El Dorado Hills
Just across the county line from Folsom, with some of the region's larger lots, golf-course communities, and lake access at Folsom Lake and Bass Lake.
El Dorado Hills sits in El Dorado County immediately east of Folsom, a short drive across the Folsom Lake Crossing or Green Valley Road. It draws buyers who want more land and newer construction than Folsom proper typically offers, with master-planned communities like Serrano, Blackstone, and the Bass Lake area anchoring much of the newer inventory.
Housing stock ranges from established 1980s-1990s neighborhoods to ongoing new construction, and many of the newer communities carry a Mello-Roos or CFD assessment on top of base property tax — worth itemizing on any specific address before writing an offer. El Dorado Hills is served by the El Dorado Union High School District and several elementary districts, and buyers commonly cross-shop it against Folsom and Granite Bay for similar price points with larger lots.
The Town Center area has grown into a genuine retail and dining hub, and access to Folsom Lake, the Western States Trail, and Highway 50 keeps the commute to Sacramento and the Bay Area manageable for many buyers here.