Moving/Trip to Kalamazoo (Detroit, Grand Rapids: real estate, apartment, condo)
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Hello! My mom and I are considering moving to Michigan. It's been hard since nowhere is perfect and it's not guaranteed yet, but Michigan is close enough we could still see family on occasion, doesn't get so hot, and has a low cost of living. That being said, from what I've read, people seem to make a big deal out of the amount of snow and frigid weather during the winter. However, what I've looked at wasn't that bad. Is it really that cold/snowy throughout all of Michigan? Or would it be less so in the south? We were looking around Kalamazoo and the surrounding area, possibly even closer to Ann Arbor. I know it's going to be cold and there's going to be snow. I'm hoping we'll adapt to that. But where we're at "frigid" is in the teens and we're normally in the twenties-thirties throughout the winter while the summers are often nineties and higher, so I am a bit concerned with the drastic change.
On that note, we'll also take any advice on getting used to the colder climate or really any advice/comments/etc.
We do plan on making a trip there though we're not sure when yet. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas of where we should go. Our path, I think, will be taking us through Chicago and along Lake Michigan. We want to stop somewhere along the way to see the lake and were wondering if there was a specific area we should stop at. Then I think we're going to go to Kalamazoo and Jackson County. I'd like to go to at least one nature preserve/park/whatever else, but my mom isn't as much of an outdoors person and can't handle a great amount of walking, so I was wondering if there was anything else we could do in any towns or whatnot. Flea markets, festivals, perhaps some shops... Just any ideas so we can start planning our trip. We intend on staying a week, maybe less. I would like to stay longer, but we can't. We have three cats and a dog and I really don't trust anyone to take care of them so leaving at all is going to be hard enough.
Michigan can be quite cold but winters seem to vary. Sometimes a lot of snow, sometimes not as much. It will be colder here than what you describe it is like from where you are from. Winters can seem long and dreary here to be honest with the cold, snow and not much sun. Kalamazoo and westward will have a lot more snow than towards the eastern part of the state. Anywhere around Highway 131 and west will have more snow. Even more up north.
You mentioned low cost of living. I would not consider Ann Arbor and surrounding areas low cost of living. Real estate has climbed in price considerably in the last years, especially over in that area. Same with Grand Rapids. Actually, I think mostly all of southern Michigan has seen some appreciation in home values. Home prices have risen 9.6% in Kalamazoo over the last year.
There are a lot of nature, wilderness areas in Michigan. There is the Waterloo State Recreation Area between Jackson and Ann Arbor for example. Just research online and you will find a lot.
They have a saying in Michigan. If you do not like the weather - wait ten minutes.
The primary thing you can say about Michigan is the weather is unpredictable. Normally the larger volume of snow is in the west part of the State and up north. However in our last storm, the extreme southeast got nearly two feet of snow and the west side got very little. The further north you were the less snow you got.
The upper peninsula almost always had more cold and snow but there are exceptions. We have a job in Marquette and I talk with them frequently. Some days this winter it was colder/snowier in Detroit than it was in Marquette (however all of our snow is melted now and I just got off the phone with someone who was in a hurry to lock up so she could go ride on a dogsled). Earlier this year we had a 70 degree temperature swing in one week. Today is quite nice (40) next Friday it might be 10 below zero, or it could be 50 or 60. One year we even got up near 80 for a day or so in February, then it went back below freezing.
The cold really is not an issue, just bundle up. On windy days stay inside as much as possible.
The bigger issue in winter is the lack of sunshine. That can get to you after a while, but when the sun finally peeps through for a day you fell fresh and renewed and run frolicking through the snow. . . . (well not quite, but it is exciting).
Although Ann Arbor and the popular suburbs like Chelsea are pricey, there are less expensive areas not too far form Ann Arbor. Tecumseh has been pretty affordable since the Pfizer facility closed. Dundee is not terribly expensive. Grass lake is less expensive. Jackson and Marshal are both pretty affordable. Both have pluses and minuses (Marshal is much nicer). The Kalamazoo area is pretty affordable,but watch where you go, there are some not so nice areas. (We have an officer right on the Kalamazoo/Portage border).
For your trip. Grand Haven is a nice waterfront area. I absolutely love Kirk Park just south of there. It has some really nice short but not easy hikes thought he woods, up the dunes etc. Poke around Grand Rapids a bit, but make sure you learn where to go not just drive around or it might look boring or awful to you. If you go to Jackson when it is warm, stop to see the fountain.
If you have all day, or more than a day, skip the freeway and just drive up Michigan Avenue. You will see all kinds of cute little towns.
