It’s not just about the house when looking to buy any longer — a city’s schools and amenities are also important.

By Jeremy Adragna
C & G Staff Writer

MADISON HEIGHTS — Organizers are planning to stage one of the largest communitywide events in several years with a joint open house of schools, city services and homes in Madison Heights and Hazel Park.

A similar event is also on the horizon in St. Clair Shores, where Realtors and city leaders are touting a unique lifestyle found living on the shores of Lake St. Clair, Michigan’s “Sixth Great Lake.”

The Madison Heights and Hazel Park Joint Community Open House has been in the works for several months, and those planning the event hope it will shine a spotlight on two aging suburbs that often go overlooked by new homebuyers.

Secondly, organizers are banking that the event could jumpstart a housing market that has been lackluster, at best, for almost three years in a row.

“We hear and read almost every day about the poor economy and the effects it has on so many areas, including the housing market,” said Michael Kairis, executive director of the Madison Heights and Hazel Park Chamber of Commerce. “We thought we could work together on our own to help the cause and help the situation.”

The event will be held between noon and 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 20, and will coincide with other programs that, by chance, also highlight some positive features of both cities. Still, events and tours have been planned specifically for the open house.

On Saturday, April 19, a community-wide 5K race will be held at the Madison Heights Nature Center and a special animal clinic is scheduled for the Madison Heights Department of Public Services facility.

On April 20, attendees will be asked to attend a seminar at a newly reopened Hazel Park business — Stephenson Haus, 25000 N. Chrysler Drive. At the event, school officials, business leaders and real estate professionals will be on hand to dispense information on a variety of subjects.

Each attendee will be given a bag to take with them full of information about schools open to the public, homes prepped for potential buyers and city buildings open to tout quality-of-life amenities.

The event has been organized to allow attendees to tailor the joint open house to their own needs, whether they are a homebuyer, business owner or parent looking for a better school district.

“It gives us an opportunity to showcase both communities and raise awareness of the assets that both cities have that some people might not be aware of,” said Kairis.

For more information, call (248) 548-4400.

A similar program highlights St. Clair Shores
When flowers beginning blooming at the end of May, Realtors and city leaders in St. Clair Shores will also open their doors to those looking to buy a home.

“We’re trying to build awareness for the wonderful community we have here,” said Eric Goosen, an organizer of the St. Clair Shore Community Open House. “We want them to know what houses are available and that we have something for everyone.”

City leaders also plan to raise awareness of city amenities like lakefront parks and school districts that set St. Clair Shores apart from other Detroit suburbs. The city offers homes from $50,000 to more than $1 million, according to local real estate professionals.

“We’re trying to get more people from outside the area to experience what the city has to offer — like our lakefront, parks and city services,” said Mario Como, broker at Realty Executive Select. “The biggest thing is that there is a small-town feel and a great housing stock.”

The St. Clair Shores event is scheduled for May 31 and June 1. Each day, the open house kicks off at noon at St. Clair Shores City Hall, 27600 Jefferson Circle Drive.

For more information, call Goosen at (586) 899-3659.

You can reach Staff Writer Jeremy Adragna at jadragna@candgnews.com or at (586) 279-1101.