You are so right on the taxes we bought 40 acres undeveloped land in the UP very conscious of what we can afford and the tax bracket we’re looking for which was $483 a year but once we bought it become uncapped they called it Which we weren’t informed would happen so now it is 2800 a year very disheartening. We live in a small community of 2000 in northern Wisconsin. We just wanted a little piece of heaven for ourselves which we worked very hard for and saved now we’re just trying to hold onto it.
As someone who has grown up in Michigan (Hastings) my entire life, I had the lucky opportunity to spend some time at Torch Lake and Traverse City in 2010/2011. I fell in LOVE with it all. In 2013 I discovered Frankfort and felt so at home and at peace. That whole area is a what I daydream about quite often. Cruising M22 with my windows down brings me absolute bliss. Hoping to get some property up there in the near future!
Great video. I’m biding my time till I get back to the Yoop. Delta county is awesome! Banana belt = less snow more sun! Watch the wind direction to plan your day on either Lake Michigan or Lake Superior. Plus, not as densely populated as northern lower Michigan. I love the grayling area but getting tired of traffic. Trade off is I can walk to fly fish! Keep up the good info videos. See you on the water or on the hills!
LOL...Ya'll gotta come "Up Nort"! Love the info! So right about the cost of living vs. the job market. I heard you talk about the trades, but they're kinda fading too in comparison. Up here that is. We're talkin Boss Snowplow, one of the "bigger" companies here. Paying Welders under $20/hr., living in a home that cost no less than 800/month. Sounds like ya'll "trolls" got it good! 🤣🤠
Love your videos…very informative. My wife and I grew up in Milan MI and have a cottage in Gaylord on Otsego Lake. We currently live in Ohio because of our work. We’re about 6 hours away and we’re hoping to get back up there full time. Unfortunately, our cottage would need some upgrades before we could stay the winters. The home prices even in Gaylord are pretty steep. Anyways, thanks again for your videos. It’s nice to hear about “home”. We’ll be tuning in for sure. Tom
Thank you so much Tom. I’m glad you enjoy the videos. I go “live” every Thursday at 7 PM EST. If you are ever free, I’d love to hear more about why you love Gaylord!
I think with future developments in order to preserve the natural beauty while also having enough housing for it to be affordable it’s really important that the cities/towns make sure to densify with more apartment buildings and duplex’s and stuff. As in adding to already developed areas rather than expanding the cities footprint. It amazes me how the same people who throw a fuss about a new big building usually also want to preserve the nature of the surrounding area, but then again it doesn’t surprise me cause those people usually already have homes there so to them housing being expensive just means theirs is worth more. They’d probably be fine with no new housing at all and soaring prices Edit: spelling
Interesting video! Thanks for the info. I want to reiterate that it’s not “controversial” that short term rentals are a good or bad thing. They are very responsible for the destruction of communities and create ghost town-like shells of what was once the culture, spirit, and history of a place, while pricing out locals. Just go to Vail, Park City, etc and you’ll know I mean. I’ve seen this firsthand in Crested Butte CO, where a considerable portion of the working class camp in the forest because they can’t find, let alone afford, housing. PSA. Thanks!
Having spent summers in lower Michigan in Lawton on Gravel lake as a kid, I have often thought of some sort of return to Michigan. I am afraid the states move to wing nut style government with the Kidnapped in Chief is prolly the biggest obstacle at this point. It also explains much of the widening wealth gap. The state seriously risks becoming another Illinois which is a shame as Michigan was always considered a haven from that hell hole, but good luck !
Well done, as a resident I can confirm accuracy. A decade ago we moved up here from Ann Arbor. No regrets, however we have good jobs and can handle the weather. There is a growing homeless population and (based on the local “Overheard” pages), I feel people move up here without a plan and don’t understand we don’t have the resources to house and feed them like they are accustomed to downstate. Oh and Northern Michigan is anything north of Cadillac 😬
I have seen some of the same things you are referring to about homelessness. It’s heartbreaking. There are definitely some negatives to how high prices have gotten here. I will accept your definition of where Northern Michigan starts! Thank you for watching!
