One of the best exercises for a Luxury Realtor is to keep abreast of trends in real estate in other markets. It gives a deeper perspective of emerging patterns and a great comparison to our local market. Presently, I am visiting Realtor friends in California and I’m happy to report that markets are springing back to life all along the California coast. Today’s featured homes are in Santa Barbara. It’s a great spot to consider as a second home if you have a Colorado mountain residence. It’s on the ocean, has a quiet cosmopolitan vibe and a Mediterranean flair, and enjoys a direct flight from Denver.

The home at Crescent Avenue is a beautifully updated two bedroom, two bath single family home with a lush tropical setting, lots of palm trees, and a low maintenance yard. The front door opens into the kitchen area, which has been redone with contemporary décor. A bar area on one side adds counter seating. Woven bamboo flooring flows into the charming open living area, centered by a corner fireplace. The wall of glass opens onto the patio area. Offered at $749,000, the home takes advantage of its 1400 square feet.

On the other end of the spectrum is the classic Santa Barbara 1921 Mediterranean home on Anacapa that captures all the romance of the area. Offered at $2,795,000, the residence has three bedrooms, three and a half baths, an office, formal dining room, family room, and three fireplaces. French doors out from the dining room lead out to a slate patio with an outdoor kitchen which looks out to the gardens.

The home features a well appointed kitchen, colorful walls and décor, and a marriage of old and new of the area. A two car garage is a wonderful amenity, although the home is in the heart of town in the Upper East side and walkable to the Mission and State Street. The garden gate opens into a magical oasis and the privacy of your own outdoor paradise. This lovely home melds the beauty, spirit, and tradition of Santa Barbara into its fiber.

At the middle price point, I fell in love with the home on Northridge Road. Set well back from the road, this lovely residence had a key component true to every market- location! Set on 1.3 acres on a ridge, the home enjoys sweeping views of islands, the ocean, treetops, and city lights. One whole side of the home is glass, bringing the outside in to daily living. Offered at $1,325,000, the three bedroom, two and a half bedroom home also features an outdoor covered family area, southern exposure, and a pond, fountain, and waterfall in the front yard.

The contemporary kitchen has oak parquet floors, skylights, and an adjacent living space with couches for kitchen gathering. The master suite drinks in the ocean view and features an ensuite bath and sliding glass doors out to the spa. I was picturing an afternoon libation on the patio with the sunset splashing into the Pacific. Croquet on the long expanse of flat lawn sounded like a plan, as well.

Then I remembered- it’s ski season! It’s time to enjoy our winter paradise in Breckenridge. If your dreams include a home on the coast in addition to your mountain residence, consider Santa Barbara. Call me and we can dream together.

Real estate in the Breckenridge and Summit County market is a hot commodity but still a real value in comparison to other resort markets.

Don’t believe everything you read in the media about soft real estate markets! The Summit County market is HOT, HOT, HOT! Presently, since it’s spring, traditionally the time when there are the most listings, there are only 264 residential listings in Breckenridge, for example. Of those, 109 are over $1 million, 50 are over $2 million and 11 are over $3 million. That’s a very dramatic change from the past few years and the lowest inventory we’ve seen in years.

Summit County is on the move. After watching markets in Park City Utah, Jackson Hole Wyoming, Sun Valley Idaho and Whistler BC zoom with prices out of sight, Summit County real estate is definitely coming on. However, it’s still a relative bargain compared to other resort markets, with reasonable prices per square foot and plenty of choices. There’s even some buildable land available, unlike places like Aspen where newly issued building permits are few and far between, or Tahoe where “tear downs” can cost several million dollars.

With resort markets traditionally strong, and a steady long term equity appreciation, Summit County offers a wonderful array of investment and second home opportunities.