Enter To Win 2 Dozen Red Roses For Valentine's Day!

 

Enter for a Chance to Win Two Dozen Red Roses Delivered to the One You Love on Valentine's Day 2016!! 

 

Click Here To Enter!

 

Drawing held on Friday February 5th at 5pm PST.
*bouquet may vary slightly from above photo

 

Contact us at:
Phone (805) 246-SALE (7253)
Home Fax (805) 845-6702
Email Andrew@RoseCoastRealty.com
Website www.RoseCoastRealty.com
BRE # 01889216

P.S.  As always, I would LOVE to assist you with any of your real estate needs!
You can count on me for the utmost professionalism, expertise and results!

 

http://www.rosecoastrealty.com/

El Nino Arrives!

 

El Nino is finally making an appearance here in Santa Barbara! Stay dry and safe everyone!


http://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/string-storms-hitting-california-due-strongest-el-nino-record-n490506

Top 25 Best Inventions of 2015!

Best 25 Inventions of 2015!

Market Stats from Santa Barbara

These charts represent the market activity in the Santa Barbara Market from 2013-2015. As well as detailed comparison of Sold properties for last year vs. this year.

Feel free to contact me with any questions you have regarding the current status of the housing market in the Santa Barbara area.

Check out the 2016 Market Forecast from the California Association of Realtors.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/284851360/2016-California-Economic-Market-Forecast

Top 10: Activities of Santa Barbara

Here are the Top 10 activities to try in Santa Barbara, whether visiting for a day or a long-time resident.

1. Beaches: Santa Barbara boasts some of the most pristine beaches in all of California and arguably the world. Tourists fill the sand by Stearn's Wharf; to get away from the action check out Sands in Goleta or Carpinteria State Beach in the south.

2. Wine Touring: Do as they did in the movie Sideways: tour Santa Barbara County wine country. Tucked away in the hills of Santa Ynez are dozens of world-class vineyards. Tours leave daily from downtown and give you a chance to drink without driving.

3. Golfing: The weather of Santa Barbara means the golf courses are open year round, perfect for fun in the sun anytime. There are four public 18-hole courses in the area, but check out Sandpiper, the only ocean-front course between Los Angeles and Pebble Beach.

4. Parks: The abundance of green parks in the area give Santa Barbara its lush feel. Alice Keck Memorial Park Garden is a favorite spot for white-collar State Street workers on their lunch break. Lotusland in Montecito is world-renowned; although it costs money to enter, it is well worth the price to see exotic plants and flowers from around the world.

5. Polo Club: Why not check out a match at the Santa Barbara Polo Club. Only $10 for entrance on Sundays to see some of the best polo on the West Coast. If you get bored of the action, walk to the parking lot to admire the view: the Ferraris on display are sure to catch your eye.

6. Hiking: Dotting the mountainside north of downtown Santa Barbara are dozens of trail heads, many of which offer pristine views of the Channel Islands at their peaks. San Ysidro Trail, Inspiration Point, and 7 Falls are all local favorites.

7. Santa Barbara Mission: Known as the "Queen of the Missions", the Santa Barbara Mission also houses one of three Spanish California Presidios. Tours run daily (either guided or self) and are relatively cheap. The Missions were a focal point in California's 17-19th century history and are well-worth visiting.

8. Santa Barbara Zoo: Consistently ranked as one of America's small zoos, here you'll find over 500 types of animals. Since its size is small it is easily walked by all ages, and there is a train that takes visitors around the outskirts showing different perspectives of the zoo's animal habitats.

9. Day Trips: Santa Barbara is the perfect place to depart from to a number of day trips. Solvang is a Danish village about an hour north; the Danish Royal Family once visited and praised its model design. Hearst Castle, the famous vacation mansion of newspaper magnet William Hearst, lies a few more miles north and defines the word 'Grandeur'.

10. Annual Festivals: There is something going on in Santa Barbara nearly year round: Santa Barbara International Film Festival in February, Summer Solstice Parade in June, French Festival in July, and Old Spanish Fiesta Days in August are just a few of the most popular ones.

Top 10: Hikes of Santa Barbara

Andrew Rose of Rose Coast Realty bringing you another Top 10 list for Santa Barbara. This week's list showcases Santa Barbara's wonderful array of hiking trails and locations.

1. Inspiration Point: This 3.5 mile hike with an elevation gain of 800 feet is one of the most well known and loved by locals. The wildlife is beautiful and the view at the top is breathtaking.

2. 7 Falls: As the name suggests, the trail leads up to waterfalls and 3 pools. A similar start as Inspiration Point, turn off the paved road and up the creek to get to the crest.

3. San Ysidro Trail: With a start just off the San Ysidro Ranch's property, this ~2 mile trail leads up to a waterfall usually running in the spring. Seasoned hikers can continue onward for another 9 miles roundtrip past the fall.

