Tell me about Sacramento (San Diego, Orange: middle-class, 2013, crime)

[Majin]

Originally Posted by rpc1

Ah! You got me! I have not been to Midtown. I live in Orangevale. I go to ARC. I've been spending my time in Roseville, Antelope, downtown and down in Elk Grove. Looks like the OP may need to take my assessment of Sacramento with a grain of salt.

As an aside, it also looks like I may need to do some exploring of this "Midtown."

[misterdammit]

For $350k you can find a home in a nice neighborhood in Elk Grove, which is a perfectly fine (if a bit boring) suburb. Cheaper than Folsom or Davis and also closer to Sac, but not as, for lack of a better word, hoity toity!

[caligirlz]

^^^^ Not everyone in Folsom is hoity toity. That's a miss perception, and I suspect a jealous comment from those who can't afford to live there. There are wealthy people in many neighborhoods in the Sacto region, even EG. And then there are people with the "wealthy-attitude" but really aren't. And why live in EG where there is a lack of decent employers? who wants to drive through a parking lot everyday going to work in midtown/downtown, Roseville, or anywhere east on 50?

[caligirlz]

Originally Posted by MNMom07

I'm going to check out Murrieta/Temecula in September. Thought I might as well keep my options open...should I consider Sacramento? I like hot weather more than cold but I don't want extreme heat. Cold for me is anything below 40 degrees with 3 or more inches of snow on 3-5 times a week. I currently live in upper midwest.

Looking to relocate to CA - safe neigborhoods with very good k-12 schools, close proximity to stores, malls, restaurants. Kid/family friendly location. Budget can only afford a home at maximum of $350k with at least 3 BRs. Would Sacramento be a good fit for me? I'm working from home so no commute to take into consideration unless/until I have to look for a different job (hopefully not). Would like to be in an area with a lot of restaurants/retail stores so mom could find a part-time job.

In one of my previous posts, some people suggested Folsom and Davis but I checked online and decent houses in these locations seem out of my reach so I crossed them off my list.

what do you consider extreme heat?
do you prefer suburbia or urban?
will you be renting or buying?
any other preferences regarding neighborhhod? well treed? New development? ??
Do you like any specific type of housing?
some of the best schools in the area can be found in EDH, Folsom, Roseville. Check California Schools - California State School Ratings - Public and Private
Decent homes for $350k can be found all the cities mentioned, including Folsom. I think EG is a great family city, and you certainly could get more for your money, BUT, it is a flat sprawling suburbia/ concrete jungle. Not sure if you like that or not.

At least in EDH/ Folsom you will be in the baby foothills, and there is close proximity to the American River Parkway, Folsom Lake, Lake Natoma. Lots of outdoor sports. Plus, there are trails interlinking all the neighborhoods. Folsom is the retail hub for the east side of Sac County.

[caligirlz]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

In the late evenings, large groups of (slavs: russians/ukranians) in their 20's and 30's walk the riverfront and Old Sac areas, dressed very nicely - gals in beautiful dresses, low heals, smart bold make-up, guys in suits, ties, vests, shiny shoes, well-groomed, couples hold hands, some form little groups and sing on the Riverfront. Always talking in Russian and singing in Russian.

good info. There's a huge & busy Russian clinic in Carmichael. A lot of the staff live in Roseville. I work with a couple of Russian MD's who live in Folsom, and I have to agree, they are quite the dressers. Really super nice people. I love talking to Dr K. He serves us Turkish Coffee and is now sweets from Dubai.

[MNMom07]

Originally Posted by caligirlz

what do you consider extreme heat?
do you prefer suburbia or urban?
will you be renting or buying?
any other preferences regarding neighborhhod? well treed? New development? ??
Do you like any specific type of housing?
some of the best schools in the area can be found in EDH, Folsom, Roseville. Check California Schools - California State School Ratings - Public and Private
Decent homes for $350k can be found all the cities mentioned, including Folsom. I think EG is a great family city, and you certainly could get more for your money, BUT, it is a flat sprawling suburbia/ concrete jungle. Not sure if you like that or not.

