LOCATION,LOCATION,LOCATION! This one-of-a-kind Don Pedersen designed custom home is located steps from the wonderful shops and restaurants of Montecito’s Lower Village and Butterfly Beach. Inspired by tropical plantation style homes and integrated seamlessly with charming Santa Barbara details this home is impressive! The dramatic entry and open floor plan boasts soaring 30′ beamed ceilings, warm maple floors, and is flooded with natural light from an abundance of windows and skylights. A fantastic property for entertaining with multiple sets of French doors opening to an expansive veranda. The generous sized master suite has his and her baths and walk-in closets and is located on the main level. There is an elevator for easy access to the lower level with additional rooms and hugh 3 car garage – a perfect place for autos and hobbies. The beautifully landscaped grounds feature a magnificent magnolia tree, colorful and mature plantings, a charming stone wall and pathways plus an enchanting 2 bdrm guest cottage. For the garden enthusiast there is also a wonderful greenhouse which could serve as an art studio. A rare opportunity for so much in such a prime Montecito area. Offered at just $2,699,000.

For more details contact Pat Saraca at 805-886-7426, Distinctive Real Estate

Dramatic Living Room

There is some positive news with this update of Santa Barbara Real Estate sales year to date. The number of sold properties is up by 16% over last year at this time. The median sales price is down however, by about 6%.  The Santa Barbara median sales price is down by 37% from the peak of 2007 – wow this is great for Buyers! Plus with interest rates being so low, currently fluctuating around the 4% mark, this may very well be the best time to get into the Santa Barbara real estate market and have affordable payments! Looking at the  high end, Santa Barbara luxury market ($2,000,000 and up) this segment is still showing signs of weakness with ONLY 10% of the sales in October being above $2,000,000. There are some incredible opportunities for high end buyers in Santa Barbara and Montecito with some very motivated sellers especially as we approach the holidays and end of the year! Click here to search for homes and estates for sale in Santa Barbara.

Roxy walking at Shoreline

Incredible custom home inspired by plantation style homes of Hawaii and blended with Santa Barbara touches. This spacious home for sale in Montecito has a dramatic entry with 20′-30′ soaring wood beamed ceilings, open floorplans, 4 sets of French doors that flow seamlessly to the covered lanai – a fantastic home for entertaining. Located a stone’s throw to Montecito’s Lower Village with all its wonderful shops and restaurants and just minutes to Butterfly Beach. The lush grounds include a stunning magnolia tree and lots of colorful plantings plus a greenhouse for the true garden enthusiast. An added bonus is the ultra charming 2 bdrm guest cottage. No need for the San Ysidro Ranch when you own this wonderful Montecito home. Offered at $2,699,000

This exquisitely remodeled home is open today! 623 Alston is near both the Upper and Lower Villages of Montecito with easy access to downtown Santa Barbara, too. Reminescent of a country home in the South of France, this home is a perfect blend of old world charm with today’s modern amenities. Charming features include leaded glass windows, high wood beam ceilings, antique inspired fireplaces, gleaming wood floors, gorgeous master suite with relaxing spa tub. French doors flow out to the expansive brick courtyard with beautiful gardens. Approx 3000 s.f.  with 3 bdrms and 3 full baths, formal living and dining rooms, kitchen, family room, breakfast nook, office/den. Just reduced to a great price of $1,595,000.  Hurry on this one!

Serene Setting

Rarely available 3 bdrm townhouse in a serene woodsy setting with filtered mountain views! The kitchen and baths have been remodeled with stunning tile work. The living room features cathedral ceilings and a fireplace. The dining room and kitchen both open to an outdoor patio perfect for dining al fresco! The master bedroom is huge and has a walk-in closet and an expansive private balcony to enjoy the peaceful setting. There is even an attached 2 car garage! This wonderful townhouse is located 5 minutes from the beach and shops and restaurants in beautiful Santa Barbara. This is your chance to own Santa Barbara real estate – priced at just $499,000!

