Here is the Santa Barbara cort report for closed sales for October of 2008. The cort report lists all closed sales of property regardless of whether they were reported in the Santa Barbara MLS or not. This includes for sale by owners, transfers of property between family members etc. Upwards of 95+ % of all sales are reported in the MLS, where as 100% are reported in the cort report.
If you would like further info about a certain month or area, please let me know so that I can be of help.
View: All Market Statistics
Further Reading: Cort Report April 2008, Cort Report May 2008, Cort Report First 6 Months 2008, Market Statistics and Reports for the Year 2008
For information on Real Estate here in Santa Barbara, Montecito and/or our surrounding areas, as well as any other aspects of life in our area, please don't hesitate to contact Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby's Int'l Realty.
Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.
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It has been a long tough 3 days for the Santa Barbara and Montecito community, but it looks like the Tea Fire is finally contained. After a horrific first 24 hours of intense wind and fire starting Thursday at about 5:30 p.m., we have been fortunate to have mother nature cooperate the last 2 days. With almost no wind since midday Friday, the firefighters have been able to get the upper hand with the fire and almost all of it is contained as of tonight.
Sadly, the preliminary count of lost homes is around 130 in the city of Santa Barbara and around 80 in the Montecito and Foothill areas. Upwards of 2000 acres were burned and preliminary damage is estimated at around $500 Million.
For further information on the Tea Fire as it relates to structures lost, evacuations etc. go to The County of Santa Barbara Emergency Services.
Further Reading: Montecito and Santa Barbara Tea Fire Update November 15th, 2008, Photos of the Tea Fire
For information on Santa Barbara Real Estate, Montecito Real Estate and/or our surrounding areas, as well as any other aspects of life in our area, please don't hesitate to contact Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby's Int'l Realty.
Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.
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Whether you are a local, in town visiting family and/or friends, or here on vacation in Santa Barbara, California, there is never a lack of activities and things to do in our wonderful seaside resort community. Here below is the third installment in a series of articles that point out some of Santa Barbara's most prominent local attractions. Some of these will be cultural, some dining, some active pursuits and some I am still deciding on. This third installment will be focusing on...
Santa Barbara Waterfront:
The Waterfront runs along the coastline from Leadbetter Beach to Buttefly Beach. This scenic area is a natural fit for outdoor pursuits including walking, running, rollerblading, kitesurfing, fishing, boating etc. Most weekends there is a Sunday Arts and Crafts Show along East Beach starting at Stearns Wharf. Chase Palm Park is also a great area to explore and relax.
Read Full Story
Further Reading: Lifestyle/Things to Do Articles in Santa Barbara, California, Things to Do in Santa Barbara, California - The Downtown Area, Things to Do in Santa Barbara - The Mission District, The Oceanfront Areas, Summer Arts, Festivals and Culture in Santa Barbara CA
For information on Santa Barbara Real Estate, Montecito Real Estate and/or our surrounding areas, as well as any other aspects of life in our area, please don't hesitate to contact Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby's Int'l Realty.
Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.
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Birnam Wood is located in the heart of Montecito CA., and is considered the premier gated golfing community within Santa Barbara. Birnam Wood first started development in the early 1970's and is made up of only single family homes and estates and consists of a total of 142 unique homes with currently 2-3 vacant lots left to build on.
Most of the homes in Birnam Wood are very private feeling and line the golf course. All homes primarily sit on 1 acre parcels (although the net land of these parcels is less as easements often extend into the golf course and/or road). All homes must be single level with a footprint of 3,000 to 6,000 sqft. 
There are no true restrictions on styles of homes within Birnam Wood and you will find a large variety consisting of French Normandy, Cottage, Ranch, Contemporary etc. Most of the estates within Birnam Wood also enjoy wonderful views of the local Santa Ynez Mountains.
When purchasing a home within Birnam Wood, you are also required to purchase a corporate membership to the club which currently stands at $85,000, with monthly dues of $545 for the membership and $285 for the Home Owner's Association.
Real estate prices within Birnam Wood range from a starting point of around $3 Million and go up to about $8 Million.
The course itself is very challenging because of its numerous small, fast, and potentially deceiving greens. Several water hazards are spotted throughout the course while well placed sand bunkers protect the fairways and greens. The course is 5,890 yards from the longest tees and is a par 70. The course rating is 68.7 with a slope rating of 121. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the course opened for play in 1968. There are also 4 hard court tennis courts at the club as well as two clay court surfaces.
View: Map of Birnam Wood
View: Current Homes for Sale in Birnam Wood
View: Current Montecito Homes for Sale up to $7.5 Million
View: Current Montecito Homes for Sale $7.5 Million and Above
Further Reading: Golf Courses in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Luxury Real Estate Articles, Santa Barbara Oceanfront Areas, The Secret of Santa Barbara and Montecito Oceanfront Property and Estates, Santa Barbara Rated Amongst the Best Mid-sized Downtowns in California
For information on Real Estate here in Santa Barbara, Montecito and/or our surrounding areas, as well as any other aspects of life in our area, please don't hesitate to contact Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby's Int'l Realty.
Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.
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As the world has truly become global in the last 15 years, the wealthy are looking overseas to not just vacation but to also purchase real estate in resort areas in the U.S., especially on the coastline of California. In the last several years, I personally have been in contact with at least 10 international buyers. Savvy buyers are coming from Canada, Europe and beyond to take advantage of California's real estate investment opportunities.
Why is this the case?... There are several main reasons that foreign investors find California real estate so appealing?
Location, Location, Location - This is by far the biggest
Resort areas such as Santa Barbara CA. are very popular with foreign nationals. The gorgeous topography and climate in these resort towns seem to suit just about anyone. In the Santa Barbara area alone you can find beachfront estates, ocean view homes, wine country property, ranches and more with a wonderful year-round climate. Property in these areas also tend to hold their value over time, and are easily filled with renters if needed when the owner is not occupying the property themselves.
Secure Ownership Rights
California real estate has most likely as dependable of a property ownership system as you can find in the world. Open and transparent, any foreign investor purchasing property in California can feel comfortable and confident that he/she is purchasing property that is protected by our system of stable individual property rights.
Good Financing Options
Outside of the immediate current lending crisis, the U.S. has always offered flexible mortgage options for foreign nationals.
Relatively Affordable Inventory
As the housing market has softened and the U.S. Dollar has weakened, California real estate has become as affordable as it has been in the last 30 years. Both the British Pound and The Euro make any down payment here in the U.S. look like a discount.
Great Long-Term Investment
Over time, homes in resort areas in California have held their value, making real estate holdings a good long-term investment.
Whether you are looking for an investment, a second home, vacation property or to retire, California real estate in areas such as Santa Barbara and Montecito CA. will always be appealing.
View: Current Inventory of Santa Barbara Property $1-5 Million
View: Current Inventory of Santa Barbara Property $2-10 Million
View: Current Inventory of Santa Barbara Property $10 Million plus
Further Reading: Tips for Canadians Looking to Buy Real Estate in California, Santa Barbara Luxury Real Estate, Santa Barbara Oceanfront Areas
For information on Santa Barbara Real Estate, Montecito Real Estate and/or our surrounding areas, as well as any other aspects of life in our area, please don't hesitate to contact Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby's Int'l Realty.
Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.
Subscribe to Receive Personal Listings of Santa Barbara Area Properties
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A Santa Barbara native and a committed full time Realtor for Santa Barbara, Montecito and the surrouding areas of Hope Ranch, Goleta, Carpinteria and Summerland CA. I look forward to being of help.
My Blog: www.SantaBarbaraRealEstateVoice.com
Who is Kevin Schmidtchen?
A native of Santa Barbara, I grew up with a wonderful family and very involved with sports that I continue to enjoy today... surfing, skiing and snowboarding. While attending UCSB, I left to Europe for the summer after my freshman year to play on the professional tennis satellite circuit. While the tennis went well, I felt completely energized by the culture over in Europe and the opening of my eyes to so many different ways of life and thinking. I returned to UCSB and focused on my junior year in which I then studied abroad in Salzburg, Austria. Both of these events changed me and lead me to have one immediate major goal in my life... to travel around the world. Four days after I graduated from UCSB in 1992, I left on a one-way ticket back to Europe. I spent roughly the next 4 years working abroad in Austria, Germany, Japan and New Zealand while traveling often to over 50 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, South and Central America and the South Pacific.
After much adventure I returned to the U.S. and lived in Telluride, Colorado and Lake Tahoe, California before attending Thunderbird-- The American Graduate School of International Management where I received my MBA in 1999. Upon graduating, I very much wanted to return home and moved back here to Santa Barbara in late 1999. I am now married to a wonderful Dutch woman, whom I met while doing an internship in the Netherlands during my second year at Thunderbird. We also have a wonderful 17 month old boy.
