It's hard to imagine that a picture so serene could be located a mere 20 minutes from bustling downtown Detroit. But Grosse Pointe, Michigan, one of the country's most spectacular luxury home communities, is located within easy access of one of the country's major urban centers. The town is well known for its sprawling estates, strong sense of community and high-quality academic institutions, which produce top-peforming students and athletes every year.

Grosse Pointe's tree-lined streets are lined with perfectly manicured lawns and gardens, along with several waterfront parks, golf and tennis facilities, picnic grounds and yacht clubs. Although homes come in all sizes in Grosse Pointe, the town is best known for its luxury residential real estate. The film "Grosse Pointe Blank," a 1997 hit starring John Cusack and Minnie Driver, gave viewers a good taste of what the town's mansions look like.

Grosse Pointe is actually comprised of five separate municipalities surrounding Lake St. Clair, with a combined size of about 11 square miles: Grosse Pointe Park, population 12,853; Grosse Pointe; population 5,681; Grosse Pointe Farms, population 10,051; Grosse Pointe Woods, population 17,715; and Grosse Pointe Shores, population 2,955. While each municipality has its own governing officials and department of public safety, the five municipalities are united as one residential community (known as "The Pointes"), sharing the Grosse Pointe Public School District. Grosse Pointe not only enjoys a relatively easy commute to Detroit, but also to Canada; the Canadian town of Windsor, Ontario, is less than 30 minutes away by car.

To get an idea of just how diverse the price ranges are for residential real estate in Grosse Pointe, head to any Grosse Pointe real estate Web site, where you'll find prices ranging anywhere from the high $90s to $2 million. Often, you won't find much square footage for the buck; however, quite a few homes in the area have been renovated and include new appliances, new flooring and other brand-new features that bring up the price. And of course, since location, location, location is always important, you can expect to pay for that if you choose to reside in Grosse Pointe -- particularly if you want a much-coveted view of Lake St. Clair.

The town's million-dollar-plus estates often include a nice portion of Lake St. Clair frontage. In fact, your distance from Lake St. Clair is often a major determining factor of the price you'll pay for a home in Grosse Pointe. As you approach the waters of Lake St. Clair, a funny thing happens: Lots and homes get bigger. Much bigger. The views from these estates offer the best of all possible worlds: plenty of trees (including elm, oak, hickory, maple, and ash) and waterfront landscapes, as well. Residents enjoy views of the surrounding waterways without sacrificing the four seasons. Being just a stone's throw away from the Canadian border, Grosse Pointe gets its share of snow (a yearly average just shy of 40 inches) in addition to stunning fall foliage and temperate climates in the summertime.

Grosse Pointe Shores, the smallest in terms of population and area, is the most exclusive of The Pointes' five municipalities due to its location along Lake St. Clair. Its population of approximately 3,000 lives in homes ranging from $350,000 to $2 million and up. Although you'll still find some sprawling, historic mansions and estates in Grosse Pointe Shores, many of its homes are newer, many of them ranch-style or colonial-style. According to John Moss, president of Tappan & Associates, Inc. in Grosse Pointe Shores, the majority of homes in the area are a minimum of 2,000 square feet and have at least three bedrooms. Regulated by a village association, Grosse Pointe Shores contains two parks: an 8-acre park with swimming pool, tennis courts, 206 boat wells, and bath house; and another park with a baseball diamond, soccer field, and slope for sledding. Grosse Pointe Shores also enjoys the amenities of the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club.

In addition to breathtaking homes, The Pointes also have a few points (no pun intended) of historical interest, such as the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, an 87-acre estate located on Grosse Pointe Shores. The estate was built in 1926 by world-renowned architect Albert Kahn. Its grounds were designed by landscape architect Jens Jensen. The Ford House offers a trip back in time not only for the art enthusiast, but also for antique lovers. This former home of one of Grosse Pointe's most distinguished families contains a vast collection of paintings by Cezanne, Matisse, Rivera and Alston; as well as decorative furnishings and accessories. Within the five Pointes, you'll find plenty of quaint antique shops and interesting retail stores, all of which convey a small-town feel within this community.

Even if your budget prevents you from closing on one of The Pointes' beautiful estates or mansions, this region located conveniently near one of our nation's major manufacturing centers offers an abundance of scenery and a strong sense of community to all of its residents, regardless of their distance from Lake St. Clair. And The Pointes' proximity to the Canadian border gives lovers of travel access to countless opportunities for exploration.

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