Everything you need to know about commuting in Sacramento.

The old adage “Location, location, location,” applies to home buying not just because we want to live in a good neighborhood, but because of where we need to go from there. Most people still have to commute to and from work every day, so navigating the roads and highways and sitting in traffic can constitute a significant portion of our time each week.

Add in our need to drop the kids at school, take them to sports and activities, run errands around town, and maybe even drive somewhere fun on the weekends, and the locationx3 adage rings truer than ever.

In fact, the average daily commute for those living and working in the greater Sacramento region is now almost 90 minutes – or an hour and a half each and every work day!

So, to ensure that you’re factoring in commute times when you decide to buy a house in a certain area, here is some great information on how long it takes to drive to and from work in Sacramento.

Although it’s slightly outdated now, a 2015 article in the Sacramento Business Journal entitled “Worst and Best Cities for Commutes” analyzed average commute times among 20 popular neighborhoods and cities in the greater Sacramento area. Using Google Maps, they determined the typical time to drive to work, and then come home in the afternoon or evening (AM and PM commute times were often very different).

Highlights of the list of commute times in the Sacramento region:

1. West Sacramento

Average round trip: 65 minutes

2. Sacramento (Midtown, East Sacramento and on the Grid)

Average round trip: 65 minutes

3. Rancho Cordova

Average round trip: 73 minutes

4. Citrus Heights

Average round trip: 78 minutes

5. Davis

Average round trip: 82 minutes

6. Folsom

Average round trip: 82 minutes

7. Carmichael

Average round trip: 84 minutes

8. Roseville

Average round trip: 85 minutes

9. Fair Oaks

Average round trip: 85 minutes

10. Rocklin

Average round trip: 94 minutes

11. El Dorado Hills

Average round trip: 97minutes

12. Granite Bay

Average round trip: 99 minutes

13. Elk Grove

Average round trip: 106 minutes

14. Auburn

Average round trip: 108 minutes

15. Lincoln

Average round trip: 114 minutes

According to various studies, here are some interesting facts about Sacramento roadways and commute times:

Last year, the busiest traffic day of the year in Sacramento was Thursday, December 15.

In total, we travel more than 1,382,908 miles on Sacramento’s 13,841 miles of roads (highways are only 171 miles of that!).

The average person spends an extra 28 minutes per day, or 106 hours per year, commuting because of traffic congestion. That’s more than four whole days we sit in traffic unnecessarily because the roadways are too crowded!

Friday after work traffic? Research shows that when it comes to evening commute times, Wednesday and Friday are second only to Thursdays – while Mondays and Fridays are lowest.

Sacramento suffers a 22 percent congestion level, which means that it takes approximately 22 percent longer to get from Point A to Point B because of traffic congestion Notably, that’s up 3 percent from just last year.

However, there is a story within a story for that congestion percentage.

In fact, Sacramento’s traffic congestion rate for:

Morning peaks times +38%

Evening peak time (after 5 PM) +54%

Highways +15%

Non-highways +26%

There’s another dynamic we have to mention when we talk about Sacramento traffic and commuting: The Bay Area. Specifically, there are plenty of people who now live in Sactown and make the long drive (or train ride) down to San Francisco or even the Silicon Valley for work.

At last estimate, there were about 120,000 Sacramento residents who have jobs based in the Bay Area. While many of them may work virtually, just go down to the Bay every few days, or stay overnight there during the week, approximately 17,000 people who live in Sacramento make the long commute to the Bay every working day.

To put it in perspective, that’s about the same number as a sell-out at a Sacramento Kings game!

Of course, with all of the benefits of growth and enrichment in the Sacramento region (including a boon to home values), there is a significant downside on the traffic situation, prolonging our commutes.

In fact, Sacramento was the fastest-growing city in all of California last year!

Not only is the Queen City growing organically, but a large portion of people moving to Sacramento for the first time are actually coming from the Bay Area, choosing to live in Sactown and commute back to San Francisco or Silicon Valley every day.

