Looking for small town feel near/in Sacramento (Napa, Davis: for sale, apartments)

[texasfornow]

Most places have those quaint little towns that neighbor the hustle bustle of the inner city and suburbia. Please tell me there are such places in existence near Sacramento?! We are looking to move (military) to the Sacramento area, never been before. What we do not like: Cookie cutter homes, packed in tight, no land, etc./ pollution/ traffic/ city life. What we do like: Homes with character, quiet, clean and green (and all aspects of what "Green" means), with ability to visit the "city" when wanting to (and commute for work). Safe area and good schools are a must. We really enjoy road trips, the appeal of the wineries and so forth are very much what we look forward to. We love the idea of organic farming, road stands, pick your own, etc. We also prefer Mom and Pop establishments as opposed to chain restaurants. Please tell me that we'll find it here?

We may need to rent- if not, we'd barely be able to afford $300,000 for a home.

We are willing to commute (30-40 min.) to outside the Sacramento area if need be. Please include approximate commute times.

Can any shed some light on Davis, or some better ideas?

Many thanks in advance!

[ElleBebe]

Davis sounds like it fits what you're looking for. There are a couple other threads on Davis here; try searching to get more information. Chico and Paradise are a couple hours north of Sacramento; i wouldn't recommend moving there to commute Sacramento is fifteen to twenty minutes from Davis during non-commute hours, maybe up to forty five minutes during rush hour, but I don't commute that way so don't know for sure. It also depends where in Sacramento you're going to.

Davis is environmentally friendly, very community and locally oriented (many of the long term residents were dead-set against the Target coming into town, and the only reason we're getting one (should open in 2009) is because it's a "green" Target), and very family friendly. The school system is supposed to be very good, I've heard from families with children (I know of a couple families who moved to Davis just for the schools).

I don't think that $300,000 would be enough to buy a home here; houses are more expensive than in Texas. Try searching craigslist: sacramento classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events for an idea of rental prices; generally 3-4 bedroom apartments will rent for $1500-$2000 a month, and 3-4 bedroom houses will be $2000 and more.

Napa's only an hour away, if you like winetasting. The Bay Area is only an hour and a half if you like day trips, and Tahoe is only a couple hours. Davis really is a great place to live if you like the small town feel but want to be close to urban areas with lots to do on day trips.

Some links for Davis: Davis Wiki - The definitive resource for Davis, California is a local wiki for Davis that a lot of residents contribute to; it's helpful to get an idea of local mental attitudes and there are lots of reviews of restaurants and whatnot. OneGate for 95616 Zip Code is a community guide for Davis (Full disclosure: I work for OneGate) with info on moving to Davis, local business and organization information, links to lots of local websites, etc. City of Davis California Official Homepage - City of Davis is the official city website, although it's more helpful for official things like announcements and municipal codes, but it does have helpful listings for local businesses and property management groups that could help you move. And I absolutely love the At the Market — Davis Farmers' Market it's a great place to buy locally-grown produce and buy lunch or dinner from local restaurants, and everybody goes so you always run into someone you know.

I'd recommend visiting Davis before moving here; it isn't for everyone, but from what you've written it sounds like it would be a good fit.

Oh, and if you want to avoid "cookie cutter homes" I would avoid the far parts of East Davis where there's a lot of new construction and all the homes look the same. Stick to West Davis and North Davis, which have more trees and meandering neighborhoods; West Davis is surrounded by farmland, too, and is gorgeous at the end of the day when the sun is setting over the hills in the west. South Davis tends to be more expensive.

[texasfornow]

Wow!

Thanks so much for all the great places to start! And, to think I read in other places that Chico and Paradise were within commuting range to Sacramento! I can't wait to research Davis...that's where my niece goes to University.

Thanks again!

Carrie

[NewToCA]

Davis is pretty expensive, you may want to also take a look at Placerville.

Though a bit further out, towards the east side of the city, it is in a really nice hilly setting. It is 40-45 miles from downtown Sacramento, but less distance if you work to the east of the city. Housing is much more affordable than Davis, and the city has a very distinct small town atmosphere.

Also, the same would apply to Auburn, towards the north east. It is a little less than 40 miles from downtown, but rush hour traffic would likely be heavier than Placerville's commute.

https://www.city-data.com/city/Placer...alifornia.html

https://www.city-data.com/city/Auburn-California.html

[BasiaMarie]

Davis and Berkley are both great. College towns, but very neat and clean and what i can only describe as giving a 'fresh' feeling. I live in Auburn, which is 30-40 minutes away. It's nice here, small, but big enough that you don't feel like you're in the middle of nowhere. It's a place where if you hang out downtown enough, you'll end up knowing half of the population.

[bigdave01]

Davis is a possibility, but if you are truly looking for a more rural area and some land I would probably look it Auburn or Loomis.

[texasfornow]

Thanks everyone! I've been reading several threads, and none have mentioned some of these places that you have- so I feel fortunate to have this information to research.

Much appreciation!

[wburg]

Chico and Paradise are definitely not in commuting range of Sacramento.

You might look at Rio Linda, a rural community just north of Sacramento's city limits, or Woodland, a smaller community in Yolo County north of Davis.

I'd also recommend taking at least a look at midtown Sacramento and some of the older suburbs around the central city like Curtis Park or East Sacramento. Even though it's in "the city," much of the aforementioned area doesn't feel much like a big city (it is dominated by tree-lined streets and beautiful historic homes. There are regular farmer's markets, lots of unique local businesses, community gardens, and if your work downtown you can do your daily commute on a bike, on foot, or public transit: if you're serious about "going green," that's how to do it!

[texasfornow]

Wburg,

Thank you for more options! To me, living green means conserving in many ways. I would love nothing more than to find the perfect neighborhood within Sacramento city limits, however, we also need great schools, clean air to breathe, and more than just a few trees to look at- and a real yard without being crammed next to neighbors. I am sure a place exists, however, I feel it will boil down to luck and timing. I feel like Davis, although expensive, may be a very good match so far. But, we will have to rent if we live there. SO, the hunt is on...meanwhile, I am having an extremely hard time finding a website with HOME RENTAL options. Does anyone have something to offer besides Craigslist? Preferably something set up like an MLS with photos and information.

Thanks again!!

[sandysells]

I would have to say Auburn it has a small town feel and works for the commuting family.