House Hunt: Woodward 5 Open House

This week's House Hunt previews the Woodward 5 Open House, which runs from noon-4 p.m. Sunday.

The event will feature a bevy of homes for sale throughout the organization's member communities, which include Berkley, Huntington Woods, Pleasant Ridge, Ferndale and Royal Oak. Public officials will be on hand at a central location in each city to answer questions about schools, taxes, quality of life, amenities and more.

Participants will be able to pick up a complete list of the open houses on Sunday at the five central locations:

• , 3155 Coolidge Hwy.
• , 222 E. Nine Mile Rd.
• , 26325 Scotia
• Pleasant Ridge Community Center, 4 Ridge Rd.
• , 222 E. 11 Mile Rd.

"This is a very unique opportunity," Berkley City Manager Jane Bais-DiSessa said. "This is not just about Berkley; it's about the region. What's good for one is good for all."

The Woodward 5 group aims to collectively promote its member communities, located along 6 miles of Woodward Avenue, as a cultural hot spot and desirable place to live in Metro Detroit. Together, the cities offer three walkable downtowns, several historic neighborhoods, the Detroit Zoo, easy access to major highways and more.

Earlier this week, Oakland County Commissioner Helaine Zack of Huntington Woods noted that while the county had budgeted for a 12 percent decline in property values, a recent Oakland County Equalization Report  showed values during the past year fell by 9 percent.

"We did really well in the scheme of things," Zack said.