Tag archives: housing market

We will likely start February off much as we started January, with very few homes available for sale in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in Montecito. As of January 23, there were only 76 homes and condos on the market in all of Montecito and the entire 93108 zip code, when normally there would be […]

Well, let me just say, “whew, what a year that was,” to 2020. Let’s see what 2021 has in store for us, and what we will make of it collectively as a community here in lovely Montecito. As usual, we are having lovely weather and the rain this past week was welcome for sure. More […]

As we begin to slow the ride on this incredible rollercoaster of a year, it is important to consider all that has changed in the past 11-plus months. The pandemic, the political and social climate of uncertainty, the business and day-to-day implications of these circumstances that make it feel like a lifetime of adjustment all […]

To say that Montecito real estate was “hot” in the third quarter of 2020 is a gross understatement; in fact, the market activity in late summer/early fall broke records across the board in both sales price and number of transactions, in both the 93108 and beyond.  Q3 sales in 2020 were up a whopping 156% […]

An interesting article in last week’s The Wall Street Journal by Amanda Eberstein about the charming red-hot tapestry of real estate ownership in Montecito. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown in mid-March has only bolstered our rarefied enclave’s desirability, she concludes. Marsha Kotlyar, a local realtor at Berkshire Hathaway, says: “I’ve been […]

When people think of Montecito, they usually envision mountain and ocean views, homes of substantial size with lovely landscaping, privacy – and a swimming pool. While not everyone wants a pool, it is rare to find a buyer who will turn away from a home just because it has a pool.  For most buyers, a […]

Inventor Ron Popeil, who brought us the Chop-O-Matic, the Veg-O-Matic, and the Showtime Rotisseries and BBQ, among many other creative TV infomercial inventions, is selling his Santa Barbara ranch for $4.9 million. The bucolic property sprawls across 150 acres in the hills above our Eden by the Beach, centering on an 1800s home with a […]

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 […]

Here’s an update on the state of the real estate market, as our community continues to adhere to the statewide shelter-at-home order. Like most other industries, the real estate industry has slowed significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of press time, there are currently 109 properties on the market in Montecito, with nine of […]

Whether one moves to Montecito for the weather, the beaches, or the Santa Barbara lifestyle, one thing we as Realtors know is that most buyers, if they can afford it, either must have, want, or would like to have an ocean view. When suggesting a home a client might like, the question that follows is […]

The Montecito Heat Index spotlights present demand for single-family homes. By identifying buyer contracts, rather than sales which typically lag a month or longer, the Heat Index is a forward-looking indicator of both market strength and direction. It also shows us at five price point(s) where value is most recognized by buyers and those properties […]

Housing trends change with some regularity, although perhaps not as frequently as fashion trends change. Housing style trends can take longer to shift as changing the style or look of a home is a very costly undertaking. Maybe that is why we tend to refer to housing styles in terms of eras, other than type […]

In the past half dozen or so articles we have worked our way across Montecito, looking at different neighborhoods and homes for sale within these pockets. We have covered areas such as western Montecito’s edge on the border with Santa Barbara, the Cold Spring School area, the now-open-again, San Ysidro Ranch and Montecito Union School […]

As we head into the last quarter of the year, it is interesting to look back at where we have been and then forward to what lies ahead. Back in November, hardly a long time ago, most forecasters believed that mortgage rates would rise to 5% or higher this year. Don’t laugh.  At the end […]

In August, the Old Firehouse building at 1486 East Valley Road in Montecito was purchased by an unnamed investor with ties to the Santa Barbara area. The property was listed for $16 million, and closed for $13,000,000. Francois DeJohn, Kristopher Roth, and Caitlin McCahill Hensel of Hayes Commercial Group represented all parties in the transaction.  The 6,357 square-foot […]

In our continuing look at the various neighborhoods around Montecito we have recently taken a look at western Montecito, homes in the Cold Spring School District, estates near the San Ysidro Ranch and beach area homes. Now let’s direct attention to homes just a mile or two from the upper village in Montecito, all within […]

Nothing says summer like a day at the beach and no beaches that I know of are more cherished by residents and visitors alike than the beaches of Montecito: Butterfly Beach with the Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel and Miramar Beach with the newly opened Rosewood Resort at Miramar Beach.  The beach area in Montecito can […]

Just inside the western edge of Montecito is an area commonly referred to as the Cold Spring School District (CCSD). This area reaches from the hills around Coyote Road and West-East Mountain Drive, down through neighborhoods including the streets around Westmont College, the estates at Riven Rock, homes on Pepper Hill, Sycamore Canyon and Cold […]