Sacramento · Buying a Home
Buying a Home in Sacramento, One Street at a Time
Find the right home and write an offer that holds up, with lending help under the same roof if you want it.
What Buying a Home in Sacramento Looks Like This Fall
Buying a home in Sacramento means choosing between neighborhoods that were built a century apart. A Curtis Park bungalow from the 1920s and a Westlake two-story from the 2000s can share a price and almost nothing else.
Prices inside the city run on their own track. MetroList data for the Land Park ZIP codes, 95818 and 95822, showed a September 2026 median of $609,000 across 42 sales. Those homes spent a median of 15 days on the market. Across all of Sacramento County the same month, the median was $545,000.
What you want is the right street at a payment you can live with, and an offer that holds up. That takes local knowledge of the house and a loan that is ready before you fall for one.
Get Pre-Approved With Maggie
Why Sacramento Buyers Choose Surroundings
Surroundings is led by Maggie B. Hopkins, licensed in real estate since 2006, with 23 years in real estate and lending combined. She is a two-time Sacramento Association of REALTORS® Masters Club honoree.
In a city where good homes in Land Park and East Sacramento move in two or three weeks, the offer has to be clean. On one purchase, our buyers beat seven competing offers. The inspection then found a sewer line in need of major repair. We used that report to negotiate $20,000 off the price.
Lending knowledge is what makes that kind of offer work. When a listing agent calls about your loan, Maggie can answer, because she arranges loans for a living. Our broader approach is on the buying a home page.
Our Buying Process in the City of Sacramento
The full method is on how we help you buy. Inside the city, it runs like this.
- Loan first. Maggie reviews your credit, income and savings and shops a pre-approval across a network of approved lenders. Any rate we quote comes with its APR, and approval depends on your full application.
- Pick the era, then the street. We compare a Midtown condo, an East Sacramento bungalow and a Natomas tract home on payment and upkeep, not only price.
- Check the address. Natomas homes get a flood zone and insurance check. Homes in a city historic district, such as Boulevard Park or South Land Park Hills, get a note on preservation review before you plan new windows or an addition.
- Agreement and offer. You sign a written buyer representation agreement, as California requires. It sets how we are paid, and that compensation is negotiable.
- Escrow to keys. Inspections, appraisal and loan approval run inside your contingency periods. The deed records with the Sacramento County Recorder.
Local Context for Sacramento Buyers
The commute changed this year. The state's order putting most state workers in the office four days a week took effect July 1, 2026. Downtown foot traffic rose 12% over the next 11 days, according to the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. A home in Midtown, Land Park or East Sacramento now saves more drive time than it did in 2025.
Natomas sits on a historical Sacramento River floodplain. Reclamation District 1000 describes an Army Corps of Engineers project meant to give the Natomas Basin at least 200-year flood protection, with some levee reaches scheduled for construction in 2025 and 2026. We check each address and get an insurance quote before you write.
The city charges its own transfer tax. The Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder collects it at recording at 0.275% of the price, which is $2.75 per $1,000. Your purchase contract says whether the buyer or the seller pays it.
Most of the city is in Sacramento City Unified School District, and most of Natomas is in Natomas Unified School District. Confirm the assigned school with the district directly.
One Call for the Sacramento Home and the Loan
Surroundings is a one-stop shop. One team handles the home search, the offer and the mortgage, so your closing date and your loan are planned together.
The loan side is competitive. Maggie is a licensed mortgage broker who shops your loan across a network of approved lenders. Get a quote from us and compare it with anyone. If you already have a lender, you are always free to bring them.
A fair comparison of two Sacramento homes looks past the rate:
- Property tax, which resets to your purchase price under Prop 13. Our Sacramento property tax calculator estimates it, including the supplemental bill.
- Flood insurance on Natomas addresses where it applies.
- HOA dues on Midtown and Downtown condos, plus the building's own rules.
- The APR next to every rate quoted.
Start Buying a Home in Sacramento
Buying a home in Sacramento goes better when the loan and the street are chosen together. If this is your first purchase, see first-time buyers in Sacramento. If you are comparing nearby cities, see buying a home in Elk Grove.
Then book a call with Maggie. You will leave knowing your budget and which parts of Sacramento fit it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of Sacramento charge a transfer tax when I buy?
Yes. The city's transfer tax is 0.275% of the price, or $2.75 per $1,000, collected by the Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder when the deed records. The county charges its own transfer tax as well, and your purchase contract says who pays each one.
How fast do homes sell in Land Park and East Sacramento?
Most sell within a few weeks. MetroList data showed a median of 15 days on market for homes sold in the Land Park ZIP codes in September 2026.
Do I need flood insurance to buy in Natomas?
It depends on the address and the lender. Natomas is a historical river floodplain, so we check the flood zone and get an insurance quote for each home before you write an offer.
Can I change the windows on a house in a Sacramento historic district?
Check with the city first. Exterior work on a city landmark or a home in a historic district, including windows and doors, usually needs preservation review by city planning staff before a building permit.
Loans are arranged by Maggie B. Hopkins, NMLS #349517, at Surroundings · DRE #02220140 · NMLS #2528307. All loans are subject to credit approval and underwriting, and this page is not a commitment to lend.
Sacramento
What buying a home looks like in Sacramento
The capital city: Midtown, East Sacramento, Land Park, Curtis Park, Natomas and the neighborhoods in between.
This is the City of Sacramento, from the grid streets of Midtown and the older homes of East Sacramento and Land Park to the newer streets of Natomas.
Buying a Home: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with Surroundings?