Placer County Overview Coldwell Banker Northern California
Roseville -Granite Bay Office

Whether it's country living you desire, or a home close to top-notch shopping, Placer County offers an incredible array of choices.  Following is information on some of the primary cities and communities in Placer County:

 
Applegate Real Estate
 
The fruit and nut orchards have been replaced with homes on large lots where homeowners enjoy views of the river and canyon.  The center of Applegate has a branch library, civic center, post office, and a beautiful park with a pond.
 
The approximately 1900 foot elevation means that once in a while there is a dusting of snow in the winter, and summer days that are cooler than the lower Sacramento Valley.

There are old ranches and new hillside homes within this small community.  There are winding lanes to hidden homes on tree covered acreage, and you can find modest small homes or estate size homes.  It is an easy commute out to Highway 80 making it a favorite for those working in the high tech industry in Roseville and Rocklin.


Auburn Real Estate
 
Located 30 miles east of Sacramento, Auburn is a small town that calls itself "The Endurance Capital of the World."  The nickname comes from the 100-mile races between Auburn and Lake Tahoe — one for horses and riders and the other for runners.  Its Gold Rush heritage is part of the community life and reflected in Historic Auburn and the Auburn Wild West Stampede.

With more than 12,000 residents, and located at an elevation of about 1,000 feet, Auburn enjoys a climate that puts it above the winter fog of the Central Valley and below the snow of the higher Sierra Nevada mountains.
 
Outdoor recreation is a hallmark of Auburn.  The Auburn State Recreation Area and the American River Canyon offer horseback riding trails, trail hiking, and guided nature trail hikes.  White water rafting and kayaking, lake boating, river and lake fishing, mountain biking, and camping are easily accessible.  Auburn is also the doorway into the Sierra Nevada foothills which offer skiing, hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities.  The Bear River and American River offer water activities almost year-round.
 
Auburn is well served by shopping centers, as well as by speciality and antique stores.


Colfax Real Estate
 
Colfax is the last city with a big choice of restaurants and other services on Interstate 80 on the way to the summit of the Sierra.  There are rural retreats, bungalows in town along with some Victorians and at this time, a subdivision called Canyon Creek Village that appears to be more "citified" than the rest of Colfax.

Picnicking, camping, recreational gold panning, boating, rafting are all popular with locals and visitors alike.  The unique shops and restaurants appeal to all.  When in Colfax, be sure to visit the home town movie theater, Colfax Theater, offering seats from the past and crystal chandelier in the lobby and first run movies.

Located on Interstate 80 between Auburn and Truckee, Colfax offers an Amtrak stop and often receives just enough snow for family fun in the winter.  Colfax is one of the oldest cities in Placer County.  It is bordered by the north fork of the American River and the Bear River.  Just north of town is Rollins Lake.


Cool Real Estate

After you leave Auburn and drive 6 winding miles east on Highway 49, you come to a community of about 3,500 people along the east side of the American River Canyon.  Many people don't realize that there is a 1,000-home gated community called Auburn Lake Trails.
 
The community started building about 30 years ago, so you will find brand new homes and some 30+ years old.  The surrounding area has homes on large parcels and a small shopping area at the intersection on Highway 49.

The annual 31-mile Way Too Cool race draws runners to the area each year.  Cool is also known for the annual Blues Festival, which the Milstone Saloon holds the first Sunday of each October to raise money for prostate cancer.


Foresthill Real Estate

Foresthill is approximately 15 miles from Highway 80 east of Auburn and offers small town living for those seeking tall California pine covered lots and quiet times.

The community is surrounded by recreational opportunities of every type: white water rafting, off-road trails, camping, fishing, and hiking.  The choices of home style range from small homes with great room designs on large lots to estate-size homes.

Foresthill has been discovered, and more new homes are being built as the area becomes more popular.  Beautiful views of the American River can be had from the popular Foresthill Bridge.


Granite Bay Real Estate

Granite Bay is a Northern California community in Placer County, just 24 miles northeast of Sacramento, that offers a bit of country, a bit of city; a location that offers a quick getaway to the Sierra mountains, the city lights of San Francisco or Reno, or beautiful Napa Valley; an area where employment, superior schools, recreational offerings, entertainment, shopping, dining, and history abound.

Granite Bay is home to the Granite Bay Golf Club designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and just minutes from Roseville's 1.1 million square foot Galleria at Roseville mall featuring Nordstrom and other top-end shopping.

Custom homes are plentiful in the upscale community of Granite Bay, many of which have views of Folsom Lake.  Granite Bay has 16.5 acres that will eventually provide the community with ball fields, picnic areas, playgrounds, and bike trails.  Included are 6.5 acres of protected wetlands and stands of oak trees that preserve a natural landscape and wildlife sanctuary.

You can have all of this and more in Granite Bay — a lovely community where the quality of life will exceed your expectations.

