Relocating to Greater Sacramento: A Home Buyer's Guide

If you are moving to the Sacramento area from the Bay Area, Southern California, or another state, one of the first challenges is simply understanding how the region fits together.

Greater Sacramento is not one housing market.

A condo in Midtown Sacramento, a 1950s home in Land Park, a newer subdivision in Roseville, a custom home in Granite Bay, and five acres in Penryn may all be within the same broad region — but they represent completely different home-buying decisions.

The goal of this guide is to give relocating buyers a practical orientation to the Sacramento region before they begin seriously searching for homes.

This guide focuses primarily on Sacramento County, Placer County, and El Dorado County, where I work extensively with buyers.

Start by Understanding the Major Corridors

One of the easiest ways to understand Greater Sacramento is to look at the major transportation corridors.

Interstate 80 connects Sacramento with Roseville, Rocklin, Loomis, Newcastle, and Auburn.

Highway 65 branches north from the Roseville/Rocklin area toward Lincoln.

Highway 50 connects Sacramento with Rancho Cordova, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park, Shingle Springs, and the foothills.

Interstate 5 and Highway 99 provide the major north-south routes through Sacramento and toward Elk Grove and communities south of the city.

For someone relocating to the region, commute distance on a map tells only part of the story.

I recommend testing the actual route at the time of day you expect to travel.

Where you work and how often you commute can significantly change which communities make sense to consider.

1. Sacramento: A City of Very Different Neighborhoods

One of the biggest mistakes an out-of-area buyer can make is treating "Sacramento" as one neighborhood.

Sacramento contains many distinct neighborhoods, and housing type, age, lot size, architecture, parking, density, and proximity to downtown can vary considerably.

For a relocating buyer, those differences matter.

Downtown and Midtown

Downtown and Midtown offer the most urban housing experience in the Sacramento region.

Buyers will find a mix of condominiums, apartments, historic homes, smaller residential lots, infill development, restaurants, entertainment, government offices, and employment centers.

Someone relocating from San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego, or another larger city may find Midtown more familiar than many of Sacramento's suburban communities.

Parking, property age, shared-wall living, walkability, and proximity to employment may be more important considerations here than lot size.

East Sacramento, McKinley Park and River Park

Immediately east of the Central City, East Sacramento and surrounding neighborhoods offer a more established residential environment while remaining close to downtown.

Housing tends to be older than what buyers will find in newer suburban communities such as Rocklin, Lincoln, or West Roseville.

That means the buying decision may involve more attention to roofs, electrical systems, plumbing, foundations, additions, renovations, and prior improvements.

For someone who wants an established neighborhood but still wants to remain relatively close to Sacramento's urban core, these areas are worth understanding.

Curtis Park, Land Park and South Land Park

Moving south from the central city, Curtis Park, Land Park, and South Land Park offer another group of established Sacramento neighborhoods.

Buyers will generally encounter older housing stock, established streets, mature landscaping, different architectural styles, and property-specific renovations and improvements.

These are not interchangeable with newer suburban markets. Individual property condition can have a substantial impact on value.

Oak Park, Tahoe Park, Elmhurst and the Medical Center Area

East and southeast of the central city are neighborhoods including Oak Park, Tahoe Park, Elmhurst and the area surrounding the UC Davis Medical Center.

Housing can vary significantly from block to block. Buyers may encounter older homes, renovated properties, infill construction, homes in varying condition, and smaller and larger residential lots.

This is a good example of why I do not like relying only on ZIP-code averages when advising relocating buyers. The specific street, property condition, immediate surroundings and comparable sales may matter far more.

Pocket and Greenhaven

Pocket and Greenhaven, along the Sacramento River in the southwestern portion of the city, generally offer a more suburban-style housing environment than Midtown or East Sacramento.

The housing, streets and lot patterns are different from the central city even though these neighborhoods remain within Sacramento city limits.

For a buyer moving from outside the region, this is another example of why saying "I want to live in Sacramento" is only the beginning of the conversation.

South Sacramento

South Sacramento includes a broad collection of neighborhoods and housing types. Properties may vary substantially in age, lot size, condition, surrounding development, access to major roads, and property style.

When evaluating this part of Sacramento, I prefer to narrow the search quickly rather than trying to understand the entire area through one broad market statistic.

2. Natomas and North Sacramento

I would separate Natomas from the rest of Sacramento because the housing pattern and development history are different.

North Natomas and South Natomas

Natomas has experienced extensive residential and commercial growth and remains an important development area.

Relocating buyers may find newer housing than in many of Sacramento's close-in neighborhoods, along with subdivisions, parks, retail areas, newer development patterns, access to Sacramento International Airport, and I-5 and I-80 access.

Flood-zone information and insurance requirements should also be investigated for individual properties.

Natomas can be especially relevant for buyers who value access to the airport, downtown Sacramento, or the I-5/I-80 corridors.

North Sacramento

North Sacramento is different from Natomas. Housing is generally more established and varies considerably by neighborhood.

