Questions about Elk Grove

[mattinsac]

Elk Grove looks nice because it is nice. Elk Groves zipcodes are 95758 and 95624. See here

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Now compare them with Midtown 95816, Land Park 95818 and East Sac 95819.

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I am not arguing that Midtown, East Sac or Land Park are bad neighborhoods per se, but rather using them as a frame of comparison. A lot of people really like these neighborhoods and would defend them. If you use those neighborhoods as your baseline, Elk Grove comes out looking quite strong.

Parents who care about good schools tend to move out to Elk Grove because the schools are much better in Elk Grove than in the City of Sacramento.

County List of Schools

On a lot of measures, Elk Grove does a better job than Sacramento. For a given amount of money, you can get a bigger home with better schools and less crime. If you have a growing family, that combination of more space and better schools is a compelling reason to put up with a longer commute.

If schools or space aren't as important as shorter commute than these other neighborhoods might be better.

In terms of proximity to bad neighborhoods, while Elk Grove may be close to South Sac, these other neighborhoods are close to Del Paso Heights, Alkali Flat and Oak Park. So again, I don't know that the proximity argument against Elk Grove is that strong either.

[misterdammit]

The thing is, Elk Grove seems like the perfect place, location-wise, for us to buy, since I work in Sac (Power Inn/Fruitridge area) and my hubby works in Stockton. While we'd like to continue living in the Greenhaven/Pocket area, I just don't see it happening on our budget (we'd like to keep our house at around $200,000; we're not rich people). All that'll buy in our neighborhood is a half-plex, but in Elk Grove it'd buy us a decent house. Personally, I'd rather live in the city than the 'burbs, but it seems that the neighborhoods in convenient locations are either ghetto or way too pricey. Natomas might be nice, but we really don't want to increase my husband's commute much; it already takes an hour.

[wburg]

misterdammit: So buy in Elk Grove. Reports of its "ghetto-ness" are apparently highly overstated, you're a bit closer to Stockton, and if you're in Greenhaven/Pocket you're in the 'burbs even though you are within the Sacramento city limits (the Sacramento city limits contains literally over 90% former suburbs.)

[17271]

I've passed through Elk Grove before. It seemed okay to me, there's also some gated communities there. But there isn't much to do and Elk Grove itself isn't that big. I'm sure you wouldn't mind living there, but it leaves quite a bit to be desired and it felt father boring and bleak. I'd suggest the smaller cities above Sacramento, such as Roseville, they would be nicer and better to live in.

[wburg]

17271: The problem is that misterdammit's mister works in Stockton, and living in Roseville would add an extra 20-30 miles (and probably 45-60 minutes) to his commute. So for her situation Roseville isn't an ideal choice.

[Jimbo15]

I agree with wburg. I think a lot depends upon your needs. I think Greenhaven is a perfectly fine neighborhood. If a halfplex or condo suits your needs there, go with Greenhaven.

But if a halfplex or a condo don't suit your needs because you want something bigger because you have or are planning to have a family in that situation especially when your budget is 200k or less and when your spouse is working in Stockton, in that case, I think Elk Grove is an excellent choice.

[misterdammit]

I just don't want to end up being stuck in a place that's going...downhill. I mean, I know home prices are low, but I don't want to buy and then have the place turn into a crime-ridden hole.

I've always been a renter, so I'm a bit nervous.

[wburg]

Unfortunately there are no guarantees in that regard, no matter where you buy. A lot of Elk grove's drops in prices are the result of problems that are national in scope, not the result of local mismanagement, so you will encounter them wherever you go.