The SB Residency: Endless Summer, Montecito Edition
This issue is all Montecito, with one detour over the line. The calendar says October, the thermometer disagrees, and the market had a split personality this quarter. Let's get into it.
The Nitty Gritty
This issue's market, by the numbers.
Priced right, gone in a week. Priced hopeful, priced again. 8 of 38 Montecito homes sold in seven days or less, and 7 of those 8 closed at or above their original asking price. The 11 that sat past 100 days? They closed at a median of 82.5% of their original price, and every one of them closed at least 8% under. Same market, two very different outcomes. The difference was day-one pricing.
Montecito, single family homes
Closed sales, MLS District 10 (Montecito). Source: FLEX MLS.
- Jul 13 to Oct 11, 2026 (90 days): 38 sales, median price $5,292,500, median 64 days on market
- Sale price vs. list: homes closed at a median of 95.6% of their final list price, and 90.6% of their original list price
- Sold in a week or less: 8 homes, 7 of them at or above original asking price
- On the market more than 100 days: 11 homes, closing at a median of 82.5% of original asking price
- Where the sales landed: 18 under $5M, 11 from $5M to $10M, and 9 at $10M and up. The top sale was $19.5M. No single outlier is driving the median this window.
Inventory snapshot (as of Oct 12, 2026)
- Single family homes: 75 active, roughly 5.9 months of supply at the current pace
How I counted: closed single family sales in MLS District 10 (Montecito), July 13 to October 11, 2026. The district includes some homes with Santa Barbara mailing addresses. Condos are excluded. Three duplicate co-listing records and four closings that appear to be off-market deals (one day on market) are excluded. All figures are medians, not averages. "Original asking price" is the first list price. The active count removes six co-listing duplicates and one fractional ownership share. Source: FLEX MLS, deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Window Shopping
Some listings that caught my eye this issue.
Three this issue: Pepper Hill two ways, and one just over the line in Upper State.
1170 Glenview Road, Montecito: $14,250,000
4 bed, 5 bath, 5,664 sq ft on about 1.9 acres in the Pepper Hill enclave, built in 1970 and extensively remodeled. A single-level European villa with sweeping Pacific views, stone and slate, hand-applied plaster, and oak floors reclaimed from a monastery in France. Antique doors, mantels, and marble sinks sourced from across Europe. New to the market this month.
Listing courtesy of Nancy Hamilton, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. (MLS #26-3419)
346 Woodley Road, Montecito: $10,200,000
3 bed, 3 bath, 3,090 sq ft on about an acre, built in 1974. Same Pepper Hill enclave, opposite energy. Sculptural lines, big glass, and oversized double front doors that open to a coastal panorama. Mountain, ocean, and harbor views, every bedroom en suite, and an ocean-facing loggia.
Listing courtesy of Cristal Clarke, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. (MLS #26-3381)
3141 Calle Fresno, Santa Barbara: $2,995,000
The detour. 3 bed, 2 bath on about 0.19 of an acre in Upper State, built in 1945. A Craftsman inspired by the cottages of San Ysidro, with a stone hearth, Carrara marble, and an office or one-car garage. Out back: a saltwater pool, jacuzzi, outdoor kitchen, and firepit. Moments from Stevens Park and Upper State Street.
Listing courtesy of Erin Chadwick, Compass. (MLS #26-3384)
Quick note: none of the above are my listings, just three that caught my eye this issue. Full credit to the listing agents and offices named above.
This Issue's Vibe
Local adventurers, storytellers, eats & other must-follows.
Follow: @thesantabarbaraopen Pro beach volleyball at East Beach, with the AVP net up and the Channel Islands as the backdrop. If you've never watched the pros play on our sand, you're missing one of the best free shows in town. This year, Santa Barbara Volleyball Club, where I coach, was a sponsor, and our club helped work the event. Proud to see our players and families out there making it happen. Follow along for the next one.
Follow: @waylanwineco Brothers Brad and Greg Saarloos dreamed this one up on a flight home from France, after a trip spent visiting small family wineries. The name? Their middle names, Wayne and Alan, mashed together. Now it's one of the best tasting rooms on Grand Ave in Los Olivos: marble bar, hex tile, and a lineup that runs from Chenin Blanc to Syrah. Worth the drive over the pass.
House Radio
The soundtrack to the SB Residency, updated all the time.
Everything we're listening to here in Santa Barbara, updated all the time.
On repeat this issue: NoMBe. That's Noah McBeth, a classically trained pianist born in Germany who splits his time between LA and Hawaii. He calls his sound Electric Soul: indie, chillwave, and old-school soul in the same groove. Fun fact: Chaka Khan is his godmother. Two new adds to the playlist: "Wait," the slow burn, and "Summer's Gone" (with Thutmose), the perfect mid-October send-off for a town where summer doesn't really leave. Turn it up on the drive down Coast Village.
Currently Obsessed With: The Road to Doomsday
Whatever's got my attention this cycle, tool, trend, or otherwise.
Laying low with the hot weather we've had. I love movies, so I've been watching the Marvel series in order, leading up to the December 18 release of their next movie, Avengers: Doomsday. It's been super fun to revisit some of the older movies, and watching them in story order has been fun to do. A great way to beat the heat and have some fun. They're mostly all on Disney+.
Here's the pre-Doomsday watch order I'm following
Ready When You Are
Buying, selling, or just curious what it's worth? I'm here.
Thinking about Montecito, or anywhere from the Santa Ynez Valley to Ventura? Let's talk.
Todd Shea · Santa Barbara
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