Apartment Suggestions for Detroit, MI

[MiamiLooker]

A friend is moving to Detroit (times are tough) and needs to be close to the metro airport. Can anyone recommend an area to find an apartment? He'd like to find something less than $500/month, in a safe area, and close to the airport. A studio or 1 bedroom will do. Thanks

[JT Brooklyn]

A friend is moving to Detroit (times are tough) and needs to be close to the metro airport. Can anyone recommend an area to find an apartment? He'd like to find something less than $500/month, in a safe area, and close to the airport. A studio or 1 bedroom will do. Thanks

 

Less than $500 a Month Rent? Is there such an animal? I thought they were extinct! Utilities can run more than that alone!

[OneFinger]

Good Luck

 

A friend is moving to Detroit (times are tough) and needs to be close to the metro airport. Can anyone recommend an area to find an apartment? He'd like to find something less than $500/month, in a safe area, and close to the airport. A studio or 1 bedroom will do. Thanks

 

I used to live in the Detroit area and can't really recommend areas close to the airport. My recollection is that most areas there are NOT safe. The rule of thumb I used was not to consider anything below 8 Mile Road.

 

That said, I did work with a guy that lived in Belleville (West of the airport). His neighborhood was OK and he felt very safe.

 

The idea of $500 / month seems almost impossible. However, has he considered a hotel? It's very common for hotels to rent rooms for a greatly discounted monthly fee. Some of the extended stay places have small kitchens. In my area we've been able to put up employees for about $600 / month.

 

Maybe the economy in Detroit is so depressed that $500 is feasible. But, the only way I think I'd rent something like that is if I slept with a gun under the pillow and had thick-soled shoes so I wouldn't jab myself trying to step over the discarded needles on the sidewalk.

[Mark Gordon]

Visiting Detroit

 

Maybe the economy in Detroit is so depressed that $500 is feasible. But, the only way I think I'd rent something like that is if I slept with a gun under the pillow and had thick-soled shoes so I wouldn't jab myself trying to step over the discarded needles on the sidewalk.

 

Wow, I've been thinking of making a working trip to Detroit, which I've never been to, but you don't make it sound all that appealing!

[JoeyBryant]

Less than $500 a Month Rent? Is there such an animal?

 

Yeah, in Texas and some areas in Florida. Not Miami though. Actually, even in Miami if one goes to the right neighborhoods, and it doesnt mean in the ghetto. 450-500 is about the minimum threshold and could actually get a small efficiency next to a nice home in a good neighborhood. It worked well for me back in my freshman year!

 

Wow, I've been thinking of making a working trip to Detroit, which I've never been to, but you don't make it sound all that appealing!

 

Yeah I never been either. Maybe its just me, but when I think of that area, other than Chicago...just reminds me of motown and GM factories back when it 'was' the place to be. I do remember though one of my coaches from high school who was from there, saying "it had the best suburbs and the worst slums in the country".

 

Can anyone clarify that?

[OneFinger]

Wow, I've been thinking of making a working trip to Detroit, which I've never been to, but you don't make it sound all that appealing!

 

I don't mean to trash Detroit but it is a very, very scary place. When Coleman Young was Mayor he let downtown deteriorate to the point where there are HUNDREDS of abandoned buildings that need to be torn down. It's never happened and these haunts are full of drug dealers, homeless people, etc. Won't even talk about the rats and other critters roaming around.

 

The night before Halloween is called "Devil's Night". There is usually a dust-to-dawn curfew and I remember one year they called it a great success. They only started fires in 175 buildings that year and that was much more successful than other years.

 

Joey hit the nail on the head when he said, "it had the best suburbs and the worst slums in the country". My neighborhood in the suburbs was fantastic. But the minute you start getting into the city, it is full of dangerous slums. Living in Detroit is where I learned the trick of carrying 2 wallets. The one in my back pocket was filled with cardboard credit cards and 10 one-dollar bills. If I ever got mugged, that was the wallet I'd surrender and my "real" wallet was either stuck in my front pocket or hidden in my socks.

 

I was hoping the casinos would stimulate the economy. I don't think it's made much difference. And, unfortunately, a lot of gay night life is right in the middle of the slum areas. Detroit is not the place for someone that is not street-wise and very savvy.

 

I didn't have any problems in Detroit because I'm big, fat, ugly and didn't take chances. I can look intimidating and usually wasn't bothered. But, I also made sure I was packing and was prepared to defend myself.