Tag archives: real estate market

Montecito Holiday Real Estate Update
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   December 31, 2024

Without attempting to be a statistical tower of stats and figures, I have attempted here to give an overall look at Montecito’s Real Estate market – and her nuances – through an analysis of homes sales thus far, January 1 to November 30, 2024. To summarize some thoughts about the Montecito and 93108 Real Estate […]

Thankful for Montecito
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   December 3, 2024

Greetings neighbors and visitors to Montecito. Sending a hearty wish for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving and holiday season ahead for us all. The holidays are a busy time in Montecito like anywhere else; shopping, dining, gathering with family and friends… and all the recent work on the freeway and various streets around town is […]

Summing up Summer in Montecito’s Real Estate Scene
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   September 3, 2024

Dear Faithful Reader, I do hope you have enjoyed a joyous summer and are ready for the fall, as we head into this next season in our lovely enclave of Montecito. Although it is still summer on the tail end, the on-again, off-again love affair our area has with coastal low clouds and fog seems […]

Mid-Year Market Update
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   July 9, 2024

As we approach the middle of 2024 and the end of Q2, it’s notable that as of this writing there are currently 192 homes and PUDs (planned unit developments, i.e. single-family homes within an HOA) on the market in the South Coast of Santa Barbara, which spans from Goleta to Carpinteria. We have not seen […]

Village Properties Expands with New Commercial Real Estate Division
By Montecito Journal   |   June 25, 2024

Village Properties, the largest independent real estate company in the Santa Barbara area, has launched a new division focused on commercial properties, the company recently announced. The Village Properties Commercial Group will provide specialized representation to clients looking to buy or sell multi-family dwellings, retail spaces, mixed-use buildings, and land for development or agriculture. “The […]

Living in the Bubble
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   May 7, 2024

I often feel as if today’s Montecito real estate market is something of a bubble. Not that it is a bubble about to burst, rather the bubble we live in, where the outside world does not seem to exist. We have everything we need right here it feels. And as for home prices, we have […]

Aahhh The Sweet Smells of An Early Spring in Montecito
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   March 26, 2024

By the time you read this, it might already be spring, (at least by the calendar). The jasmine is in bloom, and if you look up on the hills you can see the ceanothus blooming, creating pockets of bright color amongst the green. Additionally, we are still enjoying the clear skies and the lovely winter […]

A Rainy Yet Bright Start to 2024
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   February 20, 2024

In 2024, sales are up in Montecito – in both volume and prices. What a whopping start to 2024 for the high-end real estate market here in Montecito’s 93108. As I type, just 40 days into the new year, we have seen a total of 17 sales in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), with two […]

Revisiting the 2023 Real Estate Market Montecito’s Housing DNA: A Market with Good Bones, Strong(ish), and in for the Long Haul
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   January 9, 2024

Cheers to you all and Happy New Year, 2024! Thank you to the Montecito Journal team for providing me this forum, and to the readers who keep me on my toes to bring you the most up-to-date activity and trends month to month in our Montecito, 93108 Real Estate market.  Throughout 2023 (much like at […]

$12M Is the New $7M: Grateful to be living in Montecito
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   November 28, 2023

Month after month, year after year I keep pinching myself when I realize we live in Montecito. Though we work hard and sometimes struggle to stay here, it is by no means an accident. We thought of all the places in the world (ok the southern West Coast) where we could raise our daughter and […]

Fall-ing Into the New Normal Market
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   October 31, 2023

Fewer sales, higher prices, steady as she goes… or is there a sales slowdown ahead? From this summer’s highest prices, yet slower than recent year’s summer sales volume, to now fall peaks and valleys and Ellen’s new fantasy listing, our market is one thing one month and another the next. What is consistent though, is […]

Something for Everyone
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   September 5, 2023

It was nice to wake up to sun this morning. We have had our share of ‘Faugust’ mornings and I’m still not sure summer fully happened. The long days of light are dimming yet it’s still lovely and soon will be less crowded on Coast Village Road on the weekends. Locals, get ready for September […]

Mid-Year Market Update
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   July 18, 2023

The numbers are in for the first half of 2023, and the Santa Barbara South Coast real estate market remains tight in terms of inventory and well in favor of sellers, as there is simply more buyer demand than homes available for sale. Accordingly, the number of sales is down 32% over last year, with […]

The Many Neighborhoods of Montecito
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   July 18, 2023

When you decide to move to Montecito or if you live here already, you are likely aware that there are many smaller neighborhoods within the greater 93108, each offering their own charm, advantages, and distinct personality. From the Hedgerows to Eucalyptus Hill, to Toro Canyon, the beach area, and the Golden Quadrangle, it’s all good […]

South Coast Commercial Real Estate Market Update
By Gene Deering   |   July 18, 2023

Montecito… Hot as a Pistol Montecito’s commercial market has remained one of the bright spots on the South Coast. It seems as though Montecito is immune to rising interest rates or troubles that have bogged down other areas like downtown State Street. We are currently seeing all-time high lease rates and sale prices in Montecito. […]

Real Estate Roundup, SYV Edition
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   July 18, 2023

Many Santa Barbarians, Montecitans, and Los Angelenos have caught on to what Santa Ynez Valley locals have known for decades: livin’ is good in the SYV. With several unique areas from which to choose, each with their own culture, lifestyle, and merits, it’s no wonder that residency in the Valley has exploded over the past […]

Where to Start
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   June 20, 2023

Well, it’s just about the start of summer, or almost. Solstice is next week and don’t even get me started about the May gray and the June gloom, oops, too late. But on a sunnier note, let’s start with Montecito Real Estate stats, about as good a place to start as any. As I reported […]

Inventory is Up
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   May 23, 2023

This week it’s all about the Montecito market, and I don’t mean the Upper Village grocery store. I’m talking about the Montecito real estate market.  After months of low-housing inventory and lower, post-pandemic sales volume (OK, make that a year or so), we are finally seeing a restocking of the available homes for sale in […]

First Quarter Real Estate Update for Montecito’s 93108
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   April 11, 2023

The rain has stopped and the sun has been shining for several days in a row now – which is a relief. Creeks are relaxing, as are residents. Montecito and her flood and debris flow prevention steps clearly worked during the larger storms that presented themselves this first quarter of 2023. What a wet and […]

A Scarcity of Abundance
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   February 7, 2023

If you are looking for a significant estate in Montecito and are willing and comfortable paying over $10,000,000 to get it, I would in normal years have 25 or 30 homes to show you, most of them in the $10 to $20 range… million that is. However, in the aftermath of the estate rush that […]