 
Bostonedisonrocks
Member
Username: Bostonedisonrocks
Post Number: 19
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 9:53 am: |    |
I did not mean to "talk down" to Chub. I apologize if that is how I came across. My point was - if you are not living in B-E, you do not get our newsletter which highlights everything we are doing.
As for "being treated differently" where you live in B-E -- I live on Longfellow, West of the Lodge and I do not feel like I am treated any differently. I guess the big thing is - you have to get involved - volunteer on a committee, get to know your neighbors, be a participating member of the neighborhood --- then, you meet others with your same mind-set. You have first hand info on what is happening in the neighborhood (instead of just anecdotal accounts).
As for a "Living in B-E Event" - that is a good idea. This past summer we did have a neighborhood open house --- a number of realtors had open houses on the same date --- participating realtors met for a light breakfast and B-E presentation at Sacred Heart Seminary. Afterwards, when the houses were open - interested people came to the Seminary for maps of the homes being shown. We had over 200 people come through that day. It was a much smaller event than was planned for the "V" - but it followed the same general principles. I am hoping it becomes an annual event.
This brings us to the current state of the state and nation. Numerous communities are now trying to come up with innovative ways to attract buyers. The city of Dearborn has recently approved an expenditure of over $200,000 to advertise and sell their community. Last night's national news highlighted communities across the US that are embarking on similar strategies. This is not a Boston-Edison or a Detroit, or a Michigan phenomenon -- it is nation wide. AND it's a buyers market. If you are buying a house today - you are going to get more house for your money. |
Livernoisyard
Member
Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 4147
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 10:02 am: | |
I can easily see why those on Boston or Chicago would be snobby to those living immediately south of them. The differences in house and surroundings almost make it as their being in two entirely different communities. The same attitudes could be held for being on one side of the Lodge from the other.
Another point: The 1967 riot erupted about 1 1/4 blocks away from the southern limit of BE (Edison).
(Message edited by LivernoisYard on October 01, 2007) |
E_hemingway
Member
Username: E_hemingway
Post Number: 1343
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 10:19 am: | |
The future Mrs and I attended the B-E tour this summer. There were some simply gorgeous houses on that tour. Two next to the main park in B-E, I can't remember the name of it, were a few of the most beautiful houses I have ever seen. There were also a couple of homes that were in need of a lot of work that people were absolutely unrealistic about the price. High 200s for a place that needed a full gutting? Come on people, be serious. |
Livernoisyard
Member
Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 4148
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 10:24 am: | |
Often the value of a lot in itself far surpasses the value of any structure on it. |
Eric_c
Member
Username: Eric_c
Post Number: 1039
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 10:58 am: | |
Often the value of a house in itself far surpasses the value of the lot. |
Lobsterpots
Member
Username: Lobsterpots
Post Number: 83
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 2:43 pm: | |
BostonEdisonRocks:
Hi there...You are 100% correct that sometimes I catastrophize.I don't know if its a word either,but it sure does work well.When I am considering a purchase,or a major decision. I try to be objective and take many aspects into consideration.Weigh both pros and cons.I like BE,haven't ruled it out.I am convinced that home prices will drop further,and rebound when the economy stabilizes.I feel that it (in general all home prices all over the US)is going to get worse before getting better.I dont think that BE is "going to go the way of Brush Park" as was previously suspected by an earlier post.Any neighborhood is only as good as its neighbors.To say that Atkinson,Longfellow,Glynn,Calv ert are not part of BE is historically incorrect.These homes and residents are equally as important as the other streets.
Take a look for yourself what the engineers of the master plans had intented collectively as a PLANNED COMMUNITY.All streets and residents were to be equally as important, otherwise they wouldn't have been planned. regardless of smaller lot size and square footage homes.
If Chub & his brother experienced problems when they lived on one of the outer streets,then it should be a collective concern for the entire historic subdivision,and his valid opinion should not be discounted or ignored by residents of the larger homes in the center.
