Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Well, after much debate, it seems that in light of the crazy real estate values in the DC area, we are going to cash in and move elsewhere. Since my wife and I have alot of family still in the Detriot, MI area, she claims that is the most logical move we could make. Michigan is NOT my first choice, but it does make sense.

Anyway, the real meat of this thread is, I know there are alot of MIchigan & Ohio guys and gals on this board. Maybe ya'll could help me out! I've spent the last 13 years in auto or marine sales and finance. So, my career path will most likely be in one of those two areas (unless I can find something more exciting!). I don't really want to be a salesperson (I would if I had to), but rather a sales manager or finance.

What are the "good" dealers to do business with (or work for) in the Southeastern MI or Northwestern OH (Toledo) areas? Any experiences would be appreciated! :drink:

PS. I DID read Blaster's thread this morning! :rolleyes: Best of luck to him!

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

You are going to the wrong side. The sand and clean lake are on the west coast of MI. Here in Holland we have a strict social standard and you need to pass a vigorous 10 part test before you can live here. I have the answers and will give them to you if needed. :D

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Aside from family, I can't understand why you would head out here, it seems like job opportunites are not that great, a lot of industrial jobs are heading south or west and I mean WAY south and WAY west, we are talking passports. Don't get me wrong I like living here, but Mr P works for GM so we have no choice. We like the great lakes and live on a small one, but man the weather sucks. This year summer did not really arrive until late July, and then we had a bunch of wind and rain, the best month for boating was Sept. :eek: Now we have a bunch of snow, next week they say rain and freezing rain. Anyway sorry to sound so discouraging, I would definately make sure you had a job before making the move, are you guys both working now

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Unemployment in Michigan is 1.5% higher than the national average.

Our governor is trying to tax us into prosperity.

When I finish my masters degree, I'm gonna try to leave.

I can't golf all year round here either.

I can't see why anybody would WANT to be in Michigan.

The great lake are nice - for 3/4 months. :D

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

DAMNNN!! That's rough! Well, I've been kickin' and fightin' this idea for soooo long, that finally it looks like we could go and not be strapped (or employed) for a little while. But, I don't want to be in that situation. I am the only one working outside the house. My wife takes care of the 3 kids.

If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody gonna be happy! :( :p

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

One thing that seems to defy the Michigan economy is new home construction and used home sales in most nice areas. Why not real estate ? Car sales are extremly competative since everyone is getting some form of factory employee discount. Christ if your neighbor's dog bit you dog you qualify for a discount. Boats are seasonal as you have probably figured out.

How about medical equipment/ pharmicutical sales ? My son is going from food service sales into that field. The populations is aging and more and more of us need that blue pill !!!!!!

ed

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Let me put it this way....

I'm in Toledo, and yesterday I started a thread along the same lines trying to get out of here. VA was one of the places I wondered about. Maybe the grass is greener? Let's trade. I'll give you my house in Toledo. You give me your house in VA. Hell, lets trade boats too. You've got a Formula. :)

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

If you get more responses, I'm moving mine from O/T over here. :D

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Before you move...You might want to invest in a Parka, good hat and a very good pair of gloves!!!! :p :D :D

I have to say that I'd fight that move until the end!!! But, like you said, if momma aint happy.............

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?

yea, DON'T COME HERE



call me if you need to know about a toledo dealer.. I know them all

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Hmmm since you are moving to midwest to be closer to family in Detroit and Ohio, consider the advantages of bigger city - more jobs possibly, schools for kiddies, nite life for "older kiddies" otherwise known as parents, Lake Michigan, etc. with easy travel access to MI and OH if needed and as needed. Chicago! Even job markets in surrounding suburbs i.e. Naperville, Schaumburg, etc. are equal to downtown Chi-town. We are a nice bunch! :drink:

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

:drink: LOL!

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Fund Razor: That should be a good trade. The job market and economy (especially housing) is booming here due to federal spending.

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

That's good advice:D I'm considering looking for employment else ware myself and i'm 99% sure my job isn't going anywhere.

Michigan's unemployment rate is being driven by all of the manufacturing jobs leaving so as long as that's not your line of work you might be able to find a job.

Toledo......I wouldn't wish that on anyone :D :D

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Belive it or not, west Michigan is the place to cash in on real estate.

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

My wife believes that we can find a simpler life somewhere. Plop a nice downpayment on a much less expensive house (have you seen the prices of real estate in the Northern
Va area :eek: ) and get a "normal" job so I don't have to work 60+ hours every week to pay for a damn house! 'Cause the boat ain't leavin'!! :p
My wife's theory is a good one. It's just where will it work the best? She pics SE MI. :(

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Sweet. Usually I get screwed. :D

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

There are nice nice homes in SE mich. The taxes aren't as bad as the Toledo suburbs like Sylvania or Maumee. Cost of living isn't bad, but you would probably have a commute to work. More of a bedroom community.

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

I'd have to agree with Mitch. We're north of Detroit (Macomb Twp), and if I could find the right position we'd move to the west side in a heartbeat. Better boating, better sledding, housing is cheaper, less crime, and it is a generally more conservative area.

Detroit proper is a sh*thole with no redeeming qualities (and I say this as a life long resident). If you *must* live in the SE area, I would definitely stay as far away from Detroit as you can, the suburbs generally get nicer the farther away you are.

