Elementary/Middle Schools in 2 areas (Rocklin / W Roseville) (Sacramento, Elk Grove: short sale, real estate)

[Marsh511]

Regulars on this forum are probably sick of my constant specific questions, but when you're trying to buy a home from afar, you really have no way to contact those who have first-hand knowledge except through forums like this...so bear with me and please share your opinions and thoughts.

While we found our perfect house in W. Roseville and are now going on 6 months waiting for a short-sale bank decision on our offer, we're becoming increasingly nervous about the school zoning for that community (Doyle Ranch). For some reason, despite being in Placer County, it's come to our attention that the schools assigned to the community are in Sacto County - Center School District (Oak Hill E.S./Riles M.S./Center H.S.). On a recent trip, we viewed some new houses in Rocklin which were not nearly as "perfect" for us, but were in seemingly terrific communities, notably Whitney Rancy. The schools for that community also look phenomenal, including the opening of a new elementary school (Sunset Ranch, I think) this fall, which would be a 5 minute walk from the houses we saw.

We're mainly looking for feedback on the Center school district schools. YES, we've looked at API scores and all the feedback on the school rating sites, but I don't want to make a decision based on numbers only. We'd love to hear from parents of kids in that area (W. Roseville and Antelope) in the Center School District. We are looking for the safest and most highly-rated educational opportunities for our children, and we're coming down to the wire of needing to decide on the short sale offer we've had in for 6 months. If we need to pick a slightly less perfect house in a decidedly better school district (and community amenities), we are prepared to do so...but only with good information.

We want feedback from RESIDENTS and PARENTS, not realtors. We have a great realtor already. THANKS!

[sigep739]

As a real estate agent and someone who has lived in the Sacramento area for 10 years AND a person who now lives within 2 miles of Whitney Ranch... I would not want to buy a place in the Center HS area if I could avoid it (Id choose Whitney Ranch). Center is an OK school - but people move to Roseville/Rocklin specifically to avoid Sacramento schools... there are some good Sac schools - but I personally moved out of Sacramento specifically for my future kids' sake.

If schools are the number one issue (as opposed to the "perfect" house) - I'd probably find a different house.

[volleyballer]

I completely agree. I would pick a smaller and older house in Rocklin any day over your other option. And you should start putting offers on foreclosed homes in Rocklin. You'll be waiting indefinitely for that short sale, and it probably will end up as foreclosure anyway. I have yet to meet someone who had a positive short sale experience, and I know way too many people trying to bid or sell a short sale. They are gimmick prices in my opinion. My heart was attached to a short sale for 7 months before we went for foreclosures...Best decision ever! It too finally sold as a foreclosed home 1.5 years later. Good luck, and really dive into Rocklin or other parts of Roseville within a good school district.

[bobbugalski]

I live in Whitney Ranch and I specifically moved here (Rocklin) for the schools. I love Rocklin, and wouldn't touch the Antelope area. Great families, great city, great sports programs (little league, soccer, etc.), and a great feel.

Although the mello roos in Whitney Ranch is high ($225+$85 HOA), I would gladly pay that for peace of mind. Doyle Ranch to me is too close to crime laden areas. I prefer to seperate my family from that. In my opinion the location is less desirable (Doyle) because you are further away from Hwy 80. Although the traffic coming from Rocklin in the morning can be less then desirable and to be able to bypass the Douglas Blvd. traffic by jumping onto Hwy 80 further west would be nice. But everything depends on where you are trying to go.

If I could do it all over again though, I would still choose Rocklin but move closer to the elementary and middle school. "Hopefully" this new school will open, but I was told to call back in February to the RUSD to find out for sure. Sometimes it takes up to 20 minutes one way to drop off and pick up from school now. But the education is awesome.

By the way, I am not a realtor, just a parent who wants the best for my children. I may sound biased towards Rocklin, but I have done my research. And although there are plenty of other great places to live, I have not found the right fit outside of Rocklin.

[norcalscold]

Our child attended Rocklin schools from elementary through high school. We were very involved as are many parents in Rocklin. The schools were all great, and in our opinion, the best school that she attended was Granite Oaks Jr High. Excellent teachers and a great learning culture. I'd second the other poster and say take the trade-off in housing sq ft/condition for the school district. There are relatively no crime / classroom problems to speak of here and I suspect that won't change too much. That is not the case at all for the areas you mentioned.

