Shingle Springs, CA (Sacramento, El Dorado Hills, Placerville: sales, rental, HOA fees)

[dje27]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and considering retiring in Shingle Springs. I've got a bunch of questions maybe you could help me with.

1- Who handles police and fire
2- How expensive is homeowners insurance where there are no fire hydrants in rural areas
3- How are the wells-water quality-depth-output
4- Internet and cell phone reception
5- How are the schools-for resale value if we ever leave
6- Is it a nice place to retire
7- Are there any areas in Shingle Springs to avoid?

thank you for any info.

[Mattyshummel]

Originally Posted by dje27

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and considering retiring in Shingle Springs. I've got a bunch of questions maybe you could help me with.

1- Who handles police and fire - The counties do and have defined districts, when wild fires happen there is substantial back-up from other state agencies
2- How expensive is homeowners insurance where there are no fire hydrants in rural areas
-This would depend on the value of your home and depending on recent fire activity in your area it could change just like hurricane insurance on the coast. We lived on 3.5 acres and we paid $1,200 for replacement and contents of 1,500 sqft. Remember you don't need to insure the land, unless you have a grape or other fruit orchard then you need crop replacement value.
3- How are the wells-water quality-depth-output
Typically they have been strong. Wells will probably not be as good now or the coming few years since this area, as the whole state is experiencing a critical drought. You would be surprised how many "rural" sites have water meters. Checking with one of the local well drilling companies in Shingle Springs or Placerville would be your best bet.
4- Internet and cell phone reception
This all depends on your location and what you are considering "rural" Shingle Springs is not that rural and there are plenty of good infrastructures these days, nothing like 25 yrs ago when I moved there. :-) Cell phone is determined by geographic location. If you are in a large valley and there is an 800 ft elevation in front of your home, probably not such great reception.
5- How are the schools-for resale value if we ever leave
Shingle offers some of the last large spaces available that are in good relation to Sacramento. There is good resale value when the market is good.
6- Is it a nice place to retire
My parents moved us from the east coast in 1981 and they are still in the same house today. They enjoy it but tax wise it is expensive for retirees. CA is one of the worst states for retirees in general. It would depend on what your priorities of retirement include. There are excellent medical services and active retirees.
7- Are there any areas in Shingle Springs to avoid?
Shingle Springs is not very big. If there were places to avoid, you would have to rule out the entire area. It has spotty areas but not one big section you could say to not go near. Crime is typical for a area that had its hay day back in the 80's and has a lot of rental units. There is a high school at the intersection of Meder and Ponderosa Roads and there can be lots of traffic on these 2 roads in the AM and after school gets out as well as graduation and Friday night soccer, football and baseball games.

thank you for any info.

Please see above in blue for answers. Hope this helps.

[dje27]

Originally Posted by Mattyshummel

Please see above in blue for answers. Hope this helps.

Thank you so much for all your info Matty. We live in the bay area and we can carry over our property tax to el dorado county. Which is a big big deal for us!!!!!

[NinaN]

Matty's answers are excellent. The answers to many of your questions will be determined by your specific location. The schools are good in that area. The best way to decide what to "rule out" would be to drive in and around the neighborhood you are thinking about moving to.

[californiay]

Which is the better (nicer, prettier, safer, more amenities, less noise, fewer kids) part of Shingle Springs over age 50?

North or south of Highway 50?

Horse property is unimportant to me.

[caligirlz]

Not Shingle Springs but close enough...there are already 2 active 55+ plus communities in EDH, and a 3rd is being built off business park 3

I just want to add, there are several (can't remember how many) proposed developments in the area. I noticed the bulldozers have been active west of Greenstone near 50. We have no water, but hey, lets keep building anyways.

[californiay]

Originally Posted by caligirlz

Not Shingle Springs but close enough...there are already 2 active 55+ plus communities in EDH, and a 3rd is being built off business park 3

I just want to add, there are several (can't remember how many) proposed developments in the area. I noticed the bulldozers have been active west of Greenstone near 50. We have no water, but hey, lets keep building anyways.

