Experienced Real Estate Appraiser for All of Santa Barbara County

Including Santa Barbara, Montecito, Hope Ranch, Goleta, Carpinteria, Santa Ynez, Summerland, Lompoc, and Santa Maria 

Santa Barbara

Ever changing market trends affect the various neighborhoods which make up the City of Santa Barbara differently. These neighborhoods include the east and west side of the city, the Mesa, San Roque , the Riviera and Samarkand. Each neighborhood has its own unique market characteristics and offers unique challenges specific to that that segment of the real estate market.

As a real estate appraiser, experience and knowledge of each segment of the market is critical. In addition, each might offer sub-area markets within each neighborhood. I was born and raised in Santa Barbara which gives me, as a real estate appraiser, a unique and intimate knowledge of its unique markets.

Hope Ranch

Hope Ranch is considered one of the two most expensive and desirable neighborhoods in Santa Barbara. Comprised of good quality, custom-built homes varying in size, age, style and condition. Estimated population of Hope Ranch is between 2500 and 2800 with about 700 parcels, of which there are about 20 vacant sites.

The Hope Ranch Homeowners Association was formed in 1924 and is considered a quasi-governmental agency and maintains control over such matters as private zoning enforcement, architecture, security patrol, a private water company and road maintenance. All roads within Hope Ranch except Las Palmas, Roble Drive, Marina Drive and Vieja Road are private. There are no sidewalks, curbs or gutters which contribute to its rural setting and appeal. Member/residents have access to a private beach area with cabanas, tennis courts and bridle trails.

Having appraised real estate in this neighborhood for over 45 years gives me the background to offer the experience to perform sound basis appraisal analysis.

Montecito

Montecito, which has formed its own district, lies within the un-incorporated portion of the county adjacent to and east of City of Santa Barbara. My real estate appraisal experience in this area ranges from smaller bungalows to large estate type properties covering the wide range of real estate in this neighborhood.

Originally Montecito was developed as a wealthy residential community by and for many easterners with about 200 estates ranging in size from 30 to 200 acres. Today many of the large estates have since been subdivided with a wide range of housing varying in size, age and style, while maintaining its prestigious character and appeal.

Within the Montecito district there is an "upper and lower village" neighborhood shopping center with banks, grocery stores, shops and boutiques, which help it maintain its own unique identity. The two school districts in the neighborhood, Cold Spring and Montecito Union, are considered the most desirable in the county.

Goleta

The “Goleta Valley” is a coastal plain between the backdrop of Santa Ynez Mountains on the north and the ocean on the south, approximately three miles across. The Goleta Valley was a prominent lemon-growing region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was largely agricultural. The construction of Lake Cachuma provided water, enabling a housing boom and the establishment of research and aerospace firms in the area.

Goleta was incorporated as a city in 2002; a significant urbanized area remains unincorporated between the Cities of Goleta and Santa Barbara. Forty-five plus years of real estate appraisal experience has included assignments of single family homes, condos, apartments and commercial properties in thru-out the entire Goleta valley including Isla Vista.

Carpinteria

Carpinteria, located on the south coast of Santa Barbara County, is approximately 12 miles east of Santa Barbara. The city covers a land area of 2.6 square miles which includes the majority of residential population; the un-incorporated area north of the city is devoted to agricultural use. La Carpinteria or "The Carpenter Shop" was first used by the soldiers of the Gaspar de Portola Exhibition in 1769, when during their exploration of the California coast they observed the Chumash Indians building wooden plank canoes in the area.

Carpinteria, incorporated on September 28, 1965, includes an economy based primarily on agriculture, tourism and retail. Forty five plus years of real estate appraisal practice has given me a broad and extensive background knowledge and experience on the area and property trends and values. Types of properties appraised include single family residences, condo, apartments and commercial.

Santa Ynez

The Santa Ynez Valley, centrally in the County of Santa Barbara is approximately thirty miles north of the City of Santa Barbara and approximately thirty miles south of the City of Santa Maria. Its central location provides easy access to all major employment centers in the county. Santa Ynez Valley includes the Cities of Solvang and Buellton as well as the Towns of Santa Ynez, Los Olivos and Ballard. In terms of total numbers, this area is still relatively sparsely populated and will probably remain so into the foreseeable future making it a highly attractive and desirable location.

