 
Rid0617
Member
Username: Rid0617
Post Number: 80
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 1:36 am: |    |
As much as I hate to say this we have put moving to Detroit on the far back burner. We haven't totally ruled it out.
It has nothing to do with race, crime, lack of services or appearance of the area. The biggest reason is even though Detroit is in a depression the cost of living is through the roof.
First problem is property tax. Our home here is valued at approx $80,000, keep in mind home prices here are low. This is for a 2200 sq ft modular home on an acre of land. Our taxes are around $700 per year. According to our research this same home in Detroit would have property tax between $2500-$3000.
Next problem is car insurance. Even if we got rid of one car which would be a problem with me being disabled and visiting lots of doctors, our monthly car insurance would be $64 a month more than we pay for the same coverage on 2 cars.
Detroit Edison charges exactly double what we are billed by Duke Power for identical kw hours.
As I said, we haven't totally gave up. Buying an abandoned home for $5,000 and remodeling it was well within the budget. But moving up there and eliminating a mortgage here would only be $30-$40 a week less going out than our current expenses. And that didn't even include the unknown of what would a heating bill be.
I still be posting here because I want to come home. We just have to figure out how to make it work. Thank you to all who have been so helpful while we tried to figure this out. |
Gannon
Member
Username: Gannon
Post Number: 12625
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 8:16 am: | |
Thank YOU for doing the research and math that so many of us would rather ignore.
You illuminate some serious issues, Rid.
Cheers |
Rax
Member
Username: Rax
Post Number: 255
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 8:41 am: | |
Research? High heating bills, high car insurance, and high taxes. I never would have guessed. That's never been covered before. |
Sstashmoo
Member
Username: Sstashmoo
Post Number: 1393
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 9:24 am: | |
If you wanna run with the big dogs...  |
Chuckjav
Member
Username: Chuckjav
Post Number: 535
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 9:41 am: | |
Right-On Rid0617; you made the right call.
Go with the traffic flow; you are currently where most folks want to be. |
Spacemonkey
Member
Username: Spacemonkey
Post Number: 540
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 9:50 am: | |
You're the dude who's in South Carolina, right?
Surely, you're better off staying put. |
Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem
Post Number: 3631
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 10:05 am: | |
First, who the fuck cares?
Second, if you think the cost of living here is "through the roof" you're out of your mind. Try moving to San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, etc. |
Spacemonkey
Member
Username: Spacemonkey
Post Number: 543
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 10:07 am: | |
Yes, but in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston you get something for the dollar; like city services, hundreds of entertainment options, thriving city life, and so on. |
Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem
Post Number: 3633
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 10:16 am: | |
I get plenty of that here too, and I'm not paying $700k for a 1200 sq ft home with no garage in a seedy neighborhood. |
Iheartthed
Member
Username: Iheartthed
Post Number: 3072
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 10:19 am: | |
Well you can rent a good place in Detroit for dirt cheap right now. That would cut out the property tax burden... Maybe even the utilities burden too. |
Danindc
Member
Username: Danindc
Post Number: 4253
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 12:13 pm: | |
Mikem, are you driving the Bitter Bus today? What's with the false propaganda? |
Digitalvision
Member
Username: Digitalvision
Post Number: 802
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 12:25 pm: | |
I think MikeM represents what I see a lot of Detroiters do - get militant and bitter.
It's the wrong reaction, though - and just pushes people away and hurts the cause. There are realities of a situation - this highlights the fact that those realities need to change.
Attitudes of "fuck'em" is exactly why people are moving in droves to other areas and leaving here - remember, the city proper is still losing people like water through a sieve.
Most on this forum are urbanists and downtown focused - not a bad thing, but a different perspective - but there is some serious damage going on in the neighborhoods as thousands of black families see Rid's equation and book for places like Atlanta, Dallas, or the suburbs as a two-mile move can mean a much higher quality of life on everything from insurance to schools to security.