A relocating buyer should not assume that "North Sacramento" and "North Natomas" describe the same type of housing market. They do not.

3. Elk Grove and Southern Sacramento County

South of Sacramento, Elk Grove represents one of the region's major suburban housing markets.

Buyers will find a mixture of established neighborhoods, newer subdivisions, continuing residential development, larger suburban communities, different subdivision ages, and HOA and special-assessment considerations in some areas.

The broader Elk Grove area also includes communities and development around Laguna, Vineyard and other southern Sacramento County locations.

For someone relocating from the Bay Area or Southern California, Elk Grove may feel more similar to a large suburban market than Sacramento's older central neighborhoods.

The major commute routes are generally Highway 99 and Interstate 5, depending on location.

4. Other Sacramento County Communities

Outside the City of Sacramento and Elk Grove, Sacramento County contains several established communities that provide very different housing choices.

Antelope

Antelope contains primarily suburban residential housing and provides access toward northern Sacramento County and the Placer County employment corridors.

Buyers comparing Antelope with Roseville or North Natomas should look carefully at commute patterns, housing age, lot size, and property condition rather than simply comparing purchase prices.

Citrus Heights

Citrus Heights is an established suburban market with housing built across many decades.

Buyers may find older ranch-style homes, traditional subdivisions, larger lots in some locations, and significant variation in updates and condition.

Compared with newer areas such as Lincoln or portions of Rocklin, individual property condition can play a larger role in the purchase decision.

Carmichael

Carmichael offers a wide variety of property types. Depending on location, buyers may find traditional suburban homes, larger lots, older custom properties, and properties closer to the American River corridor.

Carmichael can be difficult to summarize with one median price because housing characteristics vary considerably.

Fair Oaks

Fair Oaks combines established suburban housing with areas containing larger parcels, custom properties and a less uniform development pattern.

Some properties feel traditionally suburban. Others provide more space and individuality.

For relocating buyers, Fair Oaks is another area where viewing several different parts of the community can be more useful than forming an opinion from online listings alone.

Orangevale

Orangevale can provide another transition between conventional suburban housing and properties with larger lots.

Buyers who want more space but are not necessarily looking for a fully rural property may want to compare Orangevale with Fair Oaks, Loomis, Penryn, or other nearby areas.

Rancho Cordova

Rancho Cordova stretches along the Highway 50 corridor east of Sacramento. Housing ranges from established neighborhoods to substantially newer development.

For relocation buyers working along Highway 50 or in the Sacramento/Folsom corridor, Rancho Cordova can be an important market to include.

Folsom

Folsom is large enough that I consider it a major submarket rather than simply another Sacramento County suburb.

Buyers will find established neighborhoods, newer subdivisions, new development south of Highway 50, planned communities, HOA and assessment considerations in some developments, and Highway 50 access.

Folsom also has Sacramento Regional Transit light-rail access toward Sacramento.

A buyer comparing Folsom with Roseville or Rocklin should consider not only the houses but also which transportation corridor works better for employment and everyday travel.

5. El Dorado County

Moving east along Highway 50 takes buyers into El Dorado County. The character of the housing gradually changes as you move from suburban development into foothill and more rural properties.

El Dorado Hills

El Dorado Hills sits immediately east of Folsom and provides a mixture of planned communities, larger homes, custom properties, hillside development, luxury housing, and newer subdivisions.

Some neighborhoods have HOAs and additional assessments, while others differ considerably. Topography becomes more important than in many flatter Sacramento-area communities.

Buyers should pay attention to lot usability, grading, retaining walls, insurance, HOA costs, special assessments, and the specific cost structure of the community.

Cameron Park

Cameron Park provides a useful transition between El Dorado Hills and the more rural foothill communities farther east.

Housing includes established subdivisions, custom homes, and properties with larger lots.

For a relocating buyer, Cameron Park can provide a different combination of suburban services and foothill property characteristics.

Shingle Springs

Shingle Springs moves farther toward the rural and acreage side of the market.

Buyers may encounter wells, septic systems, larger parcels, private roads, easements, outbuildings, and more property-specific infrastructure.

At this point, buying a property becomes very different from purchasing a home in a conventional subdivision.

Placerville and the Foothills

Buyers continuing farther east will find increasingly foothill-oriented housing around Placerville and surrounding areas.

Important considerations may include commute, fire insurance, terrain, utilities, property access, rural-property maintenance, and wells and septic systems.

A relocating buyer considering these areas should evaluate not only the house but also the entire property infrastructure.

6. Placer County

Placer County offers some of the widest variation in housing within Greater Sacramento.

Within a relatively short distance, a buyer can move from a master-planned Roseville subdivision to a custom Granite Bay home, a downtown Loomis property, acreage in Penryn, or a foothill home near Auburn.

Roseville

Roseville is one of the largest suburban housing markets in the region.

Buyers will find established neighborhoods, master-planned communities, newer subdivisions, continuing growth in West Roseville, different housing ages and property types, and I-80 and Highway 65 access.