Thanks, but I don't want to be restricted to 55+ communities just to get a somewhat higher age demographic.

But since you did mention 55+ communities, are they only in EDH? None in other towns near amenities, yet still in El Dorado County?

What are the names of the 55+ developments?
How expensive are the 55+ developments?
Do they all have high HOA's (there has to be some charge to support fitness facilities, which are very important to us if in that sort of community, but we'd prefer no water-guzzeling golf course). Do 55+ communities come with Mello-Roos and special parcel taxes?

How large are the homes and lots? I am sure there are various sizes, but I don't like how most 55+ have too many small homes and only a few larger homes (I also tend not to like the layouts, except that single stories are good. We would prefer to have minimum house sizes over 2,000 sq. ft. maybe up to 4,000 sq. ft. and no small lots, which 55+ communities tend to have. We want plenty of room between the houses.

I mentioned we are over 50 not because we want to be in an active adult retirement community, but because we don't want to be too close to schools (noise, traffic to and from schools, young distracted drivers, etc.) and we would like to meet more people in the town (not necessarily next door) who are 50+.

[NinaN]

The 2 current 55+ communities are Versante which are small homes on tiny lots that run in the high $300k range to low $400s.

Four seasons, south of Highway 50, has a variety of sizes from 1300 ft.² to about 2600 ft.². Many of the homes are about 2000 ft.². The lot size is also vary, but for a 55+ community they are good size. There are currently no listings in the four seasons, but they tend to run high $400k to low $500s for the size you want.

Heritage by Lennar is just getting underway. It is across the street from Blackstone off Latrobe road . Based on the maps I have seen, the the lots are quite small but there are about 20 larger size lot that they will sell first. I think those sales start tomorrow. First ones expected to be completed in the spring of 2016 . Prices start in the low $400k.

Versante does not have mello Roos though the others do. The HOA fees run around one $150-$200 per month depending on the community.

El Dorado Hills is in El Dorado County and will except your tax base. But shingle Springs is a completely different type community, with more land and a more rural setting. If you're looking for property and privacy, Sheila Springs would definitely be a good place to start.

[justducky2]

1- Who handles police and fire
County sheriff for police, fire is CalFire - we have a station on Ponderosa Rd not far north of the freeway

2- How expensive is homeowners insurance where there are no fire hydrants in rural areas
It really depends where you live in Shingle Springs. Some of us are on EID (El Dorado Irrigation District - the local water agency) city water, not wells. The fire hydrant for me is 40 ft away

3- How are the wells-water quality-depth-output
Wells are all different. In the foothills, they are drilled into fractured rock, not a valley aquifer, mostly. In this drought, can be touchy. Again - some properties in Shingle Springs are on "city water," not wells.

4- Internet and cell phone reception
If you are near highway 50 then you may have access to Comcast broadband for internet. Otherwise, there are other providers. No problems with cell phone reception that I've experienced (Verizon).

5- How are the schools-for resale value if we ever leave
Schools are EXCELLENT!!! Buckeye Elementary, the Montessori charter school, Camerado Middle School, and Ponderosa High School - all EXCELLENT!!! My kid went through them.

6- Is it a nice place to retire
Yep. I'll be retiring here in about 8 years!

7- Are there any areas in Shingle Springs to avoid?
Not really. Traffic is heavy on Ponderosa Rd and Meder twice a day because of the high school. My property is affected by it, I've lived here for 14 years...no big deal. I know what times of day to not go out and it's never been a problem.

Which is the better (nicer, prettier, safer, more amenities, less noise, fewer kids) part of Shingle Springs over age 50?
Both sides of highway 50 are really nice! High school with the traffic and noise in in one area north of 50 - but it doesn't bother me.

[californiay]

I have requested an El Dorado COUNTY forum, and I hope we get it.

I know there are people who would like to confine their searches to El Dorado COUNTY only.

//www.city-data.com/forum/sacra...el-dorado.html