Checking out Sacramento's Elder Creek and Oak Park neighborhoods

Since Sacramento is a fairly large city, you can narrow your search down by looking for Sacramento real estate within specific neighborhoods. Two of these areas in the city, Elder Creek and Oak Park, may be of particular interest to you, specifically if you're on the lookout for lower-priced homes.

You can find some homes in these neighborhoods, specifically within the 95820 zip code, that bring new meaning to the word "steal" - priced below $40,000. Not only that, but most of these are single family homes, not condos. However, you'll want to use your discretion when house-hunting here. Some of these are in need of repairs and if you don't have the time or money to do the fixing, it might not be worth it.

Fortunately, you don't need to set your price standards that much higher to find good deals in better condition. A fair amount of the homes in these areas priced between $100,000 and $120,000 are traditional sales that have had recent renovations, so repairs aren't as much of a concern. Additionally, this price level is optimal if you're looking to make a purchase that will likely serve as a strong future investment.

Most of the highest-priced homes in this area, within the Tahoe Park neighborhood, don't exceed $300,000 - many range between $185,000 and $280,000, and some are within walking distance of UC Davis Medical Center.