 
Lincoln Real Estate

Located 27 miles northeast of Sacramento, the city of Lincoln is a family-oriented community with a Gold Rush history.  But perhaps its best known event is the Feats of Clay Festival, a nationally known show for ceramic artists at the 129-year-old Gladding McBean terra cotta plant.

Gladding McBean's products adorn many of the historic buildings in California.  The city's heritage dates back to 1864 and can be seen in the renovated Beerman's Beerworks building in the historic section of Lincoln.

A fast-growing city with about 11,000 residents, Lincoln still retains a small-town feeling with broad, tree-lined streets and a downtown plaza.  New homes are being built rapidly and complement the older housing in the area.

Outdoor recreation is easily available locally in the nearby Sierra Nevada foothills, including fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, camping, and much more.

Dotted with more than 30,000 mature oak trees is the master-planned community of Twelve Bridges.  Anchored by the acclaimed 18-hole Twelve Bridges Golf Club, approximately half of the community's 3,000 acres will remain open and natural space for all to enjoy.  A combination of single and multi-family homes balance retail and neighborhood commercial uses.  Community services such as an existing fire station, a medical plaza currently under construction, four planned schools, a library, and more bring into focus the community's master plan.

Situated within the Twelve Bridges development, Sun City Lincoln Hills is an active adult community offering retirement living with a golf course, club house, and organized activities.

The city of Lincoln has its own airport with a 6,000-foot runway.  Interstate 80 is accessible via Highway 65.

 
Loomis Real Estate

The town of Loomis is a quaint, family-oriented community.  Established in 1850 and incorporated in 1984, Loomis retains its rural character and charm with its large residential lots and custom homes, an old-fashioned downtown, and woodlands with natural streams and rolling hillsides.  For those who are looking for an alternative to the conventional subdivision and tract homes, Loomis is a wonderful place to call home.

Loomis truly has the best of both worlds — being immediately adjacent to Interstate 80 and between concentrated development and vast tracts of open space.  Citizens can choose to participate in the hottest job market in California, shop at a variety of businesses located in and around Loomis, or spend a quiet and serene afternoon in the countryside.

Loomis is close to diverse recreational opportunities — the town is only ten minutes from Folsom Lake and a little over an hour away from either Lake Tahoe or the San Francisco Bay.

 
Meadow Vista Real Estate

Traveling along Placer Hills Road after leaving Highway 80, you will come upon Meadow Vista Community Park. There you may meet the honking gaggle of resident geese enjoying the pond in the park. Plans are for a community center to be built within the park.

Meadow Vista has a few commercial services for the convenience of the residents, but is not cluttered with a commercial area.  There are new eateries, a library branch, market, post office, two schools, a few offices, and the multipurpose park along Placer Hills Road.  A Municipal Advisory Committee has been formed to allow local residents and county leaders to keep an open forum about the future needs of Meadow Vista and help to retain its rural charm.

With its agriculture heritage, Meadow Vista still has many large parcels with older country homes.  You’ll find homes that range from small and close to the community, to homes with access to Lake Combie and the newer development of Winchester Country Club with large estate properties on an 18-hold championship golf course.

 
Newcastle Real Estate

If you are looking for older homes on large lots in the foothills, or newer homes with wonderful views of the Sacramento Valley, Newcastle may be your next hometown.

Famous for its mandarin oranges, Newcastle celebrates this special fruit with the Mountain Mandarin Festival each year in November.  The event has become so popular that they had to move it to the Gold Country Fairground to allow for the ever increasing crowds.

The fruit packing sheds attest to the long history of growing not only mandarins but also cherries, peaches, pears, and strawberries.  The old packing sheds now are home to restaurants and the Newcastle Produce Company.


Penryn Real Estate

Penryn is a community of rural homes with a very small town center, with older homes surrounding the post office.  Penryn is located along Interstate 80 between Auburn and Roseville, about 30 miles from Sacramento.


Rocklin Real Estate

Located on Interstate 80 northeast of Sacramento, the fast-growing suburban community of Rocklin still has links to its Gold Rush past and quarrying days in buildings in its historic section.  Both older and newer homes are available, including locations in the 3,500-acre Stanford Ranch, a master-planned community.  Stanford Ranch is minutes away from Interstate 80, the Sacramento area’s main link to commerce and recreation, putting you roughly equidistant from cosmopolitan San Francisco and the pristine beauty and year-round recreation of Lake Tahoe and the High Sierras.

Shopping is easy with quick access to the Roseville regional mall, the Galleria at Roseville. Three community parks and 19 neighborhood parks are available in Rocklin, which is also close to Folsom Lake, a state recreation area that offers boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, sailing and much more.  Modern schools, including the $42 million Rocklin High School (which offers tennis courts and a swimming), three well-designed elementary schools and a middle school, are all within walking distance.

