  Bostonedisonrocks Member Username: Bostonedisonrocks Post Number: 11 Registered: 03-2007 |
THE HISTORIC BOSTON-EDISON ASSOCIATION LAUNCHED THEIR OWN WEBSITE THIS SUMMER. THERE IS WONDERFUL INFO ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD, HOMES FOR SALE, ETC. MORE INFO IS BEING ADDED ON A REGULAR BASIS. STOP BY AND TAKE A LOOK. WWW.HISTORICBOSTONEDISON.ORG | ||
Meaghansdad Member Username: Meaghansdad Post Number: 70 Registered: 07-2007 |
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY INFO AS TO WHAT WILL BE SOLD, OR IF ANYONE KNOWS IF SOMEONE WILL BE SELLING TOOLS, PLEASE LEAVE A NOTE ON THE FORUM. | ||
Homer Member Username: Homer Post Number: 221 Registered: 08-2004 |
CAPS KILL, please chill............... | ||
Jjw Member Username: Jjw Post Number: 404 Registered: 10-2005 |
great site! thanks for posting! | ||
Bostonedisonrocks Member Username: Bostonedisonrocks Post Number: 12 Registered: 03-2007 |
RE: the Attic Sale and items that will be sold..... it is difficult to say. The residents pay a fee to cover the advertising, signs, maps for "guests", etc. Occasionally someone will advertise specific items. In the past, the primary items being sold were furniture, clothing, small tools, some art, and smaller stuff like vases, dishes, and household items. Occasionally there will be a home selling all it's contents (due to death in family, etc.). I think it's a safe bet - out of 50 participating homes - someone will be selling some tools. Like all sales of this kind - the early bird gets the worm. All I can say for sure, if you have a couple hours to spare, it'll be worth your time to drive through the neighborhood and see what's available. If nothing else, enjoy the neighborhood and the architecture of the homes; see one of Detroit's Historic neighborhoods with a rich automotive history. Meet some of the neighbors of Detroit's largest Historic District of over 900 homes. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 519 Registered: 11-2005 |
The house my Great Grandparents house where my mom grew up is in great shape the current owner has made alot of interesting updates. I don't know if he fully understands what he is doing historically when making some updates but at least he only covered up the pawabic tile and did not remove it. If I had 365000 I would buy it in a heart beat. http://homes.realtor.com/prop/ 1065920827 | ||
Bostonedisonrocks Member Username: Bostonedisonrocks Post Number: 13 Registered: 03-2007 |
Yes - it is true - living in an historic district, only the exterior work is governed by historic standards & the Detroit Historic District Commission - owners can do what they like to the interior. Some folks don't understand the significance of preservation. However, from the homes I have been in, the majority of the residents take pride in the old world craftsmanship and detail that you cannot find in today's mass produced homes. | ||
Yelloweyes Member Username: Yelloweyes Post Number: 176 Registered: 02-2007 |
Suprising to see the low prices of these homes compared to Indian Village. | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 1313 Registered: 09-2006 |
If those houses are still similarly priced when I move back to Detroit I would so buy one. | ||
Missnmich Member Username: Missnmich Post Number: 603 Registered: 11-2004 |
I want 669 W. Chicago Blvd. Where else but Detroit could you pick up a mansion in turn key condition for a couple hundred grand? | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 1316 Registered: 09-2006 |
2010 W. Chicago Blvd. caught my eye. 3,900 sq. ft and a 3 car garage for only 73,900!?!? The estimated payment after 20% down is 366, hell I could afford that now. I just might end up trying to buy a house in the next couple of years. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 528 Registered: 11-2005 |
beware of taxes even though there are abatements the taxes will make it much higher than the estimated payment. Try punching the MLS into www.realestateone.com it will give you a rough idea of what you would realistic idea. | ||
Jeduncan Member Username: Jeduncan Post Number: 126 Registered: 11-2006 |
I was thinking the same thing. I'm hooked on this site now. It's incredible to drive through these neighborhoods (Boston-Edison, Virginia Park, Indian Village, etc) and just imagining the immense amounts of money that used to flow through this city. Depressing, yet hope inspiring. (Message edited by jeduncan on August 18, 2007) | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 1317 Registered: 09-2006 |
Thanks Urban, thats a good site. So with taxes of 10,000 yearly it says 403 a month. That is still awesome for a house like that. I mean my rent is more in my 700 sq. ft 1br apartment. And I'm renting. And it appears that searching realtor.com that there are lots of homes in the city that are amazingly underpriced. Especially if they are bank owned, so good job Detroit you may have yet retained another native son. | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 1318 Registered: 09-2006 |
