Relocating to Sacramento · Downsizing
Downsizing to Single-Level Homes in Sacramento
Sell a long-held home and move to one level. This guide covers single-story options, 55+ communities and timing.
Written by Maggie B. Hopkins, Broker-Owner · Real Estate & Mortgage Broker at Surroundings. Facts checked October 2026.
Why Single-Level Homes in Sacramento Draw Downsizers
Single-level homes in Sacramento are the first request in many right-sizing calls. A move to one floor means no stairs between the bedroom and the kitchen, fewer rooms to heat and clean, and often a smaller yard. For a homeowner who has spent decades in a two-story house, that change can matter more than the address.
Right-sizing here often pairs with a relocation. Some people are leaving the Bay Area. Others are moving closer to a son or daughter already in the region, or out of a house that has grown too big for the way they live now. The common thread is a long-held home with years of equity and a next home that asks less of you.
The region offers single-story homes at many price points. You'll find mid-century ranch homes in older neighborhoods, newer single-story plans in growing suburbs, and age-qualified 55+ communities built around one-level living.
Talk About My Right-sizing Plan
Selling a Long-Held Home
Selling a home you've owned for twenty or thirty years is a different job than selling one you bought five years ago. The house may need updates. The closets, the garage and the attic hold a lifetime. And the decisions carry more weight because so much of your net worth sits in one place.
We start with what the home is worth before you fix anything. Then we talk through which repairs pay for themselves and which ones don't. Some long-held homes sell best after paint, flooring and a cleanout. Others sell well as they stand to a buyer who wants to renovate. You get our recommendation and the reasons behind it, and the decision stays yours.
Property tax belongs in the plan from day one. A long-held home usually carries a low taxable value. According to the Board of Equalization, Prop 19 lets eligible homeowners transfer that value to a replacement home anywhere in California. The law makes homeowners 55 or older or with a severe disability eligible, up to three times. The property tax and Prop 19 guide covers the deadlines.
Single-Story and Lower-Maintenance Options
Lower maintenance means different things to different buyers, so we ask what you'd like to stop doing. Mowing, gutters, a pool or a long drive to the store all point toward different homes.
- Single-story resale homes. Many older neighborhoods around Sacramento were built with one-story ranch plans. These homes often sit on larger lots with mature trees, and some need updating.
- Newer single-story plans. Growing areas in Placer and Sacramento counties include builder plans on one level. Many newer neighborhoods carry HOA dues and Mello-Roos special taxes, so we read the tax bill and the HOA documents early.
- Homes with HOA-maintained yards. Some associations handle front landscaping or exteriors. Dues and coverage vary, and the documents spell out what's included.
- Condos and townhomes. These can mean less upkeep, though many have stairs. We filter for single-level units and buildings with elevators when that matters to you.
Every housing option trades something. A ranch home in an older neighborhood may come with more yard work and a lower monthly cost. A newer plan may come with less upkeep and higher special taxes. We lay those trade-offs side by side.
55+ Community Options Around Sacramento
Age-qualified 55+ communities are a property type with their own rules, amenities and fees. Several are among the best-known housing options in the region.
- Sun City Lincoln Hills in Lincoln covers nearly 3,000 acres with two lodges and two golf courses, according to its community association. Its golf club is privately owned and separate from the HOA.
- Sun City Roseville has its own golf, the 18-hole Timber Creek course and the 9-hole Sierra Pines, per Visit Placer.
Our guide to 55+ communities around Sacramento goes community by community, with HOA dues, floor plans and what's nearby. Every community has its own CC&Rs, so we read them with you before you write an offer.
Timing the Sale and the Purchase
Timing is the question right-sizers ask most. Some want to buy the next home first so they move only once. Others want the sale proceeds in hand before they shop. Both paths can work, and the right one depends on your equity and your loan options.
Maggie plans the sale and the purchase as one project. As a mortgage broker, she shops financing across a network of approved lenders, which gives you real options when you'd like to buy before you sell. Explore options before you choose an order. Get a quote from us and compare it. You're always free to bring your own lender.
Prop 19 adds its own clock. The replacement home has to be bought within two years before or after the sale, per the Board of Equalization. We build that window into the plan from the start.
Well MOVED™: One Team for the Whole Move
Well MOVED™ is the wraparound service from Surroundings. We coordinate the pieces you'd otherwise manage alone. Repairs and staging come first. Estate sales and donations clear the house. Movers and financing for the next home finish the job, all from one team and one call.