For relocating buyers, one important point is that Roseville itself contains many different submarkets. West Roseville, central Roseville and areas closer to Granite Bay can provide very different housing choices.

Rocklin

Immediately northeast of Roseville, Rocklin contains a mixture of established neighborhoods and newer residential development.

Rocklin's location near both I-80 and Highway 65 makes it a key crossroads between Sacramento, Lincoln, and the foothill communities.

Someone relocating to this area should compare Rocklin and Roseville property by property rather than assuming they are interchangeable. Housing age, community design, lot size, HOA obligations and access to transportation corridors can differ.

Lincoln

Lincoln has experienced substantial residential growth.

Buyers may encounter newer subdivisions, established neighborhoods, active-adult communities, additional new construction, and larger planned developments.

Lincoln generally depends heavily on Highway 65 for access toward Roseville, Rocklin, and Interstate 80. That makes commute testing especially important for someone who expects to travel south regularly.

Granite Bay

Granite Bay generally provides a different housing profile from Roseville, Rocklin, and Lincoln.

Buyers may find larger homes, custom construction, luxury properties, larger lots, and acreage in some areas.

Property-to-property differences can be substantial. A custom home on acreage should not be evaluated the same way as a production home in a subdivision.

Loomis

Loomis marks an important transition from conventional suburban Placer County into the Loomis Basin.

Buyers will find traditional residential neighborhoods, custom homes, larger lots, and acreage.

Some homes have public utilities. Others may involve septic systems, wells, private roads, and other rural-property considerations.

The market is much less uniform than a large master-planned subdivision. That means comparable-property selection becomes particularly important.

Penryn

Penryn is smaller and generally more rural than Roseville or Rocklin.

Buyers may encounter acreage, orchards, custom homes, wells, septic systems, outbuildings, and private roads.

Two homes with similar square footage may have very different values because the land, improvements, water source, topography and usability differ.

Newcastle

Newcastle offers another mix of foothill and rural property characteristics.

Buyers may encounter acreage, custom housing, wells, septic systems, varied terrain, and private-road considerations.

For someone relocating from a suburban Bay Area or Southern California market, the due diligence involved with a Newcastle property may be very different from what they are accustomed to.

Auburn

Auburn sits farther northeast along Interstate 80 and serves as another transition into the Sierra foothills.

Housing ranges from established neighborhoods to custom homes, acreage, and foothill properties.

Topography, insurance, property access and maintenance can become increasingly important.

New Construction Is Part of the Sacramento Region's Growth

Relocating buyers should know that Greater Sacramento remains a growing region.

New-home development is occurring in multiple communities throughout the broader Sacramento area and surrounding counties, including areas such as Natomas, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, and other communities throughout the broader region.

New construction can give relocating buyers additional choices, but buying from a builder involves different considerations than purchasing a resale home. Those considerations can include builder representation, buyer representation, builder incentives, preferred lenders, upgrades, lot premiums, HOA dues, Mello-Roos or other assessments, inspections, and future neighborhood development.

We will cover new construction in more detail in a separate Buyer Resource article.

Established Neighborhood or Newer Community?

This is one of the most useful questions a relocating buyer can answer early.

If you prefer older architecture, mature neighborhoods, proximity to Sacramento's urban core, and more individual property characteristics, then areas such as East Sacramento, Land Park, Curtis Park and other established neighborhoods may deserve more attention.

If you prefer newer homes, planned communities, newer infrastructure, and new-construction opportunities, then parts of Natomas, Elk Grove, Folsom, Roseville, Rocklin and Lincoln may be more relevant.

If you prefer land, privacy, larger lots, and acreage, your search may shift toward Loomis, Penryn, Newcastle, Auburn, Fair Oaks, Orangevale, Shingle Springs or other foothill and rural locations.

There is no single correct choice. The goal is to determine which type of property fits the way you actually want to live.

Frank's Relocation Perspective

When I meet with someone relocating to Greater Sacramento, I do not start by asking:

"Which city have you heard is the best?"

I start with:

• What kind of home do you want?
• How much land do you want?
• Where will you need to travel regularly?
• Do you prefer an established neighborhood, newer subdivision, new construction, custom home, or acreage?
• What monthly payment and Cash to Close are comfortable?

Those answers help narrow the region much faster.

A buyer deciding between a newer home in Rocklin and five acres in Penryn is not simply deciding between two Placer County locations. Those are two very different real-estate decisions.

The same is true for someone comparing Midtown Sacramento with Folsom, or Land Park with El Dorado Hills.

My goal is to help relocating buyers first understand the region, then narrow the search to a manageable group of communities that genuinely match the property and lifestyle they want.

How I Suggest Relocation Buyers Explore the Region

Do not try to see twenty communities in one day.

Start with two or three different types of areas. For example:

• One established Sacramento neighborhood
• One newer suburban community
• One larger-lot or foothill location

That can quickly tell us more than looking at dozens of listings online.

Once we understand which environment feels right, we can drill down into specific neighborhoods, properties and comparable sales.