FEDERAL STIMULUS WILL HELP HOMEOWNERS

Despite all the controversy around the economic stimulus package, the intention of any stimulus is be a catalyst-influencing something else to happen. Creating movement in these ever changing economic times is essential and will present excellent opportunities for homeowners.

One available option right now, and well worth the time and expense, is to re-finance your current First Trust Deed. With conforming loans increasing to $729,000, now is the best time in years to lock in a fixed rate on your home. These new 30 year loans come with fixed rates in the low 5 percent range. Looking at your current mortgage, is it over 6 percent? Are you currently in an adjustable rate mortgage? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, it is time to think about re-financing your home. Even if you have done so in the last few years, the savings on the interest rate will cover the costs of the new loan in a matter of a few months. If you have any questions about your current mortgage, or want to know more about the new conforming loans, call me! I can help you get all the right information that will save you thousands of dollars a year.

Current market conditions allow homeowners to reduce their property taxes!

Lately, the news for homeowners has been all about lost values. Here is a way to take advantage of this situation and put cash back into your household. With property values declining, you as a home owner are allowed to take advantage of this decrease in value by re-assessing your property at today's values, thereby reducing your property tax liability.

If you purchased your home in the last 5 years, chances are the current value may be less than what you paid for the property. In many cases, the new assessed value could now be thousands less than the original purchase price. With my help, the process is easy. Many of my friends and clients have received letters in the mail and others have downloaded information from independent companies that charge up to $500 to process these documents but together we can get this done for little or no cost to you. Stop paying higher property taxes today. I'm here to answer any questions you may have about this legal and easy way to reduce your current property tax bill.
Together, we can put you back in control, and remember, be the change you wish to see.

Always at your service, with the guiding hand of optimism,


John

Santa Barbara Sunsets, Tapas, and Fireworks - The Mesa is Calling You!

480 Terrace, Santa Barbara, California 93109

I've been so excited about this unique Mesa property because it offers buyers such great VALUE with its amazing location and stylish remodel! The 3 bedroom/2 bath home sits proudly above Cliff Drive with guaranteed spectacular views. In addition to a welcoming great room with soaring ceilings, the home features a large master suite with corner ocean views and a sophisticated kitchen - perfect for enjoying comfortable meals at home or entertaining guests in style.

Other highlights of this property include two downstairs bedrooms with eco-friendly bamboo floors and a large two car garage (with additional space perfect for expanding into an additional craft room or office). You can enjoy the private patio and large wrap-around backyard year-round, especially during the annual Santa Barbara 4th of July fireworks extravaganza.

The Mesa is a really special neighborhood because it offers quiet, convenience, and some of Santa Barbara's best parks and beaches. You will be happy to know that the local's favorite source for wholesome and organic foods - Lazy Acres - is located just around the corner. I also go there because I love their fresh bakery and deli items!

There are some great restaurants just down the road at the Santa Barbara Marina. And you'll quickly discover why locals also enjoy the Mesa Cafe - a casual spot with a large selection of comfort foods and modern cuisine. Another fun place to dine any night of the week is Alcazar (parent restaurant of downtown hot spot Milk & Honey) - great tapas and coconut mojitos!

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that his house puts you just minutes from Shoreline Park, where amazing sunsets are scheduled nightly.

Weekend Dilemma: Too Much To See and Do in Santa Barbara's Rich Cultural Community

Happy Friday everyone!

With the whole weekend ahead of me, I've decided to blog a little about the cultural offerings in Santa Barbara. If I were to cover absolutely everything I could experience in any given weekend here, I would have to get into more of a treatise on the pros and cons of living somewhere where there is ALWAYS something interesting happening. From cultural festivals to live performances and visual arts - there really is something for everybody.

This weekend is the annual Greek Festival held in Oak Park. The quiet neighborhood park is transformed into a shady summertime gathering place for people of all ages to enjoy great food and entertainment. I love this event because it gives me an excuse to walk through the charming Samarkand neighborhood and take in all the delightful cottage-style homes on the surrounding streets. Then waiting just around the corner are the lively Greek musicians and dancers on the Parthenon Stage who spread their infectious rhythms until everyone is on their feet!

For classical music lovers, the Music Academy of the West comes to life in the summer for 8 weeks. Perched on the Montecito bluffs adjacent to Butterfly Beach, the academy hosts gifted young musicians and gives them the amazing opportunity to perform with illustrious guest artists (last season opened with conductor/composer John Williams). Events are usually held downtown at the Lobero and now at Hahn Hall, the newly constructed theater on their campus. Attending any event during their Summer Festival is a treat!

One of Santa Barbara's little gems is the Contemporary Arts Forum (located upstairs in the shopper's paradise Paseo Nuevo). This weekend CAF hosts a short film festival at Samy's Camera. The outdoor event is the perfect way to enjoy a beautiful evening under the Santa Barbara stars.

