sales up 33% from last year in santa barbara county

As of lately, fantastic weather has graced our seaside town. Things aren't just looking up outside, however: Our office has been booming with action. We have proudly closed nearly $110 million in sales since January, a new record for us. In fact, the southern Santa Barbara County real estate market is up 33% in sales compared with last year.  

We're thrilled to see the market upturn, as increases in high end real estate sales bodes well for the market in general, boosting consumer confidence.

Additionally, we have some exceptional mega listings coming up and will have some beautiful things to share here. Stay tuned because can't wait to show them off!

beautiful kitchens: eat your heart out (part two)

As promised, today we bring you part two of our kitchens feature. We briefly spoke about the importance of a well-appointed kitchen these days, especially with a cultural shift in how Americans use their kitchens. In other words, increasingly more people are using their kitchens as a central social zone in their homes, foregoing separate dining rooms in favor of enjoying meals directly within the kitchen itself. Here are some more of our favorite kitchens from various Montecito real estate listings-- ones we definitely want to spend time in.

1. We love how this kitchen places bright, white marble with dark cabinetry and hardware; it creates a sleek, yet prominent contrast.

2. Country style kitchens tend to feel the most inviting and easy to spend time in. The use of open spaces and an immediate eat-in area makes this one feel particularly social.

3. Another lovely country-style kitchen, this more charmingly-sized space uses lots of bright white, light countertops, and a bit of sheen to maximize cheerfulness. This creates a perfect balance between refreshing and cozy.

4. Country kitchens can take on a Mediterranean flair, like this one, which has a touch of Tuscan villa and looks out over the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez mountain range.

5. Kitchens with less space can still be spectacular, with beautiful beamed ceilings, gleaming granite counter tops,  stainless steel appliances, and stone tile back splashes.

beautiful kitchens: eat your heart out (part one)

Over the years, kitchens have become a more and more important part of the home. Throughout most of the history of the kitchen-- especially in high-end homes-- it was closed off from the rest of the home, considered more of a workspace than a living one. The popularity of cooking as a creative outlet and admirable skill encouraged the trend of open kitchens, eat-in kitchens, and kitchens suited for socializing in. Today, the kitchen can be the most important room of a home and many buyers will make decisions based primarily on this room. A well-appointed kitchen can be a spectacular place to spend time with family and friends, and thus a major selling point for a home.

We adore lovely kitchens and appreciate the many styles that can be done. Here are a few of our favorites from our current and recent Montecito real estate listings:

1. Between the view, eat-in kitchen, and center island, this Mediterranean kitchen was certainly designed to spend some quality time in.

2. This very white kitchen with over-sized spaces and counter tops, and a pitched ceiling achieves a very heavenly feel.

3. This kitchen, in a modern, Spanish-style home, features another white-based space that is far from bland. Dark accents and exquisite details make it feel refreshing yet opulent.

4. Stainless steel and sleek lines make this contemporary kitchen so beautiful, you'll forget there are other rooms to relax in.

5. Vintage-style appliances make this country kitchen an incredible and unique living space.

These are merely but a few impressive spaces; we'll be back soon to showcase some more exceptional kitchens, including old world Mediterranean styles and kitchens that make a small space a gorgeous one.

Luxury Portfolio features La Pumada for its "captivating ceiling"

Recently, one of our favorite high-end real estate affiliations, Luxury Portfolio, chose to feature our La Pumada property alongside a group of properties with "captivating ceilings."

Indeed, intricate, hand-painted ceilings grace the living and dining rooms of this estate. The amount of craftsmanship and artistry that has gone into this ceiling-- along with the similarly exceptional details that cover every corner of the house-- make this property the gem that it is. Such intricacies seem almost dreamlike and otherworldly, and thus walking through La Pumada feels downright heavenly.

We don't like to play favorites, but if we had to, La Pumada would be at the top of our list.

More photos of La Pumada, a Montecito estate.

Here are a few other captivating ceilings Luxury Portfolio featured:

1. A very jungle-like, natural ceiling on this Sierra Blanca Estate, Marbella Golden Mile, Spain:

2. Quite contemporary in composition, the ceiling of this Moroccan Villa works beautifully with the traditional shapes and patterns, Marrakech, Morroco:

3. We love the sleek, yet natural look in this Architectural Estate, Beverly Hills, California:

4. For those with ultra-chic, avante garde taste, who never grew out of their love for tree houses, the Villa Due Mari fulfills dreams, Sardinia, Italy:

popular home styles for 2012

Yahoo Real Estate published an interesting article today about the most popular home styles of 2012. We decided this would be a great opportunity to discuss their findings and showcase the many beautiful listings we currently have that fit each category.