At least in EDH/ Folsom you will be in the baby foothills, and there is close proximity to the American River Parkway, Folsom Lake, Lake Natoma. Lots of outdoor sports. Plus, there are trails interlinking all the neighborhoods. Folsom is the retail hub for the east side of Sac County.

I consider extreme heat to be in the 90 for months on...maybe this is part of CA no matter whether it is north or south of the state. Will buy eventually but may rent first. If rent, budget is around $1200-$1500/mo. I like to live in the suburb not rural not right downtown. Would prefer newer homes...even new construction but doubt I could afford it with $350k in CA. Like neighborhoods with lots of parks, close to stores, etc. Good k-12 public schools is a must. Can't afford private schools but seems like a lot of ppl go the private route in Sac especially for high school? Mine kid is still preschool age at this point.

[wburg]

90 degrees in Sacramento is much, much more comfortable than the northern midwest's humid summers. But yes, summers of 90 and 100 degree heat is pretty standard anywhere inland in California. But, as they say, it's a dry heat and far more bearable with shade. Temperatures also drop sharply at night, it doesn't stay hot once the sun goes down. Coastal areas are much more expensive except the remote parts of the North Coast where there are few jobs. $350K is enough for a house, even a new one, in all but the most expensive parra of the Sacramento region.

Sacramento doesn't get any snow in winter. Maybe a fraction of an inch once every 20 years.

[Dfish345]

If you enjoy nature stuff like hiking fishing river rafting this is the place to be! Sac has one of the best bike trails and some of the best fishing in California.. I made the mistake of taking a job transfer to southern Cali ...5 months later I'm realizing it was a Huge mistake on my behalf I cannot stand it here to be more specific I transferred to chino in the Inland empire. Everyday I contemplate on asking my higher up to transfer back up to sac. My heart is not in socal..I miss my river and salmon fishing!!

[bluevelo]

Originally Posted by chessgeek

I agree with almost all of the above. Mediterranean climate is a general term. Summer heat will occasionally reach 100 degrees or slightly more with most summer day highs being in the upper 80's to mid 90's or so. We are talking less severe than Phoenix or Las Vegas, but considerably warmer than the Bay Area/SF region.

The humidity will be less than what you get in New Jersey. You will probably adapt to it. The weather the rest of the year is fine. In the eastern and southern suburbs there can be occasional tule fog in the fall and winter mornings. Just drive with a little more caution then.

Sacramento residents will sometimes complain about the cold winter temps and you'll probably laugh and not even need a jacket during most winter days. New Jersey is a lot colder.

Its not as dry as Phoenix or Vegas but when we do get a touch of humidity, once you've been here long enough, you really feel it. It can get into the upper 20s here at night in the winter, particularly if we are having a dry winter and it hasn't rained much. Drier air doesn't retain heat as well after the Sun goes down - that's why some deserts get so cold at night. When we are having rain, we have more fog and it can stay 40-50 degrees at night a lot.

You do need fleece here, though... not heavy. In some ways, this is an annoying winter here that is VERY hard to dress for. You're either roasting hot from overkill, or shivering because you didn't bring enough.

[bluevelo]

Originally Posted by wburg

90 degrees in Sacramento is much, much more comfortable than the northern midwest's humid summers. But yes, summers of 90 and 100 degree heat is pretty standard anywhere inland in California. But, as they say, it's a dry heat and far more bearable with shade. Temperatures also drop sharply at night, it doesn't stay hot once the sun goes down. Coastal areas are much more expensive except the remote parts of the North Coast where there are few jobs. $350K is enough for a house, even a new one, in all but the most expensive parra of the Sacramento region.

Sacramento doesn't get any snow in winter. Maybe a fraction of an inch once every 20 years.

Yeah - it gets you a house surrounded by Section 8 gangbangers. Housing regardless of where you are in California is a ripoff. The downside of diversity is you have a lot more thugs and poor people living off the dole who refuse to work here. And, that's way too much to pay for a house for what little you get here for it.