Santa Barbara Category

Santa Barbara CORT Reports – Santa Barbara Real Estate April 2012

Here are the latest CORT report statistics for real estate here in Carpinteria, Goleta, Santa Barbara, Montecito and Summerland.  All of the red "x" delineate REO or distressed sales.  As you will notice, the vast majority of our foreclosures and short sales continue to be in the lower end price points. The overall market also continues to be very strong with most well priced homes selling within a few days to a few weeks.  Buyers continue to be very comfortable with... Continue Reading >

A Few Popular Expensive Home Remodels That Will Not Pay You Back When You Sell Your Home

Are looking to do a few nice upgrades on your home, but potentially plan to sell in the coming few years?  If so, pay attention to how much and where you invest your $$.  Don't get bitten by the magic phrase..."We'll for sure get it back when we sell." Many studies come out each year in various publications about good and bad remodels, what percentage you might get back from dollars invested etc.  These also vary depending on what part of the country you live... Continue Reading >

Santa Barbara Real Estate – What is the Early Pulse of The 2012 Real Estate Market?

Often as a Realtor I am asked...for obvious reasons: Where is the real estate market these days? How is the real estate market these days? Are homes selling fast, slow etc.? Basically all of these questions mean "What is happening in Real Estate right now?" Across the board from the lower starting end at around $200,000 to $600,000, to the middle of the market from $700,000 to $1.5 million all the way to the luxury high end of $5 million and above, homes are selling. In... Continue Reading >

What Does $1 Million Buy You Today in Santa Barbara’s Real Estate Market?

Where is the Santa Barbara real estate market today with prices and what can you purchase for $1 million today?  Over the last 12 months, different sets of statistics will show slightly different views of where our prices are at.  Many statistics that I have read tend to say prices are down around 4-6%.  Others have even stated that we are relatively flat and stable.  As far as the pulse of the market here in Santa Barbara, there is a... Continue Reading >

New 3 Bed 2 Bath San Roque Real Estate Listing in Peabody School District – Price $775,000

Wonderful New Listing in San Roque Exceptionally well-cared for remodeled single level 3 bedroom 2 bath home located in the Peabody School District.  Located in a well established neighborhood in San Roque, mountain views, mature landscape, great street, minutes to downtown and uptown Santa Barbara. Numerous upgrades including: A/C and heating in 2011 Paint and landscape 2011 Sewer lateral in 2008 Roof, extension of home adding master and master bath plus dining in 1997 Remodeled kitchen 1997 New copper plumbing throughout 1997 Almost complete new electrical 1997. For many, San Roque... Continue Reading >

2011 Santa Barbara Real Estate Market Update for The Monroe Elementary School District

The main areas of the Monroe Elementary School District encompass the neighborhoods of The Mesa, Campanil Hill and Yankee Farm and then stretches over and grabs a small swath of Downtown. The Mesa area in Santa Barbara stretches from the Santa Barbara City College on the east and extends two and one-half miles to Arroyo Burro County Beach (or "Hendry's/The Pit" to locals).  The Mesa is an extremely desirable neighborhood and has often been voted the "Best Neighborhood" in a local paper's... Continue Reading >

Santa Barbara Real Estate Benefits From Fixed Mortgage Rates Continuing Near Record Lows For 6th Straight Week

This weeks average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage continued to hover just above its record low.  Freddie Mac reported this week that the rate on the ever popular 30-year home loan sat just below 4% at 3.99%.  The record low for the 30-year mortgage rate was set about 9 weeks ago when it dropped to 3.94%. The average rate of the 15-year fixed mortgage has been sitting around 3.27 %, down from 3.30 % the last few weeks.  The record low for the 15-year... Continue Reading >

How To List and Sell Your Santa Barbara Home Without Sitting on The Market for Months!!

As a Realtor, I take part in numerous daily discussions on various topics about our real estate market here in the Santa Barbara area.  Fortunately for all of us, even with the overall craziness in our country's economy, we live in an area where the real estate market is still fairly strong and homes continue to sell. A seller who is reading this and who has a home that's sitting on the market for a while might beg to differ... But,... Continue Reading >

Very Nice Referral from Recent Client – Santa Barbara Real Estate, The Mesa

To whom it may concern : "I, Robert Hay, wish to acknowledge the excellent service I received from Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby's Realty.  I have lived in either Montecito or Santa Barbara since 1954 and my family has or has had deep ties in businesses and in charities throughout the town.  I wanted to sell my beautiful house at 104 Vista Del Mar Drive and after giving it a good try in the summer, and fall of 2010 I took it... Continue Reading >

What Seller Incentives Entice Buyers the Most in Today’s Real Estate Market?

In today’s real estate market here in the Santa Barbara area, sellers can find themselves in a serious situation with no offers in site from buyers.  If you’re trying to sell your home, are confident in your realtor and you have priced your home very well, but still find your home struggling to get offers...adding Buyer Incentives might prove to be a road to success. Buyer incentives are simply perks that you as a seller can offer to an eventual buyer.  These incentives that end up having the most power to... Continue Reading >

How Many Santa Barbara Real Estate Closed Sales are Bank Owned? Update August 2011

Here are the latest statistics for real estate sales in Santa Barbara proper for August 2011.  The shaded area with an ‘X’ states whether the property was a bank owned (REO) sale or not.  Although bank owned foreclosures seem to get a lot of the news, the vast majority of sales are still traditional sales in the Santa Barbara area.  Additionally, most of the REO’s tend to be at the lower end of the price scale. Further Reading: Cort Report Summerland, Carpinteria, Goleta  Santa Barbara, Hope Ranch,... Continue Reading >

Santa Barbara, Montecito and Hope Ranch CORT Report on Yearly Real Estate Market Price Changes

Here are some of the latest statistics for the CORT reports for real estate here in Santa Barbara, Montecito and Hope Ranch CA.  These statistics give a quick overview of comparative price changes in the real estate market in the month of July for the last 8 years. Further Reading: Cort Report Summerland, Carpinteria, Goleta Sotheby's Int'l Realty - Santa Barbara and Montecito Is My Realtor a Santa Barbara Neighborhood Specialist? Santa Barbara Real Estate Market Statistics How Difficult is it to Get a Loan These... Continue Reading >