The first half of 2010 has shown to be an active one for the Hope Ranch real estate market as the number of sales compared to the same time frame in 2009 increased by an impressive 42%. The price range for home sales in Hope Ranch went from $1,600,000 on the low end to a high of $7,300,000 with 4 being under $2,000,000, 3 over $5,000,000 and the remaining 3 in between. This compares to 2009 when there was just 1 sale above $5,000,000 and also just one below $2,000,000. Hope Ranch is a beautiful area of Santa Barbara (click here for a quick view of Santa Barbara Real Estate for Sale) consisting of approximately 750 properties.  Hope Ranch has a private beach, tennis courts, a country club with golf course, and equestrian trails meandering thru-out the community.  Most lots are in excess of an acre affording lots of privacy. Views are quite varied and can be panoramic taking in the mountains, Laguna Blanca Lake, the golf course, and ocean and islands, too! There are currently 28 properties for sale in Hope Ranch starting with a 4 bdrm ranch on 1.5 woodsy acres priced at $1,895,000 up to one of the most spectacular oceanfront estates in Hope Ranch for sale at $29,000,000.  The incredible 14 acre grounds will take your breath away – like being in your own private park surrounded by towering oaks and redwoods.  The estate is gated of course and includes a 6 bedroom, 10 bath residence, exquisite  pool & pavilion, volley ball court, sprawling lawns and 1000 ft of  bluff top ocean front.  If Oprah is looking to expand her real estate portfolio this would be a wonderful addition!

The numbers are in for Santa Barbara Estates that sold in the final quarter of 2009. The high end, luxury estate market in Santa Barbara includes the areas of  Montecito and Hope Ranch as well as Carpinteria(lots of oceanfront) and Summerland. There were a total of 7 properties that closed escrow above the $5,000,000 mark in the past quarter. The year ended with 5 luxury home sales in December above $5,000,000. My favorite house happens to be the most expensive sale for the last quarter at $17,500,000. This is an absolutely gorgeous oceanfront home on Padaro Lane. This Cape Cod home – and being from there myself I can attest that this is an authentic Cape Cod style home – is over 7000 s.f. of exceptional quality. This private gated, oceanfront home for sale features an expansive green lawn flowing down to the sandy beach on highly desirable Padaro Lane.  I believe this was a fantastic buy as comparable sales in past years for Padaro Lane oceanfront (or any Santa Barbara oceanfront homes for sale for that matter) have been substantially higher!

The yearly total of estate sales (above $5,000,000) of 26 is just about ½ of the total number of Santa Barbara estate sales in 2008. There may never be a better time to purchase that luxury dream home in Montecito, Santa Barbara, and Hope Ranch (to view homes for sale in Santa Barbara click on any of these links) as the competition for buyers is heated with many motivated sellers in the Santa Barbara high end home market! 

May 2010 bring peace, love, happiness, prosperity and good health to all!

A recent sale of an Oceanfront Home in Hope Ranch reflects what a great time it is to be a buyer of luxury property! This extensively remodeled luxury estate of approximately 13,500 sf with 10 bedrooms & 13 baths on just under 3 acres was originally listed at $39,500,000 in 2007. It just closed escrow for $12,800,000. Oceanfront properties in Hope Ranch are rarely available. This final sales price was beyond a bargain! There are currently 23 active listings in Hope Ranch and an additional 4 in escrow. There have been 12 sales year to date in Hope Ranch – there were a total of 20 sales in Hope Ranch last year so we are running slightly behind this year. With the National Association of Business Economics citing that 80% of economist believe the recession is over now may be the best time to buy real estate in Santa Barbara. There are some fantastic properties currently for sale with perhaps more bargains to be had!  For horse enthusiasts there is an impressive Mediterranean with ocean views from most rooms, charming guest house and first class equestrian facilities in a prime Hope Ranch location now for sale. To view this and other Hope Ranch Properties for sale go to www.RareEstates.com or call 805-560-9951. For information about a privately offered George Washington Smith estate in Hope Ranch please call 805-560-9951.