We built our dream home on Grand Lake in Presque Isle. It was a challenge and it does cost a bit more to build here compared to downstate. However, trades are paid very well as there is a ton of demand. I agree any tradesman would have more work than they want, available. And, they get to live in the most beautiful area. Alpena home prices are still pretty decent compared to downstate. You get more for your money, currently. And, Alpena in my opinion, is the most underrated and overlooked city in Michigan. Downtown is really beautiful and vibrant. Homes are well kept with amazing architecture and pride of ownership.Parks everywhere and an awesome marina with an amphitheater. If you are a realtor in Northern Michigan, you really should do a video of this area. Long Lake and Grand Lake are just north on US 23. Amazing area with so much natural beauty with the clear, aqua colored lakes. Lighthouses, parks, trails, and the list goes on. We have been vacationing here for years. It just feels like home and like nowhere else on earth. As we purchased property and built, we have really watched the area change as you noted in this video. Clearly we are not the only ones that get it about this area. It is, not so quietly changing, each day. We enjoy all four seasons that Michigan has to offer. We can always chase warm weather in the southern US for a visit in the late winter. But, we would not want to live anywhere else.
I love this comment. I have gotten requests to make videos on Alpena in the past. The hard part is, Alpena is about two hours away from me and I don’t follow that market closely. They share an MLS with us, so I can see the new listings and sales. I agree with you that you still get a lot of bang for your buck over there. In all honesty, it might be one of the last towns to find affordable housing while still have the amenities of a bigger town. Thank you for watching! P.S. I love Grand Lake!
@@genodangelo Downtown Alpena is just 15 miles from Grand Lake. We spend a good deal of time in this beautiful city. There is a cohesiveness to the development and preservation of the old buildings. Businesses are generally spotless and well operated. There is a major rebuild project that is getting underway this year in the city center. I have seen the plans, and it will make for an amazing gathering area and will be exceptional for festivals and holidays. I have not witnessed any homeless in the area. Crime is very low and there are no areas of the city that are poorly kept. Maybe an occasional property may need attention. But, for the most part, pride of ownership and the pride in this city is what we see. The homes in town along the Lake Huron shoreline are majestic.
Geno - now that you have explained the negative, when are you going to be proactive and help turn the problems in your area around? Seems to me realtors are why people are priced out of the area who really need to stay..... just saying!
My goal is to tell people the positives and negatives of an area, so they can decide what is right for them. If I was able to drive prices up, single-handedly, all of my listings would sell in a day regardless of the price. Unfortunately that’s just not the case. Values are going up in northern Michigan are because interest rates were low and people are leaving other areas to come here to live a better quality of life. I have way less control over that that I wish I did. Thank you for watching!
you must be talking about petoskey because there are a lot of areas a lot cheaper than 300,000 for a starter home. you know very well petoskey and traverse city are the most expensive. so specify petoskey when you talk about 300,000 for a starter home.
Yeah, luckily there are still some areas near here that you can get a starter home for under $300,000. Once in a while you can find starter homes in Petoskey or Traverse City for under $300,000 as well. Just takes a little more patience
@@genodangelo i looked at a house in indian river last summer. it wasn't anything special and they wanted 315,000. i told the real estate person good luck. i noticed if you went a few miles away toward cheboygan the prices were about 100,000 cheaper. then i went to houghton lake and found a nice little 3 year old house on one acre that was 3 miles out of town. it was 110,000 cheaper than the one in indian river and was a much nicer house. it sold in 3 days. i missed it by one day. so i come to the conclusion if you get 20 miles from petoskey they think the houses are gold. the house in indian river never sold.
@@bradbradshaw-i4n You are spot on. Cheboygan is still affordable, relatively and they are working on some major developments in that community. Houses that are a "drivable" distance to Petoskey still command a premium simply because there is a lot of demand. Areas like Alanson and Indian River have a love of people who commute into Petoskey for work. I am from Indian River and still own a house east of there. One of the most underrated places to live in the summer.
@@genodangelo My husband and I bought an acre and a half of land outside the city of Cheboygan and LOVE it! We currently have a camper on it and added electric, water, and septic. We are from Jackson MI and are hoping in a few years to install a small modular to retire in. It is so nice and peaceful even in the summer months. I'm also glad it has not gained the opulance that you displayed on the other side of the state. We need to keep it that way!
@@lanasmith1085That’s what I love about northern Michigan. You can be as fancy or laid back as you want to be. I live in Petoskey and have a house on 50 acres in Afton. Ever heard of it?
The Zilwaukee Bridge has always remarked Up North for me.
You are so right on the taxes we bought 40 acres undeveloped land in the UP very conscious of what we can afford and the tax bracket we’re looking for which was $483 a year but once we bought it become uncapped they called it Which we weren’t informed would happen so now it is 2800 a year very disheartening. We live in a small community of 2000 in northern Wisconsin. We just wanted a little piece of heaven for ourselves which we worked very hard for and saved now we’re just trying to hold onto it.
Im really sorry that you are dealing with that.
