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 […]
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 […]
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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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The pandemic is now solidly in the rear-view mirror. But one of its unexpected silver linings – a surging allure to living along Santa Barbara’s South Coast – roars on. An enclave like Montecito is not all that far from the urban sprawl of Los Angeles, but as so many new residents and visitors now […]
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 […]
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More and more we see clients that are asset rich yet “qualified income” poor, which just means that they have done a good job saving and accumulating wealth, and now live off their accumulated wealth and investments. The definition of “qualified income” specifically pertains to a calculation based off their tax returns as reported usable […]
“Buy land, they’re not making it anymore.” – Mark Twain Over the long run, Montecito real estate has been an excellent investment. Indeed, price growth has averaged about 8% per annum over the past five years versus 7% for the greater Santa Barbara area and 6% nationally. These price premiums of Santa Barbara and Montecito […]
A great deal has happened since the late 1960s when the first reverse mortgage was issued to a high school teacher by one of her former students. Back then, what began as privately issued reverse mortgage loans ultimately became insured by the Federal Housing Authority in the 1980s and gradually saw the birth of proprietary “JUMBO” […]
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 […]
“Los Angeles in Three Great Houses” continues from last week. This final installment looks at the futuristic house of the city’s most colorful octogenarian: The Sheats-Goldstein House It’s the most famous bachelor pad in Los Angeles, a futuristic man cave of concrete and glass tucked into a slope above Beverly Hills. At the push of […]