The area south of Detroit is known as the "Downriver" area. Mostly older areas (40's, 50's, 60's) built when Detroit was the Auto Capital of the World. Some of these cities are experiencing a revival, notably Wyandotte. If I had to live down there, I'd look at Gross Isle (pronounced "Grohz Eel"); it's an island community with some very nice homes. Fair amount of $$$ down there.

What kind of interests do you and the family have? How old are the kids?

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

3 kids: girl=7 2 boys=10 + 12. Kids are into basketball and football (not my girl), cars and boating. I just need some time to spend with them...damn they're growing up fast! :( My with especially like the Monroe area. But, I've had an eye on that western side also :p
Might have to call Mitch and see if I could make the cut!

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Actually, if you like a nice size piece of property... the Monroe area isn't that bad.


What western MI city had the race riot last year? Was that Holland?

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

No that was in the Benton Harbor/St Joe area, on the Indiana border, way south
of Holland. Holland is where all the Dutch live, and I mean that seriously. Very conservative and very nice. But not everyone; Crazyhorse and Dyno live there :D

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

ahh. Ok. thanks!

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

fund razor, as far as your trade offer goes...thanks, but no thanks! I love my Formula. What part of Va were you looking into?

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Monroe is a decent area to live but it's fairly small so the amount of good paying jobs are limited, believe me, i check the paper every night:)

I live about 5 miles west of monroe the problem is i have to drive 30 miles north to work on less than ideal roads :rolleyes:

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Aren't all the roads less than ideal up there!?!?!!? :p

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Yes Detroit is a mess. Get beyound that since I doubt anyone from this board would live there unless it's in some riverfront highrise condo or Grosse Pointe. The suburbs are suburbs, endless strip malls like most of suburban America.
There are some VERY nice rural areas outside Detroit but the commutes will kill you. The traffic sucks and there is NO public transportation system. But if you're near D.C you would be used to the traffic.

ed

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

I about had my teeth shaken out of my head after driving my dually up and down I-75 and thru the city! :eek:

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

As a FORMER Mich resident, 15 years, I would look elsewhere. I lived in the city (Detroit) as well as the "Downriver" area, and was famliar with Wyandotte, and farther south. I also lived in Gibraltar, which used to be a little "one traffic light" town, but it has grown substantially since. My son still lives in Taylor, but there is no way I would even consider going back to live in Mi.
I was in MI a few years ago for the AWS show at Cobo Hall. Everywhere we went around downtown looked like everything was plowed under. Nothing but vacant lots.
The weather sucks big time.

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Yea your right, because all the unemployable people are moving to Mi because of the unemployment benifits and the well fare, thank you gun grabin Granhome. They are moving into the cities and the good people are looking to get the f#$%k out to stay away from the scumbags, so new houses in the woods, Burbs, to you big city folk, are selling like hot cakes, I know I can't wait to get out of my HOOD, it used to be nice 3 years ago, should have sold before the trash moved in. I bet I lossed 30,000. Sorry for the rant

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

If you want a simpler life move to the Upper pinnisula of Mi, no scum and you can get a big house with 40 acres for around 60,000.

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Wouldn't I have to trade the boat in for a snowmobile? Hey, do those things have cuddy cabins?!! :eek: ;)

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

West Coast Of Florida .

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Lived in both SE and W Michigan and Its by far alot nicer over here on the Lake Mi. side."The Gold Coast" If nothing else you get to run INTO the sunsets and if your at least 1 mile offshore you can avoid the Dutch Mafia. I'll even slip ya the cheats to any tests required. :D Spend the weekends coastal town hopping - lots of good municipal docking - much more fun than dodging 55gal drums. Probably best jobs right now are in the bldg./real estate area. Lots of new construction and the real estate market along the Lake is going nuts - fed by out-of-towners looking for 2nd homes - The "Little Chicago" syndrome - and people trying to escape SE Michigan! :D
Rooting for ya BUT, if you strike out with the wife and end up in the SE, then at least you can probably negotiate a new boat or at least heavy upgrades in the package. Best places down there IMHO are towns at least 25mi from the eye of the city. Lived in AnnArbor,Plymouth,and Livonia. Along the water probably best value is St.Clair Shores area. N or W of the city is the only place to go. Most of the decent jobs are towards the Troy area. Commuting down there - they should film Survivor there - but wait, your from DC - you will have no problem. Think positive - anywhere in Michigan you are never further than 80 miles from one of the Great Lakes :rolleyes:

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

if you come to michigan make it the west coast for sure. you can get to the detroit area in 2 1/2 hours to see the family.
hey tommy monza 10" snow last nite i bet your missing it !! ha ha

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Thanks for the info Woogie. I'll tell ya, if I can land a F&I or Sales Manager spot at a local
car or boat dealership, I'm in! :D And, I'll even get the wife to throw in a snowmobile!

I would only guess that there has to be some Car or Boat dealers from MI or OH browsing this board from time to time! When you need a qualified guy to fill in a hole or two, let me know! :)

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

I love West Michigan for the most part great place to raise a family. I perfer northern Michigan.....from about Manistee north but its hard to make a living up there. And does it get better than this????

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

Thats the Mackinaw bridge!!! Norhtern Michigan Fun Run 2003

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

As you can see we always have flat water here in Michigan.

Re: Headed to MI, any suggestions or comments?
 

yes an warm weather :rolleyes: , it looks like you guys are wearing sweat shirts and if I am not mistaken that run was in August :eek: