Blog
Goldilocks Real Estate Market
Not too hot, not too cold! The Santa Barbara market is starting to flatten out (link to charts below) but there is still plenty of legs left in this one. We are still logging price gains, but at a decreasing rate. Low unemployment and ris...
Santa Barbara Real Estate – It’s a Process
Santa Barbara, California is a quintessential seaside village nestled between the Pacific coastline and the Santa Ynez mountains. Similar to the French Riviera for its beauty and temperate climate, it is often referred to as the American ...
Short-Term Rentals and Homestays in Santa Barbara
Land use regulations regulating Short-Term Rentals (STR) and Homestays in Santa Barbara County officially became effective on October 1st, 2018. STRs and Homestays now require the proper zoning permit. You cannot rent (or even advertise) a p...
Fed Rate vs. Mortgage Rate
The Federal Reserve is expected to raise the short-term Federal Funds Rate by 0.25% to 2.75% this week. This increase has been telegraphed in advance (as usual) and is therefore typically priced into the market by the time the Fed Rate actually...
I Made It!
I made it to another birthday! Some people don’t look forward to their birthdays, they see it only as getting older and are actually sad about it. Remember when we looked forward to birthdays? We couldn’t wait to turn 10 (double digits!), o...
Montecito Mudslide Insurance Claims
Many homeowner insurance policies exclude “earth movement” and “water damage”, however the Thomas Fire is widely believed to be the efficient "proximate cause" of the Montecito mudslides. Any argument that the recent fire was only a "re...
Tax Reform Bill Approved
The Tax Reform Bill has been approved by both Houses and will now go to the President to sign into law. There is a lot of detail to unpack over the coming months to fully understand all of the implications, both intended and unintended. Perh...
The Tax Reform Bill and its Potential Effect on Real Estate
The Tax Reform Bill has caused a lot of confusion in the general public due to its complexity and the somewhat convoluted process in which it will be enacted. If only it were as simple as the Schoolhouse Rock video “I’m just a Bill”. I...
