About El Dorado Hills, CA
Living in El Dorado Hills
A home in El Dorado feels like a front‑row seat to the Sierra foothills. You get rolling oak‑studded hills, Folsom Lake sunsets, and trailheads five minutes from most driveways.
Sacramento’s job core sits thirty minutes west, Tahoe’s slopes are a little over an hour east, and that sweet “just outside the city” vibe keeps drawing folks who crave elbow room without losing the perks of a metro.
The average El Dorado Hills commute lands around thirty-five minutes, yet the weekend pace is strictly "farmer’s market and wine tasting" casual.
Why People Move to El Dorado Hills
Ask recent arrivals and they’ll mention top‑rated schools in El Dorado, low crime stats, and neighborhoods where kids still ride bikes till dinner.
Retirees chase the milder climate, while remote tech workers like the fiber internet that lets them Zoom with Bay‑Area teams, then paddleboard before dusk.
Housing is undeniably pricey, but it’s still a value play against coastal CA house prices. Many buyers sift through homes for sale in El Dorado Hills specifically to trade 1,200‑square‑foot ranchers elsewhere for 3,000‑square‑foot view lots here.
Brief Overview of the Real Estate Market
The El Dorado Hills housing market has cooled from the 2021 frenzy, yet bidding wars haven’t vanished.
Median sale price floats just under $1 million, and homes still move faster than most of the broader CA housing market.
New‑construction pockets in Serrano and Blackstone keep supply alive, but inventory remains tight compared to pre‑pandemic norms.
Current Market Statistics and Housing Market Trends
Median Home Prices
In June 2025, the median sale price settled at $995,000, a 5.7 percent slide since last year but still lofty by inland‑NorCal standards. Redfin calls that figure the midpoint for all sold homes, so half the closings came in higher, half lower.
Zillow pegs the broader El Dorado County housing market at a CA home value of $668,550, illustrating how the hills command a premium over the county core.
The median sale price per square foot in town landed at $367, keeping the sale price per square foot gap wide versus Folsom and Citrus Heights.
Inventory Levels and Days on Market
Buyers finally have a little breathing room.
Active listings climbed 17 percent last month, giving house‑hunters roughly five weeks of supply—still below a balanced threshold, but no longer panic mode.
Homes stay active about 22 days on the market compared with exactly the same span of days last year, proving demand has stayed steady even as rates tick higher.
Recent Sales Trends
There were 76 homes sold in June 2025, up from 59 a year earlier, showing buyers returned once spring inventory hit MLS feeds.
Sub‑markets tell different stories:
Serrano posted a $1.13 million median, up 2.7 percent, while Blackstone dipped to $920,000, down 13 percent.
Year Over Year Market Trends
Price softness feels modest when stacked against the 30 percent COVID‑era boom.
House prices have given back roughly six percent but remain 25‑plus percent above 2019.
That resiliency keeps sellers confident even with higher borrowing costs.
Is It a Buyer’s or Seller’s Market?
Quick Answer
Call it “tepid‑seller‑leaning.” Inventory rose, yet demand momentum outpaces supply. The real estate market is technically balanced (47‑day median DOM) per Realtor.com, but list‑to‑sale gaps hover around 99 percent.
What Sellers Can Expect Right Now
Price right and you’ll likely field two to three solid offers inside three weeks, especially if your list price lands below the seven‑figure psychological line. Over‑reach and you’ll watch the showings stall.
Smart owners leverage pre‑inspection packets and real estate resources for El Dorado photography to stand out. Concessions often show up as loan buydowns rather than deep price cuts.
What Buyers Can Expect Right Now
Buyers can finally view houses in El Dorado without writing the offer in the driveway.
Expect a 6.75 percent 30‑year rate according to Freddie Mac.
Prepare proof of funds, line up financing, and be ready to schedule home tours mid‑week when new inventory drops. Competitive homes still go pending in under a month, so hesitation hurts.
Recent Trends in the El Dorado Hills, CA Housing Market
Types of Homes Selling Fastest
Four‑bedroom contemporaries under 2,800 square feet in Serrano and Highland View lead the pack.
Smaller single‑stories homes priced for move‑down buyers also fly, reflecting downsizers fleeing Bay Area congestion.
Ultra‑luxury over $2 million lingers longer, though sold homes above that line set neighborhood records each quarter.
Competitive Price Points
Sweet‑spot list price sits between $850,000 and $1.1 million—low enough to attract move‑up buyers but high enough to satisfy sellers looking to cash in equity.
Properties under $700,000 spark mini‑bidding wars because entry‑level inventory is scarce.
