The 2 Major First Steps in Buying a Home in Santa Barbara, CA.

The path a buyer takes to home ownership in Santa Barbara should always start with these two major steps. 1 - Hire a Full-time Santa Barbara Real Estate Agent that Works Often or Exclusively with Buyers. A CA real estate agent has a fiduciary responsibility to look out for the best interest of their client.  This duty is clearly spelled out in the Disclosure Regarding Real Estate Agency Relationship as: (a) Diligent exercise or reasonable skill and care in performance of the agent's duties (b) A duty of honesty and fair dealing and good faith (c) A duty to... Continue Reading >

Santa Barbara, CA Rated Amongst the Best Mid-sized Downtowns in California

When people think of well thought out downtowns, obviously Santa Barbara comes to mind.  Recently, the California Planning and Development Report voted Santa Barbara as #2 in mid-sized (pop. of 75,000 - 290,000 people) downtowns, only trailing Pasadena.  The report states that Santa Barbara is a California icon that fits numerous criteria of being a delightful urban place that is both manageable and pleasant with a sense of place and a feeling of vibrancy. For many locals, Santa Barbara downtown could fit on any of these sorts of lists because of simply its overall "feel". ... Continue Reading >

Looking for Luxury Accommodation on your next Visit to Santa Barbara CA.

If your looking for a top luxury accommodation on your next visit to Santa Barbara, you might think about The Simpson House Inn, named one of California's top luxury accommodations.  Recently the Simpson House was named California's best bed and breakfast by the Los Angeles Times and was honored with the 2008 AAA Five- Diamond Award for its eleventh consecutive year.  The Simpson House Inn is the only accommodations here in Santa Barbara to receive the award and the only bed and breakfast to receive the award in North America. Located at... Continue Reading >

Santa Barbara Races Ahead on Energy Efficient Real Estate Construction Guidelines.

I recently read this article in The Independent (An excellent free local paper in Santa Barbara providing well written weekly updated information on local News, Events, People, Arts, Real Estate etc.) that should excite anyone that is concerned for our future generations.  The guts of the article are about: 1) Santa Barbara City Council being a leader in energy efficient standards 2) The commitment in Santa Barbara to reduce energy use and greenhouse emissions for all new residential real estate construction as well as retrofits 3) Architecture 2030 Challenge "Some say governments move too slowly and... Continue Reading >

5 Crucial Tips to have your Santa Barbara Home Ready for Sale in a Slow Market

When times are good, getting top dollar is not a problem for most Santa Barbara sellers. In fact, many buyers prefer the home to look more on the shabby side since they feel this appearance will be represented in a lower asking price. Now with many sellers having an extremely difficult time getting top dollar, owners can take some critical steps in improving their chances of getting a good offer. 1) Curb Appeal for your Santa Barbara Home: Just like that special someone you meet for the first time, first impressions are extremely... Continue Reading >