b. Both parents educated. Wife with MPA, hubby (me) with B.S. Biology, currently graduate student in EVSP (environmental science). My current field is Financial/Business Analyst role. I telecommute and have blessing from company to relocate.
We live in Northern Virginia area, where we pave our streets with gold. Costs are eating me up. Wife does not work FT, because she can’t commute into DC (too far, long) and the non-profits won’t allow her to work remote. She is a substitute teacher to help make ends meet. She is also a licensed paralegal. Living expenses are too high and we are looking for a move so she can be closer to main city to drive in to work and help further with finances.
We have been to Pittsburgh for a recent hockey tournament and we did love the town. We found the people really awesome and the Italian food was a pure win. We find the housing rent prices a bit higher than we’re looking for. We intend on renting out our home here and renting elsewhere to get a lay of the land. While Pennsylvania is still on the map, Michigan is another idea due to low cost of living, the beautiful landscape and a couple killer universities, either I would love to be affiliated with.
What we want: The obvious stuff…Good schools, safety. A town with some character, not looking for pure urban living, but not interested in sprawl either. Would consider rural if not too rural. Both my sons play ice hockey so they should fit in well in Michigan, so we want to make sure there is some good opportunities for them there and we are close enough to various hockey programs. Proximity to MSU or UM is paramount. I have already spoken to representative at MSU and am impressed with their program. I like what I hear about AA, but fear cost is a bit too high. Looking to rent a house in the 900-1200 range, we could go a bit higher for good home. We are the type of couple that likes artisan shops, eateries, jazz music, wine bars and generally upscale nightlife. But we also like sitting on the deck, camping out or taking some food down to the lake. And then other times you'll find us blasting rock music on the docking station while drinking shooters and beer.
We are trying to narrow areas down within decent proximity of Lansing and/or Ann Arbor. I’ve heard awesome things about Chelsea in that it would fit our paradigm, but wanted to get further ideas.
Thanks to all.
Hmmm...
I live in the Lansing area, so I can comment on the options around MSU. Ann Arbor is obviously a great town, but I don't know enough to give recommendations. You are correct that AA is quite a bit more pricey than the Lansing area.
When you mentioned that you want a town with character but not necessarily too urban, the first town that came to mind near MSU is the town of Williamston. It is probably the Lansing area's version of Chelsea. It is a short drive east from MSU, and there are lots of MSU staff and faculty in the area. It has a historic downtown with lots of character. Many mom and pop businesses on main street. It even has the Williamston Theatre which is a rare asset for a town that small. The only drawback to Williamston is that is a little more expensive (by Lansing standards). It will still be relatively cheap compared to what you're used to.
Other towns near MSU that might work for you are Mason and DeWitt. DeWitt can be a little sprawly and the downtown is very small (one stoplight), but it is a very nice area. Mason might be a little more blue collar than what you are looking for, but it has a ton of character also and a nice, traditional "town square" that is not very common in Michigan. If you find that Williamston is too expensive, Mason might be a good compromise. Still very close to MSU and lots of small town charm, but not as pricey.
Other people will probably mention Okemos and Haslett as options. Both are desirable areas, for sure, and a lot of people with money gravitate towards those areas. But they might be more expensive than you want. And if you don't like sprawl, you might not like Okemos or Haslett. Both places would definitely fit the description of urban sprawl.
East Lansing itself is an option also and would have many more amenities than the other places I've mentioned, but renting in East Lansing is almost certainly going to put you next door to students. If that's not a concern for you, EL might be worth a look also.
Last edited by michigan83; 02-12-2013 at 05:34 AM..
Thank you very much for the feedback. We have no issue with blue collar as long as the area is nice, well maintained, crime is low, education is solid...
Sprawl I take on a case by case basis. In my area, I live approximately 45 minutes from Wash DC (if you're traveling there at 3AM) and our town is a suburban outpost with farms, a nice town, good schools. A place 10 minutes up the road closer is one giant strip mall. If there is an acre of land it gets turned into a development, even if the development across the street is loaded with vacancies.
Your feedback is greatly appreciated as I know it takes time to respond to these posts.
