Real Estate Relocation Guide To Michigan

Relocating from Chicago to Michigan is a major move. You’re crossing state lines and heading 150 miles to find a new home in a different community. By familiarizing yourself with the local real estate market, whether your destination is Detroit or Grand Rapids you can get a good idea of the Michigan landscape and locate the best area for you and your family.

We’ll start with the big picture… Michigan has an estimated population of 10 million* and around 56,800 square miles of land. The total number of housing units is 4,513,502, of which about 2.9 million are owner-occupied and 960,800 are inhabited by renters. Roughly 644,300, or 14.3 percent, of the residences in the state are vacant. The median home value in Michigan is $153,300 and the median household income is $47,182. For an idea of how this sizes up with national averages – the median home value in the U.S. is $185,200 and the median household income is $48,451.

Statewide figures provide a good overview of Michigan, but when you’re planning to relocate to the region, knowing what types of housing are available is the most important thing. So here’s a breakdown of what Michigan real estate has to offer…

About 51,900 homes in Michigan are new construction, developed in 2005 or after (another 330,000 were put up between 2000 and 2004). Michigan has its share of vintage charm as well with 742,800 residences built prior to 1940. The total number of detached, single-family houses across the state is 3.2 million, and there’s also a good selection of multi-unit residences and condos. Most homes have 2 bedrooms, but size varies greatly depending on where you look. And, in case you’re wondering about how your budget will pan out in The Great Lakes State, monthly mortgage costs in [Alabama] generally hover between $500 and 2,000+.

Relocation Resources

Lansing real estate, Holt homes, and Ingham County - Kerry Blackie
Real Estate and homes for sale in Lansing, Holt, East Lansing, Dimondale, Okemos, and Ingham County. Find current interest rates, community links, and more.

Greater Grand Rapids Real Estate - Philip & Kari Chaffee
International relocation expertise for the Greater Grand Rapids communities including Rockford, Cascade, Lowell, Caledon, Grandville, Ada, Grand Rapids, and Kent County.

Rogers City Real Estate, Onaway Real Estate, Presque Isle MI Homes for Sale, Debbie Artrip
Specializing in Rogers City MI real estate, Onaway, Alpena, Northern Michigan, Indian River, Millersburg, northeastern Michigan, Atlanta, and Presque Isle County.

*All statistics are from the 2006 American Community Survey as shown on the U.S. Census Bureau website.
Sources: factfinder.census.gov and www.city-data.com