These maps don't show the homes that were tragically removed on account of the Lodge.
http://www.cis.state.mi.us/pla tmaps/dt_image.asp?BCC_SUBINDE X=2071
http://www.cis.state.mi.us/pla tmaps/dt_image.asp?BCC_SUBINDE X=1756
http://www.cis.state.mi.us/pla tmaps/dt_image.asp?BCC_SUBINDE X=1726 |
Livernoisyard
Member
Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 4155
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 3:28 pm: | |
If Atkinson is considered the limit of BE (probably correct as signs for the district are posted on Atkinson, I think), then the 1967 riot erupted in that blind pig somewhere between 1/4 or 1/3 block away from the closest property at Twelfth and Atkinson. |
Chub
Member
Username: Chub
Post Number: 490
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 4:37 pm: | |
Atkinson from the Lodge to Linwood has historic designation locally, but not nationally. The homes in this area were built in the in same time period and with same materials/construction as the rest of BE.
One of my neighbors who was there during the riots told me that there was a tank in the street on 12th and Atkinson, stopping people from coming into the BE area. This is why there wasn't a lot of physical damage done to BE from the riots. |
Neilr
Member
Username: Neilr
Post Number: 585
Registered: 06-2005
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 4:57 pm: | |
Atkinson is not in the Boston/Edison neighborhood although some of the original legal subdivisions, such as Guerold's Sub, for example, include blocks on both Atkinson and Edison. Atkinson legally is in the Virginia Park neighborhood even though architecturally it aligns with Edison and, to a bit lesser extent, Longfellow. As Chub just stated. Atkinson between the Lodge and Linwood has its own separate local historic designation: the Atkinson Avenue Historic District. |
Livernoisyard
Member
Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 4162
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 5:09 pm: | |
The value of Atkinson being in or out has more to do with perceptions than with legal (deed) descriptions, especially because most older covenants either have expired or were legally unenforceable today. However, the perceptions would probably decrease the further one got away from Chicago to the south and from Boston to the north.
Some small parts of Lawrence--three blocks north--are pretty nasty hood territory, with cars being stripped in broad daylight and with few police ever cruising the street.
(Message edited by LivernoisYard on October 01, 2007) |
Lobsterpots
Member
Username: Lobsterpots
Post Number: 84
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 5:38 pm: | |
when I went to visit recently and was looking at homes, everyone seemed very nice BE.
Could it be that homes in BE are targets of theft because there is no security or is a gated community like Las Vegas & So Cal?
Homes in BE would be worth a fortune if it was like those gated communities where if you have a guest arrive, the guard rings down to the house and then opens the gate. |
Lobsterpots
Member
Username: Lobsterpots
Post Number: 85
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 5:55 pm: | |
Just an observation...
Seems as though the Blind Pig always comes back to rear its ugly head and bite us all in the ass in virtually every thread.
When will this shameful and tragic event that ocurred years before I was born finally pass and be put to bed so that Detroit can move forward where it needs to be today? |
Masterblaster
Member
Username: Masterblaster
Post Number: 89
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 02, 2007 - 7:41 am: | |
What can be done about the thieves that are constantly raping the vacant beautiful homes of Boston-Edison, Virginia Park, Russell Woods-Sullivan, La Salle Boulevard, and West Grand Boulevard?
A "FOR SALE" sign is an advertisement for theft. I swear that there are thieves that cruise these neighborhoods everyday just looking for vacant houses to break into!
These realtor companies are asinine in the securing of these houses. I have seen houses recently in all of those aforementioned neighborhoods whose FRONT or SIDE DOORS were WIDE open. Somebody had broken into the house, pillaged it, and left.
The bad thing about it, is that when I called the realtor companies to inform them of these houses, I was the FIRST one to have called them!!
Why haven't the neighbors called the real estate companies?????????? |
Dougw
Member
Username: Dougw
Post Number: 1924
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 02, 2007 - 1:45 pm: | |
Masterblaster -- I half agree. A For Sale sign by itself is not necessarily that much of an advertisement for theft, as long as the house looks lived in and reasonably kept up. Having someone live in the house or at least an alarm system helps. There are a number of homes in my neighborhood which have had For Sale signs out in front for several months with no attempted breakins.