1. One of the most popular styles right now is the modern home. Clean lines, simple floor plans, and easy, open spaces. The modern design leaves out decorative details in favor of industrial materials like glass, steel, and concrete.

Our property on Olive Mill Road honors the modern style with bold splashes of color and unique architectural details.

While not overtly modern-esque, our newly-built Hot Springs property features an open, flowing floor plan, geometric lines, and a clean aesthetic in a modern style. The home's Spanish flair adds a bit of intrigue for contemporary style-lovers who want a bit of detail.

2. Neo-Mediterranean homes look fantastic on Montecito and Santa Barbara foothills and coastal cliffs. Local architects have always recognized this and built (and continue to build) in this style accordingly.

One of our most stunning properties is a Mediterranean home graciously overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

A brand new construction, this next home features state-of-the-art amenities with a grand, old-world feel.

One of the most beloved features of the Neo-Mediterranean style is its eye-catching, red spanish-tiled rooftops. Another newer construction, this Mediterranean beauty graces the foothills and overlooks Montecito's one-of-a-kind coastline.

Ornate details, while out of place in modern homes, can figure beautifully into the Mediterranean style. In this home, intricate details warm up grand spaces.

3. Craftsman style homes have captured the adoration of Americans across the country for over a century. They are perhaps one of the few distinctive styles that have timeless charm.

Our historic listing on Ashley Road offers the best of the style, with a wrap-around porch, and decorative brackets and gables. Its artistic details make every room feel special and it looks like it belongs among the giant oak trees that decorate its landscape.

27th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival

At the end of January, Santa Barbara bustles with excitement as the film festival takes over. When Santa Barbarans and Montecitians look up at the night sky from January 26th until February 4th, they will see the Arlington theater's light beams darting around, old Hollywood style. State Street lights up with red carpets that beckon the year's Oscar nominees. The whole week has a very special tinge in the air.

While Hollywood usually sits in the film culture spotlight, the attention turns about 100 miles northward for just 11 days out of the year. This year's festival promises lots of fun and excitement, as always. We wish everyone involved a fantastic time and the festival continuing success!

rebecca riskin & associates ranked top agent in santa barbara

We are incredibly thrilled to announce that the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) has ranked Rebecca Riskin & Associates  Santa Barbara's top selling agent in 2011. This honor is such an inspiration to us, and one for which we can thank our exceptional clients and colleagues.

Here are some gorgeous listings whose sales allowed our success:

Edgecliff Beach Cottage

Italian Villa on the Prestigious Picacho Lane

Butterfly Beach Home

Sophisticated Santa Barbara Riviera Jewel

European Country Estate in Montecito

Parra Grande Creekside Home

Again, we can't thank the community enough for its support this past year. We wish a very prosperous 2012 to all!

a very special property

One of our most recent Montecito real estate listings on Ashley Road has an incredible history. We love working with properties that have an enticing past and truly believe one of the best things about Montecito is its rich history-- something unique to come by in California. Not surprisingly, we weren't the first ones to recognize our area's paradisial beauty!

The original Oglivy house was built in the early 1900s by Scottish immigrant Arthur T. Oglivy as a farmhouse surrounded by lemon groves. Famous architect J.L Curletti designed the distinctive craftsman style home. Arthur T., wife Jessie Alexander, and their only son, Arthur Edward, lived in the barn while they constructed the shingled, two-story home.

Arthur T. was a popular resident of Montecito, and the Oglivy house was known for its hospitality and casual social gatherings. The family regularly participated in community events and entertained visitors often. San Ysidro Ranch has records of Arthur T. taking advantage of its "low summer rates" in 1893-- the famous resort's first year in business.

The property enjoyed a few wells, one of which produced enough water for the Oglivys to start a drinking water business called Oglivy Artesian Water Company. For almost 30 years until 1947, people would bring jars to the Oglivy well to quench their thirst.