On edit: I have done a search on Williamston, Mason and Okemos and they have very nice reputations so it appears your advice is spot on (though you'll always have some dissent I suppose). Nice towns, good schools, decent commute into Lansing. We have some time available in March where we may come up to visit to get a feel of the area, as much as a casual visit can provide.
Thank you very much for the feedback. We have no issue with blue collar as long as the area is nice, well maintained, crime is low, education is solid...
Sprawl I take on a case by case basis. In my area, I live approximately 45 minutes from Wash DC (if you're traveling there at 3AM) and our town is a suburban outpost with farms, a nice town, good schools. A place 10 minutes up the road closer is one giant strip mall. If there is an acre of land it gets turned into a development, even if the development across the street is loaded with vacancies.
Your feedback is greatly appreciated as I know it takes time to respond to these posts.
On edit: I have done a search on Williamston, Mason and Okemos and they have very nice reputations so it appears your advice is spot on (though you'll always have some dissent I suppose). Nice towns, good schools, decent commute into Lansing. We have some time available in March where we may come up to visit to get a feel of the area, as much as a casual visit can provide.
I should probably add that my definition of sprawl is probably relative. Compared to a large metro area like the DC area, the areas around Lansing that I consider to have sprawl might seem fine. It is nothing like the sprawl around DC. Like DeWitt, for example... considering where you are coming from, it will probably feel more rural than anything. I was thinking more of the new subdivisions and McMansions there. There isn't really a problem with endless and and ugly commercial strips. There is not a big strip mall epidemic in any of these towns, except parts of Okemos and Haslett. Most areas still have open and undeveloped spaces including farmland.
In short... visiting first is a very good idea. Like you said, you will probably want to make your own judgement on the feel of each place.
Last edited by michigan83; 02-12-2013 at 06:59 AM..
The towns mentioned above are good for East Lansing (MSU) but if you're coming from Nova - you might want to get into a town that's maybe 15-20 miles from Ann Arbor - as the cultural offerings there are nicer than Lansing. Plus - the outdoor offerings by Ann Arbor (Kensington, Island Lake, Huron meadows, Brighton St Pk, Pinckney, Waterloo - give more options than EL).
Brighton or Whitmore Lake might be good options as they're not close enough to be as expensive as in town AA. A good website for ice arenas in Michigan is here. Arena Maps : Michigan I played ice hockey growing up from 8-18 and intramural in college - so I would try to live within 10-15 minutes of an arena, if your sons are that devoted. You'll see there are a plethora of ice arenas in SE Michigan. There is, after all, only one Hockeytown! And yes the Italian in Pittsburgh is good - but if you're craving your Spaghetti Warehouse fix - there's one in Toledo - only an hr drive from Brighton. Good luck on the move!
The towns mentioned above are good for East Lansing (MSU) but if you're coming from Nova - you might want to get into a town that's maybe 15-20 miles from Ann Arbor - as the cultural offerings there are nicer than Lansing. Plus - the outdoor offerings by Ann Arbor (Kensington, Island Lake, Huron meadows, Brighton St Pk, Pinckney, Waterloo - give more options than EL).
Brighton or Whitmore Lake might be good options as they're not close enough to be as expensive as in town AA. A good website for ice arenas in Michigan is here. Arena Maps : Michigan I played ice hockey growing up from 8-18 and intramural in college - so I would try to live within 10-15 minutes of an arena, if your sons are that devoted. You'll see there are a plethora of ice arenas in SE Michigan. There is, after all, only one Hockeytown! And yes the Italian in Pittsburgh is good - but if you're craving your Spaghetti Warehouse fix - there's one in Toledo - only an hr drive from Brighton. Good luck on the move!
Thanks much runner. Ann Arbor is certainly in the mix, that or Lansing area. My wife actually is applying today for a job in Ann Arbor. We weren't going to worry about her getting a job until we got there, but she is so excited about this job she is going to apply and our theory is if she was to get offered a job that would be a 'sign' that's where we should go, and we would make it work. Right now I can go anywhere, but want to be close to a university so I can finish up my graduate work. I have no dog in the MSU/UM fight and figure wherever I land becomes my allegiance, but was still encouraged by some emails I have traded with representative at MSU about potential research I can be involved with. Of course, I have heard glowing reputation about Ann Arbor. We probably will like it, but when we come up we'll be able to exploit the area...and check out both Ann Arbor and Lansing plus the surrounding areas. And if we have time, maybe check out other places. We plan on going up there over the course of a week.
