IN THIS LAST ISSUE:
Monthly Statistics House Prices: Another Look Revenge of the Electric Car
Green Drinks
THIS IS OUR LAST NEWSLETTER... We've enjoyed offering this monthly informative and community minded newsletter for you all to learn more about our local green homes market and the many wonderful ways to be more involved in the environmental movement in our community. The reason this is our last newsletter you ask...DeAnn is on maternity leave! After 9 months of a joyful pregnancy experience, DeAnn & Daniel Wilson are expecting their first child towards the end of September. DeAnn will be taking maternity leave for several weeks to adjust to her new role as mother. She will get back in the swing of real estate this winter on a limited basis and more focus on existing and finding new vacation rentals to manage. Feel free to contact her after Nov. 1st for any of your real estate, property management or vacation rental needs or leads! We wish her, Daniel and their baby a healthy and blissful natural birth coming soon. SANTA BARBARA REAL ESTATE SNAPSHOT: August 15 - September 18
Price Improvements: 231 Pending: 168 breaks down to: Under $600k: 75 $600-800k: 36 $800k-1 million: 22 $1-2 million: 24 $2-4 million: 9 $4-8 million: 2 $8 million+: 0 Closed: 131 breaks down to: Under $600k: 59 $600-800k: 28 $800k-1 million: 13 $1-2 million: 21 $2-4 million: 8 $4-8 million: 2 $8 million+:0 Off Market:expired,canceled,withdrawn: 131
This is a look at statistics provided through the Santa Barbara Multiple Listing Service over the past month. They include single family residences and condos, from Carpinteria to Goleta.
House Prices: Another LookDataQuick provides monthly data on foreclosures as well as re-sales of single family homes, condos, and new homes. This data is maintained by the UCSB Economic Forecast Project and is available for Santa Barbara since January 1989 for the median price of the resale of single family homes, as well as their number or count. A chart showing these numbers follows. The shaded areas in this plot are the recessions, with the timing determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The DataQuick median price data does not address the composition problem that the Case-Shiller index does by tracking the sale price of the same home, and hence adjusting for quality. However, the Case-Shiller price indices are not available for smaller cities such as Santa Barbara. An advantage of the DataQuick median price is that it is available for single family homes and for condos and hence provides detail. Statistical analysis of the median price data for single family homes shows that the Great Recession continues to have an impact, depressing the median price by about $148,000. Each foreclosure has an impact with a lag of about five months, depressing the median price by about $5900 per foreclosure. Each sale or count has an impact with a lag of ten months, increasing the median price by about $677 per sale. This may be revealing the supply curve and the construction cost per square foot. There is also some evidence of a two year cycle in median home prices. More charts and article
COMMUNITY: "REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR"
The Sustainability Project is offering a public preview of the box-office film "Revenge of the Electric Car," the story of the global resurgence of electric cars, on Wednesday, October 5 at 7:00 pm, in the Marjorie Luke Theatre at Santa Barbara Junior High. The major event sponsors are the Community Environmental Council and Livingreen. Event proceeds to benefit the Sustainability Project
This new film by Chris Paine, director ...of "Who Killed the Electric Car," goes behind closed doors at Nissan, GM, and Tesla to get the story of the global competition to produce the best new models and dominate the growing market for electric vehicles. Esquire magazine says, "(Revenge) is distinguished by its unguarded access to GM's Bob Lutz, Nissan's Carlos Ghosn, and Tesla's Elon Musk – three colorful super-villains who might save the planet." View the movie trailer at: www.revengeoftheelectriccar.com
Prior to the showing, at 5:30 pm the Community Environmental Council will host a free electric car show, featuring the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, Tesla Roadster, and electric bikes and motorcycles. The Mobile Café will be on site selling nutritious food, and local businesses and organizations will provide informational displays in the theatre lobby.
Following the film, at about 8:30 pm, a panel of local electric vehicle (EV) experts and owners will join director Paine for a discussion about the benefits and difficulties of EV ownership and the future of the EV industry. "So many people are doing innovative things," Paine said. "We're reporting on big car companies, independent startups, and converters, and we're tying EV's into renewable energy."
For admission to the film and panel discussion, the suggested donation is $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Admission to the car show and information booths is free. To purchase tickets visit:
Green DrinksAlways takes place on the third Tuesday of each month.Tonight @ the Lobero Theatre Courtyard The cost is $10 and includes a complimentary glass of wine from Martian Vineyard, and hors d’oeuvres featuring local farm products. All are welcome. Bring a friend. Ride a bike. Enjoy each other.
VOCABULARY LESSON: Tar Sands [4] Bituminous sands, colloquially known as oil sands or tar sands, are a type of unconventional petroleum deposit. The sands contain naturally occurring mixtures of sand, clay, water, and a dense and extremely viscous form of petroleum technically referred to as bitumen (or colloquially "tar" due to its similar appearance, odour, and colour). Oil sands are found in large amounts in many countries throughout the world, but are found in extremely large quantities in Canada and Venezuela.[1] With improved fuel economy standards, potential fuel-efficient technologies, advanced biofuels and electric vehicles and the effect these would have on crude oil consumption, there is simply no reason to dig up the Tar Sands. When fuel cell technology becomes refined, fuel cell cars will replace electric cars and hybrids. As transportation becomes less oil centric and more electric centric, renewable sources of electricity from solar, wind, hydro, geothermal will replace barrels of oil, there will still be no reason to dig up the Tar Sands.
