I have been telling out of state and out of country investors that want to buy foreclosures in Detroit that they are crazy. Growing up in the suburbs I have seen the gradual decay of the City of Detroit. I myself don't see a solution to revive Detroit.
Now LIFE MAGAZINE is writing a series about the death of Detroit. They are right. Detroit is dying a slow death and there is no way to stop it. One of the major reasons Detroit will never grow is the school system.
It has a school system that is in shambles. No celebrity begging citizens to send their kids to Detroit schools is going to change how bad the school system is. No school superintendent going to bus stops begging the kids not to go to charter schools or private schools. It's not going to work trying to convince parents and students that Detroit schools are the place to send their kids. The parents know better.
It's not that the teachers are bad or the teaching is poor. It is a accumulation of trying to teach to some students that have parents that never graduated, that have no jobs. To them there is no proof that education works. In some families there is nobody telling the kids they need to graduate to get a good job. In no way are the kids bad. But there are a few kids that help bring down the whole school system. The drugs, the violence, the apathy, the corruption are all part of the problem which has destroyed the school system. Without a decent school system nobody is going to move to the city. Why move to a city where you can't raise your kids.
Life magazine is writing about the death of Detroit and showing it to the nation. I hope other major cities learn before it is too late for them.
Russ Ravary your Metro Detroit real estate agent
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My Month of April quote:
"Sometimes the only way to get to the far shore is to lose sight of the shore you just left"
Russ Ravary
"helping make your move easier"
your local Metro Detroit Realtor helping clients like you sell and buy homes through out the entire Metro Detroit suburbs. I love showing and selling Oakland County and Livingston County Lake front homes too.
That is a terrible thing to be right about. It has to be hard to watch something like that. Blessings for a great weekend,
www.TeamLudlow.net
Russ - what a shame for Detroit. It must be difficult to watch. I hope things turn around soon.
Hi Russ - Doesn't sound encouraging for the real estate market in Detroit. I hope you're managing to stay afloat.
Russ, It's a wise person that can recognize a community and the point in the business cycle that it is in. It's time for Detroit to reinvent itself and attract NEW LIFE. One of my sons was calling to my attention the great buys in Detroit. I mentioned it takes more than a cheap price to make a bargain. Here's to New Life in Detroit.
Hi Russ, This is a real shame. Is there anything that can be done to turn this around? This is an awful situation for Detroit kids. I hope that something works to turn things around.
So sad to see your city go downhill. I fly into your airport quite often, and if the city was as nice as the airport, you would be set. I actually like Detroit, but I think there are more problems than just the schools. I looked at buying a house there when they were giving them away. I figured I could buy a nice house for next to nothing and retire, wrong. When I saw the property taxes and other taxes people pay in your state, I quickly changed my mind. Amazing that with such taxes your schools aren't gold plated. And they wonder why businesses and people are fleeing?
Russ, it's been a while, hope you're doing well. In regard to your blog I truly believe you are wrong about Detroit, it is not dying a slow death and more disheartening is your comment, "... and there is no way to stop it". My fear is that you've lived here in southeastern Michigan too long and have nothing to compare it with. I will grant you that there have been problems with violence, corruption, the schools, etc., not to minimize the problem but what major city doesn't? I was born in Detroit, grew up in the suburbs and eventually moved to several other cities around the country and it's all the same, just different weather. Returning to Michigan after 23 years I noticed some improvements and much neglect, but the attitude of the residents outside of Detroit hasn't changed, just as negative as when I left. The majority of my business has been lending on Detroit properties, driving through the neighborhoods and inspecting the houses during the rehab process, almost daily. When was the last time you worked in the city or drove through the residential areas? If you want your potential clients to avoid Detroit because you choose not to deal with the city, fine, but let's not pull the plug on Detroit so quickly. We're working on it, give us a break.