If you're deciding to take the exciting step to move to Sacramento...Congratulations! This is certainly a hot market to get into. Located not too far from the majestic Sierras, bougie wine country, and bustling San Francisco, Sacramento offers its locals an "up and coming" city with a small-town vibe. Below are three areas that are not only desirable, but also located near Sacramento's hub.
1. East Sacramento. Also known as "East Sac", this trendy neighborhood sitting East of midtown and West of the American River is the 90210 of the region. One of its most notable block of streets, "The Fabulous 40's", was not only featured in the film Lady Bird, but also home to Ronald Reagan during his time as governor. These streets attract Sacramentans both for Thanksgiving's Run to Feed the Hungry and for extravagant holiday lights. If you're looking for fall colors in California, this is THE place to be, as every street is lined with gorgeous and huge oak trees. Being one of the oldest neighborhoods in the area, East Sac offers its established residence homes with yards while being just minutes from downtown. This is where urban meets suburban; it offers a great balance of the two.
One of the largest attractions in this area is McKinley Park with its perimeter reaching about a mile. This park includes a library, a pool, a jogging path, trees upon trees, a playground for the kiddos, and a pond. There are also many local food choices in the neighborhood, from Napalitos that serves some of the best pancakes I've ever had, to Selland's where you can enjoy a glass (or two) of Pinot Grigio and savory lemon chicken on the patio. In addition to an ample amount of food choices, California State University, Sacramento, the county's largest college, calls East Sac it's home. While some homes, such as the Fabulous 40's, might be much higher, the median listing price in the area is close to $750,000.
2. Curtis Park/ Land Park. This is another established treelined neighborhood in the region with Highway 50 to the North, Sutterville Road to the South, Interstate 5 to the West, and Highway 99 to the East. The median home price in this designated area is almost $600,000. William Land Park is the biggest attraction in this area; it consists of the Sacramento Zoo, Fairytale Town, and Funderland making the area an excellent place for kids. Additionally, a golf course and many acres of well-manicured grass creates a lush environment.
Tower Theatre, Sacramento's most historic movie theatre, sits to the North of this neighborhood featuring many artistic films. Attached to the theater is one of Sacramento's most popular restaurants, Tower Cafe. Don't forget to grab a sweet treat at Freeport Bakery or cool off at Gunther's Ice Cream. Curtis Park's Café Dantorels offers its customers a place to enjoy dinner and a drink while warming up at the fire pit on their back patio. While most of the area is historic, a new development is in the works! Crocker Village is Curtis Park's newest addition featuring both retail and living areas. This sits next to another college in the Sacramento area, Sacramento City College.
3. Arden-Arcade (Arden Park, Arden Oaks, Wilhaggin, Sierra Oaks). Arden-Arcade is a large area, but I will be focusing on certain neighborhoods that predominately lie to the south of this geographic region- Arden Park, Arden Oaks, Wilhaggin, and Sierra Oaks; these are not only the most desirable locations, but also have some of the best schools in all of Sacramento. The median list price of the aforementioned neighborhoods is definitely on the higher side, hovering over $1.3 million. Arden-Arcade may not be as close to downtown as East Sac, Land Park, and Curtis Park, but the commute time is only around fifteen minutes. Another difference with this neighborhood compared to the first two is it definitely has a more suburban feel. The homes tend to have larger lawns, many with pools.
For all of the "nature people" out there, the American River Parkway borders southern Arden-Arcade and contains numerous biking and walking trails; it's also a great area to take the kayak for a paddle. If you enjoy the finer things in life, you're in luck! Many residents in this area belong to Arden Hills or Rio Del Oro, two of Sacramento's best country clubs. Some amazing restaurants include Ettore's and Jack's Urban Eats. If beer is your thing, you can enjoy a cold one while playing games on the patio of Duke's Plates and Pints. Fun fact: they also have amazing tacos. Temple Coffee, one of Sacramento's most popular and trendy cafes, also has a location in this area.
