I'm living with my parents rent-free, and I have a good job making extremely close to six figures. I'm in my mid-twenties and single and it's just time for me to move out and progress in life. I've been commuting an hour to and from work for two years now and while the switch to hybrid has been nice, I really would like to live closer to Detroit.

I want to live somewhere lively where I'm encouraged to get out of the house and be a bit more social. I understand I'm priced out of Royal Oak, and after meeting with a banker I may be priced out of Ferndale too. Even with a good rate and downpayment, I'm looking at over 2K per month for a mortgage payment on a typical Ferndale home. Additionally, due to Ferndale homes being priced under 75K 12 years ago, the property taxes on a lot of these homes is extremely steep (around 6.4K over the year).

I don't know what to do. I know there are other cities close to Detroit that are livable, but I want a home that will maintain or increase in value and somewhere I will feel safe and live around people that are at least close to my age.

If anyone has any city recommendations for me I would really appreciate it. I thought the years of saving and my "well paying" job would allow me to afford a reasonable starter home in a desirable area but it's starting to seem like that's not the case. Any help is appreciated, thank you.

Imgur Link to view House Photos

Rent: $1475

Utilities: Need to pay for water, sewage, gas, trash, and HVAC electricity every month. It comes out to around $120 per month. Electric is a separate connection with DTE, around $40 per month. In total utilities are around $150-$170 monthly

Apartment Details:. Type: 1 Bedroom 1 Bath Size: ~650 sq ft

Furnished/Unfurnished: Unfurnished

Parking: Parking Garage available - $245/month

Description: I'm looking for someone to take over my lease from July! The apartment is located Downtown near Capital Park and the building has great amenities like an extravagant lounge, gym, and washer driers in the basement. Lease ends September 30.

Hi.

I volunteer for a non-profit that organizes free, grief/bereavement support camps for children, age 7 - 17, who lost a parent, sibling, care taker, or other loved one/family member.

It's called Comfort Zone Camp. They are based in Virginia, and they have camps throughout the country and throughout the year.

The co-founder is originally from Michigan, and later this year, September 20 - 27, they will have their first Michigan camp in partnership with Herbert Adelman Foundation.

Here's a news article:

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2024/03/12/comfort-zone-camp-michigan-oakland-suicide/72840734007

More info about Comfort Zone Camp:

https://comfortzonecamp.org

https://comfortzonecamp.org/volunteers

https://comfortzonecamp.org/calendar

Feel free to check their social media @comfortzonecamp (IG, FB, etc.).

Here's an article from TIME Magazine -

https://time.com/6286420/suicide-bereavement-camps-kids

Most of their camps are open to kids who suffered a loss of a loved one from any form of death / passing -- but their Michigan camp in September is focused on suicide loss.

If anyone knows a child who lost a family member (or friend) to suicide or if you know anyone interested in volunteering -- please feel free to share this.

https://comfortzonecamp.org/event/michigan-weekend-camp-for-suicide-loss-programs-for-ages-7-17-in-partnership-with-herbert-adelman-foundation

The camp location is north of Detroit and east of Lansing.

The camps starts on Friday afternoon and continues until Sunday afternoon. Volunteers are expected to stay for the entire duration.

So yeah, it's a time commitment -- and many people are busy...but for those who are able to attend -- it's truly a special and worthwhile experience (for both the adult volunteers and especially the children).

The following videos are old, but show what the camp is about -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLF7KWgfwfg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7JNYy07osI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbk2Pigfb_U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLwYyfpwfHU

Regarding the camping aspect...this is not tent camping.

Think of it like a summer camp where school children go and stay in cabins...so they usually use established/developed venues.

Cabins with bunk beds, restrooms with flush toilets, sinks with running water, showers, a dining room where the kitchen staff prepares meals, etc.

Volunteers typically bring their own sleeping bag, pillow, blanket, etc...but there's no need to bring other camping equipment/gear (e.g. tent, air mattress/mad/pad, stove, etc.).

If anyone is new and interested in helping, they require attending an orientation and passing a criminal background check. Children's safety is important, and multiple adult volunteers and staff will be present (in other words, no child is ever alone with an adult).

To attend their online training meeting, click the aforementioned website above to sign up (click "Register to Volunteer" button) and they should provide a zoom meeting link.

Some volunteers are young adults (college students, recent graduates, etc.) and some are middle age to older adults too. Kids tend to like volunteers who are friendly, fun, positive, silly, etc.

Many people are busy, and committing an entire weekend is challenging, but maybe someone out there is good with kids, can be a positive role model (like a big brother/big sister), and is interested in helping some kids deal with grief and loss.