The REAL advertisements for theft are those idiotic "this house has been winterized" or "this home secured by XXX company" signs and stickers that get posted in the front windows of many foreclosed homes. Once one of those goes up, you are virtually guaranteed a B&E or attempted B&E within 48 hours. At that point, the thief knows for sure that no one is living in the house, and it's bank owned so that it doesn't have an alarm and probably not even power turned on, as well as having an owner that doesn't really care about the property.
quote:These realtor companies are asinine in the securing of these houses.
Agreed 100%. Paradoxically, once the foreclosure realtor gets someone to go in and "secure" the property this way, the property actually becomes a lot less secure than it was originally. |
Dougw
Member
Username: Dougw
Post Number: 1927
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 03, 2007 - 11:17 am: | |
Here's another problem with the banks and foreclosure realtors. Sometimes, even if someone is caught breaking into a house, they can't be bothered to press charges. See this news story: http://tinyurl.com/2uvxjs
To be fair, there are more reputable banks/realtors out there who do press charges. |
Downtown_remix
Member
Username: Downtown_remix
Post Number: 502
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 03, 2007 - 11:29 am: | |
What about TAYLOR ST.? Just 2 blocks south of chicago. These homes are amazing. Whats the history of this street? Both streets surounding Taylor have houses that are much smaller and thus is in much worst shape. |
Asbury
Member
Username: Asbury
Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 10:53 pm: | |
First let me state that I am new to the area. I am thinking about buying a home in BE. However, being from the north east, I am unable to understand the pricing in this area. Such a huge range. What happened? At one time were these properties getting 3 times the amount. I tried to search some deeds online and was unable to find detailed information. Are there and real estate professionals that could sum up the area? |
Lefty2
Member
Username: Lefty2
Post Number: 264
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 11:12 pm: | |
What can be done about the thieves that are constantly raping the vacant beautiful homes of Boston-Edison, Virginia Park, Russell Woods-Sullivan, La Salle Boulevard, and West Grand Boulevard?
Shoot them. That will stop them dead in their tracks.
The only solution is for residents to take a active stance. DPD is an afterthought, No disrespect tot the DPD. |
Bostonedisonrocks
Member
Username: Bostonedisonrocks
Post Number: 23
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 10:56 am: | |
Asbury writes:
"I am thinking about buying a home in BE. However, being from the north east, I am unable to understand the pricing in this area. Such a huge range. What happened? At one time were these properties getting 3 times the amount. I tried to search some deeds online and was unable to find detailed information. Are there and real estate professionals that could sum up the area?"
The large range of prices in B-E is rather confusing. However, it has a lot to do with the size of the homes as well as their current condition. As DougW posted above - there are a number of foreclosed homes that were vandalized and stripped - thus moving them from a recently occupied home in good condition to an unoccupied home in need of repair. It is unfortunate that Realtors, Banks, other lending institutions, etc. do not take better care of the homes in their inventory. Currently - given the huge price ranges in B-E - you have a lot to choose from. A person who can do a lot of the work him/herself can by a fixer upper at a great price and will eventually have a home to be proud of. People that have some money (or good credit - lol) can get into a nice "ready to live in" home for a reasonable price (as compared to similarly sized homes in the wealthier suburbs).
Lobsterpots may be correct, when he says home prices in B-E and in Michigan will probably come down even further before they stabilize and once again begin to climb. The thing to remember right now - if buying a home anywhere - it should be for the long-term. The days of buying a home and flipping it for an almost immediate profit are over. I bought in B-E 9 years ago. This is my home where I plan to live for many more years. When I am ready to sell - I am sure it will sell at a profit (the assessed value has already doubled) -- but for me, the important thing is IT'S MY HOME. IT'S MY COMMUNITY. And as crazy as this might sound - it's where I belong.
The great thing about this neighborhood -- you can be as involved as you want to be. You can be a hermit in your house and no one will bother you OR you can join your block club, join the Association, join a committee and be as involved as you like. I know more of my Detroit neighbors than the neighbors I knew when I lived in Royal Oak. |
Lobsterpots
Member
Username: Lobsterpots
Post Number: 1
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 11:31 pm: | |
The major drawback concerning the purchase of a home of significant value at this point in time is simply that nobody knows whats going to happen next.
