Granite Bay or El Dorado Hills (Sacramento, Vista: low income, crime, new home)

[Blighty]

We shall be moving to Sacramento later this year and having read as much as possible on areas etc, we have earmarked Granite Bay and EDH as the most likley areas that will suit us.

We have 2 young boys of 8 & 10 so schools are important and it looks as though Granite Bay has excellent schools.

We also want to be in a community were there are other young children and families for us to make friends with. Good local amenities, shops etc.

We do not want to be rural.

We will be spending 2 weeks in March viewing the areas etc but any advance advice / opinions appreciated.

So the question is, would these 2 areas fit the bill?

Many thanks
Blighty

[gotpancit]

Don't forget about Folsom too. Both Granite bay and Eldo are very nice areas. If commuting might be a concern, GB is sometimes hard to get to depending on where you are commuting from. Expect to pay a lot more for less house there too. Eldo is just as good of a community with its newer developments popping up. The only thing I would watch out for over there is the naturally occuring asbestos, but you get more of a house with your money there.

Schoolwise I think they are about the same.

[moovin]

I've been looking into these two areas too and I've found Folsom High, Vista Del Lago, Granite Bay High, Rocklin High, Oak Ridge High, and Ponderosa High to be all quite equal in test score performance and parents feedback from greatschools.com. Those schools are all in Rocklin, Granite Bay, Folsom, EDH, and Shingle Springs. If you look on a map that encompasses the communities just at the base of the foothills between hwy 80 and 50 and they're all about 20 miles from downtown Sac. The good high schools all have good middle and elementary feeder schools. All those communities are nice with lots of families and strip malls - but that's the way it is when your life culture revolves around children.

[NorCalMan]

I second the idea of looking at Folsom too. If you're looking for a great place to raise children then Folsom and its schools can't be beat. Folsom has some of the highest ranked schools in the state of California, even the most integrated school has a low proportion of children who qualify for low income free or reduced lunches. I can't comment on what the schools are like in El Dorado Hills but I do know that I don't regret making the decision to move from where we used to live for the sole purpose of sending our child to a wonderful school. Plus our proximity to Highway 50 is very convenient.
As for the asbestos issue, 44 of California's 58 counties have naturally occurring asbestos, this includes Sacramento County were Folsom is and El Dorado Hills in El Dorado County. The important thing to remember is that asbestos is not dangerous to you unless it is stirred up into the air and you inhale it. The schools and the city of Folsom went to great lengths to ensure that the grounds were properly treated so asbestos would not leach out into the dirt and grass. Both the new high school and the newest elementary school were built on grounds where naturally occurring asbestos was found but the most recent tests have shown that naturally occurring asbestos is no longer an issue.
The other issue with Granite Bay and El Dorado Hills is that you are going to pay a premium to live there when the homes may be just as good or even not as good in quality as you would find in Folsom. Also, in a Granite Bay and El Dorado Hills you have to travel some distance before you get to the shopping centers or freeways, in Folsom we have wonderful shopping and excellent access to the freeway which means we can keep our driving to a minimum.

[Rob98LS1]

Originally Posted by NorCalMan

I second the idea of looking at Folsom too. If you're looking for a great place to raise children then Folsom and its schools can't be beat. Folsom has some of the highest ranked schools in the state of California, even the most integrated school has a low proportion of children who qualify for low income free or reduced lunches. I can't comment on what the schools are like in El Dorado Hills but I do know that I don't regret making the decision to move from where we used to live for the sole purpose of sending our child to a wonderful school. Plus our proximity to Highway 50 is very convenient.
As for the asbestos issue, 44 of California's 58 counties have naturally occurring asbestos, this includes Sacramento County were Folsom is and El Dorado Hills in El Dorado County. The important thing to remember is that asbestos is not dangerous to you unless it is stirred up into the air and you inhale it. The schools and the city of Folsom went to great lengths to ensure that the grounds were properly treated so asbestos would not leach out into the dirt and grass. Both the new high school and the newest elementary school were built on grounds where naturally occurring asbestos was found but the most recent tests have shown that naturally occurring asbestos is no longer an issue.
The other issue with Granite Bay and El Dorado Hills is that you are going to pay a premium to live there when the homes may be just as good or even not as good in quality as you would find in Folsom. Also, in a Granite Bay and El Dorado Hills you have to travel some distance before you get to the shopping centers or freeways, in Folsom we have wonderful shopping and excellent access to the freeway which means we can keep our driving to a minimum.

true folsom is close to 50, but EDH is just as close to the same highway as folsom, how would you be driving a long distance from edh to the hwy? I would agree with you that Granite Bay is a little bit longer of a drive than the other two. It takes about 7-10 minutes to get to Granite Bay from Interstate 80 driving down Douglas blvd, the main road to GB. The schools are top notch from all three areas, and the atmosphere is very family oriented. Both areas are low crime, high income, family oriented areas. They would be the best fit for you in the greater sacramento area. Good luck on finding a new home for you and your family.

[Cayce29]

Either of EDH or Granite Bay would meet your criteria. You may also want to consider your commute from each community. If you're going to downtown Sacto, then I'd say that EDH provides a better (and shorter commute experience). The bottom line, however, is that you're focusing on two very nice communities in the greater Sacramento area by whatever standards you measure.

With respect to NOA, NorCalMan correctly has pointed out that, although many do not realize it, NOA exists in the vast majority of California counties. Unlike in most (all?) of the other counties, however, NOA in El Dorado county has been extensively evaluated and comprehensive ordinances, plans and policies were adopted to mitigate any risks of its presence.

[tande1n5]

I'd say that GB definately has the best reputation of all for schools, but you certainly won't be going wrong if you pick any of the other schools listed, because they're all good.

GB also has the reputation for being the most moneyed area, whereas EDH is bit of a new money transplant wave, mostly because there is room to build for those that really want a new construction, and your money goes a little further. Granite Bay is almost completely built up, except for a few infill houses here and there.

Granite Bay is a bit more rural, though, maybe worth mentioning since you said you did not want to be too rural. There really are 2 sides to GB - the developed side from the 1980's to mid 1990's with a mix of custom/spec/tract homes, and the rural, horse property side. Granite Bay used to be a place to go to get land, a lot like Loomis, despite its modern connection to Roseville. Drive on Barton or Eureka Road, then go down E Roseville Pkwy to see what I mean.

[Blighty]

Many thanks for your replies.

I think the best thing for us is to look at GB, EDH and Folsom in detail when we are there in March.

Thanks

Blighty

[annaboyd]

Just curious. I look in these threads now and then and noted that you were spending some time last March to decide where to move.