They sometimes are low on male volunteers -- so if you know of any exceptional men out there -- please feel free to help spread the word.

If anyone is serious or curious about learning more, check out their website and videos.

If interested in helping, follow their instructions on how to sign up at https://comfortzonecamp.org/volunteers

Attend the new volunteer training.

Pass a criminal background check.

And have a fun time during camp. It's a life-changing experience for both kids and adults imo.

p.s.

If anyone knows a parent with a child(ren) who has experienced loss, please feel free to share with them about this camp (again, it's free to attend), and it can be very beneficial for kids to not feel alone in coping with their sadness, pain, grief, etc.

FAQ

I don't speak on behalf of Comfort Zone Camp, and can't give any official answers, but sometimes people ask common questions, so these are my opinions on how to answer such questions -

Q: Is there a cost to attend?

A: It's free for kids/parents due to generous donations and partnerships.

Q: Can I help for just a day?

A: They usually prefer volunteers stay for the entire weekend, Friday until Sunday.

Q: Does the camp have any religious affiliation / association?

A: No. Some attendees might have personal faith / beliefs, but the camp is open to anyone & everyone. I think of it like public school, where kids come from different & diverse backgrounds.

Q: Do volunteers need to have experienced a personal loss?

A: No. Some volunteers have lost a parent, sibling, grandparent, etc. at a young age, but some volunteers have not. It's not a requirement nor expectation.

If anyone has other questions or wants an official answer to anything, please feel free to reach out to Comfort Zone Camp on their website or social media.

Their email is info@comfortzonecamp.org

Thank you.

I'll be moving to Detroit this fall. I'm hoping to get some recommendations for apartments. I would prefer to not have a roommate, but would be open to it if absolutely necessary. I'd like to stay at or under $800/mo and would prefer a 1 bed but am open to a studio as long as it has more than one closet.

I already have a tour at the Belcrest so if anyone knows anything about them, please let me know!

Hey guys,

I'm a social worker, 47 years old, from Berlin (Germany) and this June I will be in Detroit (Bosten-Edison) for an educational exchange.

As I'm a passionated, but not very good, hobby basketball player, I'm looking for an opportunity to join a afterwork basketball group or maybe a community basketball group or something similar.

My main goal is to get into contact with some locals in a non-formal way, out of my exchange program.

So if someone has an idea, can help me out or what ever, let me know. I'm thankful for every hint.

Peace and blessings, Micky

Ps. If you know a cool and with friendly players, public basketball court in a park near or in Bosten-Edison, let me know too.

Hey fellow Redditors,

I recently had an absolutely horrendous experience with Friedman Realty Group, and I feel the need to share my story with all of you. If you're currently renting with them, I strongly urge you to share your horror stories and unlivable conditions here, as I'm considering legal action against them and believe we can make a stronger case together.

​

Background:

When I first moved into my current place, Friedman Realty Group did not manage the building. I had to relocate for a job, and during that time, the building's management changed hands. Shockingly, none of the tenants were given any warning or notification of this change until months later – precisely when I was trying to contact someone about getting out of my lease.

​

Management Nightmares:

Under the new management (Friedman Real Estate Group), things took a nosedive. Their lack of organization and professionalism was astonishing. I found myself repeatedly ignored and harassed simultaneously. Transparency was non-existent, and they even tried to charge me for services like internet, which I already paid directly to the provider.

Even when I managed to get my deposit back with the help of a friend in real estate giving them a firm talking to, the nightmare continued. I am still receiving daily calls claiming I owe them money, despite the situation being supposedly "cleared up" months ago. To make matters worse, they remain unresponsive to my calls and emails.

​

Final Verdict:

In all honesty, I can't find the words to express my disgust with this company. My experience with Friedman Realty Group has been nothing short of a nightmare. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of this company. They are nothing more than scam artists who couldn't care less about their tenants. It's like dealing with a corporation full of slumlords.

​

Beyond Me:

This isn't just about my situation. I've come across numerous photos in reviews of current tenants dealing with appalling living conditions. Apartments filled with mold and trash piling up around their buildings. It's time we unite against Friedman Realty Group and expose the truth.

​

Join the Fight:

Feel free to DM me directly or post on /friedman-communities (a group I created) where we can collect and verify stories of this predatory company. Let's build a solid case and put an end to their unethical practices.

​

Your stories matter, and together we can make a difference. #FriedmanRealtyNightmare #UniteAgainstPredatoryLandlords

Copying my post from r/detroit in case anybody here has any ideas.