4. Red Rock: Not so much of a trail as much as a deep, natural swimming pool where teenagers and college students can be found on the weekends. Only about 1 mile out from the parking lot.

5. Cathedral Peak: The peak at the top is worth the 8000 feet elevation climb, with views stretching as far as Oxnard on the right days. Definitely bring water along as the trail becomes exposed and on a hot summer day can turn from tough to strenuous.

6. McMenemy Loop: Starting alongside the San Ysidro Trail, this loop branches off into preserved parts of Montecito. Suitable for horses as well, it is maintained and there are hitching posts along the way.

7. Ellwood Butterfly Grove: Known to locals for years, the butterfly grove is quickly becoming a tourist stop as well. Best to visit in the mid-morning when the butterflies are just waking up.

8. Lizard's Mouth: Most come to picnic, but the real adventurous rock climb at this family favorite. The trail is short but the hike is what you make of it.

9. Gibraltar Dam: Hiking past Red Rock the extra miles will take you to the dam, and even further to an old abandoned mine. Perfect for a pleasant lunch. Can also be biked.

10. Montecito Peak: Very steep parts but the peak is well worth the climb. Find the hidden box at the top to log your successful journey like the others.

Santa Barbara Real Estate Statistics for October '13

Courtesy of SBAOR

Hostel Bought by SB Real Estate Firm

"An area real estate investment and development company, Capitoline Properties, LLC, recently took ownership of the Santa Barbara Tourist Hostel to capitalize on its prime location.

Santa Barbara’s first and only hostel is located at 134 Chapala Street, by the train station and the city’s blossoming Funk Zone. “We believe the Funk Zone’s proximity to the beach as well as the types of businesses that have opened up will make the area a very long term destination for locals and tourists,” said Jared Filippone, Vice President of Capitoline Properties.

Filippone said the company plans to purchase new furniture for the kitchen, lobby, dorm rooms, and private rooms, as well as take care of some deferred maintenance. “We will also be looking to form relationships with local bars, restaurants, bike and surf rentals and other activity vendors to provide our guests with all that Santa Barbara has to offer,” Filippone said.

The purchase was a slight stray from Capitoline’s usual investments in multi-family apartment complexes on California’s Central Coast as well as in Bozeman, Montana. This is the second local acquisition Capitoline has made this year, the first being The Tahitian apartments in Isla Vista.

That purchase was the largest sale of a multi-family property in the South Coast in 2013. Capitoline currently manages about 180 units, including The Tahitian apartments and a building in Orange, CA."

Source: http://www.independent.com/news/2013/oct/14/hostel-bought-sb-real-estate-firm/

Facebook Billionaire Zuckerberg Quietly Expands Real Estate Collection

"Ironically, when it comes to the personal life of Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, you won’t find much online — especially when it comes to his real estate.

But the cofounder of the world’s largest social media site, worth $22.9 billion by FORBES’ Thursday count, has been on quite a home buying spree.

Most recently, Zuckerberg snapped up four Palo Alto, Calif. homes that neighbor his main 5,617-square foot residence, according to the San Jose Mercury News, spending just over $30 million in total.

Don’t expect to find his name on any of the property records, however. The four Silicon Valley homes, located next door to and behind his Edgewood Drive digs, were technically purchased by legal entities associated with Iconiq Capital, a San Francisco-based money manager said to represent Zuckerberg and other uber-wealthy techies. A direct link between the LLCs used to make the purchases and Zuckerberg cannot be made, as the on-record paperwork trail ends with Iconiq."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2013/10/11/facebook-billionaire-mark-zuckerbergs-quietly-expanding-real-estate-portfolio/

FHA Will Continue to Lend During Government Shutdown

Great news: The FHA has announced that for the benefit of the housing mortgage market, the FHA will continue to process loans during the government shutdown.

Read the rest of the article here at Money CNN

Modern Twists on Santa Barbara’s Classical Architectural Style

"Predictably beloved by dreamy-eyed tourists but frequently mocked by innovation-minded modernists, Santa Barbara’s official architecture of red-tiled roofs and white-washed walls still rules the day, as any architect who tries to sneak a too-contemporary building past the city’s design review process will tell you. But as the upcoming annual tour through the city hosted by the American Institute of Architects will reveal, there’s increasing room for creative flexibility within the parameters of Spanish colonial revivalism — and, in some cases, bold examples of how modern design does indeed fit nicely, if at times almost secretly, into a somewhat homogenous cityscape."

Read the rest of the article at the Santa Barbara Independent.

Why You Should Be Investing Your Money in Real Estate

1. Gain more leverage. Real estate is one of the few investment vehicles where using the bank's money couldn't be easier. The ability to make a down payment, leverage your capital, and thus increase your overall return on investment is incredible.