There are currently 19 oceanfront properties for sale in Santa Barbara in the area from Goleta to Carpinteria. The prices range from $1,399,900 for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath second floor condominium in Carpinteria to $29,950,000. There are 2 oceanfront estates for sale at $29,950,000. The first is an estate on Padaro Lane. This estate features 1.7 acres with sprawling lawns extending to the sandy beach, a beautiful 4 bedroom contemporary home with a separate 2 bedroom guest house, and a pool for when one tires of swimming in the ocean. The other is also a beachfront contemporary.           

 It is on Fernald Point in Montecito. It features a stunning 5 bdrm house with an oceanfront pool, decks, and lawn on just over 1/2 acre. There are 7 properties for sale priced above $20,000,000, 1 in Hope Ranch priced at $19,500,000 – this is an incredible 13,500 s.f. Italian Villa set on a bluff top overlooking the ocean & islands with a pool & horse facilities, 1 at $11,900,000 (a fantastic new home reminiscent of old Cape Cod which could be purchased fully furnished), 1 at $8,900,000, 5  oceanfront homes in the $5,000,000 to $8,500,000 price range and 2 exquisite condominiums in a gated Montecito Oceanfront complex. Santa Barbara’s oceanfront real estate market remains extremely limited in its number of available properties for sale and highly sought after. It continues to be a rare and desirable investment.Santa Barbara’s main waterfront is a long stretch of coastline that is mostly commercial including Leadbetter Beach adjacent to the marina,  West Beach to Stearns Wharf with its dolphin fountain sculptured by local artist Bud Bottoms, onto Chase Palm Park with its charming carousel, and to East Beach known for its volley ball courts & tournaments. Extending further into Santa Barbara is Shoreline Park with fantastic views of the city, harbor, ocean, islands & mountains and into Montecito is Butterfly Beach across from the world renown Biltmore Hotel – a perfect place to enjoy the sunset. There are restaurants, shops, a path for biking, rollerblading, jogging, or enjoying a leisurely stroll, a Sunday art show, museums, and of course the ocean with all its fun activities! Santa Barbara’s waterfront is bordered by palm trees with the sparkling blue Pacific in one direction and the glorious mountains in the other. It is one of the most beautiful coastlines to be found! Santa Barbara’s Oceanfront remains a favored destination for people worldwide!

Santa Barbara, Montecito, and Hope Ranch have some of the finest examples of George Washington Smith architecture as he spent many years living in the Montecito area. Born Feb 22, 1876  George Washington Smith was raised in Philadelphia & studied painting at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.  Later Smith attended Harvard University to study architecture.  

Around 1911, Smith married Mary Catherine Greenough and moved to Europe.  He traveled around the continent painting landscapes.  Just a few years later, Smith traveled to California where his paintings were on display in the Palace of Fine Arts at San Francisco’s Panama Pacific Exposition.   While in California he traveled south to visit friends in Montecito.  He loved the area so much, Smith decided to stay and build a home.  He modeled his Montecito Estate after farmhouses he had seen in Andalusia during a trip to Spain in 1914.
 
The home built in 1917 called Casa Dracaena was successful.  Neighbors were asking for him to design houses just like his.  Soon he stopped painting and took up architecture full time in Santa Barbara.  He remained in the Santa Barbara area until his death in 1930.  At that time George Washington Smith (GWS) designed over 80 estates in the Santa Barbara Area.   Since then Smith has been credited as being the father of Spanish Colonial Revival Style.   Many of the homes George Washington Smith designed are now a part of the National Register of Historic Homes. His “Casa Del Herrero” in Montecito was just designated a National Historic Landmark in January 2009. George Washington Smith’s vision has shaped Santa Barbara’s history and style. Estates designed by George Washington Smith are extremely limited in availability and quite coveted.

There are currently about a half dozen GWS estates for sale in the Santa Barbara area.

