Thinking of moving to Michigan

[RAE]

I was thinking of something up near Traverse City, but maybe even more north like Mackinaw City or places east or west of that.

I don't care too much about being near a "big" city but I would like to be within 30 minutes of our big sailboat and the ideal situation would be a walk to the sailboat moorage.

We would also like to be very close to a snowmobile trail system. I do not know if towns in MI let you ride in city limits during the winter? Only two or three towns in Washington let you do that, but it is very neat to go to the grocery store on your sled (and safer than a car imo if the snow is 3 feet deep)

Well, if you like to snowmobile, and you like to sail, you might want to consider an area like Houghton County, in the Western U.P.. There are several marinas in the area where you can moor your boat, and the area gets a ton of snow every winter. There may be opportunities to ride your snowmobile into town on some of the trails there, but you would need to check with the local authorities for more info. on that. Houghton is a college town (Mich. Tech. University), so there are plenty of things going on there during the winter months, besides snowmobiling. I went to college at Mich. Tech., and enjoyed the area and the town a lot, although now (at my advanced age) I would not want to deal with all that snow anymore, along with the long winters.
Here is info. on one marina in the area..........there are others nearby also.
https://www.keweenaw.info/member-detail/houghton-county-marina/

 

[Fermion]

Michigan has the highest car insurance in the country, it sucks...
https://www.insure.com/car-insurance/car-insurance-rates.html

There are definitely some downsides. Looks like car insurance is the highest in the country, they have a income tax, fairly high property tax.

Maine was the cheapest on that site.

 

[Jerry1]

Here you go:
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/b...an-home-has-views-mackinac-bridge/4807908002/

There are docks on the island for your boat and it’s beyond beautiful in the summer. You can walk or ride a bike to your boat, unless you ride your horse, because there are no cars on the island. I think they do allow snow mobiles in the winter and if the straights freeze over, then you can cross over to the mainland and trek out over there for the day. Have fun!

 

[Ronstar]

I am finding quite a few small houses, some with workshops, on 5 to 20 acres for under $150,000 in the Traverse City to Mackinaw area.

Quite reasonable and even cheaper than eastern Washington.

There was one house that had a 30 x 60 foot new shop with a concrete floor on 9 acres and they were only asking $119,000. That is like sofa money in Seattle.

Sounds like nirvana to me. I like Charlevoix, Petoskey, and the area between. Great bike trail along the lake. And with a nice workshop to spend the winter. The winters could be a little challenging.

 

[ckelly78z]

Beautiful place, but brutal Winters, which I know that that I couldn't handle (heavy snow, short daylight hours, overcast most of the time, temps way below freezing, with negative windchills). If you are into snowmobiles, go for it, but otherwise....

 

[WhenIsItTime]

Winter is all relative and really matters what part of Michigan. Southern lower peninsula has a relatively mild winter that last 90 days. Snow usually melts off in there a couple times. More steady and extended as you go N, but that is where snowmobiling becomes viable (Cadillac and N) for endless trails and reliable snow.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Sounds like nirvana to me. I like Charlevoix, Petoskey, and the area between. Great bike trail along the lake. And with a nice workshop to spend the winter. The winters could be a little challenging.

Ludington has a great harbor and is close to national forest -- plus, it's reasonably close to bigger cities like Muskegon and Grand Rapids should you need the services.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

We would also like to be very close to a snowmobile trail system. I do not know if towns in MI let you ride in city limits during the winter? Only two or three towns in Washington let you do that, but it is very neat to go to the grocery store on your sled (and safer than a car imo if the snow is 3 feet deep)

I've seen people snowmobile to the supermarket in Munising. I don't know if it's legal or not.

 

[Fermion]

I am trying to wrap my head around the changes we would see financially moving from eastern Washington to Michigan.

I don't want to totally let money and taxes rule our life but it is a factor unless I hit another Endocyte or two.

Assuming I manage to keep generating about $60,000 a year in taxable income from our non 401K,IRA portfolio, that is $2,550 a year in Michigan state income tax.

We pay about $2,400 a year in full coverage insurance for our truck and van and it sounds like that might go up to about $3,500 a year in MI.

Sales tax is about 2% lower, so probably would save about $600 a year on that.

I have not checked moorage rates for our sailboat but I can't think they are higher than they are on the Puget Sound.

Property tax would be about $1800 a year for a modest place valued at $120,000, about double what it costs in eastern Washington.

All in all it might cost $2550+$1100+600+900 = $5,150 more in taxes and vehicle insurance to live in MI than eastern WA.