As someone who has grown up in Michigan (Hastings) my entire life, I had the lucky opportunity to spend some time at Torch Lake and Traverse City in 2010/2011. I fell in LOVE with it all. In 2013 I discovered Frankfort and felt so at home and at peace. That whole area is a what I daydream about quite often. Cruising M22 with my windows down brings me absolute bliss. Hoping to get some property up there in the near future!
You just described that area perfectly! Thank you for sharing!
Great video. I’m biding my time till I get back to the Yoop. Delta county is awesome! Banana belt = less snow more sun! Watch the wind direction to plan your day on either Lake Michigan or Lake Superior. Plus, not as densely populated as northern lower Michigan. I love the grayling area but getting tired of traffic. Trade off is I can walk to fly fish! Keep up the good info videos. See you on the water or on the hills!
Thank you for the comment
LOL...Ya'll gotta come "Up Nort"! Love the info! So right about the cost of living vs. the job market. I heard you talk about the trades, but they're kinda fading too in comparison. Up here that is. We're talkin Boss Snowplow, one of the "bigger" companies here. Paying Welders under $20/hr., living in a home that cost no less than 800/month. Sounds like ya'll "trolls" got it good! 🤣🤠
C'mon man, that one threw me..."Northern" Michigan??? I mean which ones, "Northan"? Not you...JS...🙄🤔🤣🤠
Love your videos…very informative. My wife and I grew up in Milan MI and have a cottage in Gaylord on Otsego Lake. We currently live in Ohio because of our work. We’re about 6 hours away and we’re hoping to get back up there full time. Unfortunately, our cottage would need some upgrades before we could stay the winters. The home prices even in Gaylord are pretty steep. Anyways, thanks again for your videos. It’s nice to hear about “home”. We’ll be tuning in for sure. Tom
Thank you so much Tom. I’m glad you enjoy the videos. I go “live” every Thursday at 7 PM EST. If you are ever free, I’d love to hear more about why you love Gaylord!
I think with future developments in order to preserve the natural beauty while also having enough housing for it to be affordable it’s really important that the cities/towns make sure to densify with more apartment buildings and duplex’s and stuff. As in adding to already developed areas rather than expanding the cities footprint. It amazes me how the same people who throw a fuss about a new big building usually also want to preserve the nature of the surrounding area, but then again it doesn’t surprise me cause those people usually already have homes there so to them housing being expensive just means theirs is worth more. They’d probably be fine with no new housing at all and soaring prices
Edit: spelling
Ya sure. Take away land ownership. Ha. Nothing is as good as multi family rentals rather than your own single family acreage.
Interesting video! Thanks for the info. I want to reiterate that it’s not “controversial” that short term rentals are a good or bad thing. They are very responsible for the destruction of communities and create ghost town-like shells of what was once the culture, spirit, and history of a place, while pricing out locals. Just go to Vail, Park City, etc and you’ll know I mean. I’ve seen this firsthand in Crested Butte CO, where a considerable portion of the working class camp in the forest because they can’t find, let alone afford, housing. PSA. Thanks!
It would break my heart if this happened to that extent in Michigan :(
I don't foresee that happening here. Thank you for watching!
Having spent summers in lower Michigan in Lawton on Gravel lake as a kid, I have often thought of some sort of return to Michigan. I am afraid the states move to wing nut style government with the Kidnapped in Chief is prolly the biggest obstacle at this point. It also explains much of the widening wealth gap.
The state seriously risks becoming another Illinois which is a shame as Michigan was always considered a haven from that hell hole, but good luck !
North of the zilwalkee Bridge is where northern Michigan starts
I think that’s too far south. Midland and Bay City aren’t considered Northern Michigan
I live just north of Clare, MI. Clare is the gateway to the north.
Well done, as a resident I can confirm accuracy. A decade ago we moved up here from Ann Arbor. No regrets, however we have good jobs and can handle the weather.
There is a growing homeless population and (based on the local “Overheard” pages), I feel people move up here without a plan and don’t understand we don’t have the resources to house and feed them like they are accustomed to downstate.
Oh and Northern Michigan is anything north of Cadillac 😬
I have seen some of the same things you are referring to about homelessness. It’s heartbreaking. There are definitely some negatives to how high prices have gotten here.
I will accept your definition of where Northern Michigan starts! Thank you for watching!