[Marsh511]

Really appreciate the honest responses so far... and I'll bump this to see if anyone responds with recent first-hand experience with the Center School District as well. We're fully aware of the impressive schools in the RUSD, but want some current insights on the schools around Doyle Ranch.

One thing I neglected to mention is that a quick drive to the Sacto Airport is a definite plus...as I travel for work fairly frequently. So...that's a 'plus' for Doyle Ranch/W. Roseville...but, our children's schools and activities definitely trump the airport commute factor.

Keep the responses coming!
Thanks

[volleyballer]

I don't have first hand experience in Center Unified district or the high school, but you should drive around the area since your kids will be spending the majority of their waking hours there. You can volunteer as a guest for a day to get a feel of the schools. You can check the crime mapper for that area and compare it with other places. Do you live in the area right now? I teach in a district adjacent to Center, and I would NEVER (if I could make the caps bigger I would) ever live in their boundaries or send my kids to the schools. I drive by the area every day, and I drive by Center high school when it gets out for the day.... Scary. Seriously, you might not find someone who represents Center's boundaries, but just heed our warnings and go somewhere safer. It's unfortunate because the area you are looking is nice.

[Damnitjanet]

I would rent in Antelope, but I wouldn't want to buy in Antelope. The neighborhood is probably okay right now, but it could easily go downhill pretty quickly.

Antelope is a transition neighborhood between North Highlands and Roseville. The problem in Antelope is that there isn't a really strong geographic boundary like a River, or a freeway that delineates the transition from North Highlands to Antelope, but there is an area of open space that really does delineate Antelope from Roseville.

But Doyle Ranch is in that border zone between Antelope and Roseville.

When the boundary between South Sac and Elk Grove got built out, the problems in South Sac started spilling out into the parts of Elk Grove adjacent to South Sac. Those areas of Elk Grove near South Sac went downhill pretty rapidly.

I am sure you are a good shopper and this house is priced well, but my own feeling is that it would be much better for Roseville to keep the geographic boundary between Antelope and Roseville. I definitely wouldn't buy in that area, especially when your kids are going to be sent to the Center Unified Schools. Its just a neighborhood that I could see going downhill really quickly. When people talk about problems in Elk Grove, it was that border area with South Sac, that they are referring too.

If you buy in Doyle Ranch, I think you are making essentially the same mistake as the people who bought in those areas of Elk Grove immediately south of Consumnes River College. Antelope isn't quite as crappy of a neighborhood as South Sac and Roseville is a better neighborhood than Elk Grove, but I see the same potential problems happening there.

[Marsh511]

You all have given very compelling reasons for us to back out of our offer for the Doyle Ranch home. Yes, it's a shame - that community seems to offer the best of all worlds - beautiful greenery, quality homes, and a Roseville address....yet... At this point, I believe I've gotten the views of well-informed and well-researched posters, but the analogy to Elk Grove/South Sac seems like it *might* have been stretched a bit to fit the communities I'm asking about. Yet, our situation does have the double-edged sword of being geographically adjacent to the 'transition' neighborhood while our children would already be going to school *within* that neighborhood.

All I can say is....I wish we had never seen the house in Doyle Ranch!! Then again, there's probably a reason it was available aside from the obvious bad economy reasons. You don't find the same deals in Granite Bay. Unfortunately, we're doing our research from afar - we live in Las Vegas - and have little opportunity to visit the area in person. In the midst of trying to make these decisions, I'm also hit by the irony of how, for so long, my wife and I have wanted diversity in our children's lives...and now... Over on another topic, I see Rocklin being put down for being so "white bread" and minivantopia...and eight months ago, as I read through those posts and visited for the first househunting trip, I felt the same way. Never did I think I would be in a situation where I'm ready to make Rocklin our first choice of towns.

We can also check out the rest of Roseville...or even Lincoln... but I can't shake the sinking feeling that we're starting all over from scratch...with less choices in the market than last May.

[Rocketir]

I agree with everyone about the Rocklin schools. I specifically moved to Whitney Ranch because of my kids. High property tax's & HOAs but worth it with all of the services. I moved from Elk Grove and saw first hand the crap that living next to a bad area leaves you open too. I have family that lives in Antelope. Its a good area, not the best and no comparison to West Roseville/Rocklin.
I also disagree with the multi-cultural aspect of Rocklin. Very very friendly town. The newer area, specifically the Whitney Ranch area, is actually fairly diverse. Good luck.