A Montecito 2017 Review

It was difficult to approach writing a year-in-review article, when faced with the recent calamitous episodes in Montecito. Then the hills I hiked every week came down onto our fair town the morning of January 9, many of us lost – or know someone who lost –family, friends, co-workers, even their homes and property. My heart goes out to everyone who felt the wrath of the Thomas Fire or the more consequent mud storm. 

My family and I live just west of the San Ysidro Ranch and heeded the mandatory evacuation warning, mother-in-law, cats, and all, on January 8. I knew it might be bad, but never could imagine what happened. We are lucky, our house is fine, and there was little or no flooding in the area. This was somewhat astonishing, considering our proximity to the hills above and the roadside seasonal creeks that I thought might be hit harder than they were.

Drought, fire, rain, flood. 

I felt it coming over the years as the ground became brittle and broken under my feet as I hiked. More tarantulas, more rattlesnake sightings than ever before, fewer deer sightings, shoes slipping on sandstone that had become, over time, more sand than stone. Hills so dry they cracked in summer, like a desert landscape, from years of drought. 

Then the fires came to the eastern part of Montecito, which were the only hills left unburned in recent history, burning everything in their path. Montecito was mostly spared destruction from the Thomas Fire, though 10 homes, mostly in close proximity to the urban/wildland interface, were lost, with the help of favorable winds and the efforts of thousands of firefighters.

The fires went out (leaving heavily debris-stained hills and a small number of lovely homes in ruin), and we returned to our own homes for a week or two of cleaning up ash, celebrating the holidays, and New Year, and we were safe… or so we thought. Until the first rain storm following the fire came, bringing nature’s elements together to disastrous ends. 

Here, then, is a look back on 2017 sales: 199 or thereabout residential properties changed hands within the Multiple Listing Services, in the 93108 ZIP code. 

This includes outlying areas toward Toro Canyon to the east and some properties closer to the Santa Barbara boundaries to the west. Not all sales were within the Montecito Union or Cold Spring School districts, but all homes included were within the 93108 ZIP code.

The Breakdown:

Eight sales less than $1,000,000; these are mostly condos and townhomes.

53 sales between $1,000,000 and $1,999,999; this category includes condos, townhomes, smaller single-family homes, and fixers.

50 changed hands between $2,000,000 and $2,999,999; here we find fixer homes on larger lots, smaller “done” homes, and high-end condos.

53 found new owners between $3,000,000 and $5,000,000; in this price range, owners found substantial properties, some with pools, views, amenities, even a Miramar beachfront home. 

25 sales were in the $5,000,000 to $7,000,000 range; this price point really starts to pack on the “lifestyle” components and amenities. Guesthouse, pool, views, tennis court, et cetera.

Eight sales between $7,000,000 to $10,000,000; these properties ranged from a significant ocean-view contemporary estate to a historic equestrian compound.

Only two sales more than $10,000,000 (well below recent year’s sales activity in this price range).

All homes mentioned are in the Montecito Union School District, the area hit hardest by the recent flooding:

1046 Fairway Road: $885,000 

This is a condo that offered 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms near famed Butterfly Beach. The complex is next door to the Music Academy and Mr. Ty Warner’s estate, and includes a swimming pool, spa, and a terrific location on the edge of Montecito heading toward East Beach.

2332 Bella Vista Drive: $3,850,000 

This home is all about the ocean views and private setting just one home up, above Bella Vista Drive. This area is just a few blocks above the more densely populated neighborhoods (1 acre +/-) on Lilac and Romero Canyon. 

However, this property offers 2.4+ acres with a gated private drive, 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms on a single level with sprawling lawns, and a significant view and pool area.

926 Buena Vista Drive: $7,200,000 

This sale represents one of the rarely available, large-scale contemporary designed Montecito estates. Top-of-the-street location on Buena Vista, just below Park Lane, adjacent to $10,000,000 estate streets such as Mariposa Lane and Knollwood Drive.

985 Hot Springs Road: $15,925,000 

This is the former estate of actor Jeff Bridges, home of “The Dude,” and boasts 19+ acres with a significant estate home and estate-level amenities. This was the highest-priced sale in 2017 in Montecito.

Feel free to contact me regarding any Real Estate needs: Mark@Villagesite.com or call/text (805) 698-2174. Please view my website, www.MontecitoBestBuys.com, from which this article is based.