North Highlands (Sacramento, Stockton, Citrus Heights: low crime, student loan, buying a house) - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

daisydew · 07-16-2010, 06:05 PM

Hi all! I'm starting the process of buying my first house. I'm looking at a house in North Highlands on Cornelia Way..sort of near Walerga. I've been reading all this horrible stuff about how shady North Highlands is, but this house seems to be in a decent neighborhood. I did drive through some neighborhoods I wouldn't want to live in (just because it seemed like no one took care of their house, junky cars etc.) but I didn't see that on this street. I'm 23, live with my boyfriend, and have no kids (and no plans to have them soon!)

I'm wondering if North Highlands is truly as bad as everyone says? I lived in Stockton for 4 years and people were always saying how horrible and scary it was and to be honest I can only thing of ONE time I was scared...and it was in a gas station around midnight and that could happen anywhere! I walked around alone and never felt scared.

My other thing is that I want to be able to sell this house eventually and upgrade to a larger house. I want to make sure the neighborhood is decent so that someone else would want to buy the house later on!

Thanks for any info!

Majin · 07-16-2010, 08:09 PM

North Highlands is an excellent neighborhood. Good schools, low crime, very high income and upscale homes and shops. Very good job opprotunities too.

NewToCA · 07-16-2010, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daisydew

Hi all! I'm starting the process of buying my first house. I'm looking at a house in North Highlands on Cornelia Way..sort of near Walerga. I've been reading all this horrible stuff about how shady North Highlands is, but this house seems to be in a decent neighborhood. I did drive through some neighborhoods I wouldn't want to live in (just because it seemed like no one took care of their house, junky cars etc.) but I didn't see that on this street. I'm 23, live with my boyfriend, and have no kids (and no plans to have them soon!)

I'm wondering if North Highlands is truly as bad as everyone says? I lived in Stockton for 4 years and people were always saying how horrible and scary it was and to be honest I can only thing of ONE time I was scared...and it was in a gas station around midnight and that could happen anywhere! I walked around alone and never felt scared.

My other thing is that I want to be able to sell this house eventually and upgrade to a larger house. I want to make sure the neighborhood is decent so that someone else would want to buy the house later on!

Thanks for any info!

I wouldn't do it.

If looking at a modest price range and looking to eventually move up, I'd consider Citrus Heights as a much better option.

daisydew · 07-16-2010, 10:08 PM

Yeah, I drove around North Highlands some more tonight and I think it would be hard to resale a house there. Personally, I would probably have no issue living there...but there's more to buying a house than that I guess.

I have a pretty low budget ($115,000). I actually currently live in Citrus Heights and I like it here. The only thing I can get is a duplex in my price range though. I really wanted a house but maybe I'll have to reconsider.

Inthesierras · 07-17-2010, 02:38 AM

I grew up in NH and my husbands family still lives there. Even though we moved away, I still get the updates from family and friends. They let me know who is on the way to prison and who has gotten out. It has improved since the 80s and 90s when crime was very high there. Its still considered a 'hot spot' by the Sac Sheriff. The neighborhoods do have some nice homes and there are some wonderful people living there. But, the crazy random crime is scary. Because it happens so often, it becomes normal and you don't think twice about it. The POP units have been eliminated from the Sheriff dept. They were a big reason that the crime went down. With all the sheriff cut backs, its just a matter of time before the gambling houses and prostitutes work their way back into the neighborhoods.

I will tell you there is funny stuff that goes on in NH. Crack heads trying to sell hot dogs door to door. They had hot dogs on a fork and were heating them with crack torches. They wanted $1 per hot dog. Then they were totally offended when everyone laughed and told them to kick rocks. The A street hoe's with their hot pink wigs were a funny sight. If you went to 7-11 after dark, you could buy all kinds of stolen stuff. The giant biker on El Oro that would stand in the middle of the street and not let cars pass because he was a meth head and would beat on cars when they tried to pass his house. The bums at Grocery Outlet that would chase you if you didn't give them change. The bums living at Brock Park that would try to steal from all the houses in the area and chase little kids. When my uncle was renovating his house on Watt, people kept breaking in and stealing cabinets, copper wire, tools etc. So he put his dogs in the house at night and they were killed with poison within a few days. Everything that was not nailed down and several things nailed down were stripped from the house. Ya, we rarely visit anymore, lol.

CityGirl72 · 07-17-2010, 10:22 AM

$115K is a very very low amount, is that on your own or with your boyfriend. I would suggest saving money and getting a nice safe place to grow and mature. No need to buy a house at age 23.

And you wouldn't want to bring your kids up in North Highlands, not good spot to raise kids.

daisydew · 07-18-2010, 03:56 PM

Yeah, 115k is on my own. It probably would be smart to save and get something better. Unfortunately I have student loan repayments of 600 a month which is why i was approved for such a low amount. My boyfriend is still looking for a job so when he finds one hopefully that will help too.

I have crossed North Highlands off my search list though. Seems like I don't want to risk it!

KC6ZLV · 07-19-2010, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inthesierras

I will tell you there is funny stuff that goes on in NH. Crack heads trying to sell hot dogs door to door. They had hot dogs on a fork and were heating them with crack torches. They wanted $1 per hot dog.

When Lucky's was still in Midtown, some guy was knocking door to door trying to sell meat from Lucky's. He claimed to be a butcher who worked there. It is likely he stole the meat. Anyway, it was about 103 degrees that day and he was driving around the block all afternoon with that meat in his trunk.

Inthesierras · 07-19-2010, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC6ZLV

When Lucky's was still in Midtown, some guy was knocking door to door trying to sell meat from Lucky's. He claimed to be a butcher who worked there. It is likely he stole the meat. Anyway, it was about 103 degrees that day and he was driving around the block all afternoon with that meat in his trunk.

LOL People do some crazy stuff! It never ceases to amaze me!

wburg · 07-19-2010, 02:16 AM

When John Waters gave a talk at the Crest Theatre earlier this spring, he talked about a Baltimore tradition called the "Meat Man," guys who would steal meat from the supermarket and sell it door to door at half price--they would even take orders from the neighborhood! Interesting to know it's a Sacramento tradition too...Sacramento always seemed a little bit like the Baltimore portrayed in John Waters movies.