El Dorado County New Construction Homes for Sale

By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

New subdivisions in El Dorado County are concentrated along US-50 in El Dorado Hills and toward Cameron Park, inside county-adopted specific plans such as Carson Creek, Valley View, Promontory, Bass Lake Hills and the original El Dorado Hills Specific Plan. Because these areas are unincorporated, the county is the planning and building authority. The two checks that matter most are which of the county’s Mello-Roos districts covers the lot, and what the builder must give you under California’s SB 800 Right to Repair Act.

This page covers plans, rules and costs only, with no prices or market statistics. For the wider county, start on our El Dorado County homes page.

At a glance

Where to look in El Dorado County

El Dorado Hills. Most of the county’s planned-community building has happened here, under several specific plans. The county’s specific plans page lists the El Dorado Hills Specific Plan (with village amendments and the Town Center East and West development plans), Promontory, Valley View, Carson Creek, Bass Lake Hills and North West El Dorado Hills. Carson Creek’s amendment history includes a 2021 plan amendment and a development agreement for Heritage Carson Creek Village 11. El Dorado Hills is not a city, so county rules apply even though it borders Folsom. Our where to live in El Dorado County guide explains the jurisdiction split.

Between El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park. The county lists two proposed specific plans south of US-50. Village of Marble Valley would cover about 2,342 acres with about 3,236 homes and 475,000 square feet of commercial space; a public review draft came out in May 2023 and a draft EIR in 2024. Lime Rock Valley, near Cameron Park, would cover about 740 acres with about 800 homes, and its draft EIR has been posted. Proposed plans can change or stall, so treat them as possibilities, not schedules.

Custom and small-lot builds on the West Slope. Beyond the planned areas, new homes in places like Shingle Springs, Rescue, Placerville’s outskirts, Georgetown and Cool are usually one-off builds on rural lots. Those raise different questions: wells, septic approval, private roads, fire-hazard insurance and defensible space. Read our rural house infrastructure guide, Cool private roads and site access, home insurance and access evidence and AB 38 defensible space inspections. For the Tahoe Basin, see our foothill and Tahoe property comparison.

What to check before you buy

1. Which CFD covers the lot. The Auditor-Controller lists seven county Mello-Roos districts: Bass Lake CFD 2018-1, Blackstone CFD 2002-1, Carson Creek CFD 2014-1, Carson Creek Heritage CFD 2024-1, Laurel Oaks CFD 2005-2, Promontory CFD 2001-1 and Serrano CFD 1992-1. A new lot may also carry other agencies’ direct charges. The county explains that it places roughly 650,000 direct-charge line items from about 90 districts on the secured roll each year, that each district answers for its own charge, and that CFD liens are recorded with the Recorder-Clerk, so a title search is how you find them. The direct charges page links a Direct Charge Master Index with district contacts; the Property Tax Division is at (530) 621-5470, ext. 4.

2. How old the district is. Government Code 53321 limits increases in a residential parcel’s maximum special tax to 2% a year, and says its 1991–92 amendments do not apply to districts whose formation resolution was adopted before January 1, 1993. If a lot sits in an older district, read its formation documents for how the tax can change. Ask the builder for the Notice of Special Tax required before you sign under Government Code 53341.5. Our Mello-Roos guide and homeownership budget by setting show how to work the numbers.

3. HOA documents. Planned communities often have a master association and sometimes a sub-association. Get the CC&Rs, budget and reserve study early; see our HOA documents guide.

4. The DRE public report. A builder needs a Subdivision Public Report from the Department of Real Estate before selling lots in a residential subdivision (Business and Professions Code 11018.2), and the DRE says you must receive it before you sign the contract.

5. Supplemental bills and title. Budget for supplemental tax bills after closing; our supplemental tax bill guide explains them. The county notes that direct charges cannot be added to supplemental bills, so your CFD tax arrives on the regular bill. Read the preliminary title report for recorded CFD and assessment notices.

6. Permits on a custom build. If you are buying a lot to build, or a spec home in the unincorporated county, confirm zoning, permits and any specific plan standards with our property use and permit research guide.

SB 800 builder warranties and claims

SB 800, codified at Civil Code 895 and following, gives new-home buyers building standards and a required claims process. In short:

A builder that fails to meet the section 912 duties on time loses the protection of that chapter’s procedures, so the documents matter to both sides. Keep them, and give them to your buyer when you sell. A builder’s warranty is not the same as a home warranty plan. Our buying new construction in California guide walks through the full contract-to-closing process.

Your inspection and your agent

A county final inspection confirms code compliance; it is not a workmanship review. Hire a private inspector before drywall if the builder allows and again before the final walk-through, and list items in writing. See home inspections in California.

The model-home staff represent the builder. If you want your own agent, bring them on the first visit or follow the builder’s registration rules, which vary. Our commissions guide explains how buyer-agent compensation is set today.

Questions people ask

Where are new homes being built in El Dorado County?

Mainly in El Dorado Hills specific plan areas such as Carson Creek, Valley View, Promontory and Bass Lake Hills. Two larger plans, Village of Marble Valley and Lime Rock Valley, are proposed south of US-50.

Does El Dorado Hills have Mello-Roos?

The county’s CFD list includes districts named for El Dorado Hills-area plans, such as Serrano, Promontory, Carson Creek and Bass Lake. Check the tax bill, the title report and the Notice of Special Tax for the specific lot.

Can a CFD lien exist if it isn’t on my tax bill?

Yes. The county says CFD liens are recorded with the Recorder-Clerk separately from the bill, so a title search is the way to find them.

Who approves building permits in El Dorado Hills?

El Dorado County, because El Dorado Hills is unincorporated. The county also administers its specific plans there.

What does SB 800 require of a builder?

Building standards, a one-year minimum fit and finish warranty, documents and a claims agent at sale, and a prelitigation process before a lawsuit, under Civil Code 895 and following.

Is Village of Marble Valley approved?

The county lists it as a proposed specific plan with a 2023 public review draft and a 2024 draft EIR. Check the planning page for its current status.

Do I need my own inspection on a new home?

It’s strongly recommended. Code inspections don’t look for workmanship issues, and a written list before closing is easier to resolve than a claim later.

Sources & notes

1. El Dorado County: Specific Plans (adopted plans and amendments; Zoning Ordinance Chapter 130.56).
2. El Dorado County: Proposed Specific Plans (Lime Rock Valley; Village of Marble Valley).
3. El Dorado County Auditor-Controller: Mello-Roos CFDs.
4. El Dorado County Auditor-Controller: Direct charges.
5. Gov. Code 53321 and 53341.5.
6. California DRE: New residential housing FAQ.
7. Civil Code 900, 910, 912, 941 (text read on california.public.law mirror).

Notes: The county pages do not give acreage, unit counts or build-out status for adopted plans, so none are stated. Formation dates for each CFD were not verified; CFD numbers are names, not proof of formation date. City of Placerville and South Lake Tahoe new-home rules, HOA details and builder registration policies were not verified.

General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Updated November 2026. Primary sources are linked in this guide.

Related: El Dorado County homes · Where to live in El Dorado County · Buying new construction in California · Mello-Roos in California · Homeownership budget by setting