Residences which are located outside the cities and towns range are generally on site sites ranging from half acre to several acres in size. Housing through-out these areas have been developed with good quality residences built on a custom basis. Outlying properties, which is comprises the majority of the valley, has been zoned for a minimum of 10 to 100 acres. Zoning has been established to preserve the rural atmosphere that exists in the valley. The economy of the Santa Ynez Valley, originally which was agriculture and livestock oriented, is predominately based on tourism for which the City of Solvang is a major factor.

Today, only the larger parcels still operate cattle and horse ranches, with horses maintained on smaller parcels, as small as an acre, for recreation. In addition, the valley has gained a reputation for its local wineries and experiencing an expansion of vacant acreage to wine grape vineyards. Forty-five plus years of real estate appraisal work has included assignments has included residences small and larger thru-out the entire valley.

Summerland

In 1883, spiritualist and real estate speculator H.L. Williams founded the town of Summerland and divided his land tract, on a moderately sloping hill facing the ocean, into numerous parcels. He promoted the tiny lots – 25 x 60 – to fellow Spiritualists, who bought them in quantity and moved to the area. Tar from natural oil seeps in the Summerland area was long used as a sealant by the native peoples: in the 1890s, oil development began in the coastal area of Summerland, and ended in 1957 when Standard Oil Co. of California (now Chevron) found a large offshore oil field, several miles offshore, which was shut down in the 1990s.

Today, Summerland with its south facing slope with good ocean and island views has evolved into a residential community with strong market appeal. A commercial strip on Lillie Avenue with employment and major services in the Santa Barbara. My real estate appraisal experience includes many of the custom residences, apartments and commercial property in the Summerland area.

Lompoc

Rolling hills surround the Valley in the north, south and east. The level Valley is open at its western end to the Pacific Coast Shoreline. The city was incorporated on August 13, 1888. Before European settlers arrived, the area around Lompoc was inhabited by the Chumash. The city derived it’s name from a Chumashan term, "Lum Poc", which means "stagnant waters" or "lagoon". The Spanish called it "Lumpoco".

After the United States gained control of California in the Mexican–American War (1846–48), the valley was acquired by Thomas Dibblee, Albert Dibblee and William Welles Hollister. Hollister sold his share to the Lompoc Valley Land Company, and it was on that portion of the land that the present-day Lompoc was established as a temperance colony. Lompoc was originally intended to be named New Vineland, after the temperance colony in New Jersey. It then became a military town with the completion of nearby Camp Cooke (now Vandenberg Air Force Base).

Lompoc grew slowly until 1958, when the United States Air Force announced that the former Camp Cooke would be a test site for the Thor family of intermediate-range ballistic missiles and the first operational base for the SM-65 Atlas, an intercontinental ballistic missile. The city then began to grow rapidly to provide housing for thousands of civilians and contractors employed at what was soon renamed Vandenberg Air Force Base. It was the first missile base of the United States Air Force. The Space Shuttle program was slated to begin launches in the late 1980s, and the city experienced a boom in restaurant and hotel construction in anticipation of tourists coming to see shuttle launches. However, when the Challenger exploded during take-off from Cape Canaveral in 1986, the West Coast shuttle program was terminated, sending Lompoc into a severe recession.

Today, Lompoc is called "The City of Arts and Flowers" and is also becoming known for its wines. Lompoc housing includes additional several residential sub-neighborhoods of tract housing identified as Vandenberg Village-north, Vandenberg Village-south, Mesa Oaks and Mission Hills. Forty-five plus years of real estate appraisal experience has included appraisals thru-out the entire Lompoc area.

Santa Maria

The north portion of the county is dominated by the city and valley generally comprising Santa Maria. In the late 19th century, after California gained statehood in 1850, the area's rich soil attracted farmers and other settlers. By the end of the century, the Santa Maria River Valley had become one of the most productive agricultural areas in the state. In 1875 a new town was named Grangerville, then changed to Central City. It became Santa Maria on February 18, 1885, since mail was often being sent by mistake to Central City, Colorado. 

Oil exploration began in 1888, and over the next 80 years more large oil fields were found, and thousands of oil wells drilled and put into production. Oil development intensified in the 1930s which spurred the city's growth and by 1957 there were 1,775 oil wells in operation.

Agriculture is still a key component of the economy for the city and the entire region. The north portion of the county, in comparison to the south-coast, has been more receptive to growth. Forty-five plus years of real estate appraisal work has included assignments has included residences small and larger thru-out the entire Santa Maria region.