Friend Moving To Sacramento: Suggestions?

[dlai]

I thought I'd ask the kind TDI folks in Sacramento for their suggestions:

I have a family friend who's moving her family from New Orleans to Sacramento. Her husband will be working for the UC Davis Medical Center. They were wondering what areas would be good to move to, with the normal requirements of schooling, shopping, community resources, churches, etc. They have 3 kids, 2 are in high school and one is a special needs 6th grader. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, since I don't know the Sacramento area well enough to give them any help.

Thanks.

Dan

 

[sacramentoTDI]

El Dorado hills, Elk Grove, or Natomas. I lived in Elk Grove my self and lots of new home development right now. Natomas is closer to UC Davis and also building new homes. Good Luck!

 

[danix]

Is he/she going to be working in Davis? If so, Davis is a really cute, college town.

 

[dlai]

He's going to be working at the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. Natomas? Is that area close to the medical center? Thanks for the suggestions, keep them coming!

 

[NewTdi]

A doctor friend of mine used to work at the Sport Medicine Center at UC Davis Medical Center and just moved to Utah with another colleague. Both of them used to reside in Davis and it was a 20 minute commute to get to the office building from Davis. For schools there is a ranking/listing by school districts somewhere on the state of California education site. I also fond this link
http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/citylist/CA

 

[02AutoWag]

Are they buying or renting?

 

[horrorxgirl]

davis is good for schools and such, but rent is a bit higher. if there buying, there are a good amount of houses in davis that are currently on the market.

as for closer to the ucd med center... tahoe park is pretty neighborhood-ie, i dont know about the schools there... but i know that theres at least 1 church there. if they're renting i know that theres a house for rent in that area (58th street and 19th ave ish area) that my friend just told me about (cause its a few houses down from theirs).

 

[dlai]

They are buying, parents with 3 kids...

 

[marvinall]

Natomas for sure...lol..

Anybody who lived here in '86 wont live in Natomas, or if you are make sure
you have: Lots of flood insurance, a boat, PFD's etc.

I drive thru Natomas from South to North every day and chuckle every time at all the
10's of thousands that have bought houses there. Do a little research and you wont live there.
Unfortunately im sure very few Realtors, Mortgage Companies, Builders and the like disclosed this while they were trying to sell all those new homes

 

[rc_y2kws6ta]

I am sure if they are coming from New Orleans, they would want to avoid areas that flood if thats the case.

Here are my top choices. I am a parent with 3 kids as well. There are some other good area, but these are what I am familiar with, so I can speak to them. I hope this helps.

Nice subruban areas, but a bit more expensive....
1) Folsom about 25 minutes to the med center. (I live there. Excellent schools, newer neighborhoods, very family friendly, lots of family activities) http://www.folsom.ca.us/
Brand new High School in my neighborhood opening this year for Freshman and Sophs. The other high school is excellent (Folsom HS) opened around 1998.
2) El Dorado Hills (right next to Folsom, Very nice as well)

I have some places I perfer not to live, so if you want to know, send me a PM.

 

[cfm56]

What about Roseville..it might be a tad bit further north from UC Davis if im right but its really nice

 

[bogstomper]

Hey Dan,
I am surprised no one mentioned Woodland, I have been living here in a new KB home for a year and they are having great deals now, it's close to I-5 as well and they are going to be building a new park there as well.
We also considered Natomas but the crime rate is pretty high there apparently (someone told me that a family was robbed as they were getting the groceries from the trunk of the car in a new neighborhood) so that put the halt on Natomas.....
talk to you soon..

 

[Windowlicker]

poor bastards. . . Sac is Wac. and f'n hot. . I like me sea breeze =). . But yea, be careful in the new housing areas, find out the history of why they're building new there. A LOT of the 'new housing' areas in norcal are built on places where normally people wouldn't build. . . old industrial sites, flood plains, landfills, etc.

 

[Howler]

be sure to check out what http://www.friendsoftheriver.org has to say about Natomas. The Sac river, like the Mississippi is building its river bottom with sediment, meaning the floods you saw earlier will only be worse in the future.

