  Drifterlee Member Username: Drifterlee Post Number: 5 Registered: 09-2007 |
My husband and I also took a drive through the Chicago, Boston, Edison mansion area and were surprised by the number of boarded-up homes and for sale signs. A dear friend owned a home just west of the Lodge on Chicago, but he passed away last year. Back in the 70's and 80's, the homes were kept up. Is it Michigan's lousy economy? I also noticed some young men who were loitering in and in front of a vacant home on Chicago. I doubt that they owned it. There was no visible furniture. Those are gorgeous mansions. I would hate to see them go the way of Brush Park. | ||
Jiscodazz Member Username: Jiscodazz Post Number: 59 Registered: 02-2007 |
When I was looking to buy a home 4 years ago, that was my impression as well. It seemed like a lot of people owned more home than they could afford and things were falling apart. Now with all the foreclosures, things are really looking like shit. It's really too bad. | ||
Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 2713 Registered: 11-2005 |
I toured B-E in July and that is not the impression I got. I think we saw 2 boarded up houses. Most were being maintained. They have a strong neighborhood group. I don't think they are dying. http://www.historicbostonediso n.org/ | ||
Rjk Member Username: Rjk Post Number: 862 Registered: 11-2003 |
Try doing a search on Boston Edison. I seem to recall a thread on this topic some months ago. I went on a bike ride through BE this past summer and commented to my wife that the heating bills on some of those homes has to be enormous. As mentioned above a lot of people may not fully understand how much money it takes to live in some of those houses. | ||
Kaptansolo Member Username: Kaptansolo Post Number: 278 Registered: 07-2007 |
I agree RJK. Many times when houses that were affordable to only the wealthy (some of the auto barons who lived there in the early part of the 1900's) become "more" affordable to the general public...one can easily bite off more than they can chew. The maintenance on a house that size or the snow removal on driveway that long can be astronomical to some people. My mother used to say that even back in the 70's when would drive through the Boston-Edison district on our way home. I remember looking at a few homes out on Long Island in 1999 and I was blown away at $12,000 annual taxes on a piece of property that would have cost $3000-4000 in Michigan. I just had no idea and had to rethink quite a few things before purchasing one. | ||
Granmontrules Member Username: Granmontrules Post Number: 172 Registered: 01-2007 |
BE now qualifies for the 33% tax break. Our friends had their taxes reduced by over 2000.00 plus they get historical credits and pay no or little income tax. She said their total reduction is usually 4000.00 a year or so - I think they pay pay around 5000.00 for a huge place. Or course upkeep is expensive. But nicer than a a McMansion in Brighton. | ||
Exmotowner Member Username: Exmotowner Post Number: 407 Registered: 06-2005 |
I was told by a friend of mine that owns a house on Longfellow that the taxes are $10,000 per year and her gas bill is $750 per month on the "budget plan". OUCH! It really is a shame that Detroit/michigan is just taxing its citizens right into moving out. Something has to give. | ||
Bussey Member Username: Bussey Post Number: 594 Registered: 12-2003 |
I pay 5800 for a one bedroom condo in Woodbridge! It could be worse! | ||
Ab5602 Member Username: Ab5602 Post Number: 1 Registered: 09-2007 |
I live it the area and have noticed more boarded up homes. However, many of them seem to be foreclosures on homes from people who can't afford them. There are two sides to this. The crime in my neighborhood has dramatically gone down in the last 6 months. Also, with respect to the heating bills, they're not too bad. My "budget plan" with electricity and gas is $350/month with a 3,000 sq ft home. Move on down here! It's generally a very nice neighborhood. | ||
Bussey Member Username: Bussey Post Number: 596 Registered: 12-2003 |
so i am assuming your place is for sale...lol nice first post. welcome | ||
Cman710 Member Username: Cman710 Post Number: 372 Registered: 07-2006 |
Ab5602, Welcome to the forum. I am interested in your statement that the crime rate has gone down the past six months. Do you think it is because the foreclosures kicked out criminals? | ||
Mackcreative Member Username: Mackcreative Post Number: 103 Registered: 08-2006 |
Bussey, can you qualify for the new NEZ in Woodbridge? It is due by Oct. 1. | ||
Patrick Member Username: Patrick Post Number: 4954 Registered: 10-2003 |
As much as I love this area, I dont know how it's worth living there. I have heard horrible stories about the upkeep of those grand mansions in BE. many needs new roofs (slate) and all sorts of repairs, which run into the thousands. taxes are higher at times, and heating these places is difficult. You definitely have to have a 6-figure income to maintain those homes. It might cost in excess of $35K a year just to live there and maintain the place. | ||
Zephyrprocess Member Username: Zephyrprocess Post Number: 468 Registered: 08-2006 |
What are the options for retrofitting these sorts of homes with windows that remain historically appropriate? | ||
Jerome81 Member Username: Jerome81 Post Number: 1620 Registered: 11-2003 |
Those taxes seem insane. Is that typical in Detroit, Michigan, both? | ||
Rjk Member Username: Rjk Post Number: 867 Registered: 11-2003 |
Does this area pay for private security? | ||
Drm Member Username: Drm Post Number: 1144 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: Michigan property tax estimator | ||
Downtown_remix Member Username: Downtown_remix Post Number: 498 Registered: 03-2007 |
