Which are good, cheap rental areas in Sacramento? (San Francisco, Stockton: apartment complex, rentals)

[rosannad]

Hi; I'm a classical musician and a single mother of a toddler; I'm relocating across the country to Sacramento for work purposes. I've found some rentals within my tight budget; the nearest big street intersections are listed below. I'm looking for somewhere safe and clean, and especially where the vibe of the people is bright, eg, culturally sophisticated and positive even though they're not loaded with moola.


I'd totally appreciate your feedback regarding these areas, and suggestions for alternatives.

1. Bradshaw Rd / Old Placerville Rd, on the west side of the Mather airport (lots of airport noise here?)
2. The North Highlands area, north-west of the 80 from a place called Foothill Farms, and the Foothills Farms area itself
3. Watt/Arden & the Arden area generally; quite a few rentals here
4. Fulton / Auburn Blvd & that area generally; quite a few rentals here
5. Elsie / Center Parkway, just west of the 99
6. The area just southeast of where the 5 and 80 intersect.
7. Stockton/Florin, just east of the 99. (How big are the freeways around here; are they really loud?)
8. College Oak Drive / Madison

(I've read many of your postings about good/bad areas in Sac but found that there was not much agreement except on the expensive areas that are definitely out of my budget. However I learned a lot anyway; thanks for your postings!)
Kind regards, Rosanna

[Fat Freddy]

I wouldn't want to live in any of those areas, especially not (5.)Elsie / Center Parkway, just west of the 99 or (7.)Stockton/Florin, just east of the 99

[CEO]

1. Bradshaw Rd / Old Placerville Rd, on the west side of the Mather airport (lots of airport noise here?)
2. The North Highlands area, north-west of the 80 from a place called Foothill Farms, and the Foothills Farms area itself
3. Watt/Arden & the Arden area generally; quite a few rentals here
4. Fulton / Auburn Blvd & that area generally; quite a few rentals here
5. Elsie / Center Parkway, just west of the 99
6. The area just southeast of where the 5 and 80 intersect.
7. Stockton/Florin, just east of the 99. (How big are the freeways around here; are they really loud?)
8. College Oak Drive / Madison

I am not familiar with all of the listing. But stay out of North Highlands, one of the ghetto neighborhoods in Sacramento.

Watt and Arden is borderline, very busy intersection specially dealing with traffic. Depending on where you go, one side is decent by a lot of business and homes. The other side is a bit run down homes.

The Fulton and Auburn area, I mostly see car dealerships.

Stockon and Florin area is pretty bad, i always hear about crimes in that area.

College Oak Drive and Madison is pretty decent too. One side is poor looking homes and others is million dollar homes.


Most of the places you listed are relatively close to the freeway and nice shopping plazas. The places you listed are clean but does have it's ghetto parts around it. I've notice the past decade that Sacramento has more crime compared to the newer upscale communities.

I would recommend (in order) College Oak/Madison, and then Fulton/Auburn tied with Arden/Watt depending on which side you live on.

[hethrly]

I'm not incredibly familiar with all of those areas. But, I also think it depends on what apartment complex you are looking in (though, I have to agree, Center Pkwy, Stockton/Florin is not a great area).
I've lived in the area around Old Placerville/Bradshaw and some of the apartment complexes there are pretty nice. I don't think you'd have much airport noise -- I'm pretty sure that area is not in the flight path.
I don't know if any of these places will have the culturally sophisticated vibe you are looking for... for that, you might get close looking downtown. There may be some good deals down there... have you checked craigslist?
I was looking for my BIL last year and found some places in the Butterfield area that were reasonable and decent. Also near light rail, which is a plus in my book.
Good luck with your hunt. If nothing else, I would sign a month to month lease, that way if you don't end up liking the area you move to, you can find something else. The Sacramento area is quite large and there are lots of places to live!

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by rosannad

...I'm looking for somewhere...where the vibe of the people is...culturally sophisticated..

Sacramento has never been known for cultural sophistication.

You can live in a multi-million dollar Tacky Box, wear a tuxedo and black tie to the Sacramento Symphony, and have you picture appear in Sacramento Magazine, but the fact still remains that if you are a white Sacramento native, your Grandparents probably came here from Oklahoma or Arkansas in a pickup truck.

People from Sacramento who are interested in the Arts, or being "culturally sophisticated" move to San Francisco or New York.

[ukiyo-e]

Originally Posted by rosannad

Hi; I'm a classical musician and a single mother of a toddler; I'm relocating across the country to Sacramento for work purposes. I've found some rentals within my tight budget; the nearest big street intersections are listed below. I'm looking for somewhere safe and clean, and especially where the vibe of the people is bright, eg, culturally sophisticated and positive even though they're not loaded with moola.)Kind regards, Rosanna

I'll let others suggest areas, but I just wanted to point out that far from being a cultural wasteland, we have a wonderful concert hall, the Mondavi Center, on the campus of UC Davis. It's right off I-80 and has plentiful parking next door. I've seen The Alexander String Quartet, Joshua Bell, Yo-Yo Ma, James Galway, Taiko Dojo, Branford Marsalis, Butterscotch, and several NY dance companies perform there, just to name a few. If you enjoy classical music, jazz, or dance, check it out. There are also local classical music groups in Sacramento itself, but I live in Davis, so I just opt for Mondavi.

[rosannad]

Hi--many thanks to those who answered this thread so informatively; this is a great forum and you are nice people.

[inpd]

Originally Posted by rosannad

Hi--many thanks to those who answered this thread so informatively; this is a great forum and you are nice people.

Yes, when we are not cutting each other off in traffic, dealing, running our gangs
as you would get the impression most people in Sacramento do from reading
some of these messages

Now remember that right now the apartment complexes are having a very tough
time filling their apartments so many have move in specials and EVERYTHING is
negotiable. So you could try living in a nicer area by just going in and making
the manager (not their assistant) an offer.

[ukiyo-e]

Originally Posted by inpd

Yes, when we are not cutting each other off in traffic, dealing, running our gangs
as you would get the impression most people in Sacramento do from reading
some of these messages .

I find the remarks about the traffic and bad drivers humorous, having moved out here in 2002 from San Francisco. My son was about 13 at the time, and after a couple days riding around in the car with me, he said, "Mom, you cuss a lot less when you're driving here." I still go back to SF every month or so and sometimes I'm barely off the Bay Bridge before the inner sailor in me pops out.

[rosannad]

Hi--I'd also be interested in hearing your opinions of Carmichael.
Thanks,
Rosanna