My opinions after 4 years
I often get asked what I think of my new area and what I miss about my old home. After a conversation today with an old friend down in the bay where she was telling me all about the pricey homes and market down on the peninsula it got me to thinking about before I moved to Rocklin and left San Carlos. Some of the misconceptions that I thought were true but weren't. Here are 5 comparisons to save you some time.
1) COST OF LIVING
Yes you will get a break on cost per sq ft but you will get a lot more sq ft so that will eat into your budget. Remember that when you go to the mall or in n out or the movies the cost will be about the same. Gas can be cheaper but homes and neighbors are more spread out so you will drive a bit more. Just some ideas to think about. When it comes to remodeling remember that you will save very little on cost such as appliances and material but you may save a few bucks on labor. With the amount of increased product ie: flooring, cabinets, countertops and spaces to fill I would actually say remodeling is an increased cost vs the bay.
2)Traffic
Yes we have much less traffic here but also have much more spread out living. I used to be a short 1-2 minute drive to the freeway and now I am 12-15 minutes. You will move faster but don't think you will be in your car a lot less if that makes sense. To be in Sacramento for a kings game or for a show you can be there in less than 30 minutes but expect it to take 45. Getting in and out of the airport is easily my favorite new thing. Sacramento International is awesome. It doesn't fly directly everywhere but for the most part it does and it's very easy to navigate through.
3) Schools
This one will be a little controversial as we all make decisions and analysis when it comes to our kids but I will say it from my personal experience. Both of my kids wanted to attend private school in the bay primarily for college admittance along with their sports based lifestyles. That was a huge part of my reasoning to move. Once we moved up here there was really never a doubt or question about where they would be attending school. It was simple and it was the choice right down the street. The school they wanted to attend was nearly $20k a year per student. After sports, commuting and other obligations I estimated that I would have spent $200k total to put both kids through high school. Here I spend the nominal fee of public school and do my best to add extra money and time to help the community as a whole. The way I think it should be. Aside from money, once my son entered Freshman year he had almost his entire class with him. To compare with his friends from the bay, that friend group was spread out over 8 High Schools. 8! I can say that making new friends and being put into a larger pool to be uncomfortable is actually a good thing so I would have been ok with it also. It did however sound very hard for the parents waiting for their children to get accepted into various high schools. It seemed similar to what I anticipate College will be like. Just stating the facts.
4)Sports
This one is pretty clear cut and easy to distinguish. Youth sports is clearly placed on a higher pedestal here. That is very evident to me. I don't know that it is right or wrong I just know that it is. I kind of laughed when a good buddy of mine told me "That's ok, Joey can have a blast in college playing ball and can come work for my son when he graduates!' I almost spit my coffee out in laughter as I am sure there is more truth to that than I'd like to think lol. An example of this pedestal was clear when I arrived in Rocklin and found out Little League did not prohibit curve balls, San Carlos Little league did. The pitch count and the mandatory play rules were all things implemented at a city level and not on a national level. I loved watching my kids play in both leagues and understand the good and bad of both leagues.
5) People
I will only speak for myself on this one. There is a seemingly more peaceful, quiet way of life up here. There are very few 24 hour locations but they do exist. House parties are more prevalent opposed to the restaurant birthday or pizza party. This may be due to the fact that folks have a little more space to entertain a crowd. It may also be that folks feel at peace with their neighbors I am not entirely sure. For us we always had and have people over, it's just now they're more seats for them lol. Yes it feels less busy up here and I think I know my neighbors a little bit more but I also had some great neighbors over the years so I was lucky. You will still find people who speed and don't use their blinkers. It just feels like a little less. I miss our friends dearly but appreciate all the new friends I have made and continue to make.
In closing, I don't think there is a wrong choice here. If you love what you have I think you are all set. If you are looking for a little less ocean and little more lake then the move might be for you. If you own on the peninsula you're lucky and if you're thinking of relocating up to Rocklin or the surrounding area give me a call and let's talk. There are some similarities and a few things that may surprise you in a good way and some not so much. I'll let you weigh those out and help as best I can.
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