Ventura & Santa Barbara Counties Ranked Most Desirable in US

We're not the only ones who have fallen in love with the beautiful Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties! Based on the USDA's Natural Amenities Index, Ventura County has been named the most desirable place to live in America, followed closely by Santa Barbara County at #3. The Index looks at the best and worst places to live according to scenery and climate, and combines six measures of "environmental qualities most people prefer." Home to year-round sunshine, mild winters, and pristine beaches, it's no surprise that the Santa Barbara area has made it to the top of the list!

21 Dazzling Deck Ideas

Lounging around the deck takes on a whole new meaning when experts from your favorite DIY shows are behind the build.

Where Are Mortgage Rates Headed? This Fall? Next Year?

The interest rate you pay on your home mortgage has a direct impact on your monthly payment. The higher the rate the greater the payment will be. That is why it is important to look at where rates are headed when deciding to buy now or wait until next year.

Below is a chart created using Freddie Mac’s July 2015 U.S. Economic & Housing Marketing Outlook. As you can see interest rates are projected to increase steadily over the course of the next 12 months.

How Will This Impact Your Mortgage Payment?

Depending on the amount of the loan that you secure, a half of a percent (.5%) increase in interest rate can increase your monthly mortgage payment significantly.

Dr. Frank Nothaft, the SVP & Chief Economist for CoreLogic, had this to say in their latest MarketPulse:

“If you are thinking of buying a home and have the financial means to do so, this could be a good time to take a look at the neighborhoods you are interested in. We expect home prices in our national index to be up about 4.3% in the next 12 months, and mortgage rates are also likely to increase over the next year.”

If both the predictions of home price and interest rate increases become reality, families would wind up paying considerably more for their next home.

Bottom Line

Even a small increase in interest rate can impact your family’s wealth. Meet with a local real estate professional to evaluate your ability to purchase your dream home.

Price Growth Expectation in The Next 12 Months

REALTORS® who responded to the June 2015 survey expect prices to increase over a range of two to seven percent, with the median at 3.4 percent over the next 12 months, according to the June 2015 REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey Report. Since all real estate is local, price expectations varied across local markets and states. The map shows the median expected price change in the next 12 months for each state based on the April 2015–June 2015 RCI surveys.[1] REALTORS® from Colorado and Florida had the most upbeat price expectations, with a median expected price growth in the range of five to seven percent. In California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Minnesota, Georgia, New Hampshire, and the District of Columbia, the median expected price growth was four to five percent. Prices are expected to increase at a modest pace of less than three percent in many Northeast states as well as in the West North Central states.

5 Reasons You Should Sell Now

As the temperature continues to rise, buyers are coming out ready to purchase their dream home. Here are five reasons that you should list your house for sale now.

1. Strong Buyer Demand

Foot traffic refers to the number of people out actually physically looking at homes right now. The latest foot traffic numbers show that there are significantly more prospective purchasers currently looking at homes than at any point in the last two years!

These buyers are ready, willing and able to purchase… and are in the market right now! Take advantage of the buyer activity currently in the market.

2. There Is Less Competition Now

The National Association of Realtors reported last week that housing supply has slipped to a 5.0-month supply. This is still under the 6-month supply that is needed for a normal housing market.

This means, in most areas, there are not enough homes for sale to satisfy the number of buyers in that market. This is good news for home prices.

There is a pent-up desire for many homeowners to move as they were unable to sell over the last few years because of a negative equity situation. Homeowners are now seeing a return to positive equity as real estate values have increased over the last two years. Many of these homes will be coming to the market in the near future.

The choices buyers have will continue to increase. Don’t wait until all this other inventory of homes comes to market before you sell.

3. Home Prices Are Skyrocketing

Daren Blomquist, President of RealtyTrac, recently shared insights into why “2015 is a Great Year to Sell” by saying:

"So far in 2015, [sellers] are realizing the biggest gains in home price appreciation since 2007. In June, sellers sold for above estimated market value on average for the first time in nearly two years."

One major factor driving prices up is the lack of inventory available for the amount of buyers in the market. Often buyers, who find a home that they would like to make an offer on, are met with the reality that they aren’t the only ones interested.

4. There Will Never Be a Better Time to Move-Up

If you are moving up to a larger, more expensive home, consider doing it now.

Prices are projected to appreciate by over 19.4% from now to 2019. If you are moving to a higher priced home, it will wind-up costing you more in raw dollars (both in down payment and mortgage payment) if you wait. You can also lock-in your 30-year housing expense with an interest rate near 4% right now.