Enchanting entry

I am pleased to announce a pocket listing in Montecito, California. This Montecito luxury home is located with easy access to the Upper or Lower Villages. This French Country home has a classic, vaulted roofline with stately fluted chimneys. The hedge and flower-lined walkway leads to the brick entry. The spacious living room boasts high beamed ceilings, hardwood floors and an antique inspired fireplace. The tastefully remodeled kitchen opens to a breakfast nook and a spacious family room  with a charming stone fireplace. The formal dining room and the breakfast area have French doors flowing to a delightful brick patio and lush grounds – ideal for entertaining large crowds or for more intimate gatherings. Thereare 3 bdrms and 3 full baths – the romantic master suite opens to a private patio complete with spa, one bedroom suite is upstairs separate from the others, and there is a wonderful office/library which could serve as a media room. Decorator colors and designer touches are found through out this home creating a perfect blend of casual elegance! A must see for those seeking a Montecito luxury home! For more information on this Montecito property or Santa Barbara

A Taste of Provence in Montecito!

A quaint gated approach welcomes you to an enchanting pied de terre where you will find the perfect blend of old world character and today’s modern amenities. The front courtyard is blooming with colorful flowers and lined with attractive flagstone pavers.  A dutch door greets you at the foyer as you enter this charming abode for sale in Montecito. Warm white washed floors & crown moldings grace the main level. The multi-function living/dining room boasts wonderful mountain views and an inviting nook that is perfect for a home office area. An abundance of light flows through the newly installed French doors which allow for easy access to the delightful courtyard. The efficient kitchen is fully equipped with newer appliances & stunning granite counter tops and ready for creating gourmet meals. Also located on the first floor is the master bedroom complete with  custom shelving in the closet, bath with soaking tub & shower, and its own private patio – a lovely spot to have your morning coffee and start the day.The second floor “loft style” bedroom is a special space with vaulted ceilings, dormered windows, built-in bookcases, a cozy reading alcove, and awe-inspiring mountain views. This charming retreat is located in the heart of Montecito near the picturesque Upper Village (with its wonderful shops and restaurants), the reknowned San Ysidro Ranch, and less than 2 miles to the Montecito Oceanfront! Makes a great Montecito vacation get away or a wonderful full time residence. 1 of only 2 units! This Montecito charmer is for sale at $875,000.  Call 805-560-9951 for an appointment to view this or any other Montecito property!

It was a beautiful day for viewing estates for sale in Montecito! There were 21 properties in Montecito on the broker tour this week.  The newest estate listing is a spectacular Mediterranean on 20 gated acres complete  with 7 bedrooms,  8.5 baths, media/screening room, fantastic gourmet  kitchen, 4-car garage, gorgeous pool, incredible ocean and mountain views, a guest house with its own gated entrance, bocce ball court, lawn, fruit trees, and Koi pond. This Montecito luxury home is located on one of the most desirable streets in Montecito. It  is offered at $12,700,000. On the other end of the spectrum there lies a  wonderful opportunity to purchase a Montecito property via a short sale. This single story, ocean view home set amidst larger estates,  overlooks red tile roofs and the Montecito Country Club. The 1/2 acre Montecito property is gated, has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and boasts lush landscaping and magnificent ocean views.
This is a rare opportunity to purpose a Montecito property in a distress sale. Whether you are looking for a high end luxury property or an entry level Montecito home now may be the best time to start your search! There are some great deals to be had!

There were 26 properties on the agent caravan this week in Montecito. There were 3 new listings ranging from at the low end of the price range a  5 bedroom home on a hillside location with fantastic ocean and city views with an asking price of $1,725,000. Though in the city of Santa Barbara this Via Alicia home does have a Montecito zip code.  This home was previously listed at $2,295,000 so presents a good buying opportunity for someone seeking a Santa Barbara view home. At the high end of the price range is a wonderful property on Cima del Mundo. This Santa Barbara  luxury home sold about 1.5 years ago for $18,000,000 and is now priced at $22,000,000. This is a great opportunity to purchase one of the finest luxury homes in Montecito. The buyers did put some exquisite upgrades into the home which was brand new at the time they bought it and it is essentially brand new still as they have rarely come to the property.  For someone wanting a premier Santa Barbara property this is it. It offers privacy, incredible quality, unbelievable views and all the amenities on could want. It is truly one of the  finest Montecito properties currently available.