Nice areas just outside City of Sacramento? (Orange, Citrus Heights: real estate, houses)

[xenxes]

My parents are recently retired and looking in an area within a 30 minute drive of the city (where we currently live). Wondering if anyone can shed some light on what these areas are known for, since we're still pretty new to the city ourselves --

South
Elk Grove
Wilton

East
Rancho Cordova
Fair Oaks
Orangevale
Folsom

North
Rio Linda
North Highlands (hear this is a bad area?)
Citrus Heights
Roseville


Parameters:

1. Purchasing $500-800k, >1 acre, preferably 2 separate structures
2. Safe
3. Not in a flood zone
4. Preferably good schools, we may eventually send kids to live with nana in the burbs
5. Not too far away from shopping
6. Good healthcare close by

[Majin]

West Sacramento Bridge District.

[Bulldogdad]

Lodi/Woodbridge.

Folsom

El Dorado Hills

Rocklin

Davis

Auburn

[Malloric]

Wilton.
It's the only place that will meet your criteria. Or it might not depending on how far "not too far away" and "close by" are.

[NinaN]

In the east side, the 1-acre lot might be difficult until you get to el dorado hills, Cameron Park, or even Granite Bay. Most will not have 2 buildings until you get more rural. These all have good schools and houses in the price range.

Most at the area west of Folsom lake is in a "dam inundation" zone, but not necessarily a flood zone. El dorado hills, Cameron park are not.

Are your parents moving within California? If so, el dorado county accepted proposition 90 which allows some retires to bring their tax base with them when they move here.

[xenxes]

Parents are moving from Indiana. We did a pretty thorough Redfin search (love the website, it's like Zillow+maps but pulled straight from MLS).

The three main areas we're considering are: (1) between Loomis/Granite Bay/New Castle area; (2) Fair Oaks; and (3) Elk Grove. So many options to choose from when you're not tied to geography and the schools are all 8/9/10s, it's making our heads spin. We'll have to take a few weekend drives to narrow further.

[pdizo916]

i was gonna suggest lodi but someone beat me to it.

[hydro]

Loomis gb newcastle area is the nicest of all these.

[ryuns]

Originally Posted by xenxes

Parents are moving from Indiana. We did a pretty thorough Redfin search (love the website, it's like Zillow+maps but pulled straight from MLS).

The three main areas we're considering are: (1) between Loomis/Granite Bay/New Castle area; (2) Fair Oaks; and (3) Elk Grove. So many options to choose from when you're not tied to geography and the schools are all 8/9/10s, it's making our heads spin. We'll have to take a few weekend drives to narrow further.

Redfin is great. We found a realtor through there too and had a good experience.

Good luck on the search. I'll probably be doing a similar search in a few years if my mom decides to move up here (which she continually talks about, but hasn't really gotten to the point of really looking at neighborhoods).

I think it'll just depend on what kind of area they're looking for. Elk Grove is new, flat, and suburban. Probably too close to find a place with an acre unless you're farther out towards Galt or Wilton. Fair Oaks is also suburban, but a bit older and closer to the geographic middle of the metro area. But the lots are very large by "city" standards--not going to find much over an acre, but half acre in the city is still huge. Granite Bay is pricey and a little more fancy pants. 1 acre there will definitely cost, though it sounds like your parents have some flexibility in their budget. Loomis and New Castle are kind of at the edge of the metro area, more open space and foothillsy with larger lots, but spread out, not many areas that are walkable, not many services without driving to Rocklin or Roseville (which is not that far and retirees can time to avoid traffic and crowds, but it may be a concern for access to medical care).

[38pF]

I highly suggest Wilton, if it's property you're looking for. It really has a Midwestern, older, small-town feel, but you aren't too far away from civilization. Lots of gorgeous homes with good acreage. I know a real estate agent who has lived in that area for quite sometime.. Let me know if you want her information.

I grew up in South Sac and then moved to the Vineyard area (outside of Elk Grove) when the neighborhood got questionable. There are a couple of homes on smaller one acre or more lots in pockets of the area that haven't been developed, but ever since developers have been building neighborhoods there, it hasn't been quite the same (burglaries, people driving too fast on the country roads, so many lights we can't see the stars the way we used to, etc.).

you might also be able to get some acreage in El Dorado Hills, and that area/community seems more newly developed.

We're moving to Folsom temporarily, and after exploring it a bit, I noticed some lrge hones but not necessarily acreage... So I'm not sure if you will find much of what you're looking for there.. Good schools, though.