Son Arthur E. attended Cold Spring School before heading off to Yale. After graduating, he returned to Montecito and began working at his uncle's insurance firm, Oglivy-Hill insurance, which is still in practice today. In 1927, he hired architect George Washington Smith to build him a home on the south end of the property, now 650 Ashley Road.  Like his father, Arthur E. became a well-loved local figure in Montecito.

Mrs. Oglivy died at age 90 in 1955, with Arthur E. following shortly after in 1960 at age 71. Their deaths marked the end of the Oglivy presence in Montecito.

In 1959, Donald and Ellen Armour of the Armour Meatpacking Empire bought the Oglivy house. According to neighborhood chatter, Donald's penchant for mismanaging money forced the couple to abandon the home with all furniture in tact, vanishing forever.

The following year, Todd and Gail Campbell purchased the home, where they raised four children and several grandchildren. Recently, one of the Campbell children returned the home's original brass doorbell cover, which is now back in its original place.

Julia Emerson bought and restored the home in 1984. She worked hard to get the house back to its original state, re-painting walls white and stripping linoleum away to reveal the original Douglas Fir floors beneath. She updated the kitchen and carefully restored the original pantry. Julia hired landscape architect Nancy Goslee Powers (who designed the driveway around the Norfolk Island Pine that was planted when the home was built), and updated the home's electricity and plumbing to match modern standards.

In the spirit of the Oglivy family, Julia Emerson frequently hosted worldly guests at the home, including the Dalai Lama and a team of monks who meditated at the home for weeks to bless the property before his arrival. As a gift, one of the monks carved a Tibetan prayer into a piece of sandstone, which is now embedded within the front porch.

All of the home's residents who came after the Emersons likewise became beloved members of the community, with the home carrying on its reputation as a lively social gathering spot; the home has traditionally hosted Easter egg hunts, intergenerational bocce tournaments, and summer concert series.

Residents have continued to restore the home over the years, with exquisite care to maintaining original details, while updating its features to the highest end of standards.

The home is truly a treasure trove of community joy nestled in the heart of Montecito.

The Oglivy home today:

The Montecito Association's New Website

One of the best aspects of living in Montecito is residing in a tight-knit, involved community. At the center of the community sits the Montecito Association, a nonprofit organization that unites local businesses and individuals with the city and each other. It is supported directly by its members for whom it monitors, and thus protects, issues affecting the area.

This week, the Montecito Association proudly unveiled its new website, which provides a plethora of new services for members and the community in general-- it's a great place to check out all things Montecito. Quoting the Montecito Association, some of the new features include:

-Updates on current issues affecting Montecito

-Secure payment system that accepts online payment for membership dues

-Community calendar featuring local events of interest

-Useful links to community resources

-Spotlight opportunities for area nonprofits

-Photo gallery and uploader showcasing Montecito scenes and festivities

-Community Hall rental information

If you're a Montecito resident, property owner, or business, be sure to make great use of this new forum. If you're not a member yet, we recommend that, too!

A Day at the Greystone Mansion

Last Friday, December 2nd, Luxe Interiors + Design magazine put on its "Maison de Luxe" event at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. Twenty-four lauded designers decorated the historic mansion's rooms to their hearts' desires.

We decided it would be a great opportunity to head down to L.A. for the day and check it out. While there, we received a wonderful tour of the mansion's expertly-decorated interiors and attended a lecture featuring four of the designers on the panel.

The over 46,000-square-foot mansion (for comparison, our biggest Montecito estate clocks in at 30,000 sq. ft.) was built in 1928 for the Doheny family on over 18 acres. The property is now a landmark, restored by nonprofit Friends of Greystone with tours and events run by the city's Parks & Recreation Department. Obviously, this estate is truly magnificent, especially what with the internationally-renowned designers having gotten their hands on it.

Here are some photos of our wonderful day there.

Montecito also has some amazing historic homes and estates-- take a look at some of our favorites here.