We never take a placement fee from any community or care provider. Some placement services are paid a referral fee by the communities they recommend. We aren't, so our advice is about what fits you. Maggie holds the Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designations. Our full approach to right-sizing is on the downsizing service page.
Start Your Search for Single-Level Homes in Sacramento
A search for single-level homes in Sacramento starts with the home you have now. Book a conversation with Maggie about what your home is worth, what you'd like the next one to be, and how to line up both. Are you moving here from the coast? The Bay Area guide covers prices and the routes back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there many single-story homes in the Sacramento region?
Yes. Older neighborhoods include many one-story ranch plans, newer suburbs include single-level builder plans, and age-qualified 55+ communities are built around one-level living. We filter every search for single-level layouts when you ask.
Should I buy my next home before I sell?
It depends on your equity, your loan options and how long you can carry two homes. We map both paths with real numbers, and Maggie shops financing across a network of approved lenders so you can compare.
What does Well MOVED include?
Well MOVED™ is our wraparound service. One team coordinates repairs and staging, estate sales and donations, and movers and financing for the next home. We never take a placement fee from any community or care provider.
Can I keep my property tax base when I downsize?
If you qualify under Prop 19 by being 55 or older or severely disabled, you may transfer your taxable value to a replacement home anywhere in California. The law allows up to three transfers. This is not tax or legal advice, so confirm with the county assessor and your tax professional.
More relocation guides
Moving from the Bay Area
See Bay Area and Sacramento prices side by side. Then plan the equity, the routes back and the sale there with the purchase here.
Read the guide →Moving from San Francisco
San Francisco's August 2026 median was more than three times Sacramento County's. See how many make the move, the train and BART route back, and how Maggie and Rachel plan it with you.
Read the guide →Moving from San Jose and Silicon Valley
Santa Clara County leads Bay Area moves to the Sacramento region. See where South Bay movers buy, what housing costs here and the train to San Jose Diridon.
Read the guide →Moving from the East Bay
Alameda County sends more people to Sacramento County than any other Bay Area county. See where East Bay movers settle, prices and three routes back.
Read the guide →Moving from Los Angeles and Southern California
Los Angeles County sends Sacramento County more people than it takes back in IRS data. See what the migration data really shows, prices county by county and the trip back south.
Read the guide →Moving from Nevada
Nevada is the top out-of-state source of newcomers to the Sacramento region. See what the data shows, the California rules that surprise movers and the route over the Sierra.
Read the guide →Cost of living vs the Bay Area
Compare Sacramento and the Bay Area with dated federal price indexes, August 2026 home prices, electric bills and California's property tax rules.
Read the guide →Best places for a Bay Area commute
Keeping a Bay Area job? See which towns sit on the Capitol Corridor and I-80, the Delta route, and what the data shows about how often newcomers still commute.
Read the guide →Buying a home before you move
See how video tours, the loan, the offer and closing work from out of town. Maggie lines up the loan. Rachel shows you the homes and neighborhoods.
Read the guide →Property tax and Prop 19
Learn how a California base-year transfer works and who the law makes eligible. The deadlines decide whether it works for you.
Read the guide →Culture, food and wine
Sacramento pairs Farm-to-Fork dining with Broadway and repertory theatre. Museums, five wine regions and golf sit close by.
Read the guide →Healthcare and getting around
Meet the region's four health systems. Then see how the airport, the trains and the river trails connect it all.
Read the guide →
Sources
- Sun City Lincoln Hills Community Association and golf pages, checked October 2026.
- Visit Placer, Timber Creek at Sun City Roseville, checked October 2026.
- City of Roseville, special taxes and assessments (Community Facilities Districts), checked October 2026.
- California State Board of Equalization, Proposition 19, checked October 2026.
- California Association of REALTORS®, county sales activity (median sold price, existing single-family homes), August 2026 data.
This page describes our general process and is not legal, tax, or lending advice.
Prop 19 eligibility is set by law and decided by the county assessor. Confirm with the assessor and your tax professional.
Loans are arranged by Maggie B. Hopkins, NMLS #349517, at Surroundings, NMLS #2528307. All loans are subject to credit approval and underwriting, and this page is not a commitment to lend.
Well MOVED™ is the wraparound service from Surroundings (CA DRE #02220140, NMLS #2528307).
Relocating to Sacramento: keep exploring
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