Personal Work Experience Before Real Estate
Before finally settling into a career in Real Estate in 2001, I worked briefly with 2 different companies in Sales and Marketing from September 1999 to August 2001. The first company was an internet start-up that folded after 10 months. The second company was Islands Media which is a Publishing company (Islands Magazine, Spa Magazine, Resorts and Great Hotels). Here I was in charge of sale for our clients media needs which consisted of photography, print, CD's, websites, videos etc.
Why Choose Kevin?
I have been a real estate professional with Sotheby's Int'l Realty here in the Santa Barbara and Montecito areas since 2001.
As a client of mine, you will receive expertise, professionalism, integrity, honesty, loyalty, service and knowledge of the Santa Barbara area and the Real Estate Market in any transaction with me. The majority of my successful business is through referrals from people whom I have helped to buy or sell a home in the Santa Barbara area. As the result of satisfied clients, I have succeeded in building a wonderful referral base of single individuals, couples and families who are happy to recommend my services to their friends, families and colleagues.
I work with both buyers and sellers and have sold homes with price points ranging from $350,000 to $10 Million. My clients have ranged from first-time home buyers to people fortunate enough to be buying second and third homes...and have been a combination of locals, investors and out of town clients.
Santa Barbara proper is my major area of expertise, although I have worked plenty in Montecito, Carpinteria, Goleta etc. The Santa Barbara area is small enough that it allows me to work for and represent clients in all our areas.
Please let me know where your needs are at with regards to Real Estate in Santa Barbara, Montecito, Goleta and the surrounding areas. I can assist you with luxury real estate, beachfront homes, oceanfront homes, view homes, vacation homes, gated communities, new homes, real estate development, single family homes, condominiums, town homes, income property, and land.
www.SantaBarbaraRealEstateVoice.com
"As a first time home buyer, Kevin was very patient and thorough in answering all of my questions and keeping me well informed. Throughout the entire process, and still to this day, Kevin was always available and willing to assist me with whatever was needed. In addition, his knowledge of the city and the real estate of the city were very valuable as I was new to the area and did not know the market well. I do not hesitate to recommend Kevin for your real estate needs."
--Keala Anderson
"We just wanted you to know that we think you did a fantastic job of helping us buy our SB condo. We could not be more pleased. What impressed us the most are your professionalism, responsiveness, class, and impressive ability to keep things on an even keel. If anyone ever asks us for a recommendation on a realtor in SB, we will recommend you without hesitation."
--Hsing-Chung FKevin Schmidtchen (and I'm sure I've done a wretched job on his name) sold my condo for me in '03. Because of a thoroughly unpleasant board, who did everything they could to block the sale, I had to jump through a lot of hoops. In the end, w/Kevin's help, the unit sold for $10K more than he'd originally got for it. He then helped me purchase a house in Carpinteria...giving me v. good advice, which went against my less practical nature. I know own a remarkable property that has almost doubled in value. He knows his stuff. Here're a few more points about him: He's very responsive; was always willing and available to answer my questions/anxieties; willing to find out if he didn't know something, and back up his statements w/facts & figures. Long history in the area, too--was born/raised in SB. That adds credibility to his understanding of the market. Very proactive. A huge thumbs up to Kevin (and I have better things to do w/my time-energy than write reviews like this...I'm writing it because I really mean it. And one more thing, I'm a tough customer...if he wasn't all of this, I'd be perfectly happy to write a review that reflected my disappointment....but there wasn't any). Good luck!
--Karin De la Pena
"Kevin made the selling of our home less stressful by staying in constant communication throughout the process. He made himself available to us and didn't pressure us in any way."
--Seth Uhrig
"We moved to Santa Barbara without knowing anything about the real estate market. We depended on Kevin to educate us. Kevin was very patient with us as we searched for several months for precisely the right home and investment. Kevin is detail oriented, flexible and insightful. Had he not been updated daily on the real estate market, we would not have secured our home. We saw the property immediately when it came on the market and had a bid on the property within 24 hours. With Kevin's guidance, we prevailed over 6 bids and a counterbid process. We are now happy homeowners in Montecito!"
--Annabelle and Peter Brownell
"We were very pleased with the professional service Kevin displayed in the selling of our home. As a native of Santa Barbara, Kevin understands the reality of high prices here in our town and is very capable and proactive in selling not just our home but also the overall Santa Barbara lifestyle.
Through the first stages of showing the home to prospective buyers all the way through the closing process, Kevin worked hard to update us on every step and to keep it all as simple as possible. His clear communication allowed us to relax as much as one can when selling your home. We highly recommend Kevin for any real estate needs you may have."
