~ Retired and Starting My Future In The Foothills ~

I am going to go look at real estate in the Sierra Foothills, Amador and El Dorado counties;  I have a late Easter Sunday appointment to see at least one property, and possibly two more.  They are all foreclosure properties real near the county line between the two counties.  All three are just around the 2,000 foot level. 

Retirement is approaching, but is still a few years away.  I want to buy something while the prices are amazingly low, set things up for a later relocation, but still live (and rent) here "in town" for a while, yet.  My late sister left me her IRA and I can liquidate some of it to realize this plan. 

Y'see, I visited HHandbasket and Farmer Lew in their new digs, and fell in love with the surroundings.  As I drove up into the mountains (foothills, really, not way up high), my soul got more and more light and warm and full.  At a little cafe, we stopped to look at a Real Estate listing in a window which HHandbasket had determined she was going to show to me.  Darn that woman!

Farmer Lew says he will absolutely NOT uproot the nearly completed coop to move it ANYwhere.  That's okay, because this is going to take some time to accomplish.  (But the real estate agent has already called the Planning Commission for Amador County to determine there are no restrictions against chickens in the one community where two of the properties are located.)

So.  I could get something with .10 of an acre, .26 of an acre, or .68 of an acre; the largest house is on the smallest lot, the next larger house is on the <*wobbling hand back and forth*> quarter-acre and the smallest house is on the largest piece of land.  The 3rd one is also at a slightly higher altitude and would be a longer drive to work. 

One-way drive to work from up there would be "about an hour" and perhaps as much as an hour and 20 minutes.  Hence the plan to buy it for retirement years....  stay living/renting here, move some of my inherited furniture (it's the only quality stuff I own), have a "vacation" home for this or that weekend.  Until I'm done working for a living.

It's been suggested I won't wait that long to move to the Foothills and without rent to pay each month, it will offset the gasoline bill for the commute.

Well, the foothills called my name and I responded.  Today - Easter Sunday - I put an offer on a small house on not-quite-two-thirds of an acre (0.62), in El Dorado county.  Elevation 2080 ft. 

Every indication is the offer will be accepted and escrow will close in 30 days.  It's a foreclosure.  2 bedrooms, 1 bath.  The house is set back on the property, with most of the land in terraces in front it. 

I'd made arrangements to meet the real estate agent to see two properties, and had a third one in mind to ask if she would check into it, as well.  We wouldn't be able to SEE it today, but I wanted some more information about it.

On my way up to HHandbasket & Farmer Lew's new digs, I drove by the first property and decided I did not want to live there in that neighborhood.  By mileage location, it would have been the closest one to where I work.  Didn't matter - not gonna move to that street with those houses hanging off the hillside so close together on a single lane, even IF the house I had been considering was on three parcels.  SMALL parcels, I might add - I felt I would need more elbow room.  And perhaps purchase a firearm and a great big dog, too. 

So I called the agent and we made arrangements to meet half an hour earlier at the second property.  HHandbasket went with me.  When we pulled up to the address, she leaned over and said, earnestly, "Linda, if you don't buy this house I'm gonna kick yer butt all the way down the hill!"  At the same moment, I blurted, "I want this!"  ("Down the hill" means all the way back to Sacramento.)

This is the Real Estate listing photo of the house.


This is another Real Estate photo of the house and front yard.


Here are a few photos I took today of the exterior of the house, the yard, and some "features."
My car on the circular driveway, directly in front of the covered porch.


A view down the front porch, the full length of the house.


Looking down one side of the circular driveway to the road.


Looking from the other side of the circular driveway toward the house.


View of the Master Bedroom French doors opening onto the side patio.


Side patio outside those doors to the Master Bedroom.


The edge of the patio, showing some of the trees on that side of the house.


The back yard, showing the back of the house.


Another view of the back of the house, from the corner.  Notice the screens all off the windows...


Left side of the house (if you were standing in front).


Another shot of that side of the house, showing the end of the porch and part of the driveway to the road.


This is the realtor's photo of the left side and front of the house.


Realtor photo of some of the yard terracing.


The ....ummmm.... "garage" structure.  Also an area of the yard where a coop or three will be placed.  (My photo.)


This is the real estate photo of the "garage."


All interior photos are compliments of the realtor's website.

Master Bedroom


Second Bedroom.


Second bedroom closet.


Hallway to the bathroom between the two bedrooms.


Gas fireplace to one side of the front door.


Front room.


Kitchen - fridge is included.


Full view of the kitchen counter.


The rest of the photos are those I took.

Apple tree in bloom in front of the house.


Small, neglected (empty) Koi pond.


Scotch Broom in bloom.


Cedar growing in the front yard.


More Scotch Broom and some of the rosemary growing in the yard.


So, what do y'all think?  Wouldn't YOU like to live here????  Well, you can't - it's gonna be MINE!