The swelling street traffic and clogging congestion weighs heavily on Sacramentan’s minds. In fact, a new poll by Valley Vision and Sacramento State’s Institute for Social Research (ISR) find that reducing traffic (and therefore, commute times), is the regions “most serious” transportation issue.

“The findings of this transportation poll offer valuable information to local policy makers on investments and priorities for advancing transportation and mobility infrastructure for our communities at a time when improvements are of increasing importance,” said Valley Vision chief executive Bill Mueller. “Valley Vision believes that having a greater understanding of residents’ transportation uses, needs and challenges will serve to better direct regional planning and goal-setting.”

Speaking of which, what are the viable solutions on the table to help reduce Sacramento resident commute times? The first (and best) one to look at is an investment in public transportation, as even a 10% decrease in cars on our roads and highways during rush hour will ease traffic flow.

Ridesharing is also an important stopgap measure. However, research shows that 69% of respondents (nearly 7 out of 10 people) drive alone most of the time!

So, why don’t people use public transportation more? In this same poll, respondents cited safety concerns and stops that were too far from their homes as the major reasons why they didn’t take advantage of public transportation more.

“Capitalizing on residents’ willingness to increase use of public transit is imperative to congestion relief strategies,” said Henry Li, Sacramento Regional Transit District General Manager/CEO. “As the region’s population continues to grow, our ability to coordinate planning, inject new investment, and assert needed policy actions are all vital to delivering public transit that serves residents’ needs today and in the future.”

It just goes to show that the old adage is true – and choosing your location wisely is paramount when buying a house. But, more than ever, that also includes factoring in your commute times to and from work.

 

Coming home to golf in Sacramento.

“Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots, but you have to play the ball where it lies.”
– Bobby Jones

If you’re an avid golfer, then it’s more a way of life than just a sport of weekend hobby – much to the chagrin of your spouse, family, and boss! It’s also true that some of the best golfing and golf courses in the world are located in California, and our Sacramento capital region is no exception. With beautiful natural surroundings that encompass rivers, lakes, woodlands, and rolling hills and weather suitable for year-round golfing, Sacramento is a perfect spot to tee off for amateurs, enthusiast, and aspiring professionals alike.

In fact, there are at least 44 golf courses within only a 45-minute drive of the heart of Sactown!

Today, I’m going to bring you a quick profile of golf in the Sacramento region, including a very special opportunity for those who have always dreamt about living right near a golf course!

First, here are five of the highest-rated golf courses in Sacramento:

Timber Creek Golf Course
7050 Del Webb Blvd, Roseville, CA 95747

Winner of the Sacramento A-List best golf course for 2018, Timber Creek boasts perfect fairway and green conditions. With ponds, waterfalls, and shaded groves, it’s also one of the best-maintained courses you’ll find anywhere – the inspiration of course designers Billy Casper and Greg Nash. It’s also fairly challenging, but a hard day on the links will be well worth it when you hit the 19th hole – their Timbers at the Lodge bar and restaurant.

Granite Bay Golf Club
9600 Golf Club Drive, Granite Bay, CA 95746

It doesn’t get much better than a stunningly beautiful course in the foothills of the Sierras, close to the western shore of Folsom Lake with granite formations and plenty of mature oak trees on the horizon. Golfers are never disappointed spending the day at the Granite Bay Golf Club, as aside from its 18-hole course, they feature three renowned restaurants and plenty of activities and amenities for events and meetings.

Haggin Oaks
3645 Fulton Ave., Sacramento, CA 95821

Haggin Oaks actually is home to two separate championship courses, Arcade Creek and Alister Mackenzie. It was here that all-time great Ben Hogan won his first pro event way back in 1938, taking home a $35 prize at the Sacramento Open. Today, courses cater to beginners all the way up to aspiring pro golfers, and there is plenty of opportunity to work on your game at Haggin Oaks with their notable driving range with 100 hitting stations and top-flight pro shop.

