Professional Black Woman wants to buy home in Sacramento (Roseville: real estate, renting)

[JerseyGirl678]

Hello,

I currently live in an affluent town in northern New Jersey. I am a single, professional, Black woman with no children. I'd like to relocate to California at some point. I will be searching for a job first, but would like to know what areas would be good for me to purchase a home; I will job hunt once I locate an area.
I am suburban girl, and would like to stay below $300K for a single family house. I'm looking for a diverse neighborhood, as that it what I am accustomed to. My life is culturally diverse and I would like to maintain that in California. Museums, sports, diverse dining, and cultural events are things that I enjoy. My family is multi-racial and it is a big part of who I am. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!!

[derekjones]

Under $300k does limit your areas but you still have many option in and around Sacramento. It really comes down to what your needs are for a neighborhood, home, commute, etc.

[JerseyGirl678]

Thanks for your response. Regardless of what my needs are at this point, where are the communities in and around Sacramento that are the most desirable? I suppose in my initial search I would be looking for diversity, low crime, homes in good condition (well maintained). Some of these forums say "don't live here!" or "this place is full of crime!". I've only been out there twice, so I really need some guidance. Thank you!

[2sleepy]

That's tough without knowing where you are going to be working. There are some areas where you can get a house for 300K but Sacramento is so big that you could end up buying a house that might be a miserable commute. Have you considered renting, then looking for a house after you have a job?

[calnbs]

All I know is Sacramento housing market and its surrounding areas are getting more and more expensive by the minute and I don't see that trend going the opposite direction unless another Stock Market Crash and huge unemployment again.

[caligirlz]

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl678

I am suburban girl, and would like to stay below $300K for a single family house. I'm looking for a diverse neighborhood, as that it what I am accustomed to. My life is culturally diverse and I would like to maintain that in California. Museums, sports, diverse dining, and cultural events are things that I enjoy. My family is multi-racial and it is a big part of who I am. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

where are the communities in and around Sacramento that are the most desirable? I suppose in my initial search I would be looking for diversity, low crime, homes in good condition (well maintained).

Ok, so you want all of this for less than <$300k.
Safety/low crime
Diversity
Museums, sports, diverse dining, and cultural events

When you say home in good, well-maintained condition, what vintage of homes do you desire? New construction? older construction? do you have a specific type of home that you'd like? Do you prefer a walkable community?

Do you want suburban or maybe something a little closer to downtown/midtown? I would suggest staying closer to the city core. The only challenge will be your budget. Check Land Park, Elmhurst, Tahoe Park, River Park, maybe the Greenhaven area.

I think it's a little hard to say which city is the best since we all have different preferences. But, the areas that historically retain their home values are East Sac, Granite Bay, Folsom/El Dorado Hills, Roseville/Rocklin. None of those, except East Sac are close to the most diverse area (midtown). The good news is the dining, musems, plays are within an easy driving distance, and some communities have their own theaters. The suburbs are generally considered safer.

[JohnS_15]

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl678

Thanks for your response. Regardless of what my needs are at this point, where are the communities in and around Sacramento that are the most desirable? I suppose in my initial search I would be looking for diversity, low crime, homes in good condition (well maintained). Some of these forums say "don't live here!" or "this place is full of crime!". I've only been out there twice, so I really need some guidance. Thank you!

I'd say generally the most desirable communities in Sacramento are Land Park and East Sacramento. These are old established communities with some beautiful homes and tree lined streets with close proximity to parks and the rivers and downtown. I don't think you would get anything for 300k in either of these neighborhoods.

Outer suburbs with good schools such as Roseville/Rocklin and the Folsom and El Dorado Hills areas are desirable to some people too. I don't think there's as much diversity out there and you'd struggle to get any single family home for 300k.

Midtown is a desirable location for being close to the action and for a more urban feel but still with options of living on quieter streets in beautiful old historic homes. It seems pretty diverse in both ethnicity and age (although tends to have more of a young crowd around the restaurant/bar areas). You'll struggle to get anything for 300k.

The area just north of the American river as you head east out of Sacramento (the southern areas of Arden and Carmichael) is desirable. There are a lot of big homes and gated communities and is one of the wealthier areas of Sacramento. You won't get anything for 300k.

There are several other nice areas that might be more attainable with a ~300k budget - it just depends on what your needs are. I'm not sure you are going to find a low crime, diverse, nicely maintained suburban community at that price point. Others that have lived here longer may have more knowledge.

Maybe South Land Park/Hollywood Park - you could probably find a nice small 2 or 3bed, 1bath home but the homes would be older. I like the area between Sac Executive Airport and Land Park. I'm not sure on the diversity there.

You could also try Tahoe Park or the nicer parts of Oak Park, which will get you more diversity and be within your budget but you are going to be right up against rougher areas.

You could also check out parts of Carmichael which might be a good fit. I'm not very familiar with Carmichael and it's quite surprising how big the area is and how different the different parts can be. Someone else maybe able to point you toward better information on this area if you are interested.

I would look at Elk Grove or North Natomas for a much more suburban feel.

[eureka1]

Just get as close to Land Park as you can and you won't go wrong. Welcome!

[enigma99a]

Check out Homes and real estate in northern California - MetroList the official MLS and set your search under 300K. Then you can see what you like and see if it is an area that works for you

[caligirlz]

Originally Posted by JohnS_15

Outer suburbs with good schools such as Roseville/Rocklin and the Folsom and El Dorado Hills areas are desirable to some people too. I don't think there's as much diversity out there and you'd struggle to get any single family home for 300k.

I would agree, the outer suburbs are not as diverse as downtown, however, its not all white vanilla out there. My next door nextdoor neighbor is black, across the street mexicans, and next to them asians, at the corner east indians, and that's just on my street! I see a mixture of races at any given event or outing. There are homes, usually smaller, older homes or condos available for 300K.