One particular estate currently for sale is Robledal. It was built in the early 1920’s for Milton Wilson. Wilson was one of the three partners credited for developing Hope Ranch Park.  Robledal is one of the finest homes created by George Washington Smith. It has incredible views of the Pacific Ocean & Channel Islands.  Robledal is a fantastic example of GWS architecture with his signature detailing such as wrought iron sconces, chandeliers, grates, tiled stairs, fireplaces, fountains, carved wood doors and ceilings. The beautiful oak studded estate (the Spanish translation of Robledal is oak grove)  In addition to the magnificent  main home there are two attached guest-apartments, and one detached guest cottage, a five car garage and staff apartment with two extra multi-use rooms. This rare offering consists of 8 acres with an adjacent parcel that could also be purchased. It is an equestrian’s dream as the trails lead right to the beach for oceanfront horseback riding! This is truly one of the prime Hope Ranch estates!For additional information on this exquisite George Washington Smith estate go to  http://estateinhoperanch.com

In Santa Barbara ocean front for sale, and Santa Barbara luxury real estate, there are few more desirable locations than the ocean front homes in Hope Ranch along the spectacular ocean front bluff top. A never before offered Hope Ranch ocean front estate, a spanish Colonial masterpiece, is now quietly available for purchase in prestegeous Hope Ranch in one of the most spectacular Hope Ranch ocean front bluff top locations, with breath taking ocean and island views and a rare private Hope Ranch beach access just steps away. Hear the waves crash just below this fabulous Hope Ranch estate, which is being privately offered for $21,000,000. This is certainly one of the best Hope Ranch ocean front property locations in the entire ranch, situated on nearly 2 acres of lushly landscaped serenity, with beautiful swimming pool and over 5000 s.f of living space including a guest suite. Contact us for exclusive details and additional photos of this irreplacable and incredible rare estate property in Hope Ranch. Properties like this are rarely available for sale in Hope Ranch, Santa Barbara, and when they do become available on the bluff in Hope Ranch, it is truely a spectacular find.

Santa Barbara properties, privately offered Santa Barbara estates, Santa Barbara ocean front for sale, Montecito estates, and the signature Santa Barbara properties market, is one which requires well informed local expertise and knowledge, crucial to successful acquisition and sale of these rare estates. Custom searches of Santa Barbara properties on the beach, Santa Barbara estates, Montecito properties for sale, Hope Ranch real estate, Carpinteria beach estates information and anaylsis of Santa Barbara CA homes for sale, is available at this site and http://www.RareEstates.com, a fine home sale transaction network, with specialized resources and knowledge of unadvertised Santa Barbara properties and qualified Santa Barbara estates property investors. For exclusive comprehensive analysis and information about Santa Barbara ocean front for sale, privately offered Montecito estates, Santa Barbara estates, or the Hope Ranch properties, inquire here.

Below is a list of 19 Hope Ranch properties for sale currently available. All are witnin Hope Ranch and have the associated amenities, such as Hope Ranch private beach, horse trails, country club etc.

Most of the amenities provided only to Hope Ranch inhabitants, began the 1930’s. They included cabanas at the exclusive Hope Ranch beach club on the coast of Hope Ranch, polo fields, archery and a skeet-shooting, tennis courts along with a beautiful 30 mile of bridle trail. There was also, a lavish clubhouse built on “La Cumbre,” or the high point of a hill just east of the Laguna Blanca lake within Hope Ranch, giving rise to the name Le Cumbre Golf and Country Club, the championship 18-hole course and facility. Privately offered, the club is still the hub of Hope Ranch society life today.  

With residents conscientiously guarding their independence, Hope Ranch continues as a place of hidden estates, lifestyles, beach festivities, and a horse lovers paradise. As such, Hope Ranch real estate remains a coveted prize with continued value apprciation.

Click this link or the list below for a detail page of all 19 Hope Ranch properties for sale. Updated daily.

Santa Barbara properties, privately offered Santa Barbara estates, Santa Barbara ocean front for sale, Montecito estates, Hope Ranch estates and the signature property Santa Barbara properties market, is one which requires well informed local expertise and knowledge, crucial to successful acquisition and sale of these rare estates. Custom searches of Santa Barbara properties on the beach, Santa Barbara estates, Montecito properties for sale, Hope Ranch real estate, Carpinteria beach estates information and anaylsis of Santa Barbara CA homes for sale, is available at this site and http://www.RareEstates.com, a fine home sale transaction network, with specialized resources and knowledge of unadvertised Santa Barbara properties and qualified Santa Barbara estates property investors. For exclusive comprehensive analysis and information about Santa Barbara ocean front for sale, privately offered Montecito estates, Santa Barbara estates, or the Hope Ranch properties, inquire here.