Cheri Kilby is a licensed real estate broker serving El Dorado Hills, Folsom, and the greater Sacramento region. She has lived in the area for 45 years, been licensed for nearly 20, and has sold over 100 homes. Apple News named her one of the Top 10 Most Trusted Realtors. DRE 01483621.

Before real estate, Cheri worked in healthcare, where she learned how to walk beside people during important, personal moments. That experience shaped how she works today.

Cheri serves two client types best: longtime El Dorado Hills and Folsom homeowners (typically ages 58 to 68) who are ready to downsize into their next chapter, and busy families relocating into the area who need calm, guided support through the buying or selling process.

The common thread is people who want a relationship, not a transaction. People who appreciate care, clear communication, and a process that respects their time and emotions.

CK Real Estate is based in El Dorado Hills, California, and serves clients throughout El Dorado Hills, Folsom, Cameron Park, Granite Bay, Roseville, and select parts of Sacramento. The team also works with relocating buyers coming in from the Bay Area, the coast, and out of state.

Three things: a current pre-approval letter from a local lender, a clear sense of the neighborhoods you want to consider, and a list of your top five must-haves. Buyers who arrive with these three pieces in hand move faster and stronger than buyers who don't.

If you don't have a lender yet, I'll connect you with two or three I trust.

It depends on the price point and the neighborhood. Homes priced under one million in good condition still see multiple offers in El Dorado Hills, while homes above two million often have more room to negotiate. I'll show you exactly how your target home compares to the last three months of activity in that micro-market, so you write an offer with eyes open.

Each community has its own rules and fees. Serrano, for example, has multiple sub-associations with different dues, design guidelines, and amenities. Before you write an offer, I walk through the HOA documents with you so you understand monthly costs, transfer fees, and what is and is not allowed.

A surprise HOA discovery after closing is one of the most common buyer regrets. We avoid it.

El Dorado Hills feeds into the Buckeye Union School District and Rescue Union School District at the elementary level, and Oak Ridge High School (or El Dorado High School in some pockets) for high school. Folsom is part of the Folsom-Cordova Unified School District.

School boundaries cross neighborhood lines, so we always confirm the boundary for your specific address before you fall in love with a home.

Yes, and most of my buyers fall into this group. I run virtual tours, drive the neighborhoods on your behalf, and give you the kind of honest feedback that saves you from a wasted trip. By the time you fly in, we are touring three to five real contenders, not guessing.

I also coordinate with your selling agent in the Bay Area, so the two transactions stay in sync.

From the day we start touring to the day you get keys, the average is 60 to 90 days. The actual escrow period from accepted offer to closing is usually 30 days. Searching, writing offers, and getting one accepted is the variable piece, and that depends on the price point and your flexibility.

A pre-approval, a clear must-have list, and a willingness to move when the right home shows up are what shorten the timeline.

The first step is a quiet conversation, not a listing agreement. We sit down (in person or by phone) and I learn about your home, your timeline, and what you're hoping to land in next. From there, I build a custom plan that fits your situation. There is no commitment until you're ready to move forward.

Spring (March through May) is traditionally the strongest selling season in El Dorado Hills, with the most active buyer pool and the strongest pricing. That said, well-prepared homes sell in every season here, and listing in late summer or early fall often means less competition from other sellers.

The best time is the time that fits your life. We build the launch around that.

Carefully. Most of my listings are still being lived in during the photography and showing window, so we use a hybrid approach. We bring in select staging pieces, edit (not remove) your current furniture, and stage the rooms that buyers respond to most: the kitchen, primary bedroom, and main living spaces.

You stay comfortable. The home still photographs beautifully.

You leave the home with your dog, your slippers, and your sanity intact. I or a vetted member of my network is present for every showing and open house. Buyers tour, ask questions, and leave feedback that I share with you the same day.

Your security, your belongings, and your time are all protected.

We adjust, and we adjust early. Two weeks of quiet activity tells us something specific (price, photography, exposure, or condition), and we fix the actual cause instead of dropping the price by reflex.

Most homes that sit are diagnostic problems, not market problems. The earlier you catch it, the more equity you keep.

Yes, and it requires extra care. Showing a tenant-occupied home, navigating lease terms, and timing the sale around the tenant's situation all need a specific approach. I have walked clients through this many times, and we plan it in detail before listing.

Most people know it's time before they're ready to act. The signs are quiet at first. The house feels bigger than your life now. The maintenance feels heavier. You're spending more time in two or three rooms than the rest of the home combined.

There is no perfect moment. There is only the right plan for your situation. A short conversation about your home's value, your timeline, and where you might want to go next is usually enough to bring the picture into focus.

It depends on what you want next. Some clients move into a single-story home in Serrano, Stonebriar, or Bridlewood, so they can stay close to the community they know. Others move into Folsom for walkability and access to the trail system. A smaller group moves toward family in the Bay Area, the coast, or out of state.

The destination matters less than the plan. We map both pieces together, your home sale and your next move, so neither one runs ahead of the other.

For most longtime El Dorado Hills homeowners, yes. Selling first gives you a clear picture of your equity, removes the pressure of carrying two homes, and makes you a stronger buyer when you write your next offer.

There are exceptions. A bridge loan, a lease-back from the buyer of your home, or a contingent offer can all work in the right situation. We'll talk through which strategy fits before you commit to anything.

