Looking to possibly move to Sacramento from Oakland (Orange, Richmond: renter, violent crime)

[pinksaffron]

This is all excellent info, thank you all.

I've been searching house listings in all of the neighborhoods mentioned and it looks like we would either get a really small house with 1 bathroom in a more desirable neighborhood or a mid-size 3/2 for around $400k in a more up-and-coming area. We can likely go to $450k but of course would like to pay less. Our friends just bought a home in the Pocket for $325k (but it is small, around 1100sf with a good sized yard). I think Fair Oaks is out because we don't want the extra distance from SF and from family/friends.

hd4me, that is some good info about schools. Do most people move to the suburbs when their kids are in high school, or enroll them into private schools? That is basically what people do in Oakland since the high schools are lower-performing (except for Oakland Tech but it is insanely large/too many kids, issues of bullying, etc.). We would probably look into charter/magnet schools. Good to know about the open enrollment, xeney.

NinaN, how competitive is the market? Do most listings have multiple offers and go over the list price? Oakland/Berkeley is currently an average of 20-25% over the list price and cash offers are still winning most. So I'm assuming Sac is a bit easier (hopefully!).

I grew up in LA so the weather doesn't scare me, it's more my husband who is put off by heat and prefers cloudy, chilly weather. Next we just need to visit for a few days, likely sometime in June.

[la_cavalière]

With your budget, if you want to stay in the city your best bet would be South Land Park or Pocket. Although here's a cute 3/2 home in Land Park in your price range - right near Tower Café and all the ethnic restaurants on Broadway to boot!

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Sacramento.../home/19430268

You might also like the College Greens/La Riviera neighborhoods -- you will find some good size homes in your price range there. Not as walkable as Midtown/East Sac/Land Park, but close to the river and parks. My friend was a member of the College Greens Swim Club, which is awesome for families.

http://www.collegegreens.net

[NinaN]

The market is pretty competitive in your price range, but we're not seeing 25% above list. On something in the $400K range, if it's just the right house (a.k.a a cream puff) then it might be $10-15K over list unless it's already overpriced. Multiple offers for good properties within the first week.

For High Schools, Rio Americano is a great public school that's not too far out. There are also a few good charter school options and of course private schools. But the public schools certainly have students in them so obviously some are choosing to go where they live. I think parental involvement and child willingness to learn and work hard can make even a so-so school a good experience, but certainly parents lean towards getting their kids into higher rated schools if they are able. We do have open enrollment, but that doesn't guarantee a transfer so if you're thinking of transferring or going to a charter school, do call the school and ask their policy and probability of getting in.

[hd4me]

Originally Posted by pinksaffron

This is all excellent info, thank you all.



hd4me, that is some good info about schools. Do most people move to the suburbs when their kids are in high school, or enroll them into private schools? That is basically what people do in Oakland since the high schools are lower-performing (except for Oakland Tech but it is insanely large/too many kids, issues of bullying, etc.). We would probably look into charter/magnet schools. Good to know about the open enrollment, xeney.


I grew up in LA so the weather doesn't scare me, it's more my husband who is put off by heat and prefers cloudy, chilly weather. Next we just need to visit for a few days, likely sometime in June.

Most people in the area move to the suburbs searching for a good K-12 public school district. In Folsom, for example, you can keep your kids in the same school system through high school.

I also preferred the foggy cool summers but people adapt to the heat as did I

[hd4me]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

From someone whose lived in both SF and Sacramento.

Perspective....

Weather: 10 months out of the year, Sacramento weather is near identical to the Bay Area. For about 2 months out of year, Sac's temps from 2pm to 8pm will average 10 degrees warmer. Ever spend some time in Walnut Creek/Concord/Napa, Sacramento summer weather is very very similar to that. You will have to adjust to summer weather, make sure you have a good quiet, central A/C. Remember, the Bay Area is the odd man out as far as summer weather is concerned as it is unusually cool/cold, most of the rest of the USA has normal warm/hot summer weather like Sacramento.

Conservative vs. liberal: Most of the City of Sacramento is very liberal, a few neighborhoods are on the level of Berkeley liberal. Davis is very liberal. The rest of Sacramento County is liberal to moderate. Folsom is moderate. Orangevale is Sacramento's version of Petaluma on the conservative spectrum. I've walked down streets in the avenues in SF and got stared out because I'm not Asian, and same with streets in Oakland because I'm not black. It was an uncomfortable feeling, maybe it's the novelty for some folks not expecting a non-asian or non-black person walking in their neighborhood. Orangevale is very suburban and mostly moderate to large homes with big yards, if you are a stranger in a well-kept "neighborhood-watch" suburban neighborhood you might get stared at.