Common Buyer Demographics & Migration Trends
Roughly 28 percent of 2025 closings involved buyers relocating from coastal CA zip codes, with San Jose and Alameda County topping the list.
Families chasing top‑ranked public schools and remote engineers seeking extra office space dominate buyer call sheets—an ongoing trend across the foothills.
How Interest Rates Are Impacting Local Demand
The 2025 home prices dip coincided with mortgage rates hovering near 7 percent, yet stable inventory plus wage growth kept deals flowing.
Buyers use temporary rate buydowns and adjustable products to bridge the gap—creative real estate broker guidance matters more than ever.
Rental Market Insights in El Dorado Hills, CA
Median Rental Prices
As of July 2025, the median rental outlay clocks in at $3,450 for all property types—73 percent above the national norm, but only a nine‑percent bump since last year.
Short Term Rentals in El Dorado Hills
STR owners see high summer occupancy from lake tourists and wedding parties. New county caps tighten permit counts, so existing hosts are holding licenses tight.
Typical nightly rates float between $275 and $450, depending on pool and view.
Summary of the Rental Market in El Dorado Hills
Strong household incomes and limited multifamily stock keep rents resilient. Investors rely on low‑vacancy projections when running cash‑flow models, though wildfire insurance premiums cut margins.
Still, long‑term appreciation plus solid tenant profiles make rentals a viable hedge.
What’s Driving the El Dorado Hills Market in 2025?
Local Economic Factors
The region benefits from state‑worker stability, healthcare expansion in Folsom, and a budding fintech cluster spilling over from Sacramento. Job growth cushions demand even when rates rise.
School in El Dorado Hills Influence
Parents eye the El Dorado Union High and Buckeye Elementary districts when scouting addresses.
Test scores often rank top ten in the Sacramento metro, directly propping up home prices and supporting premium price‑per‑square‑foot momentum.
Remote Work Impact
Roughly 38 percent of local buyers telecommute at least three days weekly.
That keeps demand buoyant despite downtown Sacramento office vacancies. Larger bonus rooms and strong fiber lines top wish‑lists.
Forecast for the El Dorado Hills Market
Expert Predictions for the Rest of 2025
Analysts at the California Association of Realtors expect statewide values to hold flat, but they project a market overview for El Dorado Hills of minus one to plus two percent by December.
Moderately rising inventory paired with rate stability should keep the needle steady.
Expert Predictions for 2026 and Beyond
Once rates fall into the mid‑fives, pent‑up coastal equity will likely flood the foothills.
Expect renewed multiple‑offer skirmishes in Serrano and Kalithea with modest double‑digit appreciation over a two‑year horizon, though county‑wide gains may lag city‑specific spikes.
Expert Opinions on Timing Your Move
If you need to sell in 2025, pricing within two percent of the average list price secures traction without painful concessions.
Buyers holding out for deep discounts might wait in vain; micro‑corrections rarely outpace rate escalations.
A savvy real estate agent can offer insights for El Dorado timing based on neighborhood comps.
Final Thoughts
The El Dorado Hills housing market is unique—mountain views, wildfire considerations, quick Folsom commutes, and above‑average wages collide to form its own ecosystem.
Staying dialed into fresh real estate trends, insurance shifts, and the climate's impact on El Dorado keeps you ahead whether buying or selling.
Need tailored advice? Reach out, and I’ll offer insights for El Dorado specific to your goals, then we’ll map a strategy and schedule home tours that make sense for your timeline.
FAQs About the El Dorado Hills Housing Market
Are prices still rising in 2025?
Prices dipped slightly this spring, yet the median hovers near the million‑dollar mark and remains far above 2019 levels, showing sustained long‑term appreciation.
What is the typical price per square foot in El Dorado today?
June 2025 closed with an average per square foot in El Dorado figure of about $367, though remodeled single‑stories in Serrano often command higher premiums.
How long do listings stay active?
Most properties go pending in roughly three weeks, mirroring the days on the market compared to last summer. Speed increases when the list is under $900,000.
What about wildfire risk—could it impact homes in El Dorado?
Redfin’s climate impact on El Dorado dashboard shows 99 percent of local parcels face some wildfire exposure, and new state maps flag mitigation zones. Hardening rooftops and clearing defensible space help protect equity.
Is it hard to get a loan on hillside properties?
Lenders scrutinize terrain and insurance more closely, but standard 30‑year conforming programs still dominate closings. Rates trail Freddie Mac’s statewide average by just a few basis points when borrowers sport strong credit.
