Places to rent between Lansing and Detroit, MI
July 9, 2011 6:57 AM   Subscribe

Please recommend apartments for renting between Lansing Mi and Detroit Mi. ( potential towns Novi Mi, Farmington Hills Mi).

I currently live in Grand Rapids and commute to Lansing everyday and my wife is expecting a job offer from a Detroit based company. We are considering moving from Grand Rapids to somewhere between Lansing and Detroit. Potential towns are Novi, Farmington Hills or Brighton Hills but am open to any other towns as well. I need your recommendations, tips in finding an apartment to rent in these places.

I am looking for apartments recommendations that are,

1. Closer to freeways I96 or I696 etc for an easier commute.
2. Reasonable rent for a two bed room apartment. ( we are paying 750 in Grand Rapids and I think it might be difficult to find that rent in the above areas but any recommendations are welcome).
3. With good daycare facilities near by.

Please help me search by detailing your experiences on renting in towns between Lansing and Detroit.
posted by auqaluna to Travel & Transportation around Detroit, MI (5 answers total)
 
There are a lot of towns between Detroit and Lansing (except there's no "Brighton Hills," it's just Brighton). I think you might be better off just focusing on one town at first, and trying to find something you can afford near there. For instance, if you chose Brighton, but it was just a bit too expensive, you could look to the next town along: Howell. Here's a complex in Howell that has 2 bedrooms for 750. I can't vouch for it specifically, but most mid-range apartment complexes are pretty similar.

Anyway, my advice is to get more specific with your location based on your commutes. There are a lot of choices between those two cities and they'll all have decent apartments and daycares, but your wife's commute into Detroit is definitely going to be more stressful than yours into Lansing.
posted by that's how you get ants at 7:52 AM on July 9, 2011 [1 favorite]


I grew up outside of Lansing and my dad commuted daily to Detroit.

The traffic in the areas that you describe SUCKS. At least if you lived closer to Lansing, it'd be cheaper and easier to commute. Regardless, those areas vary SO much, it'd be hard to suggest a place. What are you looking to pay? What do you guys like to do? Where in Detroit will she work?
posted by k8t at 10:21 AM on July 9, 2011


I think the "where in Detroit will she work" question is pretty essential to finding a good answer. If she works in Novi, Livonia, or Plymouth, the bottlenecks in and out aren't nearly as bad as trying to get to Birmingham or Sterling Heights or into the city itself.

If she's working near-west, Howell or Brighton become viable. Anything east or north, and the halfway point starts to look more like Farmington Hills.
posted by GamblingBlues at 12:33 PM on July 9, 2011


Response by poster: Thanks for all the replies.

She will be working near Highland Park, east of Detroit. Looking at the commuting distances on both sides, I am leaning towards Farmington Hills. That way, my commute will be one hour and hers will be half an hour.

With that information, can you think of any good places to rent. Googling for apartments in Farmington hills leads to places like, Muirwood, Kendalwood, Drakeshire etc. Really appreciate if you could share any information you might have on these or some other places in the area.
posted by auqaluna at 6:26 PM on July 9, 2011


Farmington Hills to Where in Lansing is an hour? It is longer than that.
posted by k8t at 12:57 PM on July 10, 2011


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