Sounds like a lot but really that is less than one day trade


Not doing the 7 to 8 hour drive from our mountain property to the coast would be a big bonus. Not having mountains would be a big negative. Having endless lakes to explore would be a big bonus. Winter is not a negative. I have no idea about the springs and summers. We have bugs in eastern Washington but not much in western Washington.

 

[CowgirlUp]

I lived an hour from the UP of Michigan for most of my life. My SIL grew up there. If you like winter, you’ll love it there as they get tons of snow and there are many snowmobile trails and they tend to cater to the snowmobilers, so I’m sure you can find a trail most anywhere. Winters can be long and brutal. Housing can be cheap, but not sure of prices on the big lake. The water of Lake Michigan and Superior is very cold and never warms up. Summers are really beautiful. I’m moving to Arizona as I’ve had enough of the snow and cold. Good luck!

 

[W2R]

Different strokes for different folks, and all that, but, gosh, Fermion!!! I just cannot imagine voluntarily moving to Michigan.

I could understand somebody wanting a summer home there, but winters in Michigan are BRUTAL. Or so I understand.

But I'll never know, because I won't be moving there. I could never survive that kind of cold weather. It's more than cold enough for me here, today, at 55F as I type. BRRRR.

Luckily I have natural gas heat; even here in New Orleans, the heating bill for my 1500 sf home has been running about $65-$68 the past couple of months. I would imagine the heating bill could be through the roof in Michigan.

 

[Fermion]

When you guys say brutal, how brutal are we talking? We routinely ride at 5000+ feet with temps in the 0F to 10F range and sometimes negative, along with wind.

I assume there are days in Michigan that are much colder than that but on average are we talking endless days of negative 20 degree weather with high winds?

 

[W2R]

When you guys say brutal, how brutal are we talking? We routinely ride at 5000+ feet with temps in the 0F to 10F range and sometimes negative, along with wind.

I assume there are days in Michigan that are much colder than that but on average are we talking endless days of negative 20 degree weather with high winds?

I have no idea, and I suspect it depends a lot on where in Michigan we are talking about. Here's what I would suggest:

Why not spend a couple of years there, renting, so that you know for sure before making the financial commitment of buying a home there? "Look Before You Leap" has worked for me in other situations anyway. This approach could also give you some idea of how much your heating bills might be.

 

[Fermion]

I have no idea, and I suspect it depends a lot on where in Michigan we are talking about. Here's what I would suggest:

Why not spend a couple of years there, renting, so that you know for sure before making the financial commitment of buying a home there? "Look Before You Leap" has worked for me in other situations anyway. This approach could also give you some idea of how much your heating bills might be.

It is a pretty big deal to move everything to Michigan anyway, to the point that buying a cheap house there is pretty minor. We would have to move our 34 foot sailboat (by commercial truck/trailer), two vehicles, all sorts of stuff, change our health insurance, etc. etc.

Unless you mean stay residents of WA state and just spend a lot of time in Michigan, while paying for our boat to stay moored and rotting in the Puget Sound while we are away.

 

[W2R]

I haven't been to Puget Sound, either. But, I can't even begin to imagine wanting to move away from there. It sounds so beautiful. Michigan, on the other hand.... sounds very cold and best suited to somebody in their 20's.

Well, good luck to you, no matter what you choose. I hope you don't throw your retirement away on a move that doesn't work out and depletes your finances beyond what you could recover from.

 

[Fermion]

I haven't been to Puget Sound, either. But, I can't even begin to imagine wanting to move away from there. It sounds so beautiful. Michigan, on the other hand.... sounds very cold.

Well, good luck to you, no matter what you choose.

I mean yes the Puget Sound is great but it is very expensive. Too many big tech companies have driven up the prices. Also, the water is always cold and there are no connecting waterways to get you to different climates without going out on the Pacific for a rather long trip. Be nice if we had some sort of canal system connecting the coasts lol.

I am kind of torn leaving the Sound but we have lived in this area now 25 years so it could be nice to have a change.

 

[golfnut]

Lots of great golf courses in michigan.

 

[Winemaker]

Instead of Michigan, consider the short area of PA that borders Lake Erie. PA does not tax SS. IRA or 401k monies, but does have property taxes. There is a casino near Erie, so there would be a property tax rebate. You are close to NY, the Burgh, and Cleveland for cheap air flights, and lots of good medical care. Property is not out of sight either, unless you buy a vineyard.

 

[Jerry1]

I haven't been to Puget Sound, either. But, I can't even begin to imagine wanting to move away from there. It sounds so beautiful. Michigan, on the other hand.... sounds very cold and best suited to somebody in their 20's.

Well, good luck to you, no matter what you choose. I hope you don't throw your retirement away on a move that doesn't work out and depletes your finances beyond what you could recover from.

