The Grosse Pointes have been honored with being the #7 Top Affluent Communities in the USA by the April 2000 issue of the Robb Report.

The Pointes were in good company:

1. Rancho Santa Fe, California

2. Greenwich, Connecticut

3. Palm Beach, Florida

4. Aspen, Colorado

5. Upper West Side, Manhattan

6. Pacific Heights, San Francisco

8. (tie) Park City, Utah & The Park Cities, Dallas

10. Waimea, Hawaii

"These 10 American cities and towns offer prestige, privacy, and lots of choices for your leisure time", reports the magazine for luxury lifestyles.

REALTORS® nominated up to three luxury communities. These nominations were then judged on the following criteria:

Location

Beauty

Educational facilities

Family-friendliness

Cultural attractions

Recreation

Shopping

Municipal services

Safety

General well-being

Each of the winning communities were then described by the following qualities: Median home prices, Recreation, What does $5 million buy? Drawbacks & local perks.

The Grosse Pointes were described as a group – winning on our "solid reputation of good schools and history as serious boating and recreational communities.

Wondering what does $5 million buy? The magazine reports, "Abodes in the most coveted areas – along Lakeshore Drive, which connects the Farms and Shores areas, Windmill Pointe in the Park, and Provencal Road in the Farms – are within reach as top prices have been hovering between $3 million & $4 million. For $5 million, you could buy a 10,000 square foot English Tudor-style home with 10 bedrooms and a carriage home."

What about the Pointes drawbacks? The Robb Report states, "The local culture revolves around boating, but there is no superyacht marinas as of yet – yachts longer than 100 feet must be moored farther out."

Ah...now for our local Perks! "Many homes are a few minutes’ walk away from the water. Most schools are within walking distance. Each of the five Pointes has its own police force and lakefront park. The Pointes’ private clubs are legendary."

Well, there you have it. We certainly knew all that!

Congratulations to all of the cities, residents, schools, parks and numerous cultural events offered in Grosse Pointe...one of the top 10 places to live in the USA! v