Looking to buy the first home in Sacramento area (Rancho Cordova: HOA, crime)

[wburg]

More like Arcade Terrace or Foothill Farms--it's in the unincorporated county, the names are a little less formal. ARC is on College Oak between Myrtle Avenue and Winding Way.

[owen2008]

Thanks...hopefully there will be more choices in the market....

[caligirlz]

If you aren't working with a realtor (especially one who is very knowledgable in handling forclosures & short sales), I would highly suggest you do so. They can find all kinds of opportunities that you may not be able to find.

Once I started looking with my realtor last summer (after 5 years of looking on line by myself), I found a house & was moved in within less than 3 months. It's doable.

[steveheard]

Hi Owen -
Among the things you need to know is that the market is seeing a sudden buyer-boom. Inventory is down and homes are getting multiple offers. It is very competitive. In your price range, there are lots of cash buyers, many of them investors who know that they can get positive cash-flow on rentals.

I think you may want to sit down with a Realtor who knows the Sac area (I happen to be one :-) ), and talk about your needs, and the market in greater detail, and find out high to write the best offers (it's not always just about price).

Drop me a line. My advice is free.

[shelato]

The advantage of ARC is two fold. First there is a CHP substation at 5109 Tyler St. Sacramento 95841, just off Date avenue. In addition ARC has campus police that patrol the areas immediately around campus. So there are plenty of police in the area and response times if there was a problem are going to be short. Second ARC is one of the areas where most of the bus routes converge on and there are still buses running there just about all times of the day. So if you and your significant other wanted to ditch a car, this is a neighborhood where you probably could get by with only one car. Lastly the area has some of the cheapest rents and housing prices in the area. Most of the other neighborhoods where housing prices are that low aren't neighborhoods you would feel safe living. But this neighborhood is mostly just community college students. If you are looking for a cheap safe neighborhood it works. The neighborhood lacks glamor, but its affordable and safe. Because there are students coming to and from class all day, there are always people walking around.

[slord916]

Have you check out Natomas area? West of NorthGate, north of El Camino have some decent place for your price range. Don't pay attention to nay-sayer about flood or bad neighbor. Insurance will cover if flood happen. You should visit this area and get the feeling yourself about neighborhood. I have multiple rental properties in this neighborhood for professional tenants. They all happy with this neighborhood.
It's very competitive in your price range. Investor like myself will win most of the deal, unless it's a homepath, or homesteps in the first 2 weeks. You must get your loan pre-approval now and ready to offer anytime you find good property. Since you're new, find a good Realtor now.

[shelato]

South Natomas probably is in your price range, but is it a neighborhood you would actually feel safe in?

[caligirlz]

Originally Posted by slord916

Have you check out Natomas area? West of NorthGate, north of El Camino have some decent place for your price range. Don't pay attention to nay-sayer about flood or bad neighbor. Insurance will cover if flood happen. You should visit this area and get the feeling yourself about neighborhood. I have multiple rental properties in this neighborhood for professional tenants. They all happy with this neighborhood.
It's very competitive in your price range. Investor like myself will win most of the deal, unless it's a homepath, or homesteps in the first 2 weeks. You must get your loan pre-approval now and ready to offer anytime you find good property. Since you're new, find a good Realtor now.

Yea...right....Bad advice, ignore it

[ElectroPlumber]

Pretty tough to find anything around $125K in a safe area unless maybe a condo or townhome. Even in Rancho, that won't get you much. If you read City Data Sacramento every day, you see the same posts over and over regarding people moving here (or wanting to move here) with the same wish list. Everyone wants to live in the nice, safe areas like Folsom and Fair Oaks with good schools on $125K budgets and it's just not realistic. If it was, I'd be out of Rancho tomorrow, you betcha.

[u225615]

We had friends living in Mather Field and they seemed happy with their choice. I believe the HOA maintains the front landscaping and the community has a tidy look. It's a bit isolated from any surrounding communities but that works in its favor in terms of crime and it may work in your favor to find a place within your budget. Contact a realtor. Also, Capital Village in Rancho Cordova may offer some homes in your budget. Its a newer area of Rancho Cordova away from the bad parts.