Oh okay I went to the wrong estimator now it says 1200+ because of 800 dollar a month taxes. Damn taxes are high, but still a good deal for the amount of house your getting. | ||
Oakmangirl Member Username: Oakmangirl Post Number: 92 Registered: 08-2007 |
Hate to burst your bubble but don't forget home owner's insurance and heating costs. As a first time homeowner, I thought that it was a cake walk but find myself broke when I have to add money to escrow. Also, they always seem to assess your home for more than you could actually sell it = tax increase each year though foreclosed homes are all over the state. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 2970 Registered: 12-2005 |
This might be useful: As Detroiters get evicted, investors get elated. | ||
Dougw Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 1855 Registered: 11-2003 |
Nice site, Bostonedisonrocks! Mayor, where are you getting $10K a year in property taxes? Assuming you're talking about the $73,900 house you mentioned above, your property taxes (at around 52 mills with abatement) would end up being about $1900 a year, or $160/month. So, not terrible. To get that rate, you would probably have to appeal your property tax assessment with the city and then the state, since the assessed value might be higher than $73.9K right now. But you will succeed if you can show that it was on the market for a while at that price, making that a fair market value. (Yes, it's a pain to do these appeals, but worth it to save thousands of dollars a year.) You could consider this a "pop-down" instead of the pop-up in taxes that you hear about. Anyway, I'd guess most of those $25-90K homes are fixer-uppers, so you'd probably need to budget some extra money there. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1469 Registered: 10-2006 |
Wouldn't the property automatically be reassessed if it is sold/bought? | ||
Dougw Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 1856 Registered: 11-2003 |
Not necessarily. With both homes I've bought in Michigan (Ann Arbor & Detroit), the property was not reassessed to the price I paid for it. (which was a good thing in the case of my current home, which is worth a fair amount more than the assessed value) | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 531 Registered: 11-2005 |
So dougw I am wondering if I am buying a house that is fairly new, currently assessed as vacant land and has super low taxes would it be in my best interests to try to not have it reassessed if possible? | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 1325 Registered: 09-2006 |
Oh cool, thanks Dougw for clearing that up. I have little knowledge of how property taxes, abatements, or mills work, I was just going by what the site told me. I guess that is something I will have to brush up on. Bostonedisonrocks, since this is a historic district how restricted are you in modifying the exterior on some of these houses? Some of them look like they will need some work done on the outside such as new windows, roofs, driveways, tree removal, fence installation, etc. If the association is able to dictate what color tile you put on your roof then I suppose that could be a bit problematic. | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 997 Registered: 10-2003 |
Urbanoutdoors, Our great grandparents were neighbors. Mine were at 1508 W. Boston just west of the Lodge today. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 532 Registered: 11-2005 |
Very cool Irish you should ask your elders if they knew the McClellan's or the Bernadine's. They lived there from about 1940-1985. | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 999 Registered: 10-2003 |
I am thinking that your great grandparents were much younger than mine Urban. Mine were John Roger and Elizabeth Sullivan. He died in 1931... not sure how long the family stayed in the Boston house. Prior to 1940, most of the family (that I know) had migrated to Indian Village and then eventually to Grosse Pointe. I will consult with our family historian. I am thinking that what is now the Cathedral would have been their home parish. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 533 Registered: 11-2005 |
My great grandparents lived on West Grand and Rosa Parks (where MLK Park is) before that where he was a surgeon at Providence, I think he headed up the hospital for a short period and I have heard but haven't confirmed that he was a town alderman in the early part of the century. I am not positive but I think my family went to St. Agnes where my fathers parents went I will ask my aunt she may know. | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 1001 Registered: 10-2003 |
Well then they may well have known each other Urban. I believe that John R. Sullivan was listed as some sort of prominent Detroiter in one of the old journals. He owned a furniture company in the city. Well after your great grandfather was there, I was born at Providence. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 537 Registered: 11-2005 |
