Golden Hour Season

This issue is all Santa Barbara City, with a couple of detours to the Montecito side. The evenings are cooling off, the light has gone gold, and buyers are doing the math. Let's get into it.

The Nitty Gritty

This issue's market, by the numbers.

Buyers are here. They're just doing the math. Single family prices in Santa Barbara City came in about 6% under last year, and condos about 5% under. But more homes sold than a year ago, and they sold faster.

The homes that matched buyers' perceived value from day one moved in a few weeks. The ones that didn't sat. Same market, two very different outcomes.

One more thing. We count cumulative days on market, so a home that comes off and relists doesn't get a fresh clock. 15 of this window's 100 single family sales had been relisted before they sold.

Santa Barbara City, single family homes

Closed sales, MLS Areas 15 (SB/East of State) and 20 (SB/West of State). Source: FLEX MLS.

• Jul 24 to Oct 21, 2026 (90 days): 100 sales, median price $2,235,000, median 25.5 days on market
• Same window in 2025 (Jul 24 to Oct 21): 94 sales, median price $2,372,500, median 41 days on market
• Relisted before selling: 15 of 100

Santa Barbara City, condos

• Jul 24 to Oct 21, 2026 (90 days): 37 sales, median price $1,118,000, median 18 days on market
• Same window in 2025: 35 sales, median price $1,172,000, median 20 days on market

Inventory snapshot (as of Oct 22, 2026)

• Single family homes: 126 active, roughly 3.8 months of supply at the current pace
• Condos: 37 active, roughly 3.0 months of supply

How I counted: closed sales in MLS Areas 15 and 20, July 24 to October 21, 2026, compared to the same dates in 2025. Days on market are cumulative, including time before any relist. Excluded: duplicate listing records, manufactured homes, and closings that appear to be off-market deals (one day on market). All figures are medians, not averages. The active counts remove two duplicate listings, one package listing that duplicates individual units, and one boat slip record. Source: FLEX MLS, deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Window Shopping

Some listings that caught my eye this issue.

Three this issue: two from the Montecito side, and one brand new above the Pacific in Santa Barbara.

540 El Bosque Road, Montecito: $7,299,000

5 bed, 4 bath on about half an acre in Montecito's Golden Quadrangle, built in 1913 and renovated. Designer Brigit Klein paired the farmhouse bones with board and batten walls, a Calacatta marble kitchen, and hand applied Tadelakt plaster. Outside, it has two fireplaces, a fire pit under mature oaks, a cutting garden, and an orchard of citrus, stone fruit, figs, and apples. String lights run through the trees.

Listing courtesy of Cristal Clarke, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. (MLS #26-3503)

2315 Ortega Ranch Road, Montecito: $9,795,000

4 bed, 4.5 bath, about 4,100 sq ft of single-level Spanish estate on 5 acres in the private Ortega Ranch community above Summerland. It has walls of French doors, 11 foot beamed ceilings, and ocean views from nearly every room, including the primary suite with its stone fireplace. Roughly 2 fenced acres give you room to garden or play, and the 3 car garage is 913 sq ft.

Listing courtesy of Jacob Delson and Bartron Real Estate, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. (MLS #26-3521)

3150 Sea Cliff, Santa Barbara: $23,000,000

New to the market this week. A 4 bed, 4 bath main house plus a guest house on 2.4 acres above the Pacific, newly built in 2025. It was designed by Anacapa/Geoff April, built by Bottenfield Construction, with interiors by Alexander Design and landscape by Bosky. Inside, a sunken living room and pocket doors frame the ocean, and the kitchen has Gaggenau appliances. Outside, there's a pool, cedar soaking tub, sauna, fire pits, and an edible garden.

Listing courtesy of The Ebbin Group and Gregory Rogove, Compass. (MLS #26-3548)

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: @sandboxsb Coworking, private offices, and event space at 414 Olive Street. The garage door rolls up, there's a living wall out front, and the community actually shows up. The best part is who you end up working next to: entrepreneurs, creatives, tech folks, and whoever else wandered in with a laptop and a good idea. That's very Santa Barbara.

Follow: @sbbubblylounge A sparkling wine speakeasy tucked into historic El Paseo, pouring flights of California bubbles made the traditional Champagne way. Pink neon, a leather couch, and a cozy corner to settle into. Golden hour season calls for something sparkling.

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: Zach Bryan's new EP, Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs. It's eight songs, with Lana Del Rey and Turnpike Troubadours along for the ride. There are two new adds to the playlist: "Lodi When," and "Lies" with Lana Del Rey. Fire pit music, if there ever was any.

Listen on Spotify

Currently Obsessed With: No Gatekeeping: Hat Brands You Don't See on Everyone

Whatever's got my attention this cycle, tool, trend, or otherwise.

This one's just for fun. I've been obsessed lately, well, maybe always, with unique hats. So no gatekeeping from me: here are some really good brands you might not see on everyone. I always get compliments when I wear these.

• Malbon Husband and wife Stephen and Erica Malbon started it in Los Angeles in 2017, with a fashion-forward take on golf. It works on the course and everywhere else. Mine's the script M.
• Bare Knuckles Started in 2017 by Jacob Keller and Cole McBride, with new collections dropping monthly. That's the Electric patch on camo in the photo, and their logo hats are the move.
• Eliora Washed, broken-in caps in colors like aged blue and sage, the kind that look like you've owned them for years. Classic shapes, made to be worn constantly. Mine's the script E.
• Aimé Leon Dore Teddy Santis started it in Queens in 2014. Mine has the Unisphere from the old World's Fair grounds stitched in gold. Clean, classic, and New York all over.

Ready When You Are

Buying, selling, or just curious what it's worth? I'm here.

Thinking about Santa Barbara, or anywhere from the Santa Ynez Valley to Ventura? Let's talk.

Get in touch