Michigan is beautiful. No question about it. I've lived here all my life. I personally do not like winter, but Michigan in the spring through fall can be magnificent. In particular, as is being discussed, the north west part of the lower peninsula is exceptional. The water, the beaches, the boating, the golf, the wineries, the weather . . . Hard to beat. Look up Glen Arbor:

https://www.traverseticker.com/news/time-names-glen-arbor-area-one-of-best-places-to-visit-in-2018/

Is winter brutal? Such a personal thing. It's certainly not my favorite time of year, that's for sure. If you like winter, I don't think it's too bad. Temperatures aren't like Fargo North Dakota, unless you are in the northern UP, but it can be long and cold. Also, the land is flat, so winter sports do not include top notch skiing. Sure, there's hills, but nothing close to a mountain.

But, the OP wants to sail and snowmobile. I can see Michigan being a great place for those two activities.

Also, while the north western part of the lower peninsula is where the money is, there are places on the east side (the sunrise side) that may be good for the OP. Many people retire to Tawas. OP would have access to water and a trip up north to snowmobile would be no problem. There are also many square mile of State Parks on the east side that would be good for snowmobiling. Look around, there's a lot to do here.

Also, no guarantee, but the current governor campaigned on reversing the tax on pension income. It didn't use to be taxed and she has recommended repealing the tax. Not exactly tax free, but can reduce tax significantly if that passes. Stay tuned.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

In particular, as is being discussed, the north west part of the upper peninsula is exceptional.

I am sure you meant "lower" peninsula here. I wouldn't normally nitpick, but the OP might not know that for sure.

 

[Jerry1]

I am sure you meant "lower" peninsula here. I wouldn't normally nitpick, but the OP might not know that for sure.

Fixed it. Thanks. Yes, that’s what I meant.

 

[aja8888]

I lived in Michigan for a some of my life (4 years - Detroit area).

Two years ago, a friend and I went to the Great Lakes Boat Building School in Cedarville, MI (in the U.P.) and built a boat. What a great trip that was for two weeks and in the summer (June). Lovely area and a boaters paradise. Plus, the people are downright friendly and appear to be happy all the time.

Not so nice in the winter, though, as most people that live in the U.P. leave for warmer places. Some pics:

 

[travelover]

Ironically, I lived most of my life in MI and recently moved to WA. If politics matter to you, know that after the 2010 census MI was heavily gerrymandered, so it is minority ruled. The majority can still elect a governor or federal Senators, but that's it. Also, there is a constitutional provision that any bill with funding attached can't be overturned with a referendum. All bills are passed with a tiny bit of funding to keep the majority from overruling the legislature. There may be some gerrymandering relief in the future, but it is not a sure thing.

 

[24601NoMore]

When you guys say brutal, how brutal are we talking? We routinely ride at 5000+ feet with temps in the 0F to 10F range and sometimes negative, along with wind.

I assume there are days in Michigan that are much colder than that but on average are we talking endless days of negative 20 degree weather with high winds?

Holy cow - we're not Siberia!

Winters here are "reasonable", IMHO. Today, for example, it was 45 degrees out. Yesterday was 30'ish. "Bad" days can be 10-20 degrees F. Rarely below 10, although it does happen, time to time, and like everything nowadays, things are never constant one way or the other. And when things get "Game of Thrones, Winter Is Coming" bad, windchill can get "feels like" down to 0 or even less. But that's not common..

It's rare that things are so bad that you wouldn't want to be outside. Just dress appropriately for it - and buy stock in hot cocoa companies ..

All kidding aside, the worst time is mid-late Dec through end of Feb. And even that isn't "that" bad..we've lived here our whole lives, and it's just fine..neither of us would like it much if we moved to a state where we DIDN'T have 4 distinct seasons..

 

[24601NoMore]

One thing to be aware of is that the Northwest lower-UP mentioned by other people is one of the more expensive areas to live..

We've been looking for a place in Glenn Arbor or "TC" (Traverse City) area for over 2 years, and almost every house we've seen is 20-40% higher than other places in the state. Property taxes in some cases are lower in Glenn Arbor, Empire or TC, but not always.

Cost of living (groceries, etc) is WAY higher. We visit TC/Glenn Arbor every couple of years, and costs for groceries is at least 20% and in some cases (meats, etc) MUCH higher than downstate..

Net, we've determined that "up north" is actually more expensive in a lot of different spending categories than living "downstate"..I've probably driven our real-estate agent looking for us up there absolutely bonkers, as we reject pretty much every listing she sends us on cost delta alone..we can't believe how "little" you can buy in TC or Glenn Arbor compared to even the "very, very nice" areas around the Detroit suburbs..

FWIW..