Rates are projected to increase by a full percentage point over the next year according to Freddie Mac.

5. It’s Time to Move On with Your Life

Look at the reason you decided to sell in the first place and determine whether it is worth waiting. Is money more important than being with family? Is money more important than your health? Is money more important than having the freedom to go on with your life the way you think you should?

Only you know the answers to the questions above. You have the power to take back control of the situation by putting your home on the market. Perhaps, the time has come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire.

That is what is truly important.

Just Sold! Hope Ranch, Ocean-View Estate

Great news! Just sold 4558 Via Esperanza, listed at $5,850,000! Another win for Team Ralston and Hitchcock! Stay tuned for more exciting updates.

Referral Agent Spotlight: Roh Habibi

We’re so excited to have had the opportunity to work with Roh Habibi, our go-to referral agent for San Francisco and the new star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing: San Francisco! Habibi has quickly made his mark as an expert in high-end Bay Area real estate, becoming one of San Francisco's top Realtors. A dedicated professional and authority on all things luxury real-estate, Habibi is a guru when it comes to San Francisco real estate and a pleasure to work with!

Bring Shade To Your Backyard

This poolside cabana, provides total shade for tired swimmers. View more ways to bring shade to your backyard.

Home Sales Will Remain Hot This Summer

People always talk about the “spring buying season” when they talk real estate. However, this year it appears as though the summer real estate market will be just as hot.

Just Sold! 4834 Sawyer Avenue, Carpinteria CA

We are happy to have represented another wonderful client in the purchase of their ideal home! This charming townhome in beachside Carpinteria features 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with a ground floor master, large loft, fantastic vaulted ceilings, gas fireplace, 2-car garage and private pool. Conveniently located in the heart of downtown and less than a mile to the beach.

Sold for $580,000

What If I Wait Until Next Year to Buy?

First-time homebuyers are flocking to the housing market in greater numbers than any time in the last few years. Renters who are ready and willing to buy are now realizing that they are also able to as well. Many first-time buyers are Millennials (born between 1981 – 1997).

If you are one of the many in this generation who sees your friends and family diving head first into the real estate market, and wonder if now is the time for you to do the same, keep reading!

The Cost of Waiting to Buy is defined as the additional funds it would take to buy a home if prices and interest rates were to increase over a period of time.

Let’s look at an example of what the experts are predicting for the upcoming year, and what that really would mean for you. Let’s say you’re 30 and your dream house costs $250,000 today. Right now mortgage interest rates are at or about 4%.

Your monthly mortgage payment (principal & interest only) would be $1,193.54.

But you’re busy, you like your apartment, and moving is such a hassle. You decide to wait until next year to buy. CoreLogic predicts that home prices will appreciate by 5.1% in the next 12 months; this means that same house you loved now costs, $262,750.

Freddie Mac predicts that over this same period of time, interest rates will be a full point higher at 5.0%. Your new payment per month is now $1,410.50.

The difference in payment is $216.96 PER MONTH!

That’s basically like taking $8 and tossing it out the window EVERY DAY!

Or you could look at it this way:

• That’s your morning coffee everyday on the way to work (average $2) with $10 left for lunch!
• There goes Friday Sushi Night! ($50 x 4)
• Stressed Out? How about a few deep tissue massages with tip!
• Need a new car? You could get a brand new car for $217 a month.

Let’s look at that number annually! Over the course of your new mortgage at 5.0%, your annual additional cost would be $2,603.52!

Had your eye on a vacation in the Caribbean? How about a 2-week trip through Europe? Or maybe your new house could really use a deck for entertaining. We could come up with 100’s of ways to spend $2,603, and we’re sure you could too!

Over the course of your 30 year loan, now at age 61, hopefully you are ready to retire soon, you would have spent an additional $78,105.60, all because when you were 30 you thought moving in 2015 was such a hassle or loved your apartment too much to leave yet.

Or maybe there wasn’t an agent out there who educated you on the true cost of waiting a year. Maybe they thought you wouldn’t be ready. But if they showed you that you could save $78,000 you’d at least listen to what they had to say.

They say hindsight is 20/20, we’d like to think that 30 years from now when you are 60, looking back, you would say to buy now…

Just Sold! 2869 Ben Lomond Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

 

We are incredibly happy to have negotiated a great price for our Buyer on this very special view property in Mission Canyon! This 2BD/1BA single story home is ideally situated to capture dazzling panoramic views of the ocean, islands, and the city from nearly every room!

Sold for $959,624