Rent to own Homes in Santa Rosa, CA
Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country region, which is legendary for its mild climate and beautiful countryside views. It's no surprise then that U.S. News ranked Santa Rosa as one of the happiest cities in the country in 2013. As part of the north San Francisco Bay area, Santa Rosa has continued to grow at a rapid pace. Santa Rosa is about 55 miles north of San Francisco and has all the benefits of the Bay Area, including comfortable weather all year long, laid back people and a calm, tolerant culture.
Santa Rosa, CA is a great place for affordable rent-to-own homes! With a median household income of over $80,472 and a median rent of $1,728, the Santa Rosa, CA rent-to-own market is more affordable than the traditional housing market which has shown tremendous growth across the U.S. and with it, aggressive competition for home purchases. With the current housing shortage trend it can make it harder to become a homeowner, including in Santa Rosa, CA. This means higher than average down payments for homes and higher qualification standards for conventional home loans. With a rent-to-own property, tenants are also buyers. You can live in the house for a set amount of time before you purchase it, meaning that you get to know the house, your neighbors, and your community before making the final purchase. This enables you and your family to make the right choice based on both information and experience. Rent-to-own is also a great alternative way to get into a home if you have bad credit or don't have enough saved for a down payment.
More Santa Rosa, CA Property Resources
Rent to own Homes in Cities Near Santa Rosa, CA
- Angwin
- Annapolis
- Bloomfield
- Bodega
- Bodega Bay
- Calistoga
- Carmet
- Cazadero
- Cloverdale
- Cobb
- Cotati
- Deer Park
- Dillon Beach
- Eldridge
- Forestville
- Fulton
- Geyserville
- Glen Ellen
- Graton
- Guerneville
- Healdsburg
- Hidden Valley Lake
- Jenner
- Kenwood
- Larkfield-Wikiup
- Marshall
- Middletown
- Monte Rio
- Occidental
- Penngrove
- Petaluma
- Petaluma Center
- Pope Valley
- Rohnert Park
- Roseland
- Salmon Creek
- Santa Rosa
- Sebastopol
- Sereno del Mar
- Sonoma State University
- St. Helena
- Tomales
- Valley Ford
- Windsor
Neighborhoods in Santa Rosa, CA
Bennett Valley Homeowners Association rent to own homes Montgomery Village Merchant Association rent to own homes West End Neighborhood Association rent to own homes St. Rose Neighborhood Association rent to own homes Julliard Park Neighborhood Watch rent to own homes South Park rent to own homes Oakmont Village Association rent to own homes Alta Vista Homeowners Association rent to own homes Middle Rincon Homeowners Association rent to own homes Memorial Hospital Neighborhood rent to own homesPopular Zip Codes in Santa Rosa, CA
95405 rent to own homes 95402 rent to own homes 95404 rent to own homes 95406 rent to own homesBuying a Home in Santa Rosa, CA
Santa Rosa, CA is seeing rapid growth and Santa Rosa, CA's' housing market remains not optimal with an average home price that is 163% above the 2026 national average. Santa Rosa, CA is part of Sonoma county and taxes are an important factor to consider when purchasing a home whether through rent to own or a traditional purchase. The average tax rate as of 2026 for county Sonoma is 0.6% which is below the national average, which is 0.99%.
Median Home Price in Santa Rosa, CA
Median Rent in Santa Rosa, CA
Top Reasons to Live in Santa Rosa CA
Housing The median home price in Santa Rosa is $282,600. 51.08% of homes are owner occupied, while renters occupy 43.27%, which is quite a bit above the national average rental rate. Santa Rosa has an exceptionally low 5.65% rate of vacant apartments and houses. The fact that the vacancy rate is so low means that you might have to spend a little more time looking for your ideal housing option, although you can be sure to find it if you're patient. If you want to experience the benefits of home ownership and need a little help meeting the high down payment necessary, a rent to own house might be your easiest pathway to getting established in a neighborhood.
Transportation Another aspect of life in the San Francisco Bay is the heavy traffic involved in daily commutes. Because Santa Rosa is nearly 60 miles north of San Francisco, the length of the daily commute depends on whether or not you have to travel into San Francisco for work. If you do have to commute, it could take up to two hours in heavy traffic. However, if you're lucky enough to work in Santa Rosa, you can have the benefits of living in a small, beautiful town with gorgeous weather without spending hours per day stuck in traffic.
Local Festivals Local events and festivals contribute to the high quality of life in Santa Rosa. Among the many festivals in Santa Rosa include the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, Wine Country Salsa and Bachata Festival, Festa Italiana, Taste of Sonoma, the annual Kendall-Jackson Heirloom Tomato Festival, and the Wine Country Film Festival. Santa Rosa and Sonoma County are also the nation's eighth most productive agricultural region, providing grapes, tomatoes, dairy, and poultry. Many festivals celebrate these crops and food products.
Neighborhoods All of Santa Rosa is a beautiful place, but there are a couple distinct neighborhoods. The Downtown Santa Rosa neighborhood is the middle of town, where highways 12 and 101 meet. Downtown Santa Rosa is home to the Santa Rosa Plaza, a mall that includes over 110 stores. There's also Courthouse Square, which includes many of the municipal buildings, and the historic Railroad Square, which includes many lively restaurants, coffee shops and antique stores, many of which are in restored old buildings.