I'm from downriver and I'd really rather not return there, I don't like being in Woodhaven/Southgate/Wyandotte etc. I really really love Detroit but I feel like I'm just meant to suffer and die here. Rent costs are getting so out of hand that I'm about to move into my car and just use a storage unit for all my shit. I'm reaching a point where I feel like that's the only way I'll have any control. I'm stuck in the lease I'm in now until April '24.

I'm a part time student at Wayne State (who have fucked me in their own right) with no family support system who can only work maximum 30 hours a week. I make too much for the pell grant, but not enough money to pay for what's not covered by my loans. I make too much for SNAP but not enough to buy groceries. I make too much for Medicaid, but not enough to buy insurance. Every assistance program out there, I don't qualify for.

I have moved almost every year my entire life... I just want somewhere I can build something stable. I'm sick of having my car broken into, I'm sick of hearing gunshots, and being hollered at by the people living in the empty houses on the block. I'm sick of those huge crowds of people doing donuts on the intersections I need to take home from work at night. My catalytic converter has been gone for a long time now, and I've been raped at 2 different complexes. I'm tired of leaky ceilings and roaches in my fridge, and now what little I have left is being claimed by bedbugs :( I'm tired of being treated like a punching bag by shitty property management companies.

The absolute maximum I can do by myself is 700/ month and that's if I never turn the lights on and do all my homework in public so I don't have to buy wifi. Ideally $550-600 before utilities would be nice. This is an estimate for an apartment where water/heat is included in rent. I'm fine with a studio, I'm okay with a weird location. Even one of those funky spaces above a store would suffice. I just need 500 square feet. I have a cat, he's 11 and he's my whole world. I could find a roommate and rent a 2 bedroom but even then everyone I know and trust to live with me could only afford at max $500 too. I'd find someone I don't know but I'm so tired of living with people who don't clean up after themselves, I'm really compulsive about it because of the bugs and nobody seems to understand.

I have a 750 credit score and a decent job. No eviction, no criminal record. I volunteer. I'm trying my best to get an education. I'm just poor and I feel like I'm being karmically punished for it. I'm so tired of living like this. Does anyone have any suggestions? Anywhere you live that isn't horrible?

Pictures and video tour: https://bekamgt.com/default.asp?pid=13418&d=y&bldid=13442

$990/month.

700 sq. ft., 1 bed, 1 Bath South Redford Condo (5 Mile and Beech) with hardwood floors, carport and common courtyard area. Large living room with coat closet, large window and loads of natural light. Master bedroom has a large mirrored door closet. Updated kitchen with stainless-steel appliances. Appliances include refrigerator, dishwasher, electric range, and microwave range fan. Common area coin laundry available. Shared pool on site. Water/Trash included. Tenant responsible for electric. Wall AC Units. Close to freeways and shopping. Must See. Nicely landscaped courtyard. Immediate occupancy. Must see. Won’t last.

Call 248-363-0999, Leasing Department, for showings and to pre-qualify

Link to Application: https://bekamgt.com/default.asp?pid=13423

Please sign my petition to inspire Tacobell to open a location in Midtown! :)

Hi, I'm an urban planning student at the University of Michigan. I'm examining green space accessibility in the state of Michigan. If you live in Michigan, would you please take my survey?

It's very short and all answers are anonymous. Here's the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQvfnpuzCao4QBU5vpIl1wgEJ6TWnGFSVHr0-sqg73XHec-w/viewform?usp=sf_link

Thanks!

So I'm not sure if I'm posting this question in the right place but here's my scenario followed by my question.

My wife and I (31f + 31m) travel to Detroit from Tucson twice a year to see family and handle some business we maintain in Detroit. We usually stay for 8-12 days depending on our work availability and what we need to get done while in Detroit. Every six months we buy plane tickets and rent a car because the family doesn't have a spare car we can borrow. We're forming a pretty good estimate that we will be spending $1200-1500 per year on car rentals alone.

My question is: would it be smarter to buy a car and leave it in Detroit with trusted family or friends for us to use while we are here? My thoughts are that I'd have to pay for registration and insurance, I'd have to rely on said family or friend to maintain a car that isn't their's, is sharing ownership a thing? Would that cause availability issues as well?

I was wondering if anyone had some apartment recommendations to look into. I'm transferring to Wayne, and I am moving with my boyfriend and small dog. I am willing to live outside of the area in order to get a decent apartment that I can bring my dog to. I would prefer not to go over a thousand, but I will if I need to.