Cool Website of the Month: an inspiring group of people that exist to recruit, support and connect young farmers all across America. They have produced an incredible documentary featuring urban, suburban and rural farmers from a myriad of backgrounds.
Whether you grow more yourself or spend more food dollars locally, know that you, too, can support or become a Greenhorn with a green thumb. |  | FOR SALE:
10 San Marcos Trout Club Santa Barbara, CA 93117 Listed at $829,000 Relax and enjoy the views in the San Marcos Trout Club. This 2/2.5ba 2 story cedar log home was built in 1992. This property boasts high ceilings, lots of wood, granite countertops, a masonry fireplace and custom cabinets. The decks and Jacuzzi have sweeping ocean and city views. The Trout Club offers acres of community space and access to a creek that flows year round. All of this and only 10 minutes from downtown Santa Barbara. Call Elizabeth for a private showing.
IN ESCROW
30 South Salinas D Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Listed For $475,000 This free standing house, located at the front of a 4 unit complex was built around 1920 and has been very well-maintained and updated. The kitchen was remodeled and has a commercial-style stainless steel stove and vent, silestone counter tops and a separate laundry area. There is an entryway, a nice size living room, separate dining room, three bedrooms and two baths. Most of the house has hardwood floors which were refinished this past year and the interior was recently re-painted. There is a working gas fireplace in the living room as well as high ceilings in living room and dining room.
The master bedroom is fairly large and has its own bathroom and french doors out to a deck. The second bedroom is big enough to be comfortable with a queen bed, night stands, and dresser. The third bedroom is long and narrow, most likely best suited as either an office or a child's bedroom.
Abundant natural light flows into the home and there is a beautiful redwood deck leading to a stone patio with a waterfall. The yard/garden wrap around the house and are planted with native plants that bring color and privacy to the yard. The flow of the home and yard blend indoor-outdoor living and gatherings among friends are easy and well laid out in front of the outdoor fire pit and water feature. The house is wired for flat screen TV with full surround sound as well as for outdoor speakers in the garden.
There are ocean views from the deck and the third bedroom, and a little bit from the bedroom. The ocean view is high enough that you can see the ocean through and over the other houses The location is very convenient with Trader Joe's which is three blocks away, Tri-County Produce is just a little further. A bank and other shopping is just a few blocks away and the beach is a ten minute walk.
 IN ESCROW
East Beach Collection 3br/3.5ba 2 car gar, 3 story, 2,210 sq ft corner unit with mountain views
These are work force housing units (must work in South SB County) and market rate LEED certified housing and are a SUPER BUY for new construction just a few blocks to East Beach. Call us if you are interested in seeing any of the other units! Earth-Friendly Elements
- Solar energy is generated on each unit and used onsite.
- Energy Star rated Hybrid Electric Water Heater features Heat Pump Technology.
- Low-flow faucets and shower heads reduce water bill costs.
- Energy Star rated high-efficiency dishwasher.
- Low-Emission dual glazed windows offer insulation against cold and heat.
- Caesar Stone kitchen countertops.
 616 Mulberry Avenue Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Sold for $550,000 This little gem is an absolutely lovely home on the Westside that is nestled on a quiet street reminiscent of a country lane. From the rear of the property is a gate and outside a dirt lined alley which could be mistaken for a scene out of the North Shore of Hawaii and all on the hip Westside of Santa Barbara.
The charming main house has two bedrooms and one bath, living room, dining area and a lovely skylight that lets plenty of sunshine in to the home. The detached guest house is one room and one full bathroom perfect for an office or artist studio. The spacious back deck serves as an extended living room and the french doors remain open almost all the time to allow for indoor/outdoor living in our moderate climate.
With clean lines, calming, modern colors and sleek finishes, this home has been completely renovated. There are newer South American Koa hardwood floors, a kitchen with contemporary white doors and soft close cupboards, light and bright bathrooms, update electrical and newer plumbing. Looking at photos from "before" it is hard to believe that this is the same property as it truly shines now!
The back yard is filled with native plants, fruit trees, sandstone pavers and on the back of the garage are a set of Australian clothes drying racks, which were a sure deal closer for my eco-conscious Buyers! We snatched this one up on its first day on the market and I am told that there are plenty of very disappointed other Buyers out there that missed out on this fantastic deal and opportunity!
 FINALLY SOLD! 328 Loma Vista Santa Barbara, CA 93103 This home is located on a one block long street that many locals don't even know about! Between Sola, Laguna, Victoria and Garden streets and in the Historical District of Santa Barbara is a shingle sided Craftsman style Bungalow House. The location could not get any better for downtown living as it is very close to Alameda Park which has the popular Kids World playground and the peaceful Alice Keck Park as well as a hop skip and jump to all of the downtown amenities.
While the offer for this property was submitted more than one year ago, my patient Buyers waited for this short sale. Although I warned them of the "wild, wild West" of short sales, this one took a little longer than expected and we waited for 365 days (exactly to the day) for short sale approval and then closed 30 days after that! Usually I hope that my Buyers will miss my daily calls to update them, but in this case I think they will enjoy a much needed break from real estate. I promise that they are not all like this! No, really they aren't all like this...trust me;)
 Interested in making some Extra Money from your home while you are away? Consider renting out your home as a short term vacation rental or as a long term rental. There is strong demand for renters from all over the world wanting to come enjoy our oceanside paradise. DeAnn has successfully helped several clients and she can help you too. Here are a few current rentals DeAnn manages:
Email DeAnn for more information: DeAnn@GreenHomesSB.com |