 

[ruking]

I was just in (UC Davis) Davis, CA Tuesday for lunch with my daughter!! EVERY time I have gone there, there has been some major and a host of other events going on! It was a "cool" 99 degree's! . Coming from NO, LA, I am sure they will appreciate the lack of humidity when it is 99 degrees! Also since they are probably fresh from the Katrina experience, they might do a bit more homework on the 25/50/100 year flood plain, in selecting districts, since the dike system is not even built to Corp of Army Engineers standards (as critical as folks were of the CoAE, in the Katrina debacle).

Because of the sub prime, alt a, credit, home builders, environment, etc., this is a GREAT time to look for new and used houses!!! However, it would be good to keep in mind to own at least 5/8 years, in case the market does not resume its up hill inflation climb.

Friends in Dixon (south of Sacramento/Davis) tell me even rents are re-negotiable. They are also actively looking for a place to buy. They sold their Santa Clara County property at the height of (this area's) housing boom 3 years ago. (was on the market 1 week) and took an above asking price, best offer of 6.

 

[02AutoWag]

My first thought is Davis. Best schools around and almost certain they have multiple programs for their special needs 6th grader. Some well established neighborhoods as well as new construction. Walk/bike freindly downtown. Various cultural activities associated with the campus and it's performing arts centers.

It all depends...downtown Sacramento city life to rural parts of Woodland/Dixon/Winters. Tell us more about yor friends...what activites do they enjoy?

 

[dlai]

Rudy: I didn't think of Woodland. I'll suggest that to them, thanks.

Russ: Their two older boys are of the teenager age and like the outdoors. They are into music, but I don't know which instruments they play. I think their concern is finding the right place that has programs for their special needs child.

Ruking: I'm pretty sure coming from New Orleans they want to avoid Natomas and places like that which are on or near a flood plain.

I think Dixon might be a bit farther than they would be interested in, but I'll suggest that to them too.

 

[ruking]

I just mentioned Dixon only to indicate the truly wide spectrum of choices. If I were moving to the greater Sacramento area, I would find the choices almost daunting!!

 

[dlai]

I just mentioned Dixon only to indicate the truly wide spectrum of choices.

I appreciate that! Who knows, they might fall in love with Dixon. It certainly has changed and grown a lot in the past few years...

 

[ruking]

I appreciate that! Who knows, they might fall in love with Dixon. It certainly has changed and grown a lot in the past few years...

Yes, downtown Dixon still has the vestiges of the 1950's (long time ago) CA small town feel, however you can sense the progressive move.

 

[02AutoWag]

I think Davis has the most opportunities for a special needs child based upon available money and parental involvement (sizable single income/stay at home parent population). Graduate students had access to University sponsored infant programs...might want to investigate whether these kinds of programs are extended to UCMedCenter employees too.

I believe the Davis highschools have skiing/snowboarding organized extracurricular competative events; I think they have cycling (road and mountain) programs too. Many other outdoor programs through the University are available too.

 

[Eck]

I would also say Davis, it has a nice little downtown with shops and restaurants, nice outdoor activities, lakes and San Francisco isn't too far for sightseeing. Napa Valley is close or Lake Tahoe can be reached within less then 2 hours.
Not to forget the Sudwerk, nice little brewery right on the freeway with beergarden!

 

[bogstomper]

Something else I remembered, we initially looked in Davis but the prices were pretty high, the problem is that Davis is not expanding at the moment so you are paying a premium for older houses. There was an article in the paper concerning this and one of the houses we looked at in Davis was around $300K more than the equivalent in Woodland, this was the same house plan by the same builder.
I like the fact that Woodland is so close so you can have all the atmosphere of Davis (e.g Farmer's market on Wednesday evenings) without having to shell out unnecessary bucks for a difference of 8 miles.

 

[ruking]

Something else I remembered, we initially looked in Davis but the prices were pretty high, the problem is that Davis is not expanding at the moment so you are paying a premium for older houses. There was an article in the paper concerning this and one of the houses we looked at in Davis was around $300K more than the equivalent in Woodland, this was the same house plan by the same builder.
I like the fact that Woodland is so close so you can have all the atmosphere of Davis (e.g Farmer's market on Wednesday evenings) without having to shell out unnecessary bucks for a difference of 8 miles.

WOW! $300,000 for the same house!!! House wise, definitely makes one consider a 8 mile longer commute.