A city of 36,000, Rocklin is primarily a family community.  Higher education opportunities are provided at Sierra College.  Major employers include Oracle Corporation and TNT Logistics.


Roseville Real Estate

Roseville owes its origin to the railroad.  The city took on life more than 100 years ago as a switching yard for trains that ran north and south with those that ran east and west.  Trains are still a big business in Roseville, but the city's horizons have now expanded to high tech and housing for families in the fast-growing region.

Sixteen miles northeast of Downtown Sacramento, Roseville offers nine acres of parks per 1,000 residents.  The parks provide traditional activities such as baseball and basketball, but also a skate track, an in-line hockey rink, and batting cages.  Nine golf courses are located in Roseville or in the area.  Nearby is Folsom Lake, with camping, boating, swimming, fishing, and miles of equestrian and biking trails.  Lake Tahoe and the scenic Sierra Nevada are an easy drive up Interstate 80.

If it's shopping you want, Roseville is home to the newest regional mall in the area, the Galleria at Roseville, a spectacular facility that includes many of the major retailers in the country.

The Roseville area also includes a Sun City adult community, and housing ranging from older and newer homes to apartments and townhouses.

Major employers include Hewlett-Packard, Union Pacific Railroad, NEC Electronics, SureWest, Pride Industries, Earthlink, Nordstrom's, Sutter Roseville Medical Center, and Kaiser Permanente.


Springfield Real Estate
 
Springfield is a gated retirement development in the city of Rocklin with wonderful amenities such as a community center, tennis courts, sports courts, and a feeling of community.  Its residents enjoy all the areas new shopping areas, parks, and the surrounding gently slopping hillside ambience.  The surrounding area of Sacramento Valley and the Sierras are within a short drive.


Sun City Lincoln Hills Real Estate

Situated within the Twelve Bridges development, Sun City Lincoln Hills is proving to be just as popular as Sun City Roseville.  Both locations offer retirement living with a golf course, club house and organized activities.

There are clubs to join for arts and crafts, cards and games, educational pursuits, social clubs, and recreational clubs.  At the Orchard Creek Lodge, you can take special classes, training, and health seminars. The focus is on a healthy lifestyle.

The Lincoln Hills Golf Club is an 18-hole daily fee championship golf course designed by Casper/Nash and Associates.  It will challenge and thrill players of all abilities.

The area around Sun City Lincoln Hills is developing quickly and there are new services being added every day.


Sun City Roseville Real Estate
 
Sun City Roseville has become one of the most popular retirement areas in the nation.  The 27-hole Billy Casper Signature Golf Course in Sun City Roseville has many oak trees and Kaseberg Creek flowing through the course.

The Timber Creek Recreation Lodge, with its 52,000 square feet, is the community's center of activity.  There is a sewing center, ceramics studio, art studio, up-to-date computer technology center, a Wall Street room, library, and ballroom with a stage (holding banquets, stage productions and social events).

The Lifestyle Fitness Center provides a variety of exercise machines and trained fitness personnel.  There is also a dance and aerobics studio, a 25-meter indoor swimming pool for aquacize classes, indoor walking track, water polo, and lap swimming.  Additionally, there is a resort-style pool.  If you are a tennis buff, there are six lighted tennis courts, two paddle tennis courts, a basketball half-court, bocci courts, and horseshoe pits.

 
Twelve Bridges Real Estate

Twelve Bridges is a new master planned community on just over 3,000 acres in Lincoln.  The Twelve Bridges Golf Club is the center of the community with the 72-par, 18-hole championship course designed by Richard Phelps.

Many builders are participating in the development of this area including Del Web Sun City Lincoln Hills.  The builders will be presenting homes of all sizes, some with views.  The new homeowners will be able to enjoy 1,300 acres of preserved open land.  Five miles of nature trails with interpretive exhibits will create a buffer within the community.

Twelve Bridges is located in the Western Placer Unified School District.  The school district has a six-year school expansion plan in place for Twelve Bridges that includes two elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.  The first elementary school opened in 2004, and slated to open are the high school in 2005 and the middle school in 2006.

The Lincoln Regional Airport is city owned and has a 6,000' runway.  It is used by private, corporate and commercial aircraft.

Lincoln/Twelve Bridges is in the heart of the high tech corridor, with Oracle, NEC and Hewlett-Packard nearby.  Sutter Medical Plaza houses Sutter Hospital physicians and medical services.


Weimar Real Estate

Located at 2,200' elevation in the Sierra Nevada foothills and covered with Ponderosa Pines, Weimar offers a place to retreat from the hectic pace of life.  An hour from California’s capital of Sacramento and one-and-one-half hours from Lake Tahoe, Weimar sits just off I-80.

Many homeowners have enjoyed the area for years, and lately many new residents have purchased or built homes on large parcels.  Some of the homes have wonderful views of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.  If you enjoy outdoor living but still want to be close to the amenities of a larger city, Weimar may be the place for you.