Detroit people! Inside!

[bdunosk]

I matched for my residency in Detoit at Wayne State University. I have a preliminary year to completely down here in Cincinnati, but will be moving to Detroit in June 2005. I grew up in Toledo, so I have a very vague understanding of the city... but where would you recommend buying a house or condo that wouldn't be too far from Wayne State? A friend already recommended Troy (which is kind of far, 20 miles or so by mapquest) and Royal Oak. Thanks in advance, and go Wings!

New question! What do you all know about Melvindale or Dearborn? I'm still a year away from moving, but I see a lot of well-priced condos that fit what I'm looking for. Thanks for answering!

More info - this is WSU at the Detroit Medical Center for a residency in diagnostic radiology. I'll be 27 (almost 28) by the time I move, and really don't want a roommate / dorm housing / apartment. While I'll have a ton of debt, there are a lot of advantages to buying and paying a mortgage versus living in a box and paying off my loans ASAP. I'm single, so no family or school concerns. The main thing I'm curious about is what areas would be good for purchasing a house / condo... names of suburbs or whatever are more helpful than distances.

My impression of Detroit is that the traffic is never really that bad. I've driven through several times on interviews / etc during the AM and PM rush hour and the only bad area seems to be Southfield Fwy (I think). Is it a problem to live 20 miles away from downtown and get there in a reasonable amount of time? Comment on that if you don't mind, too.

 

[bmacd]

are you going to the Detroit campus? They have WSU's all over. There's a campus here in Farmington Hills about two miles from my house.

-=bmacd=-

edit: are you coming here alone? You may want to check into roommates.com and roommatesclick.com instead of having a place by yourself. Royal Oak is a fun little city, and i'd recommend staying on the east side (mt. clemens, royal oak, sterling heights, st. clair shores, etc.)

 

[halik]

uhhh living in detroit is a bad idea in general...
but yeah troy is good 30 mins away from wayne state and all the other good places will be too...

 

[rudeguy]

really depends on what kind of budget you have, and how far you are willing to drive.

 

[iamwiz82]

You will not find nice housing in the city limits, unless you want to pay the big bucks. I'd say stay about 40 min away from the city. the drive isnt bad.

 

[RavnShield]

Not sure if you have a family or not but...I live in WSU's University Towers. Two bedroom, two bathrooms, kitchen, VERY safe building. A lot of med students and residents live here with roomies, cuts down on the costs big time (esp when you have that 100K+ loan).

Despite sh!t load rumors about Detroit, the campus itself is very safe. I lived alone in a dilapidated building when I was 18/19yrs old...no problem whatsoever. PM me if you want to know more.

More info

 

[Squisher]

Some serious traffic by my standards in Troy, houses are kinda pricey.

Royal Oak is an older/close-in burb that has gone through a gentrification and the city and its downtown is very eclectic. Ferndale also has a rather interesting downtown.


Downriver's not a bad choice if you want to keep housing costs down and you want to keep your commute short.

 

[bdunosk]

Thanks everyone... I'm 26 now, and not to sound snobby but I don't want to pick up a roomie. Those days are long gone. I'll update my original post with more information.

 

[Murphyrulez]

I live 20 miles south of Detroit in Taylor... I bought my house a couple years ago for $85k, it's a nice neighborhood.... Don't concentrate on the northern parts of Detroit, there's lots of good stuff Downriver.

 

[eviltommy]

i live in troy and commute to wayne. id live down there myself because im getting sick of my parents. however, if i were you i would defeinately find a nice place in royal oak.

 

[Squisher]

Southfield and Outer Dr. (Dearborn) for me.


About a mile west of the Tire.

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: Murphyrulez
I live 20 miles south of Detroit in Taylor... I bought my house a couple years ago for $85k, it's a nice neighborhood.... Don't concentrate on the northern parts of Detroit, there's lots of good stuff Downriver.

only a person from Downriver would say such a thing

 

[eviltommy]

yeah downriver is teh sux. oakland county is where the elite live.

 

[bdunosk]

Originally posted by: eviltommy
yeah downriver is teh sux. oakland county is where the elite live.

What's up with downriver... someone else made a comment about this on an interview. *shrug* Maybe it's like all the people here in town who have a problem with Northern Kentucky or the west side of Cincinnati. Though even after 4 years, I don't see what they're talking about...

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: bdunosk

Originally posted by: eviltommy
yeah downriver is teh sux. oakland county is where the elite live.

What's up with downriver... someone else made a comment about this on an interview. *shrug* Maybe it's like all the people here in town who have a problem with Northern Kentucky or the west side of Cincinnati. Though even after 4 years, I don't see what they're talking about...

well...the sewage flows into the river........

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: eviltommy
yeah downriver is teh sux. oakland county is where the elite live.

Oakland and Macomb Counties have seen a lot of growth over the last ten years, especially the Northern areas. Housing costs have increased along with this growth.

I'd live there if I could take the commute.

 

[eviltommy]

kentucky is nicer than downriver.

 

[iamwiz82]

I live in Oakland county and love it. We have a larger economy that many states.

 

[adlep]

Ferndale here!
Still not expensive, but it is getting better and more expensive...
Edit: Ferndale is right below Royal Oak, below I-696 and next to I-75..
Sweet location...

 

[kb315]

everyone rep the 248!

 

[iamme]

Goooooooo Pistons!!!!!!!!!!!

:beer:

 

[bdunosk]

alright, let me bump this again tonight. What about the Southfield area? There seems to be a TON of housing... but why? Is it a cruddy place to live?

 

[bmacd]

southfield is much better than it was 10 years ago. Like detroit, there are the slums to s'field and there are nice areas. Just make sure you're in the latter of the two!

-=bmacd=-

 

[bmacd]

also, if you have to drive on the i696 (walter p. reuther freeway) from 4pm-7pm, BUDGET your time!!! You're better of walking home. And i think the s'field freeway you're referring to is "the Lodge".

-=bmacd=-

 

[adlep]

Originally posted by: bmacd
also, if you have to drive on the i696 (walter p. reuther freeway) from 4pm-7pm, BUDGET your time!!! You're better of walking home. And i think the s'field freeway you're referring to is "the Lodge".

-=bmacd=-

Ditto