Will $85k/yr Cut it For a Family of 4 in Sacramento? (Elk Grove: neighborhood, luxury)

[Armando LaO Sr.]

Basing it on the factors the best area will be West Sacramento by the New Developments.

[ABQ1]

Originally Posted by u225615

Hello, I have a family of six and prior to moving to Sacramento we lived in San Francisco. The Bay Area is a wonderful place and if you had zero or minimal debt you could live decently as a renter... unlikely as a home owner (an old rule of thumb is to take your annual salary and multiply it by three to give you a rough idea of how much house you can afford). Assuming good to excellent credit and money for a down payment you can buy a new or newer home in a well kept neighborhood with good to excellent schools in Sacramento and surrounding suburbs. You did not mention where you would be working in Sacramento. I would be more worried about traffic. Roseville, Rocklin, Granite Bay, Loomis,etc are solid choices if you are employed nearby. otherwise commuting along The Capitol City Freeway (Business 80) is a nightmare at rushhour. Similarly, Highway 99 linking South Sacramento, Elk Grove, and neighboring communities to employment hubs is awful. Commutes along Highway 50, while still congested, would be the lesser of traffic evils. I may get negative feedback about the following but it's just my humble opinion. Unlike SF where the majority of people dress as they like and yet know how to dress for the right occasion (i.e symphony performances, the opera, high end restaurants) people in some of the suburbs of Sacramento (some mentioned by other posters here) are "brand conscious." Shopping at Walmart is a no-no, an upscale automobile such as a Beemer, Lexus, Mercedes is preferred and you may want to dress up a bit if you are shopping. While we could afford a more showy lifestyle my wife and I are more practical and while we do not live in a "prestige" address the neighborhood we chose is safe,diverse, has excellent schools including a high performing elementary school and even a club house with pools (very important for those hot Sac summers). Best wishes in finding the right fit for you..plenty to choose from.

Hello u225615,

Thanks for your insight.

Are you saying though that one could live decently in SF on $90k renting for a family of 4? I am understanding reading from other posts here that that will be impossible or even suicidal in the Bay Area. That was why I began looking in Sacramento.

The potential employer is the Sutter Health System, not sure yet my exact location.

Yes, nearness to work as well as decent school are high priorities; although my children are still very young for high school worries - 6 and 1 year olds.

So people in Sacramento consider grocery-shopping in Wal Mart insulting or belittling? Of course I am not talking about buying clothes but grocery? Wow!

[u225615]

Originally Posted by ABQ1

Hello u225615,

Thanks for your insight.

Are you saying though that one could live decently in SF on $90k renting for a family of 4? I am understanding reading from other posts here that that will be impossible or even suicidal in the Bay Area. That was why I began looking in Sacramento.

The potential employer is the Sutter Health System, not sure yet my exact location.

Yes, nearness to work as well as decent school are high priorities; although my children are still very young for high school worries - 6 and 1 year olds.

So people in Sacramento consider grocery-shopping in Wal Mart insulting or belittling? Of course I am not talking about buying clothes but grocery? Wow!

If you really have your heart set on the Bay area and SF in particular it is possible. However, please proceed with the following mindset...you'll need to ensure you dont have debt (credit cards, auto payments, loans etc), dont accrue debt, are completely in agreement about not owning a home(at least in SF) yet willing to pay rent that is equivalent to paying on a mortgage for a 400,000 dollar home at today's interest rates (BTW 400k in Sacramento will get you a very nice home). No pets (many rentals stipulate no pets), good credit (to pass the credit check from the landlord) and a hefty deposit...READY?

I would try to find a rental in the Sunset/Parkside/Richmond District. You should be able to find a 2br 1 bath flat for 2k or even a small 2 br/1 bath home (800-1000 square foot home). Most blocks are very modest in appearance by suburban standards however these neighborhoods are considered among the safer areas in the city and family friendly (in SF looks can be deceiving). They also have the better public schools. Be aware that SF schools operate on a lottery so that it is possible that you may literally live across the street from a neighborhood school but your child may be placed in a school across town (yes enrollment in public schools was a stressful time).

I would look at craigslist for rental homes

Avoid having a car (public transportation in SF is very good especially in the above districts which are served by streetcars and buses)

If you need childcare that will take a chunk out of your paycheck but there are, or at least were some good relatively inexpensive before and after school care programs at Ulloa elementary and at Little Star Preschool.

BTW I didnt mean to give the impression that people within Sacramento are brand conscious. There are a lot of down to earth friendly folks living in Sac and some of the surrounding communities. However, some people in the wealthier suburbs are very cognizant of how you dress, what you drive, etc.

[caligirlz]

Originally Posted by ABQ1

So people in Sacramento consider grocery-shopping in Wal Mart insulting or belittling? Of course I am not talking about buying clothes but grocery? Wow!

I live in Folsom which is considered one of the better suburbs. While there are people who display their "wealth" or wanna be/pretend to be "wealth", the majority of people have no problem shopping at the big box stores (Wal-Mart, Target, Winco, Costco, etc) for the best price. It's really no big deal.

[Armando LaO Sr.]

Originally Posted by caligirlz

I live in Folsom which is considered one of the better suburbs. While there are people who display their "wealth" or wanna be/pretend to be "wealth", the majority of people have no problem shopping at the big box stores (Wal-Mart, Target, Winco, Costco, etc) for the best price. It's really no big deal.

Folsom is good place to live too, near the Outlet stores.

[thebirdcult]

Originally Posted by caligirlz

I live in Folsom which is considered one of the better suburbs. While there are people who display their "wealth" or wanna be/pretend to be "wealth", the majority of people have no problem shopping at the big box stores (Wal-Mart, Target, Winco, Costco, etc) for the best price. It's really no big deal.

I don't shop at Wal-Mart if I can possibly avoid. Extremely unethical company. Target is bad, too, but not quite as bad, but I try to stay out of those places as much as possible.

[NorCal Dude]

I'll pay more money for better customer service and a nicer clientle, not a fan of walmart myself. But lots of other people are. Different strokes for different folks.

[caligirlz]

I'm not a Wal-mart fan either. But many people are, even in Folsom.
Years ago, I case managed their work comp claims so I have somewhat of an insiders view on how the employees are treated along with how some injured employees try to milk the system. Neither situation is good.

[Rebecca~B]

I am looking to relocate back home to Sac as well. I'm currently in NC, and I can tell you, 30% humidity is nothing to our 100 degree, 100% humidity. 30% would be more than welcomed!!

[ryuns]

Originally Posted by caligirlz

I live in Folsom which is considered one of the better suburbs. While there are people who display their "wealth" or wanna be/pretend to be "wealth", the majority of people have no problem shopping at the big box stores (Wal-Mart, Target, Winco, Costco, etc) for the best price. It's really no big deal.

And not all big box stores are created equal: "The average annual household income for shoppers at Costco is $96,000." Costco drives deeper into Washington area - The Washington Post