Roseville vs. Folsom etc. (Sacramento, Rancho Cordova: to rent, new home, neighborhoods)

[Myamolly]

Hi,

My family and I will be relocating to the Sacramento area this Summer...we have checked out a few suburbs and really need some good input on which city/suburb is the best to raise our family.

We are looking for a very FRIENDLY community...neighbors who BBQ, wash their car in the driveway, say hello when you walk by... people who actually smile! Basically, I want my kids to be able to ride their bikes to friends houses and play outside feeling safe.

Any advise would be soooo appreciated

[Majin]

Midtown.

[Samoi137]

Originally Posted by Majin

Midtown.

I assume they mean midtown Sacramento, not any of the suburban areas you mention. What areas did you check out (i.e., what's included in "etc"?). Did you not check out midtown or did you decide, for whatever reason, that you want to be in the outer areas you mention?

[caligirlz]

Originally Posted by Myamolly

Hi,

My family and I will be relocating to the Sacramento area this Summer...we have checked out a few suburbs and really need some good input on which city/suburb is the best to raise our family.

We are looking for a very FRIENDLY community...neighbors who BBQ, wash their car in the driveway, say hello when you walk by... people who actually smile! Basically, I want my kids to be able to ride their bikes to friends houses and play outside feeling safe.

Any advise would be soooo appreciated

I'm not sure there are entire communities that meet your criteria. There are certainly streets & neighborhoods with those characteristics. And there are safer neighborhoods also.

Are you looking to rent or to buy? What range of prices are you considering? I'm assuming from your poll that you are considering Granite Bay, Roseville or Folsom. One neighborhood that is similar to what you are describing is East Sac or Elmherst....not sure if that is within your budget or not. There are neighborhood-specific newsletters available that can give you a little more info about the happenings. I suggest you check it out. East Sacramento News – Archives | Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.

[NorCal Dude]

I grew up in Granite Bay and it has become less neighborly in the last 15 years for sure. That's not to say there is not community spirit or good people. It's just that there are so many private gated neighborhoods, acerage properties, and semi rural properties to the north. Some neighborhoods are friendly, but a lot are kind of secluded or exclusive. The more modest middle class parts of granite bay tend to be the most like what you are looking for.


Roseville is okay in someparts. But there is a seedy spot or two there. The western portion of Roseville has nice people. But it's just so huge. Don 't get me wrong, Roseville did a good job attracting Hp, Kaiser, and buidling tons of retail to get more balanced revenue soruces. But it has a very impersonal twisty, windy, cul de sac, sea of stucco feel to it. The downtown is modest and tidy enough, but I would not even go as far as to call it quaint.

Folsom is my favorite. It has a lot of new housing but it has older housing as well. Some cool historic stuff. Very nice setting along the water, great views from the hillside, with a very cute downtown that is able to stay reasonably vibrant. Nice places to eat and drink and such. Not as much growth as roseville so it seems much more sustained as a community, with out a need to attract tons of retail. By far the best suburb in the Sac region, IMO.

[shelato]

I suspect that you wouldn't want to buy a home in the areas of Roseville near the railroad tracks and Denio's Farmers Market. That neighborhood always reminded me of Rancho Cordova. There are probably some great biker bars and tattoo shops in the area and its probably an okay place to rent, but I wouldn't want to buy there.

East Roseville near Granite Bay is just less expensive version of Granite Bay. Both neighborhoods are pretty much upscale suburban neighborhoods with generally pretty good schools. I know Roseville has the cheaper Roseville Electric rates but I am not sure if Granite Bay does. Folsom is similiar to East Roseville and Granite Bay. But a little less upscale than Granite Bay but schools are still excellent.

I personally would probably go for Folsom over either Roseville or Granite Bay, but if I worked off highway 65 or 80, then I would happily take Roseville or Granite Bay.

[hydro]

You could get this in any of the areas mentioned. To help you best, you need a bigger wish list, otherwise the answer is, any of them. Your best be is a home on a court, that seems to inspire the friendliness among neighbors

[NinaN]

I agree that a culdesac increases the ability to have a friendly neighborhood. But you also might have to be the catalyst. I wanted exactly the same as you when we moved to town. My house is 20 years old. When we moved in, the neighbors didn't know each other and there had never been a block party, about half the residents have been there since the beginning. Since we moved in, we hosted open houses, BBQs, and block parties. Now everyone knows each other, they all host parties, and we have a lot of front yard activities. So if you're willing to put in the effort, you can probably garner that anywhere you land. And if you get really lucky, you will find a place that is already like that. Just drive by on a nice weekend afternoon to see what's going on.

[mflecklin]

DO NOT buy in Westpark roseville. My life is destroyed because I believed the lies. When I complained they had the police search my new home,embarrassed and humiliated me and then said It was my fault. I was disabled in the persian gulf in 92 and came here after I could walk again to enjoy whats left of my life only to be wrecked by my nosy neighbors gossip and suspicions. just because i complained about their barking dogs. Since buying here in Monument westpark. I have been harrassed and humilliated in so many ways I can't list them all it upsets me so much. Most days i just sit here and cry. 2450.00 a month. Nearly every day I have to convince myself not kill myself and end this bull****. MOD CUT

[moovin]

There's Rocklin too.