--Bob Andrews
"Kevin was very accessible and proactive as we searched for a home in Santa Barbara. We currently live in Minneapolis, and Kevin did a great job of getting us up to speed quickly on the market, and matching our needs with the marketplace.
As a native of Santa Barbara, Kevin understands the market well and was a valuable coach when it came time to make an offer - even though we had "sticker shock" on California real estate, Kevin eventually got us into a comfort zone on buying our home.
Kevin was very diligent during the closing process in terms of making sure that the process and documents were well managed, leading to a smooth closing process, even though we were completing the closing from a remote location.
We would highly recommend Kevin and Sotheby's International Realty for your real estate needs in Santa Barbara."
--Sam & Lillian Reinkensmeyer
"My wife and I used Kevin to purchase our second home in the San Roque area. We were a bit nervous because we new the prices were going to be at the upper end of our comfort level, but more importantly this was going to be the home that we were going to raise our family in.
Kevin immediately made us comfortable and never once pushed us to make a decision. Kevin has successfully separated himself from the stereotypical realtor by approaching customers, as he would expect to be handled himself. His professionalism, patience, work ethic and integrity made our home purchase experience successful on all counts and we will continue to recommend his services to friends and family."
--Jay & Nicole Klanfer
"Dear future homeowner: If you are looking to purchase a home, I highly recommend the services of Kevin Schmidtchen. Through his experience, clear communication and being a true native to Santa Barbara, he quickly found a home that fit all my needs."
--Betsy Wise
"I want to let you know that working with Kevin to purchase my new home was a wonderful experience."
--Lessie Shea
"We can't begin to thank you for everything you did for us, I am glad you were there for me when I called you to come over. Couldn't have done it without you. You are a wonderful person."
--Dennis & Jennifer Bornand
"My fiancé and I relocated from New York to Santa Barbara in November 2002. The transition from East Coast to West is often looked upon as a theatrical drama filled with angst and woe. Couple this with the prospect of purchasing a new home in an unfamiliar city and chaos looms on the horizon. Kevin played a critical role in easing our transition. Prior to our move, he worked with us remotely, sending regular updates of listings via email while striving to understand our needs and address our concerns. Once we arrived in SB, Kevin was our guide; having grown up in SB, his knowledge of the area is definitive and indispensable. As it turns out for us, moving to SB has resembled more of a romantic comedy than that of the imagined theatrical drama."
--Ryan Ringholz
"As first time homebuyers, we feel so fortunate to have met and worked with Kevin Schmidtchen. Entering the Santa Barbara real estate marketplace is a challenging endeavor, but Kevin lead us through every step and made the process much easier than we had anticipated.
During the beginning of our search, Kevin worked hard to both educate us regarding the market and understand what our needs and desires were for our first home. As Kevin tightened the focus on our search and diligently pursued opportunities for us, our respect and trust in Kevin increased.
It became obvious that his colleagues in the real estate industry esteem him highly as well. Besides being an extremely skilled real estate agent, Kevin is a genuinely good person. When it came time to strategize our offer, and the subsequent counter offer, Kevin's experience and wise counsel were crucial. With Kevin's guidance, our offer was accepted and our escrow was surprisingly simple.
Kevin's experience, integrity, and kindness made all the difference. Our new home is exactly what we wanted and more! We will certainly work with Kevin again when we decide to buy a larger home in the future. We feel privileged to know and work with Kevin, and recommend him with our highest confidence!'
--Rebekah Peake & Eric Bardakos
"Kevin is fantastic. He is highly knowledgeable about the Santa Barbara area which was extremely helpful in finding a home. As we searched for our home, he kept us constantly updated on what was going on in the market and was always very careful to explain our options. He is very patient and never pressured us to make an uncomfortable decision. He was always available and friendly.
During escrow Kevin a voice of reason. He was very protective of us, as clients. We felt completely comfortable in his care.
We will be recommending Kevin to everybody we know. We would definitely use him again. (If we ever move. We love our new house.)"
--Bob and Lisa SmithKevin helped me find a home in Santa Barbara and was a pleasure to work with on all fronts. A personal friend of mine, he was there for me every step of the way and knows SB cold. I've seen him in action not only with my deal but others as well and he is super consistent and delivers great service and advice that ends up saving his clients $$. Anyone interested in real estate in Santa Barbara should give Kev a shout. http://www.kevinschmidtchen.com/
--R. Glickman
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