My wife and I are looking to relocate to Traverse City. Hopefully we don't get too much grief for moving into town or seen as part of this "problem"
You will be welcomed by the locals. We help a lot of people relocate and none of them have felt unwelcome
We built our dream home on Grand Lake in Presque Isle. It was a challenge and it does cost a bit more to build here compared to downstate. However, trades are paid very well as there is a ton of demand. I agree any tradesman would have more work than they want, available. And, they get to live in the most beautiful area. Alpena home prices are still pretty decent compared to downstate. You get more for your money, currently. And, Alpena in my opinion, is the most underrated and overlooked city in Michigan. Downtown is really beautiful and vibrant. Homes are well kept with amazing architecture and pride of ownership.Parks everywhere and an awesome marina with an amphitheater. If you are a realtor in Northern Michigan, you really should do a video of this area. Long Lake and Grand Lake are just north on US 23. Amazing area with so much natural beauty with the clear, aqua colored lakes. Lighthouses, parks, trails, and the list goes on. We have been vacationing here for years. It just feels like home and like nowhere else on earth. As we purchased property and built, we have really watched the area change as you noted in this video. Clearly we are not the only ones that get it about this area. It is, not so quietly changing, each day. We enjoy all four seasons that Michigan has to offer. We can always chase warm weather in the southern US for a visit in the late winter. But, we would not want to live anywhere else.
I love this comment. I have gotten requests to make videos on Alpena in the past. The hard part is, Alpena is about two hours away from me and I don’t follow that market closely. They share an MLS with us, so I can see the new listings and sales. I agree with you that you still get a lot of bang for your buck over there. In all honesty, it might be one of the last towns to find affordable housing while still have the amenities of a bigger town. Thank you for watching!
P.S. I love Grand Lake!
@@genodangelo Downtown Alpena is just 15 miles from Grand Lake. We spend a good deal of time in this beautiful city. There is a cohesiveness to the development and preservation of the old buildings. Businesses are generally spotless and well operated. There is a major rebuild project that is getting underway this year in the city center. I have seen the plans, and it will make for an amazing gathering area and will be exceptional for festivals and holidays. I have not witnessed any homeless in the area. Crime is very low and there are no areas of the city that are poorly kept. Maybe an occasional property may need attention. But, for the most part, pride of ownership and the pride in this city is what we see. The homes in town along the Lake Huron shoreline are majestic.
You are referring to the wrong side of Michigan. This guy is touting snob appeal.
By definition I've always considered "Northern Michigan" to be the U.P.
Geno - now that you have explained the negative, when are you going to be proactive and help turn the problems in your area around? Seems to me realtors are why people are priced out of the area who really need to stay..... just saying!
My goal is to tell people the positives and negatives of an area, so they can decide what is right for them. If I was able to drive prices up, single-handedly, all of my listings would sell in a day regardless of the price. Unfortunately that’s just not the case. Values are going up in northern Michigan are because interest rates were low and people are leaving other areas to come here to live a better quality of life. I have way less control over that that I wish I did. Thank you for watching!
I'd sell my house and 5 acres in Emmet County for 2 million. Its not really worth that, but its what it would take for me to move lol
If you are ever curious what its worth, send me the address and I can give you an estimate quickly.
you must be talking about petoskey because there are a lot of areas a lot cheaper than 300,000 for a starter home. you know very well petoskey and traverse city are the most expensive. so specify petoskey when you talk about 300,000 for a starter home.
Yeah, luckily there are still some areas near here that you can get a starter home for under $300,000. Once in a while you can find starter homes in Petoskey or Traverse City for under $300,000 as well. Just takes a little more patience
@@genodangelo i looked at a house in indian river last summer. it wasn't anything special and they wanted 315,000. i told the real estate person good luck. i noticed if you went a few miles away toward cheboygan the prices were about 100,000 cheaper. then i went to houghton lake and found a nice little 3 year old house on one acre that was 3 miles out of town. it was 110,000 cheaper than the one in indian river and was a much nicer house. it sold in 3 days. i missed it by one day. so i come to the conclusion if you get 20 miles from petoskey they think the houses are gold. the house in indian river never sold.
@@bradbradshaw-i4n You are spot on. Cheboygan is still affordable, relatively and they are working on some major developments in that community. Houses that are a "drivable" distance to Petoskey still command a premium simply because there is a lot of demand. Areas like Alanson and Indian River have a love of people who commute into Petoskey for work. I am from Indian River and still own a house east of there. One of the most underrated places to live in the summer.
@@genodangelo My husband and I bought an acre and a half of land outside the city of Cheboygan and LOVE it! We currently have a camper on it and added electric, water, and septic. We are from Jackson MI and are hoping in a few years to install a small modular to retire in. It is so nice and peaceful even in the summer months. I'm also glad it has not gained the opulance that you displayed on the other side of the state. We need to keep it that way!
@@lanasmith1085That’s what I love about northern Michigan. You can be as fancy or laid back as you want to be. I live in Petoskey and have a house on 50 acres in Afton. Ever heard of it?