Stop in Marshall it is on your way and a cute little town. I also like Coldwater quite a bit but some people say I am crazy. If you are going to explore the Pinkney area, stop in Hell. There is nothing there, but it is fun to say you have been there.
Michigan can be quite cold but winters seem to vary. Sometimes a lot of snow, sometimes not as much. It will be colder here than what you describe it is like from where you are from. Winters can seem long and dreary here to be honest with the cold, snow and not much sun. Kalamazoo and westward will have a lot more snow than towards the eastern part of the state. Anywhere around Highway 131 and west will have more snow. Even more up north.
You mentioned low cost of living. I would not consider Ann Arbor and surrounding areas low cost of living. Real estate has climbed in price considerably in the last years, especially over in that area. Same with Grand Rapids. Actually, I think mostly all of southern Michigan has seen some appreciation in home values. Home prices have risen 9.6% in Kalamazoo over the last year.
There are a lot of nature, wilderness areas in Michigan. There is the Waterloo State Recreation Area between Jackson and Ann Arbor for example. Just research online and you will find a lot.
Thanks for the response! The winters do make me nervous; however, neither of us can stand the heat. We're both aware that we're going to have to deal with colder temperatures to get away from the hotter ones. It's just a matter of if we can adjust. I think I can, but I'm not so sure about my mom. Personally, I don't really mind a lack of sun, but haven't had to deal with it for long periods of time. We'll probably start focusing our search towards the east then. We're not really used to the snow. This winter we've had well under ten inches and never more than an inch at a time. It's rather sad and it's just getting to be less and less.
The chances of us living in Ann Arbor is nonexistent. I would have considered somewhere around it, but overall that's unlikely. Neither of us like cities. Rather, we want to live in a small, quiet town. The price increase is a bit of a concern though. I've heard it mentioned before and we have no plans on moving soon. I can only hope it's still on the cheaper side when we move. I looked at houses on Zillow and they were much lower in Michigan than everywhere else I've looked which has been a huge factor in this decision since we're no where near rich.
Nature, as well as the housing prices, is the main thing that drew me to Michigan. As a nature lover, animal rights advocate, and a photographer, it's extremely important to me that I have easy access to some wilderness areas. I do look forward to seeing Michigan in person after reading about it and looking at pictures.
They have a saying in Michigan. If you do not like the weather - wait ten minutes.
The primary thing you can say about Michigan is the weather is unpredictable. Normally the larger volume of snow is in the west part of the State and up north. However in our last storm, the extreme southeast got nearly two feet of snow and the west side got very little. The further north you were the less snow you got.
The upper peninsula almost always had more cold and snow but there are exceptions. We have a job in Marquette and I talk with them frequently. Some days this winter it was colder/snowier in Detroit than it was in Marquette (however all of our snow is melted now and I just got off the phone with someone who was in a hurry to lock up so she could go ride on a dogsled). Earlier this year we had a 70 degree temperature swing in one week. Today is quite nice (40) next Friday it might be 10 below zero, or it could be 50 or 60. One year we even got up near 80 for a day or so in February, then it went back below freezing.
The cold really is not an issue, just bundle up. On windy days stay inside as much as possible.
The bigger issue in winter is the lack of sunshine. That can get to you after a while, but when the sun finally peeps through for a day you fell fresh and renewed and run frolicking through the snow. . . . (well not quite, but it is exciting).
Although Ann Arbor and the popular suburbs like Chelsea are pricey, there are less expensive areas not too far form Ann Arbor. Tecumseh has been pretty affordable since the Pfizer facility closed. Dundee is not terribly expensive. Grass lake is less expensive. Jackson and Marshal are both pretty affordable. Both have pluses and minuses (Marshal is much nicer). The Kalamazoo area is pretty affordable,but watch where you go, there are some not so nice areas. (We have an officer right on the Kalamazoo/Portage border).
For your trip. Grand Haven is a nice waterfront area. I absolutely love Kirk Park just south of there. It has some really nice short but not easy hikes thought he woods, up the dunes etc. Poke around Grand Rapids a bit, but make sure you learn where to go not just drive around or it might look boring or awful to you. If you go to Jackson when it is warm, stop to see the fountain.
If you have all day, or more than a day, skip the freeway and just drive up Michigan Avenue. You will see all kinds of cute little towns.
Stop in Marshall it is on your way and a cute little town. I also like Coldwater quite a bit but some people say I am crazy. If you are going to explore the Pinkney area, stop in Hell. There is nothing there, but it is fun to say you have been there.
