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

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!

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!

Fifteen estates priced at $5,000,000 and above have closed escrow since July 1 in the Hope Ranch, Montecito, Santa Barbara areas. The most expensive one being an incredible oceanfront property in Hope Ranch. It sold at a price of $18,440,000 which was just over 35% off its original asking price and slightly over 21% off the last list price. It had been on the market for 8 months. This Mediterranean estate boasts 8 beautiful acres with its own private paved path down to the beach. There are sprawling lawns, putting greens, a pond, tennis court, pool, cabana, and guest house. View this Hope Ranch Estate. Ten of the 15 luxury home sales were in Montecito with the highest sale being a spectacular 10,000 s.f. home on 2.6 ocean view acres on prestigious East Mountain Drive selling for $13,100,000. This Montecito estate also had a guest house and pool. It had been on the market for 14 months at $15,300,000 and sold for 13% off the asking price. Another high end oceanfront property in Carpinteria just closed escrow this week at $10,700,000. This Hamptons style home was listed at $13,800,000 selling at 22% off its final list price(32% off original list price). It is in the gated Sand Point colony on 1.42 oceanfront acres with 133 feet of beach frontage and a pool. At this point the number of sales in the $5 million plus luxury real estate market in Montecito, Hope Ranch, and Santa Barbara is on pace to surpass last year’s numbers. Buyers may have realized that with so much seller motivation now is a great time to acquire a Santa Barbara estate. You may contact me at patsaraca@gmail.com  or  805-560-9951 for additional real estate information.

Rare opportunity to live in an exquisitely appointed Montecito luxury home  in a most desirable Montecito location. A stunning and very spacious 3 BR 3 bath restored French Country estate home in a prime location near Coast Village and all it’s wonderful shops and minutes to Downtown Santa Barbara, State Street, Stearn’s Wharf, and the beach. Recently restored with luxury appointments, beamed vaulted ceilings, and custom finishes, this home is a professional’s dream, with spacious rooms, high ceilings and exquisite, hard wood floors. There is a wonderful office suite or media room. There is also a spacious, well appointed guest suite as well on a floor of its own. The beautifully adorned, generous Master suite  with a elegantly marbled tiled bath and glass enclosed shower along with ample closet area, opens to a private patio with spa. Custom cabinetry adorns the high function,  updated kitchen with granite counter tops, marble tile and state of the art appliances, an informal breakfast/dining area flowing easily to a beautifully landscaped brick patio for entertaining and relaxation. This French Country home has a classic, vaulted roofline with stately fluted chimneys.  There are 3 bdrms and 3 full baths.This home is a perfect blend of casual elegance! A must see for those seeking a Montecito luxury home! Offered at $2,185,000.

The Wall Street Journal has stated that Greenwich, Connecticut had a phenomenal end to 2009 with huge increases in sales volume in the luxury real estate market.  The west coast has also seen some large sales with a recent  Beverly Hills property selling to the tune of $35,000,000.  More specifically, in the Santa Barbara luxury real estate market we have seen 4 major estates go into escrow in the past month. The first property in Montecito is a recently built 8500 sf. Tuscan Villa with dramatic ocean, city, harbor, island and mountain views. Located at the end of a private lane off Hot Springs Road this luxury home on a 3 acre site also boasts a pool, spa, and guest house. This Montecito view home was offered at $11,900,000 when it went into escrow. The next Montecito estate to go under contract is an impressive Mediterranean in Ennisbrook with 6 bdrms and 11 baths in the main house. In addition to all the amenities of the previously mentioned estate this Montecito property also has a tennis court with pavilion and a garage for 9 cars. This luxury estate was offered at $14,750,000.The 3^rd Montecito estate that has just gone into escrow is a knoll top Tuscan Villa with captivating views and over 10,000 square feet of luxury. It offers the utmost in privacy being on approx. 40 acres. This estate’s current list price is $8,750,000. The 4^th estate is a 1929 Reginald Johnson on the Riviera which was listed at $8,900,000. It is the quintessential  old world charmer on 3 acres with gently rolling lawns overlooking the fabulous ocean, city, and mountain views. Yes, there is a pool and guest house, too! Quoted in the fore mentioned Wall Street Journal article a representative for residential real estate at U.S.Trust Bank of America Private Wealth Management commented that they have experienced an increase in buying over the past few months. It seems that the luxury real estate market overall may be starting to rebound! We will keep you posted on the Santa Barbara, Montecito, and Hope Ranch estate market. Watch for the closed sales prices in a future blog.

I recently saw the movie “Its Complicated” , a romantic comedy set in Santa Barbara, directed by Nancy Meyers and starring a Santa Barbara resident, Steve Martin and a Classic Santa Barbara estate. In an interview in Santa Barbara Magazine, Nancy Meyers says she chose a Santa Barbara property for the locale in the movie due to its natural beauty and the peace of mind and calm she feels when she comes here. She further states “It feels as close to the good life as you can get”.  Yes, we feel rather the same way. Santa Barbara is not just a place – it is a lifestyle! There were lots of Santa Barbara property scenes in the movie such as the spectacular Santa Barbara Courthouse, the historic El Paseo, and several Montecito property locations, including the scene where Meryl Streep is having her morning jog – on one of the Montecito area’s charming country roads. Many Santa Barbara Estates were within steps including Oprah’s Montecito luxury property. The house in the movie is the quintessential Santa Barbara home full of charm and character with a red tile roof, adobe brick, archways, terra cotta tile, wrought iron, and a great indoor-outdoor flow to covered verandas and lush gardens. As a matter of fact, if you happen to be looking for a similar Santa Barbara property may we be so bold as to offer our considerable Santa Barbara estate expertise to acquire your Santa Barbara dream home. Its “not” Complicated – Its Simple – just click here.

Viewed several spectacular ocean view properties in Montecito this week!

The first is an estate which boasts a prime location – with Oprah as a neighbor. Buy this home and perhaps one day you will be invited to attend one of Oprah’s exclusive events!

Of course another reason to buy the property is to own a piece of history. Built for a prominent Chicago family circa 1930, this authentic Dutch Cape has impeccable craftsmanship & details with views that are breathtaking  – from the awe-inspiring mountain views above the reflecting pond to the magnificent ocean views in the opposite direction. There are plenty of bedrooms and baths in this manse however NO kitchen.  That’s right – the kitchen/ family room wing is under restoration and yet to be determined until the new buyer steps in.  However, due to its superior location and the incredible grounds with 3.5 flat acres (a rare Montecito offering) it is still a pretty good investment  – offered at $19,500,000.

Now if you want an estate that already has a kitchen AND a beautiful one at that, then you should have a look at a wonderful offering on Picacho Lane.  This luxuriously appointed Mediterranean has unsurpassed quality throughout and fantastic grounds with panoramic views of the mountains and ocean, a sparkling pool,  fabulous pool house, tennis court, lush lawns and children’s play area. Many recent renovations have gone into this quintessential Mediterranean classic with no expense spared.

Offered at $18,995,000 – this in my opinion, is the best estate currently on the market in Montecito!