It's like everybodys waiting for the next shoe to drop or something. I'm in retail sales and I saw it today again in the store. A good customer decided not to buy a new suit because he doesn't know if he will have a job. He has the cash, but afraid to spend it. He states they're dropping like flies in his office every friday. Pink slip friday.
I can't say that I blame him for holding off.
The store reacts to this buy buying thousands of ten dollar shirts and pants and advertises them instead of the expensive items that were the staple of the sales revenue, this was done just to keep the sales and people coming in. Those are the only items that are really moving right now.
People are broke, maxed-out, scared, and want deals. If you cant make good deals there's no sales. I believe the same principle applies to real estate.
Next year is an election year, election years are historically bad years for sales.
Remember, there's still billions of dollars invested in homes with subprime, alt A mortgages that will reset to high rates all through 2008. Another LARGER wave of foreclosures is coming down the pike. We are only about 9 months into this mortgage meltdown.
New administration begins in '09, then if public perception of the new president is favorable, if we can stabilize our position in Iraq, we'll start spending again in 2010 and 2011 will be a good year. |
Swingline
Member
Username: Swingline
Post Number: 916
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 10:29 am: | |
Asbury, welcome to the forum.
There's much truth and good advice in B-Erock's last post. If you are handy and know how to manage restoration contractors, there are numerous fixer-upper choices in B-E that could once again become grand and unique homes. LaSalle Gardens, Atkinson and Indian Village also have many such fixer-upper opportunities.
The B-E neighborhood will endure. It's just that right now it is grappling with the after-effects of several years of too easy credit that brought in too many buyers who lacked the finances and skills to handle the cost and maintenance challenges of owning large old homes. Things will improve soon. In the meantime, bargains are there for the right kind of buyer. |
Asbury
Member
Username: Asbury
Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 10:52 am: | |
Thank you both for the information. I am currently looking for this type of project. Just need to pick the area. I like B-E but am a bit concerned. There are some very large homes that I don't see a demand for anytime soon. My worry is that people who can afford such a home would not choose the area at this time. I see the zoning would not allow these big homes to be split into 2 or 3 condo units. Without that, how long would it take for the property values to be restored? |
Asbury
Member
Username: Asbury
Post Number: 4
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007 - 7:33 pm: | |
Another question, can anyone recommend a good real estate agent that specializes in this area? I have been having a difficult time obtaining information |
Lobsterpots
Member
Username: Lobsterpots
Post Number: 6
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007 - 7:38 pm: | |
Asbury:
so your interested in BE also?
I like the area myself. |
Chub
Member
Username: Chub
Post Number: 491
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007 - 9:54 pm: | |
Contact Brandon at www.oconnordetroit.com |
E_hemingway
Member
Username: E_hemingway
Post Number: 1374
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007 - 10:14 pm: | |
I have heard nothing but good things about O'Connor Real Estate.
However, my fiancee and I are using Margaret Palmer of Renaissance, www.margaretpalmer.com. Although we have not bought a place through her yet (we're still looking) she is incredibly knowledgeable about all things real estate in Detroit. She is local and has years and years of experience to back it up. Margaret came highly recommended from a longtime forumer here, has great references that check out (my favorite was the couple that said they looked at more than 100 homes with her before buying and never felt the least bit rushed) and we have nothing but very good things to say about her.
Send her an e-mail at margaret at renaissanceinv dot com or call her at (313) 832-2286 (work) or (313) 570-4114 (cell).
Hope this helps
(Message edited by E_hemingway on October 15, 2007) |
Bearinabox
Member
Username: Bearinabox
Post Number: 295
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007 - 10:47 pm: | |
Lobsterpots, why did your post count reset? |
Lefty2
Member
Username: Lefty2
Post Number: 393
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007 - 10:55 pm: | |
i have an idea, (look out)
have private security paid by the homeowners of the area to patrol and check on any activity, may help overall prices, security livability? huh |
Lobsterpots
Member
Username: Lobsterpots
Post Number: 7
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 - 8:14 am: | |
Thats a good question, why did my post count reset? |
Lobsterpots
Member
Username: Lobsterpots
Post Number: 12
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 - 9:12 am: | |
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap /2007/10/16/business/NA-FIN-US -Mortgage-Bankers.php |
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