5 Ways You Can “Give Back” in Santa Barbara This Christmas
It is the season of giving here in Santa Barbara, and this year our community has more needs than ever. With Santa Barbara now entering yet another mandatory lockdown, we felt this was a good time to highlight 5 organizations that are making a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable residents. Each of…
Should I Fix Up My House Or Sell It As Is?
With the fall season upon us, change is in the air. For many families, children are growing up and moving out of the house, maybe leaving for college or taking a jump into the working world. Parents are finding themselves as empty nesters for the first time. The question inevitably arises: is it finally time to downsize?…
14 Tips for Deep Cleaning Your New Home in Santa Barbara
If you’ve never owned a house before, then it’s entirely possible that you’ve never deep-cleaned a house. (Hey, no shame in that game.) But when the house is yours, the desire to see it as clean and sparkling as it can possibly be is strong — and you might have no idea where to start…
Buying a Fixer Upper in Santa Barbara? Read This First!
Fixing up a house — either to live in or to flip — has become an increasingly popular dream, and it makes sense: Who doesn’t love watching all those shows on HGTV while you ponder how much money you could make on your own flip (or how nice it would be to live in a…
Painful Home Renovation Mistakes to Avoid this Year
One of the very best things about owning your own home is that you can change it to fit yourself and your lifestyle. Home renovations are more popular than ever before, and there are countless shows, blogs, magazines and other resources where you can indulge your dreams of a perfect home — if you’re willing…
19 Ideas to Upgrade Your Yard This Summer
Even though humans are a species that builds and maintains our own shelter (also known as “homes”), we can all appreciate the beauty that the natural outdoors has to offer — and indeed, there are entire industries dedicated to beautifying our own outdoor spaces so that we can reap maximum enjoyment out of them. If…
10 Considerations When Calculating Your Santa Barbara Home Value
There’s a reason why estimating a home’s value is a specialized process that’s typically executed by a licensed professional (also known as an appraiser) — it’s not easy to determine the fair-market value of a home in a particular point in time. Dozens of factors influence how much an average buyer might be willing to…
13 Things Santa Barbara Homebuyers Should Know About Inspections
If you’re not familiar with home inspections, then you might have a lot of questions about what gets inspected, how thorough the inspectors are, why you even need one, and what you can expect if you’re walking with an inspector through the house you’re hoping to buy in santa barbara. There’s a lot to know…
10 Tax Breaks for Santa Barbara Home Owners
Being a homeowner definitely has its advantages, and saving money on your taxes each year just might be at the top of the list. Make sure you’re taking advantage of these common tax perks as a homeowner: 1) Mortgage interest One of the most common tax perks, you can deduct mortgage interest for your primary…
33 Tips to Make Your Santa Barbara Home Energy Efficient
Not too long ago in our country’s history, talking about making your house “greener” might get you labeled a hippie tree-hugger. But times change, and as gas, electricity, and water prices creep up, more and more homeowners are seeing the (strong) advantages that come with considering the environment when you make decisions about your household.…
18 Ways to Prepare Your Santa Barbara Home for Winter
Winterizing your house might seem complicated, especially if you’ve never done it before. But if you follow these tips, you’ll be ready for rain, wind, or the occasional hail before you know it (or at least before the inclement weather actually arrives). Winterize your home early It’s a smart move to start thinking about your…
7 Ways To Make The Most Of Your Backyard in Santa Barbara
Thanks to Santa Barbara’s year-round mild weather, backyard barbecues aren’t just for Summer months. Whether it’s July or November, Santa Barbarians are always looking for the opportunity to BBQs with friends, toss a ball with the kids, or relax in the sun with a good book. But … it may be time to refresh your…