Heritage El Dorado Hills

Pros

• Residents are happy to be living there; the homes are beautiful and the neighbors are friendly.
• The houses are beautiful and well-built, with great design and a great layout.
• The designs are wonderful, and there is potential to buy in this location.
• The community is wonderful, with friendly people, a pleasant atmosphere, and amenities.
• Lennar at Heritage ED Hills is described as really great.
• The completed home was flawless upon delivery.
• The fitness area is luxurious.
• The location is fantastic, close to Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, wineries, medical facilities, and restaurants.

Cons

• They claim the homes are uninsurable due to fire risk and advise getting an insurance quote before buying.
• They describe poor customer service, including an incident where moving across the country ended with being told they couldn't move in because of office errors, with corporate offering no assistance.
• They state Lennar quality is subpar.
• They report a maintenance neglect issue: a storm-damaged street sign has not been re-hung for months, creating a public safety concern.
• They allege the houses are not built to the promised quality and that Lennar's control of the board makes it hard to get anything done.
• They describe a Covid-related governance problem: staff and residents do not comply with rules, management refuses to enforce masks or vaccination status, and amenities become unusable amid a hostile HOA environment.
• They mention a very rude sales consultant who turned the alarm on and refused to engage.
• They claim long-running stucco cracks in the home have not been fixed, with Lennar refusing to repair.
• They describe generic-looking homes with small lots and say it is not a kid-friendly environment.

Review

The collection of impressions about this Lennar community in El Dorado Hills paints a picture of a place that can be truly vibrant and inviting, yet also fraught with friction and frustration for a significant subset of residents. On the positive side, many reviewers describe beautiful homes, well-designed layouts, and a resort-style atmosphere that makes life feel comfortable and satisfying. Several comments highlight generous amenities, a feeling of safety, and a strong sense of community among neighbors. The 55+ designation, the longevity of residents, and the proximity to town centers, medical facilities, wineries, and outdoor recreation opportunities are repeatedly cited as major selling points. For some, the streets, the views, the floor plans, and the overall aesthetic convey a high-quality living environment that lives up to the advertising.

Yet beneath that appealing surface lies a chorus of complaints that centers on customer service, governance, and practical day-to-day hassles. A recurring refrain is that the experience of buying, moving in, and maintaining a Lennar home in these communities can be fraught with administrative missteps and unhelpful corporate support. One reviewer recounts a disastrous closing experience where, after signing and paying a substantial sum, they were told they couldn't move in due to office errors and a lack of assistance from corporate channels. Another comment describes a pattern of poor customer service over years, particularly with repairs and warranty issues - stucco cracks that were never satisfactorily resolved and a sense that Lennar's post-purchase responsiveness falls short of expectations.

The governance and management layer - the homeowners association and how it interacts with Lennar - emerges as a source of tension for many residents. There are mentions of boards being heavily influenced by Lennar in the early development phase, which allegedly made it difficult to get things done once the community matured. Some reviews point to a harsh, even hostile environment created by the HOA staff and management, with complaints ranging from restrictive rules about yard elements and community features to disagreements over safety and public health measures during the Covid era. In one instance, residents describe a microcosm of conflict where the management's approach to rules, vaccination status, and event policy created a divide among neighbors, turning what should be a communal gathering space into a charged atmosphere.

Quality and value perceptions about the homes themselves are likewise mixed. A subset of reviews asserts that Lennar's quality is subpar and that the homes fail to live up to what was promised during sale. Cracks in stucco, delays in repairs, and a sense that maintenance tasks linger unresolved for years contribute to a perception of declining value or under-delivery on promised standards. On the other hand, there are reviews that celebrate the opposite: exceptionally well-built, energy-efficient homes with solar panels, superior insulation, and completed deliveries that were described as flawless. Some buyers praise the design choices, the single-level layouts ideal for retirees, and the overall architectural appeal. The variance in experience suggests that consumer outcomes are highly contingent on specific neighborhoods, builders in the area, and perhaps the stage of development when a buyer joins the community.

