Notes From the Neighborhood

The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving for a Detroit Home: How Oportun Does the Heavy Lifting

  Use Lauren’s Oportun referral link Let’s be real for a second: saving money is objectively the worst. We all start the month with the best intentions. We tell ourselves we’re going to skip the extra latte, pack a lunch every day, and finally build that "Dream Home Fund" for a beautiful brick Tudor

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Don’t Smash the Past: Why You Should Save That 1950s Bathroom

If you’ve been house hunting in the D lately, you know the vibe. You walk into a beautiful 1940s or 50s brick ranch in Northwest Detroit or a cozy bungalow in Ferndale, and there it is: the bathroom. We’re talking floor-to-ceiling tile in "Mamie Pink," "Seafoam Mint," or "Dusty Blue." For some peopl

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The Bodega Gap: Why Detroit Needs More Neighborhood Corner Stores

  If you’ve ever lived in New York, Chicago, or even parts of Philly, you know the magic of the "corner store." In NYC, they call them bodegas. In other places, they’re delis or markets. But whatever the name, the concept is the same: a small, reliable shop just a few steps from your front door wher

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