How about Cleveland, OH and Ann Arbor, MI?

Aurel · Aurel's Garage

I am getting really tired of the unstable soft money funded job I have, and there happens to be tenure track prof. positions in Cleveland, OH and Ann Arbor, MI that fit my profile very well.

So, I was wondering how it would be to live there, in comparison with NJ? Do winters really suck? How are the summers? How about the people? Quality of life is important to me. But on the other hand, I see that you can get a lakefront house on few acres with 3 cars garage for cheap, like less than $250k. So that got me thinking: having a stable job and a low mortgage sure would beat my present situation, if I could take the climate...

Aurel · Aurel's Garage

Here is an example: 5000 sqft lakefront on 19 acres with 3 car garage for $245k!

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/12301-Coller-Hwy_Tipton_MI_49287_1102447061

Tim Hancock · 04-09-2009, 12:59 PM

Ann Arbor is a very liberal town (I can't even stand a visit there...YMMV). Cleveland is huge and is on Lake Erie. It has ****ty areas and very nice areas. Cleveland, while further south than Ann Arbor, gets quite a bit of "lake effect" snow.

AndyK! · 04-09-2009, 01:12 PM

Having just moved back to NJ after seven years in SE Michigan, I think Ann Arbor is fantastic. Great college town and the people in the Midwest are much friendlier than in Jersey. Housing costs are at least half than NJ. On average, you will find winter temperatures about 10-15 degrees cooler, but you will get used to the winters. You will lose the "down the shore" experience but gain the "up north" experience. Northern Michigan is fantastic, especially if you are into the outdoors.

onlycafe · 04-09-2009, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aurel

So, I was wondering how it would be to live there, in comparison with NJ? How about the people? Quality of life is important ...

you live in new jersey. how important can quality of life be?

JavaBrewer · JavaBrewer's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aurel

Here is an example: 5000 sqft lakefront on 19 acres with 3 car garage for $245k!

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/12301-Coller-Hwy_Tipton_MI_49287_1102447061

I can't comment on the area but from the ad and photos it will take a dump truck filled with $100's to "restore" that place. 5000 sq/ft is damn big and some of those pics are scary. Consider that sellers usually supply pics of the good stuff...

Aurel · Aurel's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmoolenaar

I can't comment on the area but from the ad and photos it will take a dump truck filled with $100's to "restore" that place. 5000 sq/ft is damn big and some of those pics are scary. Consider that sellers usually supply pics of the good stuff...

OK, how about that one then:

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/16744-Huron_Buchanan_MI_48107_1105920967

Hugh R · 04-09-2009, 01:44 PM

If I got canned from my job in El Aye, I'd probably thing of moving to a place like that, just somewhere not as cold in the Winter. I still have a couple of hundred grand of real equity in my house. I could go some place like that and buy a house for $250k and still have enough money to get along. Maybe find another job, maybe not.

Zeke · 04-09-2009, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

Ann Arbor is a very liberal town (

Won't that be a perfect fit?

bell · bell's Garage

i lived in the cleveland area for just about the past 20 years, as was said above there are nice areas and bad areas......be aware the cleveland school system is horrible and most people send their kids to the private schools (all religion based). if you like newer modern then look into the westlake area on the west side, or the menotr area on the east side, both about 1/2 hour from downtown. about 45 minutes south of cleveland is akron, i lived in cuyahoga falls which is just north of akron for the past few years, nice small downtown area which have event's throughout the summer.....
winters suck, they are pretty good at keeping the roads clear unless it really dumps (which happens every couple years) they start with the main roads, then work they're way into the side streets....sometimes can take days.....so snow tires will vastly improve winters there.
there's lots to do just depending on what your scene is.....i was kinda burned out on everything there and moved way south.

most all the middle class areas (parma/euclid/lakewood) have an older feel to them, i'm sure jersey has that feel too.....

if i was to move back to that area i'd make sure i was real close to lake erie, my dad lives about 10 houses from it in euclid, there is a large "metro-park" system which covers the entire metro area from eat to west to south in akron, some of the areas are nicer than others.....like any other city.

the bratenal area (sp?) which is just east of downtown is a big old money lakefront area, it's one road (anything on the other side of I-90 there is ghetto) and is pretty secluded, lots of big old houses, i know there are a few developments that just went in with marinas.....

every summer there is the gran prix (indy?) which runs at the burke lakefront airport, and also the airshow which was always good when i went.........

you'll be close to nelsons ledges racetrack and about 2 hours from mid-ohio, and 2 hours or less from cedar point........

HardDrive · 04-09-2009, 02:31 PM

I grew up in Ann Arbor (Middle/High School). Dad still lives there.

Ann Arbor has grown up quite a bit since I lived there, but it still basically an old Midwestern college town. There are some very nice neighborhoods, but it sounds like you would like some space. I'm not sure how far out the development goes at this point, but many folks have nice country homes out by Dexter and Pickney. I'm not sure if thats to much of a drive for you. There are some lakes out there as well.

Ann Arbor(A2 if your a native) has its liberal elements, but I think Tim is a bit off the mark. 20 years ago, A2 was still pretty crunchy from the 60s, but I think the relatively high cost of living in town has moderated the place quite a bit.

Michigan weather sucks. Its horrible. Having now lived elsewhere for years, I can't imagine moving back. Winter sucks, summer can be nice, but it can also be hot and damn humid. Fall is quite pretty, A2 has great trees.

Despite the devastation to the MI economy, A2 remains somewhat vital because of UofM and the hospital. It may be a while before you see gains, but I would not hesitate to buy real estate there at this point, especially if you change your mind and want to live in a big brick house in town. Some beautiful homes in Burns Park and West Ann Arbor. The neighborhoods to the west of the UofM arboretum are great.

304065 · 04-09-2009, 05:18 PM

I went to school in A2. It's a fine place, very liberal. Still in the rust belt, however, and there were some large pharma companies with research there that shut their facilities, so the whole biotech startup thing is dead. Consider moving to Dexter, great quality of life there.

Gingerman raceway is only about 2 hours west. A fun track if kind of flat. I hauled out there from NY a couple times, good guys although the standard of competition is lower than on the east coast- not the same crazy budgets or proliferation of racing shops. (California says that about the east coast!)