Hi all, I like Folsom and don't really know of a better place to live in Sacramento (as safe, with as many nice bike trails/paths, convenient shopping and errands running). Rocklin and Roseville are too far away from work and I overall prefer Folsom over them. Elk Grove seems like a risk in the long-term because I hear more about bold home break-in attempts. I'm similarly concerned about safety in Rancho Cordova and Natomas. So, to me, the only other place to consider is EDH, which is just a freeway exit away.
I'm looking to buy a house or condo in Folsom or EDH provided I can find reliable public commuter service that can get me to/from work in Downtown Sacramento on-time every day, within ~30 minutes or so. If I live in Folsom, I'd have to take Light Rail and have been told that's a 50-minute ride. If I live in EDH, I would be able to catch a commuter bus at the Park & Ride and it looks like about a 30-minute ride.
My questions are:
1. Is any EDH resident familiar with the commuter bus service Downtown? Can you share more information about the experience (is it crowded, do you have to stand up, is it on-time, does it ever miss a run, etc)?
2. While I'd prefer to buy a house, since prices are higher in Folsom and EDH than say Elk Grove, and I believe we're currently closer to peak sales prices than not, I've been considering holding off from buying my "dream home" until prices fall again, and they will at some point. In the meantime, rather than renting an apartment, I'm considering buying a condo to hold me over until the next real estate decline. I would be able to put down the minimum amount thus saving the majority of my down payment funds to buy a house in the future when prices go down. Later I could perhaps rent the condo out. In this way, I would be paying down a loan on a condo/building some equity rather than burning through all the money on renting. The condo would hold me over until the next housing market decline.
Does this sound like a sound strategy? Are there any good condos in great areas of EDH? How do they compare to the condo options in Folsom?
Thanks!