Tag archives: realty

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, […]

How hot is Today’s Montecito Real Estate market? The Heat Index measures buyer choices for single family homes in five price sectors. Rather than sales data, typically at least 30 days old, the Index measures signed contracts resulting in present demand and thus market strength and direction. Since home purchases fluctuate seasonally, indeed monthly, today’s […]

It often surprises people when I tell them they can purchase a single-family home, on a good-sized lot, with amenities and upside potential, for under (and often well under) $2,000,000 in Montecito.  In this price range, one is not likely to find a home with big ocean views or a done home on a large […]

We are regularly made aware of the damages done to homes and property, and the lost income to local businesses caused by this past winter’s dual episodes. There is one institution that has had a lot of both of these issues to contend with: the San Ysidro Ranch. This storied institution is the prize and […]

When one thinks of Montecito, images of the ocean, palm trees, Spanish-style architecture, San Ysidro Ranch cottages, and more come to mind. It is one thing to be able to live here, in such a special, small yet internationally recognized community, but it is another thing altogether to have a career that allows access to […]

The Montecito Real Estate market has done well during the past six months, considering what it, and the residents of Montecito went through, what with the fires and the debris flow and the resulting damage and insurance questions, not to mention the countless personal tragedies that occurred during those few hours on January 9.  While […]

The Santa Barbara Heat Index is a snapshot of demand for single-family homes in the city of Santa Barbara described in our Multiple Listing Service as east and west of State Street. Rather than a measurement of home sales, often lagging by at least a month, the Heat Index measures homes currently under contract but […]

Village Properties has announced that realtor Leanne Wood, who is also the managing editor of the Montecito Journal glossy magazine, has joined the Village Properties staff as the new executive director, Strategic Development.   In her new full-time job, Wood will help with the day-to-day running of Village Properties. She also will work with company owner […]

It is one thing to be fortunate enough to own an ocean-view home in the Montecito area. It is another thing altogether to own a 9+/- acre hilltop, with three substantial homes, three guest apartments/houses, three pools, three spas, parking for dozens of cars, and control of the entire end of this important lane in […]

Nothing says summer like a day at the beach… and where better to spend a day at the beach than in Montecito, at Fernald, Miramar, Hammonds, or Butterfly? The beach area in Montecito is bordered to the north by the 101 freeway, and to the south by the ocean, making it easy to define. While […]

Village Properties, Santa Barbara County’s largest independent real estate brokerage, is now exclusively owned by co-founder Renee Grubb. She and Ed Edick founded Village Properties in 1996 with the goal of creating a locally owned real estate company founded on teamwork, community consciousness, and high ethical standards. Today, Village Properties has offices in Montecito, Santa […]

From a mountain cottage to an impeccably well-designed ocean-view condo, from a mid-sized estate with a tennis court near town, all the way up to Oprah Winfrey’s mansion property, Montecito offers real estate options for anyone who can afford a purchase price of about $750,000 on up.  To expand on that, an entry level condo […]

The Montecito Heat Index identifies demand for Montecito single-family homes in five price sectors. By measuring buyer demand, (signed contracts) rather than sales (closed escrows), we create a forward-looking indicator of both market strength and direction rather than sold data that are typically a month or more old. And since real estate activity fluctuates seasonally, […]

With sales in Montecito seeming to be back on track when compared with last year, (for the past six weeks anyway), with summer crowds making their way into Santa Barbara, and the re-opening of the Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel, it’s prime home shopping season again. Open houses are more frequent as the weather improves, sales […]

I am pleased to report there were 15 Montecito homes that closed escrow in May (sold/changed owners), according to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This is up considerably from just four that sold in April, though the number is down about 30% from the 22 homes that sold in the same month (in the MLS) […]

As the local climate starts to shift into something resembling a mid-season, pre-summer pattern (both with the weather and with real estate sales), we can feel it in the air… the upcoming graduations in local schools, college students coming back to visit families and reconnect with their friends in town, residents preparing to head out […]

Montecito continues to move forward in repairing and rebuilding after the damage caused by the debris flows of January 9. As an example, as I write this, a local couple I know is having their severely damaged home demolished in preparation for building a new home.  These friends had mud, boulders, huge trees, and a […]

The question being asked of real estate agents in Montecito is simply, “How is the Montecito real estate market doing?” This question comes, of course, in the wake of the recent deadly debris flow that shut down the 101 freeway for weeks, took the lives of 23 of our friends and neighbors, and damaged or […]

More people every day are foregoing life in suburbia for a more connected, varied, and mobile urban lifestyle. And it is small, sophisticated cities that are getting most of the attention. Santa Barbara, with extraordinary cultural and entertainment options, offers a sophisticated, small-city lifestyle second to none. There are, of course, official city boundaries, yet, […]