2. Grow, tax-free. Buying rental property based on speculation of its value is a dangerous tactic since cash flow is the key. However, appreciation over the long-run is certainly realistic and at the least you should be considering a tax-deferred strategy. In the future, you may even consider a 1031 exchange, charitable trust, or an installment sale to lesson your tax liability further.

3. Tax free cash flow. It's no secret that because of depreciation and mortgage interest deductions (if you leverage your capital), your cash flow should be tax-free. That's right! The far majority of the time an investor will never pay taxes on their cash flow and can wait for capital gains on the sale of the property in the future.

4. The tax write-offs against your other income. Depending on your classification as an Active Investor or Real Estate Professional and your income level, there is a good chance your rental property will not only give you tax-free cash flow, but an overage of tax deductions you can use against your other income. With that said, this is something you want to discuss with your tax professional before investing so your expectations are realistic.

5. Increased tax deduction strategies. Rental property affords investors with another incredible opportunity to convert personal expenses to potentially valid business deductions. Don't forget that rental real estate is a business. This means that travel expenses to check on your properties and payments to family members who manage your properties (such as students away at college) can be deductible and increase the tax benefits when it comes to cash flow and the future sale of the property.

6. Rental real estate is a forced retirement plan. Americans are terrible savers. We lack the self-discipline to put a monthly deposit into our IRA, SEP or 401k as small-business owners. However, buying a rental property is a significant commitment that you are required to commit to and maintain. You will always be grateful in the long-run when you don't give up on it and build future cash flow and wealth.

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/228506#ixzz2fwHXcBRN

How to Hire the Perfect Realtor

Great article by Fox News detailing the perfect way to hire a Realtor.

• Find Someone Local
• Ask for References
• Check Their Workload
• Make Sure They Sell Houses Like Yours
• What's the Timeline?
• Ask About Fees
• Are They Part of MLS

Drew Barrymore Drops Asking Price on Montecito, CA Mansion

The celebrity's sprawling estate was listed onto the market in May, and her real estate team have now dropped $600k off the asking price down to $6.9 million.

Megawatt stars like Oprah Winfrey, George Lucas and Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi all maintain properties in the easygoing Santa Barbara area. While it's just 90 minutes or so away from Los Angeles (on a good traffic day), there aren't any paparazzi -- and the locals aren't fazed by celebrity, notes the Hollywood Reporter.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/10/drew-barrymore-santa-barbara-mansion_n_3901692.html

How To Find A Real Estate Agent Who Has Your Best Interests At Heart

Finding a Realtor who has your interests at heart is one of the most important tasks anyone looking to buy or sell can tackle.

Check out this article which gives some perspective on how to get there.

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-find-a-real-estate-agent-2013-9

Now is the Time to Sell in Santa Barbara

"For potential sellers who have been contemplating selling their properties, the recent bounce in local prices may represent the best chance for selling that we will see in the coming few years. Rates remain relatively low, prices have risen from the lows, and inventories are very low. These conditions may not remain for long and properties — even in Santa Barbara — can take time to sell."

http://www.noozhawk.com/article/craig_allen_rising_rates_selling_real_estate_20130825

Santa Barbara on the rise

As analyzed by NerdWallet, Santa Barbara is the #13 city on the rise in the United States... and it shows!

Full article: http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/2013/top-10-cities-on-the-rise/

Top 10 Famous People Connected to Santa Barbara

1. Oprah (TV personality) : owns a home in Montecito

2. Ty Warner (Businessman) : owns San Ysidro Ranch, Four Seasons Biltmore, Montecito Country Club, Rancho San Marcos Golf Club, Ty Warner Sea Center among others

3. Charlie Chaplin (Actor) : frequent visitor, started the Montecito Inn in the 1920s

4. Katy Perry (Singer) : born in Santa Barbara

5. Chuck Liddell (MMA Fighter) : born in Santa Barbara

6. Charles R. Schwab (Businessman) : grew up in Santa Barbara, owns a local home

7. Jack Johnson (Singer) : attended UCSB, owns a local home

8. Charles Manson (Criminal) : lived in Santa Barbara with other members of his cult

9. Elizabeth Short (Victim) : posthumously known as the Black Dahlia

10. Jennifer Aniston, Ed Asner, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Costner, Tom Cruise, Kirk Douglas, Robert Duvall, Jane Fonda, Brad Pitt, Ryan Reynolds, other (Actor/Actress) : all own homes in the area

Huguette Clark's $307 million Santa Barbara estate may be sold

The late Huguette Clark's $307 million hilltop Santa Barbara estate, which she left in her will to become an arts foundation to house her collection, may be sold. That is the topic of debate in New York as about 60 lawyers and 19 distant relatives are debating over what to do with the estate.

The property itself is estimated to be worth over $100 million; it sits with magnificent views of the ocean, city, and mountains. Ms. Clark passed away in a New York hospital in 2011.

Full article here: http://independent.com/news/2013/aug/16/clark-mansion-may-be-sold/