Carlsbad Real Estate News and Views: California: Santa Barbara

Here's the REAL scoop on living in Carlsbad ~ beaches, things to do, places to eat, community events, and of course neighborhoods, homes and the Carlsbad real estate market in general, including surrounding communities.

Santa Barbara - A One Hour Visual Tour

 

I spent some time in Santa Barbara, CA a few days ago at a membership meeting for the real estate group I belong to.

Before heading back home to San Diego (via a weekend stay in Los Angeles), I decided to spend an hour exploring Santa Barbara.

 

So think of this as a 1 hour visual tour of Santa Barbara, on the California coast about 85 miles northwest of Los Angeles (about 1 ½ to 2 hours drive depending on traffic on the 101). Or you can choose to fly in to Santa Barbara Airport.

 

The photos are of the things that impressed me, the scenes that for me helped to capture a visitor's perspective of a gorgeous coastal city in a very limited time frame. In many cases I did not even get out of the car. So imagine what you could enjoy if you were to spend a day or a weekend here (which I plan to do).

        

Santa Barbara is a beautiful city of more than 92,000 (2000 census, but metropolitan area, including Montecito (one of the more expensive communities in the US, with many celebrities), Hope Ranch, Carpinteria, Goleta, Isla Vista, and Sumerland is about 200,000) covering an area of 19 square miles (land only). The city is also home to the University of California - Santa Barbara.

        

Santa Barbara County has the highest median priced homes in all of California (median home price for the county is over $1,000,000), and like other coastal towns offers a eclectic mix of condos, town homes, detached single family homes in a range of style (Spanish Colonial is common, with the familiar white walls and terra cotta tile roofs) and large estates with spectacular ocean views; some of the most spectacular are in Montecito, to the south, and in Hope Ranch.

     

Framed by the Santa Ynez Mountains to the east, and because of the orientation of the California coast in the area (southerly), this area has a wonderful temperate weather all year round, which adds to its desirability as a vacation destination as well.

     

This area is often referred to as the American Riviera. A short visit to Santa Barbara will make it clear why this is so appropriate.

     

     

If you are a buyer interested in Santa Barbara real estate, or have a home there you wish to sell, please feel free to contact me at (760) 840-1360 or by email to JDowler@remax.net. I would be pleased to provide an introduction to one of the highly qualified real estate professionals I know there, based on your particular needs.

 

15 comments • Jeff Dowler ~ Carlsbad Real Estate ~ 760-840-1360 • July 16 2007 10:51PM