This is the part most people quietly worry about, and it's the part I plan for early. We sort the contents of the home into four buckets: keep, gift to family, donate, and let go.

I have a trusted network of estate sale professionals, organizers, donation services, and movers I've worked with for years. You will not be doing this alone, and you will not be rushed.

No. Most of my clients reach out long before they're ready to list. A conversation costs you nothing and obligates you to nothing.

If now isn't the right time, I will tell you. If a few small adjustments would put you in a much stronger position six or twelve months from now, I'll show you what those are.

I focus on one thing: longtime homeowners in El Dorado Hills and Folsom who are stepping into their next chapter. I am not trying to be everywhere or sell everything. The clients I serve best are lifestyle-driven downsizers, usually after 15 to 30 years in the same home.

That focus shows up in the work. A clear, step-by-step process. A curated vendor network built over two decades. Editorial-level marketing. And one point of contact (me) from your first question through closing day.

The CK Signature Experience is the feel of working with Cheri Kilby. White-glove service, calm communication, one point of contact through every step, and a vetted vendor network for staging, photography, organizers, movers, and trades.

The named method inside the experience is The Next Chapter Blueprint™.

The Next Chapter Blueprint™ is Cheri Kilby's method for guiding longtime El Dorado Hills and Folsom homeowners through their transition to a next chapter home. It has two layers.

The inner journey is the emotional path: six stages from quiet consideration to a calm yes. Most clients spend the longest time here, sometimes years.

The outer journey is the practical path: five phases (Clarity, Preparation, Market Positioning, Transition Planning, and Move and Settle) that move you from first conversation to being settled in your next home.

You don't need to be ready to move to use it. Many clients work through the early stages for months or years before they list.

I have been licensed for nearly 20 years and have lived in the El Dorado Hills and Folsom area for 45 years. I have sold over 100 homes in this market, and Apple News named me one of the Top 10 Most Trusted Realtors. My DRE number is 01483621.

Before real estate, I worked in healthcare, one on one with people during personal, vulnerable moments. That experience shaped how I work today. The patience. The precision. The genuine care.

My core service area is El Dorado Hills and Folsom, including Serrano, Francisco Oaks, Stonebriar, Bridlewood, Promontory, Marina Hills, Empire Ranch, Broadstone, and the Lake Natoma corridor. I also work with clients in Cameron Park, Granite Bay, Roseville, and select pockets of Sacramento.

If your home is outside this area, I'm happy to refer you to an agent I trust personally.

The El Dorado Hills market shifts in real time, so I share weekly observations on Instagram and in my "Something I'm noticing in the El Dorado Hills market" posts. The structural truth holds steady, though. Well-prepared, well-priced homes still sell. Homes that skip preparation or chase the market down sit longer and lose equity.

For a current snapshot of pricing, days on market, and buyer activity in your specific neighborhood, the most accurate answer comes from a short conversation.

A well-priced, well-prepared home in El Dorado Hills typically goes under contract in 14 to 45 days. Closing usually takes another 30 days after that. The full timeline from our first conversation to handing over keys is often 75 to 120 days, including preparation.

Homes that skip the preparation phase often take twice as long and net less at closing.

I use three inputs: a comparative market analysis (CMA) of recent sales in your specific neighborhood, current active and pending listings that buyers are comparing yours to, and the unique features of your home (lot, view, updates, layout, condition).

Pricing is not guesswork. It is a strategy designed to attract the right buyer at the right moment, and to protect your equity in the process.

Less than most people think. We focus on what actually moves the needle: deep cleaning, decluttering, light staging, fresh paint where needed, and small repairs that buyers notice in the first ten seconds.

I coordinate the trades, the stagers, the photographer, and the timeline. Most clients are surprised by how calm this stage feels.

In most cases, no. Major remodels rarely return what they cost. I will walk through your home with you and tell you exactly what is worth doing, what is worth skipping, and what buyers in your price range expect.

Sometimes the answer is a fresh coat of paint and a new front door. Sometimes it is nothing at all.

Your home is presented like a brand, not a listing. That means editorial-style photography, drone footage, lifestyle video, a custom property story, and placement in front of three buyer pools at once: El Dorado Hills and Folsom locals, Sacramento metro buyers, and Bay Area buyers.

Distribution includes the MLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, Instagram, targeted email, my agent network, and select print where it fits.

Typical seller costs include real estate commission, escrow and title fees, county and city transfer taxes, a natural hazard disclosure report, and any agreed-upon credits to the buyer. Most sellers can plan on 7 to 8 percent of the sale price for total transaction costs, though the exact number varies.

I'll walk you through a personalized net sheet before you list, so there are no surprises at closing.

Yes. Many of my downsizing clients move within El Dorado Hills or Folsom, but plenty move to the coast, the foothills, or near grandchildren in another state. I represent you through the sale of your current home, and I personally connect you with a vetted agent in your destination market.

You get one continuous experience, not two disconnected transactions.

Yes. I help relocating families, especially those moving from the Bay Area, navigate El Dorado Hills and Folsom with local insight you cannot get from a search portal. School districts, neighborhoods, commute times, and lifestyle fit all matter, and they shape where you should look first.

A short call before you start touring saves weeks of guessing.

Three easy ways: download the Next Chapter Home Guide, book a 15-minute conversation, or send a note through the contact form on this site.

There is no pressure, no timeline, and no expectation. Most of my clients begin exactly where you are, just thinking it through.