It seems like the weather is crazy everywhere anymore. We actually just had a day that was 80 this week. Our winters are fairly mild, but that's ridiculous even for here. I walk home and I think that short walk has helped me adjust to the cold weather as I've found I'm able to handle temperatures in the upper thirties and forties in a thick jacket with no problem. However, that day that reached 80 was miserable. Half way home I was wishing I wore shorts. And it was a few days before that that was in the upper thirties.
I have mixed feelings about the snow though. We don't get much so I can't lie. I'm excited to see the snow in Michigan. I'm just not sure how well we'll live in it, but we're not going to know unless we try. I've read about this lack of sunlight quite a bit in my research though. I've never had a problem with it since I like pretty much all weather conditions other than heat, but I'm not sure about constantly. I think it's something we could adapt to though. We don't go out often as it is. I'm hoping having more nature around will get me out of the house more often.
Thanks for mentioning some places. I don't really care to live around Ann Arbor specifically, but if it turns out that that's where we want to go, then it's good to have some places in mind. All of your suggestions are greatly appreciated and I'll look into them. It would be fun to stop in Hell.
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Originally Posted by AnimalFreak
Hello! My mom and I are considering moving to Michigan. It's been hard since nowhere is perfect and it's not guaranteed yet, but Michigan is close enough we could still see family on occasion, doesn't get so hot, and has a low cost of living. That being said, from what I've read, people seem to make a big deal out of the amount of snow and frigid weather during the winter. However, what I've looked at wasn't that bad. Is it really that cold/snowy throughout all of Michigan? Or would it be less so in the south? We were looking around Kalamazoo and the surrounding area, possibly even closer to Ann Arbor. I know it's going to be cold and there's going to be snow. I'm hoping we'll adapt to that. But where we're at "frigid" is in the teens and we're normally in the twenties-thirties throughout the winter while the summers are often nineties and higher, so I am a bit concerned with the drastic change.
On that note, we'll also take any advice on getting used to the colder climate or really any advice/comments/etc.
We do plan on making a trip there though we're not sure when yet. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas of where we should go. Our path, I think, will be taking us through Chicago and along Lake Michigan. We want to stop somewhere along the way to see the lake and were wondering if there was a specific area we should stop at. Then I think we're going to go to Kalamazoo and Jackson County. I'd like to go to at least one nature preserve/park/whatever else, but my mom isn't as much of an outdoors person and can't handle a great amount of walking, so I was wondering if there was anything else we could do in any towns or whatnot. Flea markets, festivals, perhaps some shops... Just any ideas so we can start planning our trip. We intend on staying a week, maybe less. I would like to stay longer, but we can't. We have three cats and a dog and I really don't trust anyone to take care of them so leaving at all is going to be hard enough.
South Haven has a beach & is a straight shot to Kalamazoo.
Michigan can be quite cold but winters seem to vary. Sometimes a lot of snow, sometimes not as much. It will be colder here than what you describe it is like from where you are from. Winters can seem long and dreary here to be honest with the cold, snow and not much sun. Kalamazoo and westward will have a lot more snow than towards the eastern part of the state. Anywhere around Highway 131 and west will have more snow. Even more up north.
You mentioned low cost of living. I would not consider Ann Arbor and surrounding areas low cost of living. Real estate has climbed in price considerably in the last years, especially over in that area. Same with Grand Rapids. Actually, I think mostly all of southern Michigan has seen some appreciation in home values. Home prices have risen 9.6% in Kalamazoo over the last year.
There are a lot of nature, wilderness areas in Michigan. There is the Waterloo State Recreation Area between Jackson and Ann Arbor for example. Just research online and you will find a lot.
Pay attention.
You will need no kidding winter clothes and coats. You will need a snow shovel or two and unless you have a strong back a snowblower. You need to pay attention to what kind of tires are on your car and what kind of drive train you have.
Pay attention.
You will need no kidding winter clothes and coats. You will need a snow shovel or two and unless you have a strong back a snowblower. You need to pay attention to what kind of tires are on your car and what kind of drive train you have.
Or live in a condo or apartment and let someone else shovel.
Or learn to drive in the snow. Lots of people, even or especially kids have driven successfully in the snow with ordinary tires and 2wd for about 100 years. You can do it too. Snow tires and AWD do make it more convenient and a little bit safer, but they do almost nothing to help you stop which its the real danger, Just learn to drive. Practice in empty parking lots. Find different conditions, lose control, learn how to again control. mostly it is about not overreacting and slowing down, leave a lot of space before the next car - just common sense mostly but that takes practice too. .
Thanks to both of you! I can't say we have any intentions of living in a condo or apartment (my goal is to not be able to see my neighbors), but we can definitely learn to drive in the snow. I'm a nervous driver so I'll probably take a lot of precautions. We'll keep the advice in mind.
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