I have a question about different areas of Flint

[wyattt]

I have enjoyed reading the posts on here. You seem to have a enjoyment of the area and not just a general interest in discussion boards. So, I figured you people were the right ones to ask.

My wife and I are going to move back to Flint, assuming all the mortgage stuff works out. We are just out of college low income young adults, and so that limits where we can move to. Grand Blanc, Flushing, etc.. are out of the question for now. We are looking at several areas of the downtown Flint area. Most of the houses we have liked are on the Mott park / Kettering / CHevrolet area. Another area, is Kearsely park, and some others are up around Longway between downtown and Dort. A few stay houses are on Grand Traverse, and parts that may lie just north of Carriage town?

Anyway, I am wondering what your opinions of these areas are? My wife, never lived in Flint. She wants to know things like: a site or general opinion of the crime rate in various areas, what the schools are like, and whether property value is going up again, or if it is a lost investment to buy in Flint? I lived on Raskob street until age 5 and downtown in my late teenage years. I love the old houses. They are very large, very well crafted, and the designs inside are unique too. Most of the houses I found were larger because I am going to school for recording and so I need a basement studio that I can build some rooms. I love Flint, and I am hopefull for it's rebuilding and rebirth of sorts, just like many of you. After reading these posts, I think that Flint is similar to the war over in Iraq. They both rarely recieve good coverage, and bad coverage is coloful yet vague in explaining what areas these bad things are happening. The general consensus that comes from this is that all of Flint or Iraq is bad and very dangerous!

Any help you could lend would be great. I plan on going over there (from EastLansing) to check them out. Lansing is a bit odd in that there aren't too many bad areas. A lot of times you will go down a nice street and in the middle of it will be a block with couches on the lawn, dead grass, and a nasty car on blocks, and then it will go back to a nice street again. So, I have had to ask friends here their opinions of the areas here. I figured I would follow suit for Flint.

[VeeFan]

Hello!

I'm not sure what the tax rates are, but if you moved into an area between Mt. Morris, Elms, Linden, and Beecher Roads, you'd have lower taxes than in Flushing, but would still have the benefit of the Flushing school district. In fact, there's actually a house up for sale right across the street from us.

But for the Flint area, the Mott Park region might be your best bet. When my cousin first got married, she and her husband lived in that area and it seemed to be one of the better neighborhoods of the city. They were happy with it for the most part, and only moved away after outgrowing the house (and if they have any more kids, they'll outgrow their house in Royal Oak before too long lol)

Another area that I would suggest is Court Street near Mott Community College. I'm not sure of the tax rates there, I'd assume a bit higher, but it's a fairly safe area and there are gorgeous homes back in there.

[wyattt]

Thanks for the reply. We would love to go out to the first option but being first time buyers under a small income for now, that is impossible.

I had similar thoughts about Mott Park and the area around Mott off court street. I love the houses over that way. I came across the downtown development site that had pics of the Kearsley park area. Has anyone been over there to see if the park has improved conditions in that neighborhood?

I also came across some nice sieze houses on MLK, Garland, and Grand Traverse that look to be historical. I would love to get my hands on one of them.

[dnast]

The Mott Park/Kettering area is generally nice. Even on the other side of the river from Mott Park is a nice, hilly neighborhood. Actually, if you follow the Crim path (can tell by the blue line on the street) west from Kettering all the way to Miller Rd. you'll see plenty of nice homes in seemingly (I just say that because I've only driven through) nice, quiet neighborhoods.

Anywhere between Longway and I-69 from Crapo (the street Central HS is on) to Dort Hwy. is nice. North of Longway in the Kearsley Park area you might find pockets of decent blocks, but that area still needs a lot of work.

The area just north of Carriage Town doesn't have much to offer. From what I've seen of the area there are plenty of vacant houses and lots, and the streets are in bad condition.

If it's the part I'm thinking about, Raskob and the surrounding neighborhood (west of Longfellow Middle School) look's like a liveable place. There's always a buttload of kids when I go through there, though .

If you go a little further west near Northern, you'll find another pleasant neighborhood. Between Mackin and Welch, west of Ballenger (and a little bit east) is a quality neighborhood. I know property values are going up there since my mother lives there, but I don't know at what rate.

There are quite a few other ones closer to the city limits. I'd take a look at the neighborhood across Lapeer Rd. from the IMA. The area near Thread Lake just north of Atherton Rd. has a nice variety of price ranges and you usually see people jogging or walking dogs. There's some new construction in the neighborhood, too. I don't recall the prices but I remember them being called "affordable homes".

I'm sure I've missed some things, but it gives you some more options. Good luck!

[wyattt]

Awesome. I have made a map of the areas to look at, and I am going to check them against the probably 100 or more houses I found that I liked. Thanks alot. I am excited to move that way, and I love these neighborhoods.