Now if only I could decide what to do, I might be able to narrow down my dining options... Don't even get me started on my favorite Santa Barbara restaurants!

A PERFECT STORM: Santa Barbara is a Buyer's Market Amidst National Slump

A Down Market you say? A recent CNN article confirms that falling real estate markets are still running their course.

Contrary to national headlines there are cities and communities flourishing in this so called “down” real estate market. Perspective is an interesting thing – it shifts - and from where you stand, the information just might lean in your favor. In a perfect storm a set of disparate events combine to create an exceptionally powerful phenomenon with great impact or influence. It is at just such a time that ones individual perspective is most important. A perspective from within the storm calls for specific response, while a perspective from outside the storm calls for an often entirely different course of action.

Despite the general trend across the country, real estate values in Montecito and Hope Ranch California have continued to rise since the beginning of the year. Both areas are experiencing double digit increases with Montecito values up almost 25% and Hope Ranch up 10% thus far in 2008. If you are considering buying or selling in the Santa Barbara area and you are relying on the national news for real estate updates, I think it is time to shift away from that broad general perspective and zone in on a local perspective that is truly relevant to your personal real estate needs. Yes, the general perspective countrywide is that of a “down” market, however, Santa Barbara is not in the eye of the storm.

Indeed, there is another set of events which make this a fantastic time in real estate. Yes, our community does have its share of foreclosures and REO’s. If you are looking to get into one of the most beautiful communities in the world it just might behoove you to act with haste. However, interest rates are still incredibly low (jumbo loans in the low to mid 6% range) and there is an abundance of inventory with over 600 homes on the market between Carpinteria and Goleta. Those familiar with the “ins” and “outs” of real estate in Santa Barbara County might actually call this a buyers market. This kind of talk has not been on the lips of real estate agents since the late 1980s.

History loves to repeat itself and the buyers that take advantage of the market today are going to be those who will talk about the bargains they were able to find in Santa Barbara, Montecito, and Hope Ranch in 2008. I promise you, it won’t last forever.

If your future investments include a plan for purchasing real estate in Southern Santa Barbara County history tells the story of economic regression followed by recovery and increased market values.

7 REASONS TO LIVE IN SANTA BARBARA

#1 Monday
#2 Tuesday
#3 Wednesday
#4 Thursday
#5 Friday
#6 Saturday
#7 Sunday

“Oh! That’s too easy!,” you may say. Especially since the same may be said about many elite communities around the world. Well, let’s take a closer look at why every day of the week is so special, living on the central coast of California.

MONDAY:
Some say this is the most stressful day of the week. Not if you start your Mondays with a morning walk on one of our many pristine beaches, watch the dolphins dancing in the waves and listen to the songs of the sea birds winging overhead. Then enjoy a quiet breakfast at the world reknown Four Season’s Biltmore or my personal favorite, The Bath House at East Beach, where the blueberry wheat germ pancakes are to die for! It’s a pretty casual beachside location but ideal for reading the Wall Street Journal, people watching or soaking up the mid morning sunshine.


After lunch enjoy a round of eighteen holes at one of four private country clubs (La Cumbre, Montecito, Birnam Wood and The Valley Club) or try one of several world-class public courses. My personal favorite among public courses is Sandpiper – adjacent to the Bacara Resort Hotel - where the 11th hole is reminiscent of Pebble Beach. Finish at sunset with a glass of award winning Santa Rita Hills pinot noir at my favorite wine shop, Vino De Vino, on de la Vina Street. Now that’s a tongue twister! Not a pinot fan? Ask to try the Harrison Clarke 2005 Syrah, you won’t be disappointed! Then reflect on the day while dining at one of the many world class restaurants in and around Santa Barbara. With the reopening of The Plow and Angel at San Ysidro Ranch…that would be my choice any day of the week. Stress? Not in my world, how about yours?

TUESDAY:
After you wake to the day you can stroll through the lower village of Montecito and enjoy a strong and distinctive cup of Peets coffee at Jeannine’s to chat with friends or meet a colleague for a morning business brief. This is just one of the many comfortable social meeting locations in Santa Barbara. Spend the afternoon walking “the village” and shopping in the boutique shops and galleries along Coast Village Road. Ladies, I would suggest Kate for that one of a kind design! Afternoons at the Coral Casino is just too posh to miss, you’ll have to call me for an invitation…truly Santa Barbara at its absolute best. Winter sunsets in Santa Barbara are a secret shared by few and enjoyed by everyone who live here. Choose Butterfly Beach, Shoreline or Francheschi Park or any number of other locations to see the colors, but remember, it’s only Tuesday, you have all week to explore!

I cannot imagine going any further than Tuesday right now…but it is just the beginning to another perfect week in Santa Barbara! Give me a call to start your journey…


John