SANTA BARBARA AREA INFO



The Santa Barbara area (also known as the South Coast or Southern Santa Barbara County) is generally known to consist of Carpinteria, Summerland, Montecito, Santa Barbara, Hope Ranch and Goleta. Cities to the North of us, from 35 to 75 minutes drive, include Lompoc, Santa Maria, Buellton and Santa Ynez. The nearest cities to the South of us are Oxnard, Ventura and Ojai about 40 miles South and East.  Los Angeles is about 100 miles South, which guarantees our tourism industry. There are about 100,000 people in the City of Santa Barbara, and another 100,000 in the South Coast, so we are a comfortable community of 200,000 nestled between the mountains and the sea.

SANTA BARBARA REAL ESTATE AND ECONOMIC NEWS

Prices have dropped up to 40% since 2006 and may have hit bottom so take advantage of these low interest rates and give us a call"

Even with the recent downturn... 10 year interest only. If you find a home that works for you and that you can afford, buy it!

For a free summary of the most recent Real Estate and Economic
Forecast give me a call at 805-564-3400 or email kyoung@sbre.com

The crazy Santa Barbara real estate market means that you will need a good Buyer's Agent to succeed, so contact Kevin Young: I have 24 years of local experience helping Buyers in Santa Barbara.

SANTA BARBARA

Long considered one of California's most beautiful communities, Santa Barbara occupies a narrow plain that slopes southward from the rugged Santa Ynez Mountains to palm-fringed Pacific beaches. The weather is truly world class and usually warm throughout the year. There is an abundance of Spanish-Mediterranean architecture with red-tiled roofs and white walls. There is a wide selection of things to see and do in Santa Barbara, such as the Mission, Museum of Art, Lobero Theatre, the Courthouse, Bird Refuge, Zoo, ocean and harbor activities, parks, Cabrillo Blvd. bikepaths, Paseo Nuevo shopping plaza, botanic garden, ocean view hiking trails, etc. Out of towners are often shocked at the high prices in the Santa Barbara area. But remember, you're not just buying a building of wood and stucco, but rather a lifestyle and weather envied the world over. Santa Barbara has unimaginable beauty with its location between the mountains and the sea. Cultural opportunities abound and the people are laid-back.

CONDOS
Condo prices Goleta and Carpinteria area START around $215,000 ($387,000 in 2006) for 1BR's, and the mid $200,000's ($450,000 in 2006) for 2BR's. In Santa Barbara 2BR condos start in the $300,000's ($565,000 in 2006). Many first time buyers start at the Santa Barbara Highlands, where 2BR 1.5Baths start in the mid to high $300,000's. They are 34 years old and feature fees of $437/mo., carports, fireplaces, 2 pools, spa and a central hillside location close to beaches and the city. There are homes for sale in the city of Santa Barbara starting in the $400,000's. As the downtown area is older (1920's), most of the entry level (cheaper) homes are 60+ year old 2BR's on small lots with no garage. There are 2 locations for ocean view homes: the Mesa and the Riviera. The Mesa is popular because it is close to the beaches and ranges in price from $650,000 to $3,600,000. The Riviera has fancier, newer view homes from $1,000,000 and up. Other popular residential locations include San Roque, priced from $650,000 to $2Million, the East-side, with many older large homes priced from about $500,000 and Hidden Valley, with 25 year old 3 and 4BR homes selling for $800,000 and up.

The community of Montecito is an outgrowth of a resort area to which wealthy people flocked during the late 1800's, attracted by the mild climate, mineral hot springs and mountain and ocean vistas. The area has many great houses on large estates with lush lawns, shrubs and trees, and is located just just a few freeway exits South of the city of Santa Barbara.

Montecito is one of the most exclusive and expensive areas in the state of California, with homes on the market priced from $1,500,000 for fixer-uppers on small lots to $29 Million. (Two movie stars each paid $40 Million for their homes in the last few years). Montecito prices fell up to 30% in the early 90's and moreso in the latest recession but prices have rebounded, so now is the time to buy before Hollywood buys it all up.

Carpinteria is a small city of about 20,000 people, incorporated in 1965, located between the towering (3000 feet) Santa Ynez Mountains and the PacificOcean, about 10 miles South of Santa Barbara. It is known as a beach town, featuring "the world's safest beach". The Carpinteria Valley is known for its mild climate, scenic environment and proximity to Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles. Captain Gaspar de Portola named the Valley (Carpinteria = Carpentry) in 1769 after seeing all the Tomol canoes being built on the beach by the Chumash Indians.


Housing prices in Carpinteria are amongst the lowest in the the Santa Barbara area. Condominiums start at $300,000 for two bedrooms at CasitasVillage (fees $264/mo., pool, shared garage, common laundry room) and go as high as $2,200,000 for a 2BR 2.5Bath ocean front condo. Some other sample condo complexes are as follows: 3BR's at Villa Del Mar start at $650,000, with fees of $300/mo., a townhouse-style 2-story with a one-car garage within walking distance to the beach and recently savedCarpinteria
Bluffs. Houses in Carpinteria range from about $850,000 to $26 Million for 3,125 acres in the foothills. Most of the entry level homes are $800,000 - $1,000,000, ranch style, 30 year old 3BR 2Baths with 2-car garages and 75 X 120 lots, on the mountain side of the freeway. The Carpinteria foothills also have ranches with views and avocados starting around $2 Million.

This community of close to 75,000 people has incorporated itself as a new city (after 4 tries) in February of 2002. It is located off the six freeway exits next to and North (actually West) of Santa Barbara. Goleta has an important agricultural economy but also houses over 80 research and development companies in electronics and space technology.

Many companies were adversely affected in the early 90's due to the downsizing of the defense industry, but they were replaced with new businesses in computer software, medical technology and UCSB spinoffs, so much so that the area is now called "Silicon Beach". Also located here is the municipal airport with daily flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Denver, among others.

Most entry level buyers end up in Goleta because you get more house for the money than in Santa Barbara, yet it is only 5 to 10 miles North of the City. Most of the homes are ranch style tract homes, 25 to 30 years old, with 3BR's and 2Baths mostly being in the range of $500,000 to $800,000. The 2 areas to consider in Goleta are Goleta South on the ocean side of the freeway, and Goleta North on the mountain side. One of my favorite Goleta neighborhoods is Ellwood Shores, where you can still walk and bike to the beaches North of UCSB through miles of trails and recently saved open space (Ellwood Shores). Condominiums in Goleta start at $215,000 (when you can find them) for 1BR's (and $240,000 for 2BR's) at La Goleta, a complex of several hundred units with pool, central laundry rooms, and fees of $310/mo. 2BR condos start around $350,000 in other complexes, going up to $950,000 for 2-year old 4BR 3Bath Spanish Mediterraneans on small lots .Mobile homes start at $170,000 with fees of $375 to $600/month: this is our new affordable housing! Call for more info or to receive your customized search sent by email.

For more information, answers to specific questions, a free relocation packet including pictures, maps, magazines and a video, or for a free customized list of properties for sale that meet your parameters, e-mail to kyoung@sbre.com