Like several areas troughout the city and millions of humans througout the planet, Boston Edison is depressed, but is seeking help through the slow movement of GENTRIFICATION. YEs these homes are not easy to maintain, but believe it or not people are moving from far off suburbs back into the city of Detroit. The more PASSIONATE types seem to move to the Boston area, mezzmerized by the architecture and the regal feel of the neighborhood. They are quite aware of the issues surrounding there district, yet they still walk their dogs and maintain their landscaped yards. THings are much better for the area then like 10 years ago, hookers covered the streets surrounding Woodward like crazy so things are improving ...slooowwwllly. These high end casino hotel will draw a sorta mofia type crowd into the city. This area will be very popular.lol (scare face) | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 1115 Registered: 11-2003 |
I don't think people really think about what it cost to upgrade the house to current standards. 70 old drafty wooden windows... outdated HVAC systems, wooden shingle roofing etc, and old pipes. Trying to get that stuff up to code can add another couple hundred thousand to your "affordable" home. | ||
Islandman Member Username: Islandman Post Number: 957 Registered: 08-2004 |
My sister lives in a huge house in HP, and she's had to do her windows in phases because she has so many. What's funny is that her bill does get smaller every time she does another batch. As much as I love 3 story houses, upkeep has to be a pain. | ||
Diehard Member Username: Diehard Post Number: 140 Registered: 03-2005 |
That's the first time I've heard the theory that foreclosures make the crime rate go down. Usually the vacant houses are magnets for unsavory types. | ||
Bostonedisonrocks Member Username: Bostonedisonrocks Post Number: 15 Registered: 03-2007 |
I am glad to see the discussion about my neighborhood!••• Some of your observations are correct. In the past 12 months, we have had an increase in home foreclosures - resulting in a larger than usual number of boarded homes. This, however, is not just in Boston-Edison. I work in Macomb Co. and there has been a huge increase in foreclosures with the McMansions. The entire State of MI has a foreclosure problem - not just B-E. Boston-Edison has some of the largest, most beautiful homes in the city. These homes are expensive to maintain and to heat. An informed buyer / owner understands the trade-off -- you get a lot of home for your money in B-E --- but with these homes come other expenses. Most folks don't realize this neighborhood also has more modest homes. Yes, we have some homes larger than 12,000 sq. ft. My home is under 2000 sq ft - yet, it was built with many of the same materials and craftsmanship of the large mansions. The diversity of the homes in this neighborhood make it possible for a very diverse group of people to live here. That is one of the things that makes Boston-Edison a great place to live. Check out our website: www.historicbostonedison.org Thanx for letting me share my views. | ||
Bostonedisonrocks Member Username: Bostonedisonrocks Post Number: 16 Registered: 03-2007 |
One more thing. I am on the budget plan - for heat AND electric I have a combined payment of $225.00 a month. AND I haven't even touched the insulation and weather stripping yet. Another neighbor of mine shared with me: "I pay $350 max for gas in the winter (probably because of well-sealed windows and a goodly stack of fiberglas in the attic)." An informed owner is not surprised by the heat bills and in fact, takes steps to winterize and minimize the heat loss. | ||
Hpgrmln Member Username: Hpgrmln Post Number: 190 Registered: 06-2007 |
Ive seen Detroit foreclosed homes boarded up and I assume its to prevent the famed copper mining. Is this strictly a Detroit phenom? Royal Oak and Ferndale have plenty of foreclosures and I haven't seen anything boarded up there yet. | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 1117 Registered: 11-2003 |
The welcome mat for copper miners is a for sale sign in the yard. In the suburbs you really don't see the boarded up windows... but please believe the inside is scrapped. in Detroit, the inside is scrapped and they steal the windows etc. They don't do all that in the burbs for the most part... you get caught that way. | ||
Hpgrmln Member Username: Hpgrmln Post Number: 191 Registered: 06-2007 |
Theres a scrapped foreclosure down the street from me that isn't boarded up. Thats mostly because the owners stripped the interior of everything possible when they moved out. Needless to say, nobodys bought it. | ||
Lobsterpots Member Username: Lobsterpots Post Number: 68 Registered: 06-2007 |
Prices keep falling. where is the bottom here? | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 1701 Registered: 04-2006 |
Zero, lol. | ||
Prokopowicz Member Username: Prokopowicz Post Number: 22 Registered: 02-2005 |
Zero is not the bottom. I would guess that there are already plenty of properties (not in Boston-Edison) that no one would take for free, because of taxes. (Message edited by prokopowicz on September 26, 2007) | ||
Dougw Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 1911 Registered: 11-2003 |
<rant> Please, enough with the bullshit about property taxes being the biggest problem facing Boston-Edison and other historic neighborhoods. With the new NEZ, the homestead tax rate is down from 67 mills to about 50, in the same ballpark as Grosse Pointe or Ann Arbor. And with the home prices being drastically cheaper, in absolute terms you will pay less in property taxes in B-E than you would for the equivalent house in most suburbs. Whoever is paying $10K/year in property taxes probably has one of the more lavish mansions... they would be paying more in property taxes for the same house in Birmingham or Ann Arbor or Chicago or LA, because that house would be worth over a million dollars in those cities. Property taxes were just chopped by 25%, they're not going to be cut again anytime soon. I'm not a tax & spend liberal by any means, the cut was a good thing. But there are other more urgent problems to worry about... I wouldn't put property taxes in the Top 5. Also, on the plus side, if you buy a total fixer-upper in B-E at a low price, you can get locked in at the low property tax assessment based on your purchase price, and then make improvements to the home. |