Teal Bend Golf Club
7200 Garden Hwy, Sacramento, CA 95837

Designed by course architect Brad Bell and opened in 1997, Teal Bend sits right along the Sacramento River, with 250 acres of natural wetlands paralleling its well-groomed fairways. Teal Bend is also known for its fast greens, and the par-5, 512-yard hole number 17 will test even the most seasoned golfers!

Ancil Hoffman
6700 Tarshes Dr, Carmichael, CA 95608

Nestled in between the American River Parkway, Ancil Hoffman Park, and Effie Yeaw Nature Center, this signature William F. Bell course (he also designed Torrey Pines in San Diego as well as 200 other courses) first opened in 1965 and has been entertaining Sacramento golfers ever since. They have a five-tee placement system that makes the course playable for any skill level or age, and their pro shop is known as one of the best in NorCal!

Fun Sacramento golf fact:

Who is the best golfer ever to come out of Sacramento?
That’s an easy one, as Sacramentan Al Geiberger won 21 PGA and Champions tours during his storied career, including a PGA major in 1966, two second-place finished at the U.S. Open, and was the first ever player to break 60 on the PGA tour!

Other notable golf courses in the Sacramento region:

Bartley Cavanaugh Golf Course
One of the newest – and most technical- golf courses in Sacramento has become increasingly popular.

Turkey Creek Golf Course
This Lincoln, CA course offers a unique experience, as golfers navigate between granite rock quarries, some of which are now lakes.

Sierra View Golf Course
Designed by architect Jack Fleming in 1953, Sierra View is a par-72 golf mecca!

William Land Park Golf Course
One of the oldest courses in the region, as the 160 acres upon which the modern course is built was donated by iconic Sacramentan Willian Land.

Bradshaw Ranch
One of the nicest public courses you’ll find, Bradshaw Ranch is the perfect place for beginners to tee off or those who want to get a quick 9 in after work.

Our special favorite golf course:

Morgan Creek Golf Course
8791 Morgan Creek Ln, Roseville, CA 95747

One of the most beloved courses among local Sacramento area golfers is the Morgan Creek Golf Course, located in Roseville. This top-rated eighteen-hole course was designed in the classic architectural style of Kyle Philipps, with professional-grade conditions integrating seamlessly into the natural landscape. However, this course will always prove challenging and test the limits of your technique, but equally rewarding, as no two rounds at Morgan Creek are ever the same.

Morgan Creek’s picturesque grounds are also the home to professional tournaments, amateur events, holiday gatherings, and plenty of weddings. Their golf pros and staff and restaurant are world-class, but Morgan Creek is still an excellent place for the family to unwind (and tee off!), with plenty of camps and summer leagues for the kids.

For those who only want to drive (their golf cart) a long chip shot to the Morgan Hills clubhouse, the Sun Valley Oaks offers high-quality homes in a private residential community.

Have you ever thought about living on or near a golf course?

Is it your dream to not only drive out to the links and play 18 once or twice a week, but to walk out of your front door and be so close to a golf course that you might hear “Fore!” while mowing your lawn?

The greater Sacramento area is home to several communities built just for golfers, such as the luxurious villas within Serrano Country Club, homes along the fairway at the Lincoln Hills Golf Course, and, one of my favorites, the Morgan Creek golf community in Roseville.

Take a look at this home for sale within Sun Valley Oaks near the Morgan Creek Golf Club – with a 0.5-acre lot and backyard big enough for you to set up your own practice area! It’s priced surprisingly affordable and mere steps to Morgan Creek, so you can tee off at any time!

You can take a virtual tour of this listing (and think about if you want a huge pool or a putting green in the backyard) here.

Or email me with any questions or to set up a private tour of the home at Courtney@CourtneyWay.com

 

Love thy neighbor? We don’t like or even know our neighbors according to new surveys.

Do you love your neighbors? How about like them? Even know them on a first-name basis?

Maybe not, according to a new study. In fact, your relationship with those who live around you may not even be amicable according to a new study, which reveals that 42% of Americans surveyed admit to having some sort of dispute, issue, or problem with at least one of their neighbors.

So, today, we wanted to look past the anger and resentment and look at the actual statistics on neighbor disputes.