Anyone that moves from coastal California to the inland region will need to adjust to the hot weather. However it's definitely not hot and humid as is much of the US in the summertime. I think what separates summer weather in the Sacramento area is the fact that most nights cool down to a comfortable level and most mornings are also comfortable. It's that Delta Breeze that makes a difference and use of the whole house fan in the summer keeps overnight temps indoors comfortable.

About Orangevale...hmmm we live in an HOA community and we keep an eye out for each other that is true but never have experienced anything awkward or uncomfortable. I'm sure there are nice parts of Orangevale, most communities have one or more decent neighborhoods, but the areas along Hazel Avenue and Greenback don't particularly look inviting. It's just my opinion but in terms of schools, community appearance, politics there are other suburbs to choose from.

[18Montclair]

Im from Oakland, moved to Sac for three years, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there---but it is very, very hot in the summer vs Oakland...I got used to it tho.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by pinksaffron

This is all excellent info, thank you all.

I've been searching house listings in all of the neighborhoods mentioned and it looks like we would either get a really small house with 1 bathroom in a more desirable neighborhood or a mid-size 3/2 for around $400k in a more up-and-coming area. We can likely go to $450k but of course would like to pay less. Our friends just bought a home in the Pocket for $325k (but it is small, around 1100sf with a good sized yard). I think Fair Oaks is out because we don't want the extra distance from SF and from family/friends.

hd4me, that is some good info about schools. Do most people move to the suburbs when their kids are in high school, or enroll them into private schools? That is basically what people do in Oakland since the high schools are lower-performing (except for Oakland Tech but it is insanely large/too many kids, issues of bullying, etc.). We would probably look into charter/magnet schools. Good to know about the open enrollment, xeney.

NinaN, how competitive is the market? Do most listings have multiple offers and go over the list price? Oakland/Berkeley is currently an average of 20-25% over the list price and cash offers are still winning most. So I'm assuming Sac is a bit easier (hopefully!).

I grew up in LA so the weather doesn't scare me, it's more my husband who is put off by heat and prefers cloudy, chilly weather. Next we just need to visit for a few days, likely sometime in June.

We spent months trying to get my grandson in a good elementary school after we found that the school in our boundaries is a title I school ranked in the bottom 10% of schools in California. The only public charter schools in San Juan Unified are 3 Montessori charters that get mixed reviews, you can't just go sign your kid up for those though, you need to sign up for the lottery which usually ends up with far more applicants than there are openings.

The only real chance you have to get your kid in a school other than his neighborhood school is through the open enrollment lottery and if you don't get him in for kindergarten you are screwed there are almost no openings after that. My grandson was #24 on a waiting list for a good school so my son was going to enroll him in St. Philomene a private Catholic School when a neighbor told us that Cowan Fundamental had added another kindergarten & had openings and so my son immediately enrolled him. Here are two Sac Bee articles about the problems with open enrollment in Sac City and San Juan.

See San Juan Unified's most sought-after schools | The Sacramento Bee

See Sacramento City Unified's most sought-after schools | The Sacramento Bee

[pinksaffron]

One more question regarding schools: If you rent in an area of Sac and go to your neighborhood school, then buy a home and move into another area, can your kids remain at the previous school?

[NinaN]

Legally yes. But It completely depends on the school, how full it is, and what their policy is.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by pinksaffron

One more question regarding schools: If you rent in an area of Sac and go to your neighborhood school, then buy a home and move into another area, can your kids remain at the previous school?

In most school districts in California they are allowed to finish the school year and that's it. The following year they will have to go to the school they are assigned to with their new address, or you can apply for them to go to their old school through open enrollment, or if it's in a different school district you would apply through an interdistrict transfer request. If it's a popular school the chances are not very good at all. And if you are trying to avoid all of the schools in the boundaries of your new address , you should know that if you get your kid placed in an elementary school that is not in your neighborhood, when they start middle school they will automatically be enrolled in your neighborhood middle school.

Anxious parents prepare for open enrollment at Sacramento, San Juan districts | The Sacramento Bee