Winchester Country Club - Meadow Vista, CA

Images property of Winchester Country Club

If you are considering a golf course home in Northern California, you must visit Winchester Country Club, a community nestled in the foothills above Sacramento. Although it is close to the historic town of Auburn, with convenient access to I-80, the peaceful atmosphere is that of a secluded mountain retreat.  





Images property of Winchester Country Club

Designed by Robert Trent Sr. and Robert Trent Jr., GolfWeek has twice named Winchester one of America’s best Real Estate Golf Courses. It is challenging, with amazing mountain and city views. A golfer’s review of the course can be found here.

While generally loved and very well reviewed, the most significant complaints about playing at Winchester are from golfers dissatisfied with the cost, citing Darkhorse as a comparable course that is much more affordable.

The clubhouse, reminiscent of a European hunting lodge, is impressive and well-kept. A popular wedding venue, couples who celebrated their nuptials here have only good things to say. Local, fresh produce from California is showcased by the clubhouse’s seasonal and unique dinner creations, which change monthly. With rave reviews for the staff and attendants, excellent service is clearly a top priority at Winchester.

With saunas, a swim and tennis center, spa and deck areas, equestrian trails, hiking, biking and nature parks, there are a variety of activities to keep you busy here. The proximity to Lake Tahoe also affords skiing, fishing, hunting, rock climbing and rafting within an hour's drive.

Although originally intended to be a private club, at the time of this article, Winchester is open to the public, although that may change in the future. After foreclosure in 2008, the community was bank-owned until Real Capital Solutions purchased it in 2013. Since then, they have revitalized Winchester and currently offer a variety of home sites for sale, as well as homes under construction which can be viewed here.





Images property of Winchester Country Club

These custom home sites vary in size from 1 to 6 acres, and in price from $200,000 to $1 million. Custom built homes generally run from $1 to 1.5 million. Available home sites may be viewed using this interactive map on the website.

With 14 sales in the first half of 2015, Winchester is up and coming once again!  If you would like to take a tour of Winchester, or discuss current listings, please contact me to learn more about this amazing community!

 

Darkhorse - Auburn, CA

23786 Darkhorse Drive, currently listed at $1,699,000

Last week I had the pleasure of showing four beautiful homes in the Darkhorse community of Auburn,  northeast of Sacramento. Truly spectacular homes, each had it's own unique touches. The home pictured to the left featured an open kitchen and living space, with Tuscan décor throughout.

 

If you are in the market for an undervalued luxury home, now is a great time to visit Darkhorse. The Street of Dreams luxury home show took place here in 2006. Many of the houses currently for sale were built at that time, and due to the economic downturn, several were never lived in, or occupied for only a short while. As a result many pristine, high quality homes in Darkhorse are available for nearly half of their building cost.





23744 Darkhorse Drive, currently listed at $1,790,000

The winning home for Street of Dreams was built by Jensen Custom Homes. Pictured from the back, the grand entrance gives way to beautiful outdoor living space.

The clients interested in these homes were torn between two luxury communities in the area, Darkhorse Golf Course, in Auburn, and Winchester Country Club, located in Meadow Vista. Over the course of the day we discussed the pros and cons of each community, and I would like to share some of the key points of Darkhorse with you!

Darkhorse Golf Course features many spectacular homes on one of the best golf courses in the state. According to GolfWeek's Top 10 Golf Courses in California, it is on par with courses such as Pebble Beach.  Located just off Highway 49, the location is quiet, idyllic, and private, with the gated community Lake of the Pines just down the road.

12910 Austin Forest Circle, currently listed at $1,780,000

However, one of the drawbacks of Darkhorse is the location. If you want or need easy access to the cities of Roseville, or Rocklin, it is at least an hour away.

 

Furthermore, much of the community is yet to be. The temporary clubhouse is sufficient for lunch and a cold drink, or to pick up some new golf gear, but it is not yet comparable to others in Placer County. Yet the cost to play is a fraction of other courses of the same caliber, and the HOA fees are incredibly low.

 

Darkhorse also does not have some of the amenities that you may desire in a golf community, such as tennis courts or a fitness center. However, many of the properties available have home gyms and pools, so for some buyers, this may not matter. 





23898 Darkhorse Drive, currently listed at $1,649,000

Ultimately, if you want quiet, open space to enjoy nature, in a luxury community  with great value that is still growing and taking shape, Darkhorse may be the place for you!

 

Thank you for reading, and please feel free to contact me at ejmeyer.2013@gmail.com with any questions you may have, to tour any homes for sale, or for current listings.

 

If there is other information you would like to see in these posts, let me know!

 

 

Stay tuned for reviews of other golf communities and luxury homes in Placer County!