I was also born at providence unfortunately it had moved to southfield by the time I came around. | ||
Goldensunshine Member Username: Goldensunshine Post Number: 14 Registered: 11-2005 |
Man oh man . . .that is one this I TRUELY TRUELY miss about Detroit, MI. The cost of living . . .the house prices. You can buy one of these beautiful homes for such great prices compared to out west in Seattle!!! I mean upwards $300,000and higher is pricey. But my perspective has been changed since seeing what you get for $300,00 out here (not much - it's CRAZY!!!!) A tiny apartment in down town seattle can be as much as $500 per square foot if not more! Four Seasons is constructing a hotel downtown with residences that will go for $2000 per square foot! . . .and people are snatching these properties up! | ||
Goldensunshine Member Username: Goldensunshine Post Number: 15 Registered: 11-2005 |
my bad .. . I meant that is one THING I miss about Detroit | ||
Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 2375 Registered: 11-2005 |
Looks like they lowered the price of the Fisher mansion: http://homes.realtor.com/prop/ 1079642999 I think it was $995,000 about a month ago. | ||
Swiburn Member Username: Swiburn Post Number: 203 Registered: 07-2006 |
"Mayor" asked about the historic district conditions on Boston-Edison? As a commissioner, it all depends on how strict the city's historic commission is on interpreting the Secretary of the Interior's guidelines. You can paint a house any color you want. You have to check with the commission on everything else, including the garage. If you don't like their rulings, you can appeal to the state's historic preservation office. | ||
Swingline Member Username: Swingline Post Number: 880 Registered: 11-2003 |
Swiburn said: quote:Clarification. In a historic district, you can paint the inside of your house any color you want. But in almost all historic districts, exterior colors are regulated by the historic district commission. There's no painting the half-timbering on your Tudor a nice shade of Caribbean pink and aqua. | ||
Cman710 Member Username: Cman710 Post Number: 355 Registered: 07-2006 |
One year ago (as of August 12, 2006), the Fisher mansion was priced at $1.2 million. I was very surprised to see the price lowered by 1/4. If I had the money and was moving to Detroit, I would by the house, despite the probably astronomical maintenance costs. I just think it's a wonderful, wonderful home. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 5779 Registered: 11-2004 |
Did anyone go to the weekend Attic Sale by any chance? ANy great bargains to be had?? | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 565 Registered: 06-2005 |
I went in the early afternoon and enjoyed visiting with an old colleague and neighbor in her front yard. I was disappointed in what I saw of the sale. I thought that last year's was better. I certainly would go back next year. And, as ever, I enjoyed just being in the neighborhood. | ||
Swiburn Member Username: Swiburn Post Number: 204 Registered: 07-2006 |
Swingline, re: house exterior painting. It depends on each city. Some don't care, others do. And if you have a real treasure like the old Michigan Central station in Ann Arbor, the interior is regulated, too. | ||
Bostonedisonrocks Member Username: Bostonedisonrocks Post Number: 14 Registered: 03-2007 |
Mayor_sekou Sorry for my delay in responding to your question about historic standards and exterior changes to properties. The Historic District Commission needs to approve any exterior changes. Here are some examples: When I had my house painted, I had to take the paint color downtown to the HDC and they were able to approve it on the spot. Same is true for my roof replacement - I took a sample of the roofing material and color and they approved it. Replacement VINYL windows are not approved, however, recently a number of homeowners have gotten companies to do the work without pulling a permit. The HDC can come back and order them removed - so it is always best to get it approved ahead of time. There are replacement wood windows that will be approved and there is a local contactor who will rebuild the old window with double pane glass, etc. As for sidewalks, driveways and the like - such changes can be approved by a simple visit to the HDC . HOWEVER, if you are planning to modify the exterior in any way - IE: remove or replace columns, remove porches, add-on, put up a gazebo, etc.... all these changes need to go in front of the HDC - neighbors that live closeby will be notified of the changes and have opportunity to comment. The HDC makes the final decision based on the change, how it fits the historic guidelines, etc. To be honest, I have never had any problem getting anything approved -- but then -- I am trying to preserve the look of my home and would never try to alter the exterior appearance. I hope this helps. The HDC actually has info on paint colors for specific styles of homes - based on the year built, etc. I have found them to be very helpful. |
