Tag archives: housing
Something tells me that times they are a-changing in Montecito… Whether it’s the 50-plus cars I saw at both the Hot Springs and San Ysidro Trailheads on the same day recently, or that I could not find a parking spot at sunset near Butterfly Beach on a weekday in March, or the fact that booking […]
We attended the Senate Housing Committee hearing on March 18 and advocated for Montecito on the following bills: •SB15, Sen. Anthony Portantino: This bill allows local cities to replace sales tax lost from closure of big box stores and rezone for affordable housing. Sen. Scott Wiener, who chairs the committee, and is putting forth the […]
Julie Cordero-Lamb is an ethnobotanist and a member of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation. She joined the effort to protect San Marcos Foothills nearly twenty years ago. She has a unique perspective on the site, which is important to her and to the Chumash community. “We have a connection to that place that […]
There are two particularly bad bills wending through the legislature, proposed by Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (Senate District 39, San Diego) and Scott Wiener (Senate District 11, San Francisco). They are determined to fulfill Governor Newsom’s pledge to build 3.5 million units of housing in California. Prior attempts that have failed to date: –Wiener’s […]
On Tuesday, February 23, the Santa Barbara City Council extended its Emergency Economic Recovery Ordinance until March 8, 2022. The ordinance, which was adopted last May, continues the temporary closure of certain streets, on-street parking, and public parking to allow outdoor dining and outdoor business uses in the public right-of-way or on private property, which […]
Considering there are fewer homes in the Multiple Listing Service (the MLS, which feeds Realtor.com, Zillow, and others) than at any other time in the past 20 years, I feel it’s an interesting time to pause and ask (as others often ask me), what’s next in our real estate market? Will the buyers who find […]
An earthquake a century ago shook Santa Barbara but united the city. Can today’s housing and economic crises coalesce to effect similar change? The retail closures of State Street and local housing crisis are familiar topics in the area and have been discussed for years. In 2017 the Santa Barbara chapter of the American Institute […]
Many of you are familiar with our Hands Across Montecito project – where Montecito neighbors are partnering as part of a Montecito Association initiative to help the unsheltered in our community find resources and housing. We have wonderful partnerships on this community-based and -supported effort, including our Sheriff’s and Montecito Fire departments and City Net […]
There isn’t or wasn’t enough room in the above sub-title to add Santa Barbara, Summerland, Hope Ranch, the Mesa, or virtually anywhere along this golden little coast of ours. But, all those areas are included in the virtuous and valuable Circle of Friendship known locally as “real estate.” Sitting around in the living room of […]
Former President George W. Bush, 73, who was resident at the White House from 2001 to 2009, will be in Montecito on December 17 to mark the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Turner Foundation at the Rosewood Miramar, which, with more than 400 guests, is expected to raise more than $500,000 for the […]
Montecito may be a small town by population standards, but it is not without diversity of landscape, view options, a variety of home sizes, styles, prices, and more. From a mansion on a promontory overlooking everything, to sitting just two miles away, on the patio of an 800 sq ft beachfront home, there are many […]
There are many homes for sale right now in Montecito that very probably could not be replaced for the price sellers are asking. This means that existing homes are in some cases less expensive than if one were to buy the land and build. Additionally, some homes are historic in nature so you literally can’t […]
Well everyone, the wait is over. After one of the fastest construction periods I’ve ever seen (to offset the 12 years of planning and approvals) the new Rosewood Miramar Beach Resort is here, and it’s impressive. The grounds at the new Miramar resort are vast and open, the pools are well positioned on the property […]
There are two categories of real estate offerings that grab the most attention from agents and buyers alike, and these are new and/or reduced in price listings. When a property hits the market, everyone wants to see inside, judge the value, make an offer or wait and see… When a property has been sitting for […]
While available housing inventory in Montecito may be lower these days (about 120 homes and condos currently on the market; in years past that number would be 150 or more in a January), there are still options of styles and conditions of homes in every price range. Each day I find it is interesting to […]
It may be difficult to imagine being able to own real estate in an internationally famous town such as Montecito for under a million dollars, but it is indeed very possible. From a studio condo near the beach and Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel, to a two-story townhouse or an ocean view, single level two-bedroom condo, […]
We have seen slower sales (only five closed escrows in Montecito during the first three weeks in November), and fewer new listings. Whether this is seasonal or an overall slowing market trend in higher end communities only time will tell. For now, we are happy to see prices staying strong overall, regardless of the number […]
One can find a home with a guest unit in Montecito for less than those featured here, but the focus with this group of homes is to ferret out estate-level properties with substantial homes (more than 5,000 sq ft), along with other amenities such as a swimming pool or tennis court, privacy, and most specific […]
For those in search of an estate-level home that boasts ocean views and increased acreage, the area at the eastern border of Montecito can offer a lot of both for the money. From a close-to-town, 270-degree ocean view contemporary home on nearly two acres, to an 80+ acre working ranch with pool and tennis court, […]
This is a good time to be looking for an upper-price range home in Montecito, as there are many well-priced properties available in the $4.5-to-$15 million range on the market. Some “done” homes for sale are the result of a developer’s remodel, and others were on the market a while ago and are being reintroduced, […]
