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Why Buying a Home is the Best Investment

Welcome to The Chris Kennedy Team Mortgage Blog

Honest, local, easy-to-understand mortgage guidance for buyers and homeowners across Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo Counties.

Hi — I'm Chris Kennedy. For years, I've helped first-time buyers, veterans, families upsizing into their forever homes, and seasoned investors navigate one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives: getting a mortgage in the greater Sacramento area.

This blog exists for one simple reason. Most mortgage advice online is generic, confusing, or written by people who've never closed a loan in Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, or Davis. I wanted to change that.

Every post on this site is written for you — the buyer, homeowner, or veteran trying to make sense of mortgages in a real Northern California market. Real numbers. Real neighborhoods. Real programs that actually work here.

What you'll find on this blog

Whether you're brand new to homebuying or you've owned for decades, you'll find practical, local guidance on every part of the mortgage process. The articles below cover:

For first-time buyers — How to qualify, how much you really need to put down, how to use CalHFA assistance, and how to stop waiting and start owning.

For veterans, active-duty service members, and surviving spouses — Everything you need to know about putting your VA home loan benefit to work in Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, and beyond. Zero down. No PMI. The benefit you earned.

For move-up buyers and luxury buyers — Jumbo loan strategies for higher-priced markets like El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, Serrano, and Bass Lake — including how to qualify, what reserves you'll need, and how to compete in luxury bidding wars.

For investors and wealth-builders — How to use FHA multi-family loans (yes, with just 3.5% down) to "house hack" your first investment property, plus the long-term wealth-building strategy that real estate quietly delivers better than almost any other investment.

For buyers in rural and semi-rural areas — A breakdown of USDA loans across Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo counties, where surprisingly large portions of the region qualify for $0-down financing.

For credit-building buyers — How FHA loans help buyers with imperfect credit get into Sacramento-area homes, plus practical credit improvement strategies that actually move the needle.

Why this blog is different

Three things set this content apart:

It's local. Every article names real neighborhoods, real Sacramento-area home prices, and real programs available in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo counties — not vague national advice.

It's honest. I tell you what works, what doesn't, what the catches are, and when a loan isn't right for you. No high-pressure pitches. No fine print buried at the bottom.

It's actionable. Every post is built so that by the end, you know what to do next — whether that's running numbers, checking eligibility, or starting a conversation.

A little about me

I've spent my career helping Sacramento-area families navigate mortgages — through every kind of market, every kind of loan, and every kind of buyer situation. I've helped:

First-time buyers close with $0–$5,000 out of pocket using FHA + CalHFA strategies
Veterans buy in Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, and El Dorado Hills with zero down
Move-up families step into luxury markets using jumbo financing
Investors build long-term wealth through smart house-hacking and refinance strategies
Self-employed borrowers other lenders turned away find creative solutions

My team and I serve the entire greater Sacramento region, including:

Sacramento County — Sacramento, Elk Grove, Folsom, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Antelope, Natomas
Placer County — Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Auburn, Loomis, Granite Bay
El Dorado County — El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park, Placerville, Diamond Springs, Pollock Pines
Yolo County — Davis, Woodland, West Sacramento, Winters, Esparto

If you're buying anywhere in Northern California, there's a good chance we can help.

Start exploring

Scroll down to find articles tailored to your situation. If you're not sure where to begin, here are three good starting points:

First-time buyer? Start with First-Time Homebuyer Programs in Sacramento.
Veteran or active-duty? Start with VA Home Loans: How Veterans Can Buy a Sacramento-Area Home With $0 Down.
Buying in a higher-priced market? Start with Jumbo Loans in El Dorado Hills.

Ready to talk?

Reading is great — but a 15-minute conversation will tell you more about what's possible for your specific situation than any article ever could. No pressure, no obligation, no salesy follow-up calls.

Chris Kennedy | The Chris Kennedy Team NMLS# 971546 Mortgage Lender serving Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo Counties www.thechriskennedyteam.com

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The Chris Kennedy Team specializes in FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, jumbo, and CalHFA loans throughout Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, Davis, Woodland, Auburn, Lincoln, Rocklin, Cameron Park, and the surrounding Northern California region. Browse the articles below to learn more — or reach out anytime.

Buying in Land Park or Curtis Park: A Sacramento Buyer's Guide

Land Park and Curtis Park are two of Sacramento’s most walkable, tree-lined old neighborhoods. Craftsman bungalows, Tudor cottages, big mature trees, the Sacramento Zoo and William Land Park on one side, Curtis Park’s open green space and light rail access on the other.

They’re also both full of older homes, which means financing them looks different than financing a 2019 build out in Elk Grove.

What’s Different About Financing an Older Home

The appraisal looks harder at condition

Appraisers in these neighborhoods pay attention to the roof, foundation, and systems, not just square footage and comps. If the home needs obvious repairs, that can affect value or hold up financing on certain loan types until repairs are made.

Some loan types care about specific issues

FHA and VA loans have property condition standards. Exposed wiring, peeling paint (relevant in pre-1978 homes because of lead paint rules), or a failing roof can need to be addressed before those loans close. Conventional financing tends to have more flexibility, though not unlimited.

Renovation loans are worth knowing about

If you’re buying a home that needs work, a renovation loan (like an FHA 203(k) or a conventional renovation product) lets you roll the purchase and the repair costs into one loan instead of financing the house now and scrambling to pay for repairs later. Not every property or project qualifies, so have that conversation early, before you fall for a house that needs more than a fresh coat of paint.

The Financing Should Match the House

The mistake I see most often in these neighborhoods: someone gets pre-approved for a standard loan, falls for a beautiful 1930s Craftsman with knob-and-tube wiring or a cracked foundation, then finds out mid-transaction that their loan program doesn’t love what they bought.

Get pre-approved with your eyes open about the kind of home you’re actually shopping for. If you’re eyeing anything with visible age or deferred maintenance, ask about renovation financing before you write the offer, not after.

FAQ: Financing Older Homes in Land Park and Curtis Park

Are older homes harder to finance in Sacramento?

Not harder exactly, but the appraisal and loan program requirements pay closer attention to condition than they would on a newer build.

What loan works for a fixer-upper in Land Park?

Renovation loans like an FHA 203(k) or a conventional renovation loan can combine the purchase price and repair costs into a single loan. Whether it’s the right fit depends on the scope of work and the property.

Do FHA or VA loans work in Curtis Park?

They can, but the home has to meet the program’s condition standards. Older homes sometimes need repairs addressed before those loans can close.

Is Curtis Park a good investment neighborhood?

That’s a real estate market question best answered by a local agent who tracks Curtis Park comps. I can tell you what your financing options look like once you’ve got a property in mind.

Talk Through the Financing Before You Offer

If you’ve found a Land Park or Curtis Park home that needs some love, let’s talk about whether a renovation loan makes more sense than financing it the standard way.

Chris Kennedy | NMLS #971546 | Reliant Lending | 2100 Northrop Ave #900, Sacramento, CA 95825

Equal Housing Lender. This is general information, not a commitment to lend or a promise of specific terms. Contact us to discuss your individual situation.

Chris KennedyAugust 24, 2026Comment

Sacramento Housing Blog