Living in Michigan

Missed the edit window. I just wanted to clarify if anyone is planning to move there

It may be refered to as "What Happened?" on the map by outsiders but, us locals refereed to it as "Wa ha happen" You know as in "wa ha happen was"

 

Look Macomb and Oakland county. Plenty of nice places, 30-60 minutes north of Detroit. 45-60 from the airport. 2.5-3 hrs. to Grand Rapids. 5 or so to Cinci.

 

Unfortunately, I live just a bit too far north for that map. It doesn't look promising though as I am north of "Teeth Optional", "Eminem's Dealer" and "Blond Chicks Who Enjoy Fruity Alcohol"

 

I have a house for sale in Empire (Leelanau county) if anyone really wants to make a life change.

 

I lived in Clarkston for 10 years and loved it, cool little downtown village with just enough to do and safe. A lot depends on your budget but regardless how much you have stay away from the east side. Mi will wreak havoc on your vehicle between the salt and worse general road conditions, it makes cars very disposable. I am one of the few that enjoyed the cold and snow and it’s the one part I really miss. On the other hand I don’t mind fishing on the water (in a liquid state) all year round in ga.

 

That's a great area. What's the story with the house?

 

Plus they have Cabelas.

 

It's for sale ....

 

My mom and I built it about 15 years ago and she's lived there ever since.
Last year she decided that normal life is for suckers and bought a Roadtrek 190. She plans to hit the road for a couple years minimum so the house just isn't really needed anymore.

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sa...8,-86.048218,44.807643,-86.052746_rect/17_zm/

 

outside of the taxes, why would anyone want to leave NNJ voluntarily?

 

Yup, killed some time there over the weekend when I was up there.

 

That a trick question?

 

So much hate for MI winters, but it's the only state I've lived in where winter is actually fun. Snowboarding/sledding behind 4 wheelers. Pond hockey. Unconfined snowmobiling (in many places).

 

You can kill time and your wallet. It’s a good place to look, crappy place to buy.

 

Yeah, I was just a window shopper for a while before I headed over to the Cracker Barrel in Monroe.

 

Career advancement. NNJ is home, born and raised, but this gig is a 3 to 5 year deal. Wife and I are always up for an adventure and the timing is right, so it seems like a win/win. Appreciate all the insight. I have plenty of ideas now of where to start looking if it works out.

 

Well yeah.. There is Minnesota.

 

I was in Empire just almost two weeks ago for the SCCA Hillclimb.
That is a beautiful house .. GLWS ..

 

Funny.
I got a few pics and video texts from people at the hillclimb.
That was my favorite day of the year as a kid.

 

Weather in Michigan.

I grew up in Chicago, and have spent nearly 20 of the last 62 winters in the New York Metro area (the rest except 2 in CA, I spent in the Midwest).

Unless you are in the mountains of NNJ, winter in Michigan will be a bit colder, with more snow. A lot more snow if you are any farther west than 2/3 of the way to Grand Rapids & north of I-94, because as the prevailing wind in winter is from the NW, the closer you are to Lake Michigan, the more "lake effect snow" you will get. It can add feet to an area's winter snowfall. Check average winter snowfall for any town for details. The farther south/east you are, the less the lake effect snow. Grand Rapids is really nice, but gets a couple of feet of extra snow due to lake effect most winters (compared to places east of Lansing or Ann Arbor). It's not on the scale of Buffalo or east Cleveland, but it is statistically significant. Not too much a problem if you don't mind snow. Winter sports in MI are pretty decent and fun, as it gets cold enough for ice racing, and lots of other fun winter sports.

Summer will be a bit hotter, but generally less humid. The skeeters will be worse. The farther north you go the deerflies will be worse.

Compared to NNJ, it will be flat like a pancake. Not too much elevation change in that part of the continent. Still beautifully green for 8-9 months of the year.
Population density is less than half. Most places, a lot less than half.
I'd rent for a year, and use the time to poke around and see what you and your family like/don't like before locking in & buying a house.

If you are over west of the center, tracks like Road America, Blackhawk, Autobahn, and Putnam also aren't too distant to make a weekend of it.