Relocation
Relocating to the Sacramento region
How the communities differ, how the commute works, what to check before you buy, and how our relocation agents help from a distance.
Why people relocate to the Sacramento region
The region draws buyers for a few consistent reasons: housing that costs a fraction of the Bay Area for a comparable home, a two-hour drive to San Francisco and ninety minutes to Lake Tahoe, a large state and healthcare employment base, and a range of settings from an urban grid to lake frontage to foothill acreage. Since remote and hybrid work became normal, the share of buyers arriving from the Bay Area and Southern California has grown, and whole subdivisions in Roseville, Rocklin, Folsom, and El Dorado Hills have been shaped by it.
How the region is laid out
Think of it in bands moving east from the Sacramento River. Sacramento itself is the urban core: the downtown and midtown grid, then the established neighborhoods of East Sacramento, Land Park, and Arden-Arcade. Northeast along Interstate 80 is South Placer: Roseville, Rocklin, Granite Bay, Loomis, and Lincoln, with Auburn at the edge of the foothills. East along Highway 50 is Folsom and then El Dorado Hills and the El Dorado County foothills. West across the river is Yolo County: Davis, Woodland, and West Sacramento. North on Highway 49 is Nevada County and the Gold Rush towns of Nevada City and Grass Valley.
Commute and getting around
Interstate 80, Highway 50, Interstate 5, and Highway 99 are the spines, and traffic concentrates on them at the usual hours. Sacramento Regional Transit light rail reaches Folsom and the eastern suburbs; the Capitol Corridor train connects Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Auburn, and Davis with the Bay Area; and Sacramento International Airport sits north of the city off Interstate 5. Buyers who will commute to the Bay Area a few days a week often choose Davis, West Sacramento, or the Interstate 80 corridor for the train and highway access.
What to check that may be new to you
Buyers from coastal California and other states run into a few regional specifics. Summers are hot and dry, so cooling costs, shade, and orientation matter. Much of the foothills sits in mapped fire hazard severity zones with defensible-space rules and insurance implications. Natomas and parts of the river corridor have levee-protected flood zones with insurance requirements. Newer subdivisions often carry Mello-Roos special assessments on the tax bill. Rural parcels rely on wells and septic systems. None of these are reasons not to buy; they are items your agent will put in front of you before you write an offer.
How our relocation agents work
Relocation is most of what the brokerage does for out-of-area buyers, and the process is built for distance: a first conversation to narrow the communities, video walkthroughs of candidate homes, documented inspections you can review remotely, electronic signatures, and local introductions for lenders, movers, contractors, and schools. The brokerage’s multilingual agents support international relocations, and the Sotheby’s International Realty network connects you with an affiliate in the city you are leaving if you also have a home to sell.
Questions relocating buyers ask
Which communities are most popular with Bay Area buyers?
Roseville, Rocklin, Folsom, and El Dorado Hills for newer homes and master-planned amenities; Granite Bay and Loomis for larger lots; East Sacramento and Land Park for established neighborhoods close to downtown; Davis for the university and the train.
How far is Sacramento from San Francisco and Lake Tahoe?
Downtown Sacramento is roughly 90 miles from San Francisco via Interstate 80 and about 100 miles from the Lake Tahoe basin via Interstate 80 or Highway 50. Drive times vary widely with traffic and season.
Can you help me sell my current home in another city?
Yes. Through the Sotheby’s International Realty referral network we can connect you with an affiliate in your current market and coordinate the timing of both transactions.
Do you offer a relocation guide?
Yes. Request it through the form on this page and an agent will send the current guide along with a short questionnaire to narrow the communities worth your time.
Request the relocation guide
Tell us where you are coming from and roughly when. An agent will send the guide and follow up with a short list of communities that fit.
Where relocating buyers land
Communities to start with
- Placer County Roseville Roseville, Placer County's largest city, from a railroad downtown to new master plans Explore
- Sacramento County Folsom Folsom: Folsom Lake, Historic Sutter Street, Intel, and new homes south of Highway 50 Explore
- El Dorado County El Dorado Hills Master-planned villages above Folsom Lake at the start of the Sierra foothills Explore
- Sacramento County East Sacramento East Sacramento: McKinley Park, the Fabulous Forties, and streets of Tudors and bungalows Explore
- Yolo County Davis A university city on the valley floor, built around bicycles and greenbelts Explore
- Placer County Granite Bay Granite Bay: large lots, gated enclaves, and Folsom Lake down Douglas Boulevard Explore
- Placer County Rocklin Rocklin: a granite quarry town rebuilt as master-planned neighborhoods at I-80 and Highway 65 Explore
- Nevada County Nevada City Nevada County’s Gold Rush seat: a Victorian downtown with river canyons close by Explore
Moving to the region?
Start with a conversation. We will narrow the map before you spend a weekend driving it.