Not that the suburbs are perfect - but put yourself in the shoes of someone with a kid or three and just trying to make it. Detroit needs to come on par, just with it's neighbors for now in the area of services delivered for money spent. It's a value equation that each makes on their own - and very obviously, the vast majority of folks do not prefer see the Detroit value equation for themselves right now, even compared to higher-cost areas. |
Spacemonkey
Member
Username: Spacemonkey
Post Number: 550
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 12:30 pm: | |
Mikem is simply displaying the one thing Detroit has always produced best: attitude. It this "Anyway. Anyhow. Anywhere." attitude that helped make Detroit great to begin with, and has also aided its decline. But it's the one thing for which I'm proud of most about being from Detroit. |
Danindc
Member
Username: Danindc
Post Number: 4254
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 12:33 pm: | |
quote:Detroit needs to come on par, just with it's neighbors for now in the area of services delivered for money spent. It's a value equation that each makes on their own - and very obviously, the vast majority of folks do not prefer see the Detroit value equation for themselves right now, even compared to higher-cost areas.
Well, it is hard to see. Property taxes of $3000/year for an $80k house? Sounds outrageous, but that's what you would pay in property taxes for a $350,000 house in DC. Good luck finding one of those in a decent neighborhood. So, your property taxes are about the same for the same relative value of house/neighborhood.
On the other hand, it can be cheaper to live in a place like DC, Chicago, Boston, et. al, because you don't need a car for every task, if at all. Frankly, it's cheaper for me to live here than it is in Detroit. |
Rax
Member
Username: Rax
Post Number: 257
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 1:05 pm: | |
quote:Frankly, it's cheaper for me to live here than it is in Detroit.
Thank God. |
Barnesfoto
Member
Username: Barnesfoto
Post Number: 5042
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 1:05 pm: | |
The only thing that's cheap in Detroit is property...But if there is not enough work to sustain one (and cover the high costs of heating insurance,etc)...what's the difference?
I live in Los Angeles...Real Estate prices have fallen by as much as 20 percent in some areas, but they are still astronomical compared to Detroit.
But there is work and increasingly, there is mass transit. |
Rid0617
Member
Username: Rid0617
Post Number: 83
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 1:06 pm: | |
"First, who the fuck cares?
Second, if you think the cost of living here is "through the roof" you're out of your mind. Try moving to San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, etc"
Several on here who work working with me do care. And if I was considering moving to San Francisco, Washington or Chicago I wouldn't have come to the Detroit forum would I? |
Rax
Member
Username: Rax
Post Number: 258
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 1:18 pm: | |
So where are you considering? |
Rid0617
Member
Username: Rid0617
Post Number: 84
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 1:33 pm: | |
Staying put for now. I still want to come to Detroit, just having a heck of a time trying to make it work money wise. I still hate SC though. Between the rednecks and living with a bunch of folks stuck in the 1950s there's plenty of reasons to leave. |
Rid0617
Member
Username: Rid0617
Post Number: 85
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 1:35 pm: | |
"Well you can rent a good place in Detroit for dirt cheap right now. That would cut out the property tax burden... Maybe even the utilities burden too."
Thanks for the suggestion but the goal is to eliminate a monthly payment in a sorry economy. |
Gaz
Member
Username: Gaz
Post Number: 182
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 2:06 pm: | |
Since Detroit has bad transit, high taxes, terrible schools, etc.; wherre is all the tax money going?? Kwame's girlfriends?? |
Danny
Member
Username: Danny
Post Number: 7330
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 2:18 pm: | |
At least some folks still take their investment pride in Detroit. Moving to suburbs or any other state means that someone has given up on Detroit and leaving it as a memory. Everyone can do all the urban study research, but everyone could find trouble anywhere.
Rid0617,
Have a blessing on your new investment risk at another area. Hopefully you don't end up on the money pit. |
Rid0617
Member
Username: Rid0617
Post Number: 86
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 2:27 pm: | |
Danny it's not so much for investment as it is to reduce our expenses. My wife is a waitress so no problems finding work in that field. I'm a disabled vet and was very impressed with the Detroit VA hospital. Especially since my current VA hospital is over 2 hours a way. I wanted to come home to get out of the south and trying my best to make it work. We were very gung ho and trying to do it within a month or two. Just didn't expect the stumbling blocks which I solely place on City and State government policies. It's almost like they are purposely trying to hold Detroit down. |
Retroit
Member
Username: Retroit
Post Number: 56
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 2:58 pm: | |
Look at it this way Rid0617: at least you won't have Mikem for a neighbor!