36% of people polled admit to having issues with their neighbor that was so serious that they grew into full-scale arguments. About one in ten of these even erupted into physical confrontations!

These arguments often linger into prolonged feuds, as 1 in 4 has a long-running conflict with one of their neighbors.

Sometimes, petty disputes between fellow homeowners or renters can escalate into all-out battles. For instance, problems grow so profound that 1 out of 5 survey respondents admitted calling the police on their neighbor.

And 1 in 4 (25%) said that their neighbor’s aggrievances were so grating that they “significantly reduced” their daily happiness and cause “serious stress.”

According to numerous studies, these are the top reasons people argue or don’t get along with their neighbors:

1. 1. Noise
2. 2. Parking dispute
3. 3. Trash
4. 4. Dogs, pets, and animals
5. 5. Ill-acting guests
6. 6. Children
7. 7. The physical appearance of their home
8. 8. Property boundaries
9. 9. Suspected criminal behavior
10. 10. Health or safety issues

Sometimes, we don’t necessarily want a confrontation with our neighbors, just to avoid them. Research shows that up to 40% – or 4 out of every 10 – people try to purposely avoid bumping into or talking with their neighbors.

But we shouldn’t always take it as a personal affront if our neighbor doesn’t stop and chat or even say hello. Studies show that the top reason people avoid their neighbor is that they’re too busy, themselves, to exchange pleasantries.

However, the next four reasons fall into the “it’s not me, it’s you” category:

2. 2. The neighbors are too noisy
3. 3. They are too weird
4. 4. We don’t get along
5. 5. Other reasons

Sometimes, problems between neighbors never get resolved, and both parties just find an unhappy peace. Or, in extreme cases, homeowners may even sell their homes and move because of problematic residents next door.

In fact, 16% of respondents have moved houses or apartments because of a bad neighbor (or that was one of the factors), and 20% are now considering moving, or have done so in the past.

Problems, disputes, and strained relationships between those living side-by-side certainly seem to be worse in cities, where people are crowded in more tightly (and more likely to share walls in apartments, etc.) In fact, a report shows that city residents are twice as like to have their personal items stolen by one of their neighbors (or so they suspect).

However, while we might guess that noise disturbance complaints would be much higher in cities, they occurred at almost the same rate as in the suburbs and countryside.

The cliché of nosey neighbors sometimes can be true, as 20% of those polled – or 1 in every 5 – said that their neighbor spies on them at times, watching their home, peeping at their windows, and paying attention to who else comes and goes.

Sometimes, things get a little more than friendly between neighbors. For instance, 1 in 6 surveyed admit that they’ve had a neighbor flirt with them at some point – or flat out make a move!

That trend of is even worse in cities, where 1 in 4 reports that they’ve fended off advances from flirting neighbors.

Amorous advances aside, how did most people deal with irritating and disrespectful neighbors? 86% of people who answered the poll said that “they took some kind of action.”

Those steps to rectify the problem included:

• 49% Discussed the issue with the neighbor directly.

• 27% Called the police.

• 15% Notified the homeowners association.

• 14% Just let it be and took no action.

• 12% Sued them, filed a legal complaint, went to court or some sort of mediation.

• 11% Sent a note, letter, or email to the neighbor with their complaint.

But it’s not all bad when it comes to neighborly relations.

In fact, 23% of respondents say that they have neighbors who they consider their friends,

30% admit that they trust their neighbors a lot and 86% rate themselves as good or very good neighbors! (Although the folks that live around them might not agree.)

Maybe, we just need to reach out and spend more time with those who live around us, fostering a sense of togetherness and community? According to data, only about 20% of Americans regularly spend any time at all with their neighbors, and about 33% report having never spent any time with the folks who live around them! In fact, about one in three

That’s a far cry from a few decades ago, as polls from the 1980s reveal that our neighbors were often our best friends, when a similar one-third share of Americans used to hang out with their neighbors socially at least two times per week.

So, once you’re done reading this, go say hi to your neighbor!