Our Montecito Holiday Gift Guide

1. Lend some warmth to your loved ones with the Hermés lightweight jacquard blanket. The equestrian print fits perfectly in a Hope Ranch estate or a Montecito Country Estate, not to mention, the Hermés family are Montecito residents. Hermes Finish Blanket, $1850

2. This Jo Malone candle will turn a house into a home with one flick of a match. Bring one when you visit your favorite hostess. Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Luxury Candle, $400

3. Look locally for the bottle of vino that will wow even the most discerning wine connoisseur. With Jonata's luxurious cab, you can bet you'll bring something new to the table (and to your friends' palates)-- the ultra exclusive winery is one of the best-kept secrets of the California wine industry. Jonata Wines 2008 El Desafio de Jonata, Cabernet Sauvignon, $125

4. Montecito's beaches wouldn't be the same without the its residents' ubiquitous, beloved pooches. A bed with graphics as appealing as luxury pet brand, Blueblood's, not only makes a great gift for Fido, but looks wonderful in a Montecito beach estate. Blueblood "Cardiff By The Sea" Trellis Bed, $105-210

5. Wrap an electronic gift as exquisitely as possible with Chloe's tablet case. The tassels add a touch of couture to the simply sleek design. Chloé Leather iPad Case, $600

6. Local jeweler Daniel Gibbings presents an African-style, gold-and-silver confection. The exotic look honors the bohemian-chic style Montecito has become known for. Daniel Gibbings Safari Five Strand Cross Gold and Silver Elephant Hair Bracelet, $245

Historic El Encanto Hotel to Re-Open

The El Encanto Hotel was approved for $45 million toward reconstruction on Tuesday, November 15.

Built in the early 1920s, the building entertains a rich history and has a reputation as a landmark in the city. El Encanto sits on Santa Barbara's "riviera," a premiere part of the city that perches up on the Santa Ynez mountain range foothills in an idyllic setting that looks over Santa Barbara's Spanish-tiled rooftops and the entire coastline (Our Mission Ridge listing is also on the riviera, nearby the hotel).

The historic building has been closed for construction for almost eight years now, halted by adjustments in plans, concerned neighbors, and necessary bureaucratic approval processes.

Hopefully, the $45 million will revive the project, propelling it to open by late 2012, as the developers have projected. Still, the city of Santa Barbara, especially, is known for taking its homeowner's complaints seriously, even in the face of multimillion dollar commercial proposals. Ideally, the riviera neighborhood and El Encanto's developers will agree on a way to restore the famed hotel.

Five Reasons to Become a Homeowner

With bad press about home foreclosures and other homeownership issues, many are ambivalent at best about purchasing a home. We still think that owning a home is a one of the best things you can do in your life. Realty Times compiled a great list of reasons why, which we summarize here: 1. Equity. Every month, your rent check goes directly into your landlord's pocket and out of yours forever. While purchasing a home certainly costs a chunk of money in the way of inspections, a down payment, etc., that money will be back in your pocket in time. Historical trends show that home values rise by four to six percent each year-- there are many areas in which homes have continued appreciating as so. Meanwhile, experts say that places in which the housing market has been hit harder by the recession will see recovery. Owning a home is ideally a long-term investment. For instance, homes purchased in the year 1960 probably go for ten times that price in the modern market.

2. Relationships: Renters generally experience a less stable flow of neighbors moving in and out. Leases range anywhere from a month to a year usually at most, which means tenants come and go pretty easily. Similarly, there a typically not as many social spaces in apartments complexes where neighbors can congregate. On the other hand, most homeowners get much cozier and settled in, thus building relationships that outlast several years. In order to simply regarner their initial expenses, homeownners must stay put for at least three to five years. Healthy, stable relationships lead to a much more contented lifestyle for most. Not to mention, homeowners have yards, clubhouses, community pools, walking trails, and several other places where they can meet and socialize.

3. Predictability: The options of having a fixed-rate term on the mortgage allows for predictability. As so, the amount you pay remains the same throughout the entirety of the term. If you pay $700 each month right now, then you will pay that each month ten years from now, too. This makes building a budget and fiscal plans a much easier and stabler task. With the sub-prime crisis, many people who paid an adjustable rate mortgage on their homes faced spikes in their monthly payments. However, with a fixed rate, owning a home allows planning out major expenses and thus the rest of your financial life doable.

4. Ownership: Simply put, homeownership means owning a home. An obvious statement, sure, but one that means some serious benefits. Homeowners may customize their spaces to their particular preferences. They have the opportunity to virtually create their dream homeswithout answering to anyone, really (except, of course, the Home Owner's Association, which tends to be more lenient than a landlord). As a homeowner, you can construct your own landscape, splash your walls with your favorite colors, and renovate every corner of your home based on what you personally like. While homeowners have near full control of personalization in their spaces, renters have to deal with the boring, cookie-cutter decor so often put into units to please the widest range of people possible. Landlords are also less likely to update the spaces they rent out for decades, leaving their tenants stuck with outdated places.