Transportation and safety concerns occasionally punctuate the narrative as well. One vivid issue centers on street signs damaged by storms and left unrepaired for months, creating a palpable public-safety worry in emergencies and even affecting routine deliveries for seniors. There are also anecdotes about service missteps in other areas, like deliveries of medications or important goods going awry due to administrative delays. These practical irritants amplify the sense that, for some residents, the environment is beautiful but not always functional in the ways that matter day-to-day.

Within the spectrum of sales experiences, there are both disappointments and positives. Some reviewers describe rude or inattentive interactions with sales staff, including one instance of an alarm being turned on in a model home during a visit and a salesperson who would not engage with a family. Yet other accounts offer a much warmer portrait: helpful, friendly sales associates who take a low-pressure approach, and a cadre of staff who are described as approachable, patient, and knowledgeable about the value of the community. Post-sales experiences vary similarly - some independent contractors and residents praise the fitness facilities, the well-equipped common areas, and the overall lifestyle package; others warn prospective buyers to temper expectations and to investigate thoroughly before committing, especially when it comes to post-sale service and warranty coverage.

In sum, the portrait is one of a community that can be deeply rewarding for those who value beauty, amenities, and a mature, active lifestyle, particularly in a location with access to nature, medical facilities, and regional attractions. At the same time, the experience is clearly not uniform. For some homeowners, a sense of frustration with customer service, HOA governance, and unresolved maintenance issues casts a shadow over otherwise attractive features. Several reviewers urge prospective buyers to perform due diligence: obtain insurance quotes early to gauge fire risk, verify what the association actually enforces, understand who bears responsibility for repairs and what timelines to expect, and engage with current residents to glean a balanced view of life in the community. The bottom line is a nuanced blend of beauty and potential, with a necessary caveat that individual outcomes may depend on which street you buy into, which builder contributed the home, and how proactively you navigate the relationship with Lennar and the HOA from day one.

Physicians

• Mercy Medical Group (0.7 miles)
• Zhila Haghbin, MD - Mindfulness-Based Psychiatry (0.8 miles)
• SHORROCK, NICOLE MARIE MD - Marshall Whole Child Health (0.9 miles)
• Marshall Cardiology (0.9 miles)
• Caton State, DDS, MS (2.2 miles)
• Hendrickson & Hunt Pain Management (4 miles)
• Folsom Family Medicine / Sutter Medical Group (4 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• Walgreens (2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.4 miles)
• Walgreens (3.9 miles)
• Biosrx (5.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.5 miles)
• Walgreens (5.8 miles)

Restaurants

• Relish Burger Bar (1.3 miles)
• 36 Handles Public House (1.3 miles)
• McDonald's (1.5 miles)
• Milestone Restaurant (1.6 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (1.7 miles)
• Sienna (2.1 miles)
• In-N-Out Burger (2.8 miles)

Cafes

• Selland's Market Cafe (1.6 miles)
• Temple Coffee Roasters (3.4 miles)
• T4 Tea For U (3.7 miles)
• Starbucks (5.8 miles)
• Starbucks (5.8 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (6.3 miles)
• Sociology Coffee Bar (6.9 miles)

Theaters

• Regal El Dorado Hills & Imax (1.7 miles)
• Palladio 16 Cinemas (3.2 miles)
• Folsom Century Theaters (6.7 miles)

Parks

• Handy Family Park (3.1 miles)
• Kalithea Park (3.7 miles)
• Castle Park (4.4 miles)
• Econome Family Park (5 miles)
• Hacienda Park (5.7 miles)
• Granite Park (6.8 miles)
• Negro Bar State Park (7.4 miles)

Hospitals

• Kaiser Permanente ASU (3.1 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente (3.8 miles)
• Mercy Hospital of Folsom (5.1 miles)
• Marshall Hematology and Oncology (6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Holy Trinity Parish (3.4 miles)
• The Block At Lakeside Church (4.4 miles)
• Lakeside Church (4.5 miles)

Transportation

• Cameron Airpark (5.8 miles)