Hey Detroit, I could use some advice. I live in a suburb and rented a house I found on Apartments.com. The landlord is an individual who owns several homes in the area (not a management company). Since I moved in this past summer, the landlord has hired and fired ~10 contractors. I have listened to the landlord yell at contractors and neighbors have told me that she has refused to pay workers for work they completed in the past. More recently, the landlord has begun claiming that I damaged the property in areas that are clearly the result of wear and tear (for example, a chip of paint missing on an outdoor porch). I won’t go on but this landlord has spent an enormous amount of my personal time on non-essential visits to the home and often shows up at odd hours with little to no warning. I’m reaching out to ask:

1. Is there anything I can do at this point to protect myself from potentially losing my entire 2 month deposit when I move out? I recently learned the landlord threatened to take previous tenants to court over minor home damage.
2. Is there anything I can do to warn potential renters and workmen against working with my toxic landlord? For example, any local message boards I can post to. I hate seeing decent people get screwed over.

Thank you in advance for any advice you can share!

I live out of state and I am interviewing for a job in Mt. Clemens. Where would be the best spots to live within a 20-30 minute commute? The closer the better!

Hi all- my husband and I have been in the city for almost 3 years, and we're expecting our first child in March.

So far, my research has led me to only a few daycare centers, and a few local in-home providers...but in general, options seem pretty limited. Plus, the wait-list on some of these are insane! I'd love to hear from any parents on their daycare experiences or any recommendations. Would prefer an option on the west side, ideally.

Hello! I’m moving to Detroit next July, and every thread I’ve been searching on these three neighborhoods is at least a few years old. I’m going to be in Detroit for a minimum of four years for work so I plan to buy a house. How are these neighborhoods now, in 2022?

Also, am I missing any great neighborhoods? I really want to be 10 minutes from downtown or less, and honestly, University District and Bagley are as far away as I want to be. I’m not looking to spend more than 300k and I want at least three bedrooms plus room to build a two-car garage if the home doesn’t already have one, so places like Midtown, Woodbridge, and Corktown appear to be out of my budget. Thanks in advance!

Hi All, I am a fellow Detroiter, recently moved back to Michigan, currently experiencing serious [edit: extremely severe] retaliation by a landlord for my request for an inspection of suspected safety violation (sealed windows) that landlord had neglected to address/repair (inspector came today, landlord shouted inspector off the property when he tried to enter the backyard). Landlord is Jeffrey Cowin (Greater Midtown Property Management, LLC, Beautiful Detroit, LLC). Refusal to unseal windows is egregious in state of Michigan which is one of the top 10 states for fatalities by residential fires (Bridge Michigan, 6/22/2022) and when ventilation is essential in minimizing COVID19 spread (CDC). Jeffrey Cowin owns properties in Virginia Park and one house [mansion] for sale in Brush Park. He does not have a City of Detroit certificate of compliance to legally rent the property where I and four others currently rent (I learned this the hard way) (https://detroitrentercity.com). In case of additional interest, he is in arrears from $300 to $10.2k on property taxes for various properties (publicly available data through the Wayne County Treasurer). He receives spotlight in the local news for rehabbing and community organizing. Please, no victim-blaming comments; only sharing the info so that others may avoid the trauma. Edits: LLC IDs, sources in comment 2, and CDC quote and fire deaths statistic.

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https://preview.redd.it/4rgneuexaua91.jpg?width=814&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1fb078583ff639ec9903a6051d68199ea947dbfe

Hey guys and thank you for taking the time to read this in advanced!

I (33F) have been wanting to move to Detroit for about 10 years, I decided that this is the year I will finally do it. I have 3 small dogs and have a budget of $1,500. We would love to live somewhere safe and stay within our budget.

Have recently been looking into: Brush Park, Midtown, Downtown, New Center and Corktown.

Through Trulia and Rent.com

Any leads would be greatly appreciated 🙂

Help! Husbands job offered him two choices for relocation … Detroit or Cincinnati! Where would you live and why?

Also what areas should we look into around Detroit?

Click here to see the offers and use the multiple filters to refine your results

$450 - $550 (depending on number of roommates). Cool house in mextown. Quiet, wash/dry, dishwasher, yard, etc.

Hello! I currently live in midtown but my lease is up at the end of the year and I’m looking to upgrade and move downtown but I’m having issues finding a decent apartment for a decent price. I’m looking for a studio no more than 1,600/month with in unit washer/dryer, dishwasher, quiet apartment community, clean well-maintained building, updated but it doesn’t have to be brand new. Any recommendations? Thanks!