5. Great Deals: It's a buyer's market right now, with interest rates as low as ever, by up to a whopping two percent in some cases. People who buy homes today will see major savings. The cost of real estate has taken a nose dive with the economy's downturn, making it easier than ever before to purchase a house. People with reliable incomes and some cash to make a down payment should meet with a local real estate agent to talk about the possibility of buying a home in your city that could work well for them.

Christie's International Real Estate Pulls in $247,597,000 at its Evening Sale

Article from here: Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale, including the first part of the Peter Norton Collection, achieved $247,597,000 (£153,510,140/ €178,269,840) demonstrating the continuing appeal of this category among collectors worldwide. Thirty-three works sold for over the $1 million mark and 16 new world auction records were established for artists including Roy Lichtenstein, Paul McCarthy, Charles Ray, Louise Bourgeois, among others.

The top lot of the sale was Roy Lichtenstein’s, I Can See the Whole Room…and There's Nobody in It!, which set a new auction record of $43,202,500 (₤26,785,550/€31,105,800). Painted in 1961, it is one of the earliest and most important of Lichtenstein's Pop Art pictures, formerly in the collection of the pioneering collectors Emily and Burton Tremaine. The previous record for a Lichtenstein work was for Ohhh ... Alright..., 1964, sold at Christie’s New York in November 2010 for $42.6 million.

“This is an extremely strong sale result, with great depth of bidding across multiple genres and periods, from the great giants of Pop Art to the strongest artists of the 1990s and the 2000s,” said Brett Gorvy, Chairman and International Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art at Christie’s. “The world’s top ten collectors were present in the saleroom tonight, and a global community of collectors was bidding aggressively on works by the pre-eminent artists in this category – from Lichtenstein to Bourgeois, Ligon to McCarthy, Gursky to Ray. We are delighted to report more than a dozen new records for many well-deserving artists, and a new top price for any photograph sold at auction.”

RR & Associates Ranks #40 in America

 On September 6, the Wall Street Journal named Rebecca Riskin & Associates #40 in its ranking of the top Real Estate Teams in the United States, thus becoming a member of "The Thousand Top Real Estate Professional." This is an exciting ode to our accomplishments and we have been thrilled to be part of such a prestigious list; it means we are ranked in America's top one-half percent of realtors! The Thousand Top Real Estate Professionals honored the top 250 residential agents and agent teams split up into four lists-- individual agents and teams, and then one list for each sales by volume and number of transactions.

Thanks to the wonderful grand estates we work with, we were ranked for our high sales volume, with sales totaling $98,105,000. Considering our team consists of just three agents, we are extremely proud of our position.

“The best individual agents and teams – including Rebecca Riskin & Associates' award-winning efforts – were nothing short of phenomenal considering the challenging real estate market,” said Steve Murray, founder of Denver-based publishing and communications company REAL Trends, which compiled the list.  “Ironically, if you look at the top 250 in each category you will find that collectively, their sales volume and transaction sides held up quite nicely compared with the market as a whole.”

“Becoming a member of such an elite group as the The Thousand  Top Real Estate Professionals is an incredible accomplishment in any market, but what Rebecca Riskin & Associates did during these challenging times is impressive on so many levels,” said Marti Gallardo, vice president, Global Sales, Vertical Markets Advertising for The Wall Street Journal. "Their efforts topped 99.99 percent of the more than 1 million REALTORS nationwide.”

Indeed, in such a challenging economic time, we cannot say how grateful we feel for our fantastic clients and colleagues who enable our success. We hope to continue sharing our passion for extraordinary properties in Montecito, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, and Summerland.

The four lists of the The Thousand can be found at:

http://realtrends.com/products/top-1000-sales-professionals/individual-sides http://realtrends.com/products/top-1000-sales-professionals/individual-volume

http://realtrends.com/products/top-1000-sales-professionals/team-sides

http://realtrends.com/products/top-1000-sales-professionals/team-volume

The Thousand Top Real Estate Professionals awards program was developed jointly by The Wall Street Journal’s Business Development Group and REAL Trends, a leading source of analysis and information for the residential real estate brokerage industry.  The Real Estate Top 1,000 honors America’s elite real estate agents and their companies and is compiled and analyzed by REAL Trends.