But seriously, your obsession with moving to Detroit seems unfounded. If you think that moving here will increase your financial margin by $30-40, I have some beachfront property in Kansas you may be interested in. Living in the "City" is not cheap, or of good value. Why do you think people are fleeing this city. As I told you before in another thread: Home is where you live, not where you came from. Enjoy Carolina and stay a "virtual" Detroiter. |
Rid0617
Member
Username: Rid0617
Post Number: 87
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 3:13 pm: | |
Thanks Retroit |
Rax
Member
Username: Rax
Post Number: 261
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 3:16 pm: | |
I agree, with Retroit. Your reasons for wanting to move to Detroit seem pretty silly. Either way, I wish you luck and hope for the best for you and your family. |
Mackcreative
Member
Username: Mackcreative
Post Number: 226
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 4:40 pm: | |
I was recently talking to a neighbor, a transplant from California, who commented that his quality of life greatly improved when he moved to Detroit. With a pre-existing health condition he had not been able to get insurance in California, was priced out of the housing market; he was able to buy a home and for the first time and be part of a neighborhood in Detroit.
It got me thinking, as an out-of-stater as well, about my family's quality of life here in Detroit (which is certainly not without difficulty,) but we are decidedly better for it. I do understand though that for most people it does not make sense to move to Detroit, it takes a special willingness to swim upstream. |
Terryh
Member
Username: Terryh
Post Number: 734
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 7:49 pm: | |
Most of my friends and associates who are former Detroiters beg and implore me not to move into the city. Generally it is because of the research you mention, but they also mention race,(these individuals are of African descent)using disparaging terms such as trash and ghetto to describe the inhabitants of certain areas. They also express concerns about my safety as a caucasian. Ive checked out some great buildings with great historical architeceral style and character. They were located on Glynn court at Woodward; Glynn court at the Lodge; Seward at the lodge etc. most people reccomend the midtown and downtown area. A friend has a nice loft in the Griswold-state? area and pays for a parking service to park and bring her car. Also the elevator comes right up into her apartment. Lots of noise on weekends. The rents in some cases are significantly cheaper,but generally the apartments are much smaller than what you would get in the burbs. Factor in the price of gas also if you work in the burbs. |
Rid0617
Member
Username: Rid0617
Post Number: 88
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 9:08 pm: | |
That was one of the main reasons for thinking about it. Yes coming back to Detroit and leaving the south is a reason but not the main ones. Being poor people it is the only way I see to have a paid for home while I'm alive. Life insurance would pay this place off upon my death for my wife but I would like to see a paid for home. The other main reason is the VA situation. Our VA here is extremely poor. Any type of test or medical procedure requires over 2 hours one way to the VA hospital in Columbia.
Other reasons are wanting to help a cause because I remember what a great city Detroit was no matter what race runs the place and I still feel it can. |
Magnasco
Member
Username: Magnasco
Post Number: 256
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 10:24 pm: | |
I realize I am a bit late to the conversation, but Rid your equation is right on target. And I realize that Rid isn't looking for a school, but the fact that it is the biggest service missing for those high tax dollars, it can't be ignored when you are doing the equation. You can't expect to shore up a failing city while saying screw anyone who has kids, or plans to have kids, and cares about their education and can afford to make a better choice for their children.
MikeM's attitude will only go so far for covering the shortages in the budget in providing services and for helping support all the poor in the city.
After an 8 year attempt at making the equation work, soon enough you may find me out in the burbs renting a house that is the same size as the one I have, more energy efficient, with better schools, for less than 2/3rds of the price I was paying for my house. And that's not even factoring in my new found fortune on car insurance, which admittedly would then go for extra gas for an extra 10 minutes on the commute.
Good luck with the next round of Detroit Pioneers. Hope they stay longer.
(Message edited by Magnasco on May 06, 2008) |