Small towns in the Reno/Sparks area folks would recommend (Carson City: real estate, movers)

[wldgrdnr]

We are trying to keep our housing budget between 200K and 300K ...although I am a little flexible n the upper end... (and I'd like to get a house around 2500 sq feet more or less)...it looks like I'll be able to do that based on the realtor site I looked at but any advice for nice areas where housing might be less expensive will be appreciated. Employment is not an issue, hubby works from home and I am retired.

We need to be a reasonable drive to Dr's and Hospitals, as I have some heart problems and chronic pain problems that require me to see a doctor about once a month...(30 min or so would be OK, I am accustomed to that)

The problem I am having is when you look at mapquest, you don't see the smaller areas/towns...so it makes it easy not to even know about a place you might like a lot. That is why I am asking for advice from the locals.

We like going out to eat, but as long as we are close enough to drive to a large town for a good meal every now and then that is OK, as long as there are some places to go locally...esp take out type places for when I don't want to cook :-)

We prefer not to be in a large city, but do like the conveniences that we can have when we are not "in the boonies" as we currently are...so a town 15K-30K or so would be OK as long as there are places to go within 15-20 min or so for a quick dinner out, and for a nice meal 30 min or so works well...

We would rather not be elbow to elbow with neighbors, so would like to find a place where you can have 1/2 acre or so...and if not that much land at least not be 6 feet away from neighbors as we are in our winter home.

I am also wondering about water in this area...Water is a huge issue where I had been looking (AZ and New Mexico)...is water supply a big problem in the area? And if so, where should I be looking to be assured of a decent water supply for the next 30 years or so...or make that 40 just in case I surpass all the odds of my genes and make it to 100 LOL

We drive through the area every year on our way to AZ, so I think maybe we'll drive a little slower this year, maybe spend a day...but I do LOVE the pics in the picture thread...Reno looks like a pretty town...but I am thinking more of Sparks or something even a little smaller...

Anything else important I should know about the area please let me know...I have seen people complaining about crime rates, and I'll look into that further, but the crime rates in AZ and NM where I have been looking are absolutely awful, so I guess it is all in what you compare it to...

I do want to be in a safe area (don't we all) but I also realize there are very few places that have the low crime rate we have where we currently live...

a lot of staying safe is in moving to the right neighborhoods, staying out of unsafe areas, having ADT or other security on your house...and realizing that bad things can happen even in the best areas and prevention is the best cure

...so I am trying not to get too fanatical about the crime rates given that I don't have a choice but to be near a decent size city, and the larger the place, the higher the crime rates are...it is just a fact of life...

Thanks for any advice you folks can give...I have read several of the threads in the forum, so I have a general feel for things, but today is the first day I even considered Nevada, when I saw how much AZ and NM were going to rake up through the coals on taxes :-(

[mamacatnv]

Currently housing in N. NV is down right cheap and I mean cheap. You can buy a lot of house in a great neighborhood for pennies on the dollar of what it was worth 5 years ago.

Small towns:
Carson City - they have their own hospital and several small eateries. Its half an hour from Reno and half an hour from Tahoe

Fernely - Not my choice, it became the land of subivisions several years ago and for some reason its too rural for me but its also half hour from Sparks

Reno and Sparks are intertwined and are side by side in many areas. Old Southwest Reno would be my first choice based on what you have said. Its got mature landscaping, older established large homes, close to all the hospitals, downtown and all the shopping/eating in the area. Its a well established area and in my opinion one of the nicest areas in the area.

Falllon - an hour or so from Reno. Significantly more rural, dairy and alfalfa farms, small town feel with the "big" city not all that far away. Its also generally warmer with less snow in the Fallon area.

Old NorthWest Reno. This would be my second choice. Its like SW Reno in proxmity to everything as well as its near the University and the neighborhoods are diverse in their populations. Families, retired and students

Verdi is higher end in the housing prices, much more custom options and close to Reno as well as the interstate to hop over the hill to Sacramento or even San Francisco.

Gardnerville/Minden: South of Carson City, beautiful area, all sorts of housing options, about an hours drive to Reno. Some eating options and a quick trip to Carson for Dr's, hospitals etc. Very pretty area right at the base of the mountains. My Grandparents retired to Gardnerville from N. California and loved it.

Water - its not a major issue but its something that can be concerning. There are designated watering days in the entire region but as far as I know there are no "drought" measures in place although the past 2 winters have been very dry so I guess potentially it could be an issue.

[sheffy4]

Hi there,

I don't know what the home prices are, but you might want to look into the Minden/Gardnerville area, two merged towns about 1 1/2 hours south of Reno. I went to high school there, and it's definitely a small community, but very spread out. It has all the things a town needs - grocery stores, a hospital, schools, etc. Most of the restaurants and shopping are small local businesses, so for bigger shopping trips you would want to to Carson City or Reno.
Carson City could be another option for you. It has a lot more restaurants and shopping, but it's still small compared to Reno/Sparks (I think Carson has around 50,000 people while Reno/Sparks combined is about 400,000)

Water supply is not a problem here as far as I know. The city does require residents to adhere to designated watering days and times when watering their lawns, but that's just common sense. Sometimes I still see people watering their lawns at 3pm on hot summer day and I just wonder, what the heck are they thinking?

Crime has never affected me personally, but we do have gangs in town that have been linked to plenty of stabbings and shootings. I've never known any of my friends or family to personally be the victim of a crime here. Well, other than the occasional bicycle theft. Just don't go wandering into the "bad" areas of town on a dark moonless night, and you should be fine.

Good luck with everything!

[wldgrdnr]

Originally Posted by sheffy4

Sometimes I still see people watering their lawns at 3pm on hot summer day and I just wonder, what the heck are they thinking?

wow that is dumb, not only do you lose a lot due to evaporation but having water on a plant in the hot sum is like putting a magnifying glass on it...a sure way to burn up whatever you are watering

Thanks for the info...I think the winter weather is going to knock this area out of the running for me :-(

I need to find an area with warmer winter temps that doesn't get too hot in summer, and has low humidity, at least in winter...sigh...I'm not sure if such a place exists LOL

[jamies]

Yes it does, it's called Malibu in So California. Homes start about 15 million for a reason.

[sweetenigma]

Sparks pretty much IS Reno... there really isn't a "separation" between the two.. and I would say traffic/crime in Sparks is worst than Reno as well. If you are looking for a good bargain check out Stead instead of Sparks.

With your price range, I would consider living in Reno, but South Reno- The Damonte Ranch/ Double Diamond area feels like its own small town. It is removed from central Reno, but it is easy to hop on the main road or the freeways from it. Also, check out Washoe Valley: it is on Washoe Lake- right in between Carson City and Reno (a 15 min drive from the center of each). It is quiet and beautiful, but tends to get pretty windy.

If you want land/space, look at Dayton Nevada. It is nearing 10,000 people in population. They have 15-20 restaurants and a grocery store, and it is only 20 minutes away from Carson City (there are at least 40 good quality restaurants there along with a nice movie theater). Carson has a new hospital with all the amenities of big city healthcare. Dayton has an urgent care. The real estate in Carson/Dayton is amazing right now, but you can get a lot more for your money in Dayton. Everyone I know is moving there: it is fast growing. In the next few years, they have plans to build a Walmart and a Home Depot or Lowes. The water is "hard water", but I've not heard of any "restrictions" on it.

Hope this info helps, Nevada is definitely priced right for new movers!