Sierra foothills...nice, but not far enough away? (Sacramento, Stockton: real estate, vacation home)

[cheekypercy]

I'm fortunate to be in a position to choose where I live without having to factor in employment (not that I'm independently wealthy, just mobile).

I love the foothills for scenery...can't beat it. I want to be far enough away from the edge of the sprawl to have high quality of life, small town, in shorteace. No more 3 hour commutes, stuck on 80 somewhere.

Any suggestions for a good town? I think Placerville is too close to Sac....but maybe south toward Sonora, Twain Harte, etc.?

I don't mind lack of "things to do", that's no problem. I'd like a little "gold rush" downtown.

Thanks for any advice.

[Brandon]

Could I suggest Big Bear in So Cal, its a nice little town far enough away from the big city but not to far.

[calwest]

I think you are on the right track. The foothills east of Sacramento while nice enough are nothing more than hilly suburbs. I am referring to El Dorado and Placer Counties. Development is even surrounding Folsom Lake.
But, the foothills above Lodi/Stockton/Modesto are much less developed, and the development that will occur will be less than above Sacramento. I have always liked Ione. Good luck.

[StampinTami]

We were looking at Ione for awhile, until we found out that there was a big jail out there. The Sonora area is beautiful! It is growing but not like anywhere else in the area. If you don't have to worry about a commute to work, I would def look in that area.

[Ouija]

You might like Murphys or Arnold (off Hwy. 4) or possibly Sutter Creek (near Jackson.)
I live in a little town called Mountain Ranch (between both areas) which is still affordable, but further off the main roads.
Good luck on your search!

[egor]

Murphys is a pretty gold rush town, but it's becoming gentrified and pricey. Not as much as Nevada City, but it's getting there. Lots of upscale restaurants and wineries. Sutter Hill is similar, and popular with folks who like B&B's. I've got a vacation home in Mountain Ranch, which is great, more country than gold rush, and there's a nice little town about 15 miles north called Mokelumne Hill that looks a lot like Murphys did 20 years ago. Prices aren't too high yet, but everything in the foothills is going up. The Jackson area on Hwy 88 is worth a look. Sonora's gotten big, but there are nearby places (Jamestown, Twain Harte, a bunch of little towns up highway 108) that might be what you're looking for. The Arnold area up Hwy 4 is nice and has the modern conveniences, but if you get above 3000' elevation, you'll have to deal with significant snow, no matter what the real estate agents tell you.
I can't think of a better place to just wander (and call it house-hunting!) than the Sierra foothills.

[digdug]

Twain Hart is not a bad little town. I was there a few times over the summer and really enjoyed it. I have no idea as to town politics, people, housing, etc.

[cheekypercy]

thanks so much. I'm in Portland and boy do I miss Northern CA...especially with fall coming. LOVE that Northern CA fall (sigh). Can't wait to get down there and look around.

[lovethecarolinas]

Originally Posted by cheekypercy

thanks so much. I'm in Portland and boy do I miss Northern CA...especially with fall coming. LOVE that Northern CA fall (sigh). Can't wait to get down there and look around.

My vote is Twain Harte, CA! Prior to our move to SC...we lived in Southern CA. I had a friend that had a place in Twain Harte and we just loved it up there. Good luck with your search!

[eldorado]

I moved to Somerset just southeast of Placerville last year and absolutely love it. Sacramento seemed close until I started running back and forth for work. There are plently of remote places in the Sierrra Foothills if you want to get a way from it all. Try Georgetown, Kelsey, Somerset, Fairplay etc.