# Italian Family moving to Detroit MI



## Tiz78 (Jan 2, 2016)

Dear All, 
I hope this is the right forum to post. Apologies in advance if I am in the wrong place.
We are currently living in Rome downtown, 20 minutes from Vatican and Colosseum. Life is good here, but my husband is discussing the job position he has always wished for with the Chicago Office, but the vacancy is in Detroit.
I would like to know how is life over there, because if you type 'Detroit' on a Google search, you only get result such as bankruptcy, dead town and so on.
We have 2 kids (9 and 7 yrs old) who have a basic understanding of English, but I am sure they will learn quickly.
My husband is still discussing his relocation package and we are thinking about $ 200k or more.
Pros and Cons of li info in Detroit?
Friend a suggest we live in the suburbs, I have been looking at Ann Arbor too.
Any suggestions?
Thank you in advance
Tiziana


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Tiz78 said:


> Dear All,
> I hope this is the right forum to post. Apologies in advance if I am in the wrong place.
> We are currently living in Rome downtown, 20 minutes from Vatican and Colosseum. Life is good here, but my husband is discussing the job position he has always wished for with the Chicago Office, but the vacancy is in Detroit.
> I would like to know how is life over there, because if you type 'Detroit' on a Google search, you only get result such as bankruptcy, dead town and so on.
> ...


Hi Tiz78,

I no longer live in the US but was born, raised, and lived in the US but in mostly the Western states and have never been to Detroit.

All I know about the area is much like you would hear on the news. Use to be a thriving industrial city but no more.

America is America and my thinking is that even though Detroit is on a down turn, there will be good areas to live in.

The salary your husband will earn is enough to be comfortable I would think. Being a native American and knowing the country (in general) as I do, I would say take the job.

Once there stay in a Hostel or other housing on a very short term lease. Then use that time to visit different areas around Detroit until you find the right place.



Best of luck and hope to read more of your big adventure..


Regards

Jet Lag


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Please clarify what you consider relo package. Is it the actual relocation or his monthly paycheck?

Your children will pick up English in a hurry and with them you will be heavily involved in their school,and extracurricular activities. Your physical address will determine which public school they attend. Check behind your realtor - believe what he/she tells you but verify!!!

Part of the relocation should be 30-90 days of temporary housing; generally corporate housing or extended stay hotel. Some employers include per diem for meals.

Detroit does not have the best reputation. Yes, violence, unemployment, gangs, ... So does Rome. Take a week and explore your options before making a commitment.


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

Detroit (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

As a European who spent some time in Rome, I would not compare Rome to Detroit...
To be honest: even if they paid me $200,000/year, I would not relocate to Detroit with 2 kids. 
There are (very small) pockets where you can live nice and with not too much fear, but the important word in this sentence is 'small'. But some people wouldn't mind living in a ghetto for $200,000/year.


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## Tiz78 (Jan 2, 2016)

Thank you for your replies. 
The company is the same he works for in Italy, so it should be easy. 
We expect an annual salary of $ 200k plus benefits and removal expenses, flights etc...
We have been looking at Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills. In addition We amare thinking about Ann Arbor, since it is a college town.
Everyone discouraged us about living downtown Detroit.
The job position is really interesting for my hubby and we hope it could be a way to put the first step in the US.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

What makes a college town a desirable place to live for you?


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## Tiz78 (Jan 2, 2016)

twostep said:


> What makes a college town a desirable place to live for you?


The related activities, the culture, the atmosphere, the people you may come to meet...


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Tiz78 said:


> We have been looking at Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills. In addition We amare thinking about Ann Arbor


Check with colleagues how traffic is, going from one specific area to where the job is. Don't look at kilometers.
I live 35 kilometers from downtown Toronto. On a Saturday night, I can go from downtown to my place in less than 30 minutes by car. On a weekday morning/afternoon, it will take me about 60-90 minutes, Ditto on a Saturday or Sunday when there's an event going on.


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## AmandaL (Feb 20, 2009)

I live in Detroit (7 mile & Woodward) and we chose to live in Detroit when we moved here 2.5 years ago. 
We love it here and would seriously recommend taking the plunge. The only issue is schools. We chose to live In the city and pay for private school.
My husband takes the bus daily, we spend a lot of time in Detroit (free concerts, sports etc).
We haven't experienced any more or less violence here than while we lived in London. Best of luck.
(You may want to look at Novi.)


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## Tiz78 (Jan 2, 2016)

AmandaL said:


> I live in Detroit (7 mile & Woodward) and we chose to live in Detroit when we moved here 2.5 years ago.
> We love it here and would seriously recommend taking the plunge. The only issue is schools. We chose to live In the city and pay for private school.
> My husband takes the bus daily, we spend a lot of time in Detroit (free concerts, sports etc).
> We haven't experienced any more or less violence here than while we lived in London. Best of luck.
> (You may want to look at Novi.)


Thank you Amanda.
We've had always lived downtown, that's our big issue. Even if we like the idea to stay in a larger house surrounded by a garden, I wonder if I will be able to get used to it. Here we have everything in a walking distance.
But everybody is discouriging us from livin downtown Detroit...
My husband's office is near Lafayette Park.
But schools are also my concern.
May I ask you how much is an average elementary school tuition fee?
Thanks for your kind reply
Tiziana


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

To get an approximate idea of the walkability of a particular residence you can use Walkscore.com, but there's no substitute for on-the-ground investigation. I recommend short-term housing when you first arrive then _taking your time_ to decide what you like before committing to longer term housing.

Of the places mentioned in this thread so far, Ann Arbor, Birmingham, and Bloomfield Hills (which is part of Livonia) have some walkable neighborhoods according to Walkscore. I'm not sure where your workplace will be, but there's a very walkable section of Wyandotte you might also look at. The most walkable neighborhood in Detroit proper is University, and I would recommend you check that out, too.


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