My oldest son is dedicated to hockey and he is excited about the competition and talent that awaits him in Michigan. I don't have the heart to tell him he may get lit up in Michigan, though I think he knows there will be better players there than here, AND more of them. The youngest, while very talented at the game (for his size and area), isn't as dedicated as the 'less talented' older boy, he just likes playing, being on the ice having fun, which is really all it should be about. I want a good club for them both...from solid house program to travel. Oh yea, outdoor rinks are a huge plus for me personally (I also skate and play C level adult hockey).
I should probably add that my definition of sprawl is probably relative. Compared to a large metro area like the DC area, the areas around Lansing that I consider to have sprawl might seem fine. It is nothing like the sprawl around DC. Like DeWitt, for example... considering where you are coming from, it will probably feel more rural than anything. I was thinking more of the new subdivisions and McMansions there. There isn't really a problem with endless and and ugly commercial strips. There is not a big strip mall epidemic in any of these towns, except parts of Okemos and Haslett. Most areas still have open and undeveloped spaces including farmland.
In short... visiting first is a very good idea. Like you said, you will probably want to make your own judgement on the feel of each place.
Awesome. Thanks again. The place we live now is a great area. There is a quaint old town, neighborhoods concentrated around the main town square, then a main strip for basic shopping and then a large part of our county is very rural. The town is safe, schools are great, and people are friendly here. Almost everyone here is from somewhere else (Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Boston, etc) and we all get along great. It's a below-average commuter area to DC (during rush hour it can be a 2-2.5 hour drive), so most of the folks here drive into suburbs/cities/towns west of DC in Virginia like Fairfax, Chantilly, Reston, etc, which is still an hour commute. Being 20-25 minutes from Ann Arbor or Lansing and making that commute would be laughingly easy considering what I've gone through. Though I am a remote employee now, I did my time, serving almost 10 years on the I-95 corridor from north Richmond to DC before switching to the I-66 trek, both travels brutal during peak time.
No sweat - If you click on the "high school" link below (The main Michigan wide hockey news) - you'll see many of the towns you're considering (e.g. Brighton/Chelsea) have high school hockey teams. That might be the easiest (and cheapest) route for you to take. MiHockey - MiHockeyNow and MiHockeyMag
And yeah - everything is relative. When I lived in DC, headhunters couldn't pay me enough to leave working in Tenleytown and dealing with the Herndon/Reston commute. Then I went up to NYC and had the 95/GWB traffic etc. After a while you just learn to appreciate every town/place for what is is and stop comparing it to something else - otherwise you'll never be happy/settled.
Lots of information about the area surrounding Lansing. Also, most of the towns have their own webpages and provide lots of information about the community, housing prices, schools and recreation.
We just moved to this area from central PA and love it!
I grew up in Okemos then spent 9 years in Ann Arbor for school. I loved growing up in Okemos and felt lucky to have MSU close by to provide many opportunities (educational, cultural, etc) but after moving to Ann Arbor and U of M, it wins hands down. Even my parents (who followed my sisters and I to A2) said they couldn't believe that they stayed in Okemos for so long. MSU offers many opportunities but U of M offers opportunities at the world-class level. From what I've seen and heard about the NoVa area, a transition to the Ann Arbor area will be much gentler and more along what you will probably want. Don't get me wrong, I loved living in Okemos but if I were to move back to Michigan now to raise a family, I would definitely move to Ann Arbor. Great schools, lots of diversity (I'm Asian - there were 5 other Asian kids in my class, and 2 black kids), good proximity to metro Detroit and Windsor and larger lakes.
Chelsea is an adorable little town although my experiences with it are primarily eating at The Common Grill, the Purple Rose Theater, and Chelsea Community Hospital. Not sure about schools. A fair number of U of M faculty live in Saline as well. Never though of Brighton as really being in the A2 area - it's a good 25-30 minutes away and has it's own feel. You don't really get the university influence there. Had a friend who lived in Brighton and worked at MSU.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
