Two very different paths to a custom home right now: builder-partnered homesites in Serrano Country Club, and five-acre privacy at Sierra View Estates in Shingle Springs.
The greater Sacramento region is adding residents faster than almost anywhere in California, and more of those buyers want to build rather than buy resale. Yet many of them still struggle to actually get a custom home built.
The reason is simple: raw land is easy to find. A clear path to breaking ground is not. Knowing the difference between a vacant lot and a builder-ready homesite is the most important thing to understand before you buy.
Sources: California Department of Finance population estimates (May 2026); Redfin market data (July 2026).
The Real Bottleneck Isn’t Land. It’s the Path to Breaking Ground.
Buying a vacant lot is easy. Finding an architect, securing permits, vetting contractors and managing a 12- to 18-month build from scratch is where most custom-home plans stall out or run over budget.
“Anyone can find a vacant lot right now. What’s hard to find is a homesite that comes with people who already know the local builders and can move a buyer from purchase to move-in without assembling a team from scratch. That’s much rarer than raw land alone.”— Tiegen Boberg, Broker Associate & Luxury Property Specialist, Nick Sadek Sotheby’s International Realty
That’s why the two opportunities below aren’t just “land for sale.” Each one solves a different piece of the problem for a different kind of buyer, and in both cases we work directly with a network of local builders to guide buyers from contract to move-in.
Option 1: Serrano Country Club — Builder-Partnered Homesites Inside the Gates
Serrano is El Dorado Hills’ guard-gated golf community, built around a Robert Trent Jones Jr. championship course, and it is approaching the final phase of its decades-long buildout. There is still land here, but what is getting hard to find is a homesite paired with a builder who already knows the community inside and out.
We represent TailorMade Homes, LLC, Tamasi Ross Construction and other local custom home builders on select new-construction homesites in Serrano and surrounding El Dorado Hills communities. Buyers aren’t starting from zero. They are stepping into shovel-ready plans and builders with a proven local track record.
“Serrano is approaching the end of its buildout, and the remaining lots come with builders who have spent years working inside those gates. That combination is what’s getting hard to find.”— Tiegen Boberg
Best for: buyers who want the guard-gated golf lifestyle and a proven builder already lined up, rather than assembling a team themselves.
See Serrano Homesites at BuildingSerrano.com
Option 2: Sierra View Estates — Privacy and Acreage in Shingle Springs
For buyers who want space rather than a golf-course lifestyle, Sierra View Estates is a new gated community in the Sierra foothills, about 30 miles east of Sacramento along the Highway 50 corridor to Lake Tahoe. It has just six five-acre parcels on a single private cul-de-sac, co-listed by Tiegen Boberg and Lisa Paragary of Nick Sadek Sotheby’s International Realty.
The infrastructure work is already done. Each lot has a drilled well, completed perc testing and power in place, with panoramic Sierra Nevada views and room for an equestrian estate, a multi-generational home or a fully custom build.
Buyers keep full design freedom. You can bring your own architect and builder, or we can introduce you to builders in our local network and stay with you through builder selection and construction.
“Buyers tell us the hardest part isn’t choosing a lot. It’s knowing what happens after they buy it. At Sierra View, the well, perc and power are already done, and we stay with buyers through builder selection and construction so they’re never figuring it out alone.”— Lisa Paragary, Nick Sadek Sotheby’s International Realty
Best for: buyers who want privacy, acreage and design freedom, with infrastructure already in place and builder guidance available.
See Lot Details at SierraViewLots.com
Buying land in the foothills? See our Shingle Springs land checklist: wells, perc tests and what to check before you build.
Serrano vs. Sierra View: Which Fits You?
Serrano Country Club | Sierra View Estates | |
|---|---|---|
Location | El Dorado Hills | Shingle Springs, off Highway 50 |
Lifestyle | Guard-gated golf community | Private, gated, equestrian-friendly |
Lot size | Typical subdivision homesites | About 5 acres each |
Builders | TailorMade Homes, Tamasi Ross Construction and other local builders | Your choice, with introductions to our local builder network |
Infrastructure | Shovel-ready plans available | Drilled well, perc testing and power in place |
Best for | Amenities plus a proven builder | Space plus full design control |
What to Ask Before You Buy Land to Build On
Whether you’re looking at Serrano, Sierra View or land anywhere else in the region, a few questions will save you months of delay:
- Is the lot shovel-ready, or will you need your own architect, engineer and permits from scratch?
- What utilities are in place (well, septic, power) versus what you’ll need to bring in yourself?
- Is there an established builder relationship, or are you responsible for vetting and managing a contractor on your own?
- What does zoning allow for the home, outbuildings or animals you have in mind?
- What is the realistic timeline from purchase to move-in, and does it match yours?
These are the questions worth walking through with an agent who has represented both sides of a custom build, the land and the finished home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sierra View Estates?
Sierra View Estates is in Shingle Springs, in El Dorado County, about 30 miles east of Sacramento off Highway 50. The six lots sit on a private gated cul-de-sac.
What infrastructure is already in place at Sierra View Estates?
Each five-acre lot has a drilled well, completed perc testing and power at the site.
Can I use my own builder at Sierra View Estates?
Yes. Buyers have full design freedom and can bring their own architect and builder, or be introduced to builders in our local network for guidance from contract to move-in.
Who helps buyers build in Serrano?
Tiegen Boberg, a luxury property specialist with Nick Sadek Sotheby’s International Realty, represents TailorMade Homes, Tamasi Ross Construction and other builders on new-construction homesites in Serrano and surrounding El Dorado Hills communities. Details are at BuildingSerrano.com.
What is the difference between raw land and a builder-ready homesite?
Raw land is just the lot. A builder-ready homesite comes with a builder relationship, plans or infrastructure already in place, which removes most of the work and risk between buying the land and moving in.
What should buyers ask before buying land to build on?
Confirm the water source, perc and septic results, utility access, zoning and a realistic build timeline before you buy.
Ready to Talk Through Your Options?
Both opportunities are limited: a handful of builder-partnered homesites in Serrano, and just six parcels at Sierra View Estates. If you’re serious about building rather than buying resale, let’s talk about which path fits your vision.
Tiegen Boberg · Broker Associate & Luxury Property Specialist
Nick Sadek Sotheby’s International Realty · CA DRE# 01964215
916.747.0773 · [email protected]
Tiegen Boberg (CA DRE# 01964215) is a Broker Associate and Luxury Property Specialist with Nick Sadek Sotheby’s International Realty, focused on Serrano and El Dorado Hills luxury homes. Licensed since 2014, he has closed more than 1,500 transactions representing over $800 million in career sales and has been recognized in the RealTrends Top 1.5% of agents nationwide for more than five consecutive years. Sierra View Estates is co-listed with Lisa Paragary (CA DRE# 01196924); together they bring more than 40 years of combined experience.
