A New Lease on Life
By Richard Mineards   |   November 19, 2020

Carpinteria twosome Ashton Kutcher, 42, and wife Mila Kunis, 37, have listed their 7,351-square-foot Beverly Hills home on half an acre for rent. The property in Hidden Valley in the mountains above Coldwater Canyon is a guard-gated community with neighbors including singers Adele and Katy Perry, and actresses Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Lawrence. The estate, […]

The Over $10 Market… Million, That Is
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   November 5, 2020

When people from around the world think of Montecito, many conjure up images of hilltop homes and sprawling estates, the Four Seasons Biltmore, Butterfly Beach, San Ysidro Ranch, and the new Rosewood Resort at Miramar Beach. Yes, Montecito is all of that and more. By more I mean, that one has more options than just […]

 

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Mega Mansions on the Market
By Leslie Westbrook   |   November 5, 2020

For anyone wanting to live the Summerland version of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” two of the town’s grandest estates are on the market. Both are owned by polo patrons: there are digs and playing fields for the horses that far outshine many Summerland beach shacks. Tuscany Oaks Farm, a seven-bedroom, 10-bath polo estate […]

Ellen Puts Estate on Market
By Richard Mineards   |   October 29, 2020

TV talk show host and serial real estate flipper Ellen DeGeneres and her longtime wife-actress Portia de Rossi have put on the market their latest acquisition in our rarefied enclave for $39.9 million. They purchased the bulk of the Bali-esque Montecito spread last year for $27 million, but since then have expanded the complex, which […]

Montecito is the Place to Be
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   October 21, 2020

Judging by the home buying activity in the last few months, we can easily conclude that Montecito is “The place to be.” Since the terrible home sales in April and May brought on by strict lockdown measures, Montecito has experienced the highest number of sales per month that most real estate agents can ever remember.  […]

Same Price, Same Street, Different House
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   September 3, 2020

Hello and welcome to a busy Montecito summer season. In the past four months, the number of closed escrows is more than double what we would typically see. Between July 19 and August 29, for example, whereas 16 homes traded hands last year during the same timeframe, this year we saw 39 completed home sales. […]

Opportunities Await
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   August 20, 2020

It has been an incredible past two-plus months in the Montecito real estate market, to say the least. Sales are up and still climbing. Not since perhaps 2002-2006 have agents seen this kind of buyer activity, in all price ranges. Sales have been solid in Summerland, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, and Goleta as well this summer, […]

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  • Homes in the $4 to $5 Million Range
    By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   July 23, 2020

    The months of May and June, and now into July 2020, are proving to be the most active real estate months that many can remember in Montecito during the past 15+/- years. Whether it be Boomers flexing their buying muscle and finally committing to a place in Montecito, perhaps Ellen’s celebrity friends, the Bay Area […]

    Real Estate Appraiser Greg Brashears: Appraising Your Home’s Value During a Pandemic
    By Claudia Schou   |   June 25, 2020

    As we wrestle with the evolving ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Barbara’s commercial real estate world is learning how to conduct business at a distance, leaving previously on-site activities on the sidelines. MJ recently caught up with Santa Barbara native and real estate appraiser Greg Brashears to discuss navigating through a pandemic and all […]

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    $8 and up… Million, That Is
    By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   June 25, 2020

    To say it has been an active spring in the Montecito Real Estate market would be an understatement. Without even taking into considering the recent, national challenges, and even when comparing to most 45+/- day periods, regardless of market conditions in recent years, it has been a good six weeks in the Montecito Real Estate […]

    How Hot is Today’s Real Estate Market?
    By Michael Phillips   |   June 18, 2020

    The Montecito Heat Index measures present demand for Montecito single-family homes. By focusing upon buyer contracts, rather than closed escrows which typically lag a month or longer from accepted contracts, the Heat Index provides a forward-looking indicator of both market strength and direction. At five distinct price points, we look at where value is most […]

    Real Estate Remains Strong
    By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   May 28, 2020

    The real estate market in Montecito and Santa Barbara remains strong, despite major changes to the way properties are marketed and viewed. Sales in Montecito are up from last year in May; as of press time 16 homes have sold in May, with five full days still left in the month. This is compared to […]

    New Listings in Montecito
    By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   May 21, 2020

    I hope everyone is staying safe and enjoying “at-home time” as much as is possible. Perhaps by the time this article is out on the streets, there will be more people out and about. In the meantime, regardless of being somewhat back to normal or not, we are all spending more time at home and […]

    Farewell, Oliver’s
    By Richard Mineards   |   May 14, 2020

    Oliver’s, the Coast Village Road vegetarian restaurant that took five years to transform from the old Peabody’s space under owner cell phone billionaire Craig McCaw, 70, has been sold, says my mole with the martini. McCaw, who has moved back to Seattle, has been divesting himself of his properties in our rarefied enclave, including his […]

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