No. 002 · August 18, 2026

The SB Residency: Office Hours, Poolside

Just got back from Cancun with the family: new place, good sun, real time with Melissa and the kids. Still stayed dialed in with buyers and sellers the whole trip. That's Office Hours, Poolside in a nutshell: be present for your people wherever you are, and still show up for the ones counting on you back home. This issue's got a Montecito market check, three listings worth a second look, and what's been keeping me on track while I'm out there living it.

The Nitty Gritty

This issue's market, by the numbers.

Montecito, Single-Family Homes (July 2026, via FLEX MLS)

• Median sold price: $5,422,500. Worth a caveat here: Montecito only sees about 10 sales a month, so the median swings hard. June came in at $8,675,000, and July last year was $9,500,000. The average sold price, $6,887,000, gives a steadier read.
• Active listings: 53, up from 34 back in January. Inventory has been climbing steadily all year.
• Average days on market: 74.4 days, more than double June's 35.4. Homes are sitting longer as more choices hit the market.
• New listings: 21 in July, with 10 sold. Supply is outpacing demand right now.

The read: don't get hung up on the median swinging month to month, that's a small-sample market doing what small-sample markets do. The real story is inventory building since January while days on market climbs right along with it. More to choose from, more time to choose it. If you've been waiting for room to negotiate, this is what that looks like.

Stats reflect single-family homes in Montecito only, not condos, not the wider county. We rotate through a different market each issue.

Window Shopping

Some listings that caught my eye this issue.

3211 Padaro Lane, Carpinteria: $7,950,000

Not in Montecito, but it earns its spot this issue anyway. Coastal-close, quietly done, the kind of place that makes "working from home" sound pretty good. 4 bed | 4 bath | 2,305 sqft. Listing courtesy of Aaron Gilles, Village Properties. (MLS #26-2673)

2150 Ten Acre Road, Montecito: $5,795,000

This is the Office Hours, Poolside listing. Pool in the backyard, golf course right past the hedge, mountains behind that. Hard to imagine a bad day here. Casey and the Village Properties team also did a nice job with the virtual renderings on this one, worth a look at the listing to see what the space could become. 3 bed | 3.5 bath | 3,154 sqft. Listing courtesy of Casey Turpin, Village Properties. (MLS #26-2654)

135 Pomar Lane, Montecito: $6,060,000

Big oak trees, a courtyard built for lounging, and that classic Montecito quiet. The kind of outdoor living space that does most of the selling on its own. 3 bed | 3 bath. Listing courtesy of Marsha Kotlyar Estate Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. (MLS #26-2713)

See something you like? Reach out and let's talk. Not my listings. Sharing because they caught my eye. I'm happy to show you any of these or find something that fits even better.

This Issue's Vibe

Local adventurers, storytellers, eats & other must-follows.

Follow: @miliospizzasb

Margherita, blistered crust, fresh basil. Simple done right always wins.

Follow: @thelilliesummerland

A needlepoint, heirlooms, and mahjong studio tucked into Summerland. Part boutique, part hangout, exactly the kind of small-town gem that makes this stretch of coast worth slowing down for.

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. Listen on Spotify

On repeat this issue: 7 Seas by Dirty Heads. Huntington Beach's own reggae, hip-hop, and rock mashup dropped their ninth studio album this June, their first new full-length since 2022. The title track "Seven Seas" and the album opener are both sitting at the top of the SB Residency playlist right now. If you've followed these guys since "Lay Me Down," this one's a return to the sun-soaked, feel-good sound that made them SoCal staples in the first place.

Currently Obsessed With: My Personal Dashboard

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

Built this myself using Claude and OpenClaw, and it's become the thing keeping me honest while I'm out here living the "Office Hours, Poolside" life. It tracks my goals, business and personal, and turns staying on track into something closer to a game than a chore. Even with the family time, the travel, and every other distraction vacation throws at you, I'm still hitting my numbers. Turns out a little gamification goes a long way.

If you're thinking about building your own: don't just track the big outcome numbers, track the daily actions that actually move them. A goal like "close more deals" is too far away to feel real every day. "Make one client touch" isn't. Pick a handful of daily actions across the areas that matter to you and let the streaks do the motivating. The scoreboard doesn't lie, and that's the point.

The other key is covering every part of your life, not just work. Mine is broken into a few buckets: work and money, health and energy, mind, and family and presence. If it only tracks the business side, you'll optimize for deals and quietly let everything else slide. Build it so all of it is in front of you at once.

And keep it everywhere. Mine's up on my phone, my home computer, and my laptop, so it's staying top of mind no matter where I am or what I'm doing. Out of sight is out of mind, and the whole point is that it never leaves your sight.

Ready When You Are

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

Thinking about buying, selling, or just want to know what your place is worth in this market? Let's talk. No pressure. It's always worth the conversation.

Get in touch →