Commute from EDH to Georgetown? (Sacramento, Folsom: how much, custom home, homebuyer)

[TexasNina83]

Hubby is considering a relo to several metro areas. One of the jobs is in El Dorado Hills. I know nothing about California except what I've heard on the evening news. While looking on realtor.com, I found a great house, very secluded, older, in Georgetown. How bad of a commute would that be to EDH? I keep reading about the horrors of the 80 and 50 routes, but most of the stories seem to be regarding a commute all the way into Sacramento. What do you think? Coming from the flatlands of Dallas, we would be thrilled to live in an area with lots of trees or even perhaps a mountain view. One other property that caught my eye was in Placerville.

No kids, we are getting close to retirement age (5 more years or so). I cannot believe we would even consider California (not because it's not gorgeous, but because of the cost of living.) I know nothing about this Bella Roos (sp?) stuff, I assume it's like our homeowner's association fees in the newer subdivisions here. Of course, there will be sticker shock on the cost of gasoline, food, and state income tax.

How much are property taxes in the area? Here they run about 2.7 - 3.0% of the home's appraised value.

Any info/suggestions? Thanks!

[Cayce29]

I'm unfamiliar with Georgetown...actually, I haven't even heard of it.

With respect to property taxes, though, in El Dorado County they are 1% of the home's assessed value. Special assessments also are billed along with general real property taxes, but they're commonly a fractional additional cost. I would expect to be under 2%, and more likely, 1.5%, all-in.

[TexasNina83]

Georgetown is in El Dorado County, due north of Placerville, due east of Auburn, if that helps. Looks to be close to Hwy 193...

[justducky2]

From Georgetown to EDH, you would likely come in on the country backroads, not the 50 or the 80. I have friends who live in Georgetown and work in Placerville. The commute is gorgeous, occasionally snow days in winter, but not bad. Likely, you would go from El Dorado Hills Blvd north to Salmon Falls, over the South Fork of the American River, go up through Pilot Hill and Cool, and in Cool, turn east and go up "the Divide" (the ridge) to Georgetown. Georgetown has a lot of gold rush history, historic buildings, a great place to be an equestrian (lots of trails), it is in the pine line, and there is national forest and some great lakes east of Georgetown. Be aware, though, that there can be a certain segment of the populace whom, shall we say, are not tolerant of anyone who is in the slightest way diverse???

Placerville is more tolerant and definitely not as stuffy and upscale as El Dorado HIlls, IMHO. Placerville is an easy and traffic-free commute to EDH, about 15 minutes. From Georgetown to EDH would probably be more like 45 min to an hour just because of the wiggly squiggly roads.

There's lots of properties "in the country" nearby, too - Rescue is all "country", right next to EDH, next to Folsom Lake, in the oak-grasslands zone (Placerville has mixed trees, between the oak grasslands and the pines). Also, Lotus and Coloma are easy drives to EDH.

Commuting in-county is pretty easy; the hardest would be if you live in the outlying county areas where you have to drive the winding roads to get to hwy 50 (and some roads are not as winding as others....I think that the commute from Coloma or Lotus in is not bad at all, personally, not steep and not a cliff on one side!).

Cayce is spot-on on the property taxes - just about 1.3 or 1.5%.

Mello Roos is generally found in newer subdivisions, a way for the new homebuyers to pay for all of the infrastructure. There are big new subdivisions in EDH, but usually just smaller subdivisions, or custom homes in the rest of the county. You have to ask if there are Mello Roos on the property.

Best wishes!