The Aviation Subdivision neighborhood on Detroit’s northwest side is one of the most desirable areas of the city. Unlike most neighborhoods in Detroit, Aviation offers a wide variety of property styles. Streets like Hartwell are lined with beautiful, well kept- bungalow style properties which range from 900-1300 square feet. On Ward Street, you will find larger colonial style properties which are about 200-400 square feet larger than bungalows. The most prominent street in the neighborhood is Oakman Blvd. Looping across Aviation from beginning to end, Oakman is a wide boulevard that’s really popular with homeowners. Oakman features bungalows, colonials, tudors, and even ranch style properties. One of the advantages living in Aviation is that it sits right on the border with the affluent western suburb of Dearborn. Tireman Ave, on the southern end of the neighborhood, is the dividing line between Detroit and Dearborn. East Dearborn’s bustling business district is walking distance away. The district features large grocery stores, restaurants, shopping and more. Aviation is an exclusive area, with only about 1,000 properties within its borders.

The history of the neighborhood is fascinating. Real estate developer Robert Oakman acquired the land for developments in the early 1920’s according to the Dearborn Historical Museum. Henry Ford is said to have used the area as an airfield until the start of WWI, which explains the trajectory of streets like Littlefield and Esper, likely used as runways. The neighborhood also includes a park and is near several good schools including Mackenzie Elemtary-Middle School. The new, $21M Mackenzie campus was completed in 2012 and continues to be one of the best schools in the Detroit Public Schools system.

Boundaries: Tireman to the South, Joy Rd to the North, Schaefer to the West, Wyoming to the East.

The Bagley neighborhood on Detroit’s northwest side is one of the most popular in the city, and for good reason. The beautiful architecture in the area is a testament to Detroit’s marvelous past. While the vast majority of Bagley’s homes are towering brick colonials, no two houses look the same. Every home has a unique design, built with precision and pride by Detroit’s most prominent builders in the late 1920’s-early 1940’s. The area is just 1.5 miles south of Detroit’s border with the suburbs of Oakland County. Bagley is bordered by several higher end neighborhoods, which are generally out of the price range for investors. These higher end neighborhood included Sherwood Forest, Green Acres, and The University District (located just east of Livernois). Thus, investors have flocked to Bagley for great deals in an excellent neighborhood.

One of the major advantages of Bagley is that it’s near some of the best educational institutions in the city, at every level. John Bagley elementary is located right in the center of the neighborhood, and UofD Jesuit High School is located on 7 mile, along the northern tip of Bagley. Mumford High School (made famous by Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop), is a short drive away. Also, one of the best Universities in the State of Michigan is located in the area: University of Detroit Mercy, known for its law school and dentistry program.

Boundaries: Outer Drive to the North, McNichols to the South, Wyoming to the West, Livernois to the East.

East English Village is a small residential neighborhood located on the southeast side of Detroit. EEV is one of the smallest neighborhoods in the city, with defined borders and well maintained streets. The neighborhood features a plethora of various styles including English Tudor, Cape Cod, bungalow and colonial. The majority of the homes in East English Village were built in the late 1930’s to 1940’s. The architecture in the neighborhood is a testament to Detroit’s prominence during that period. No two houses look the same, many featuring ornate multi-colored brick designs. The East English Village neighborhood association is also one of the best in the city.

East English Village sits on the border with the affluent suburban Grosse Pointe communities, one of the wealthiest pockets in the entire state. There are tons of small shops as well as national retail stores in the Grosse Pointes, which means residents of EEV also get to enjoy these amenities. The neighborhood is just a short drive away from downtown as well. According to the neighborhood association, East English Village is one of the most diverse communities in the city. The most prominent street in the neighborhood is E Outer Drive, a wide boulevard that loops around the entire city. The rental market in EEV is very strong, with high demand and limited inventory. In 2012, a brand new $46Mil high school was opened in the neighborhood. East English Village Preparatory Academy is one of the best schools in Detroit. 

Boundaries: Interstate 94 to the North, Mack to the South, Cadieux to the East, Outer Drive to the West.

The Grandmont-Rosedale community is a high end, residential area located on the northwest side of Detroit. The area is home to one of the largest and most active neighborhood associations in the city. The Grandmont-Rosedale Development Corporation oversees 5 micro-neighborhoods that compose the larger community. These neighborhoods are: North Rosedale Park, Minock Park, Grandmont, Grandmont #1, and Rosedale Park. Rosedale Park and North Rosedale are separated by Grand River Avenue, the main thoroughfare running through the neighborhood. Rosedale Park is Michigan’s largest historic district.

There are over 3,000 single family homes in these Rosedale and North Rosedale alone. Many of the homes in this area were built in the early 20th century, mainly in the “Roaring Twenties.” This was an era of great economic prosperity for the country and especially for Detroit. In fact, Detroit became the fastest growing city in the world. To meet the growing demand for housing, the City annexed the subdivision in 1926.

The homes in the Grandmont-Rosedale area are predominately brick colonials in varying styles. North Rosedale is home to the largest homes in the area with some homes measuring over 2500 sq feet. One of the things that makes the community unique is the commercial business district along Grand River. While many of the business that serve the northwest side of the city are located just outside of the city limits, small business and national brands line stretch of Grand River running through the area. 

Boundaries: Grand River Ave corridor from Evergreen to Greenfield.