Luxury Real Estate

Courtesy of Staci Caplan and Michael Humphrey Sterling Properties & Estates - Santa Barbara Luxury Homes and Real Estate

If you’ve been keeping up with our blog the past few weeks, you’re well aware of the many fun and spirited ways that owners of Santa Barbara homes have to make to most of the holiday season. This weekend, the holiday cheer continues in full force with these great events around town.

Una Noche de Las Posadas El Presidio State Park - Friday, Dec. 14^th 7-10pm El Presidio Historic State Park was originally a Spanish military outpost built in 1782. From this site, the city of Santa Barbara grew outward, as evidenced by the great number of historic adobes and landmarks in close proximity. This Friday, El Presidio State Historic Park will host Una Noche de Las Posadas, a chance to experience the rich cultural traditions of Santa Barbara’s earliest Spanish and Mexican residents during the Christmas season. Attendees can look forward to enjoying traditional songs, food, and a reenactment of Joseph and Mary’s search for shelter.

Holiday Nature Craft Workshop Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Saturday, Dec. 15^th, 10am – noon The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will be holding a Holiday Nature Craft Workshop event this weekend where visitors can make handcrafted holiday decorations such as fresh wreaths, ornaments, and other items inspired by nature while sipping hot cider and enjoying the gardens and natural beauty of the American Riviera.

59^th Annual Milpas Holiday Parade Milpas St. (From Canon Perdido to Mason) - Saturday, Dec. 15^th, 11am The 59^th Annual Milpas Holiday Parade is a fun parade that combines a celebration of the holidays, classic cars, and the youth community of Santa Barbara. The parade will include quite an array of participants, featuring marching bands, dance teams, Boys and Girls Club, bike surreys pedaled by school board members, martial arts groups, schools and retro cars. There will also be live music and a toy drive.

Holiday at the Ranch Rancho La Patera - Saturday, Dec. 15^th and Sunday, Dec. 16^th, 11am-4pm Rancho La Patera was established in the late 1800s, when the Stow family planted the first commercial lemon orchard in California at Rancho La Patera after discovering that the mild weather in the verdant Goleta Valley, adjacent to Santa Barbara, was ideal for growing lemons. This weekend, Rancho La Patera offers a glimpse back into history during their signature holiday open house with tours of the house which has been decorated throughout, photos with Santa, crafts, cookie-baking, and live holiday music.

Holiday Julefest Performances Solvang - Saturday, Dec. 15^th and Sunday, Dec. 16^th Julefest (Yule-fest) in Solvang is a celebration of holiday traditions honoring the town’s rich Danish roots. With free live entertainment including local musical groups performing in various locations around the heart of Solvang, this Santa Ynez Valley gem provides a fantastic holiday getaway. Enjoy strolling amongst over 100 festively decorated live fir trees lining Solvang’s walkways or attend the Julefest Nativity Pageant on Friday at 5pm and 7pm.

There's something wonderful to do in Santa Barbara every day, whether you're searching for luxury homes and real estate with us, attending the many events, festivals, and celebrations that our city offers or simply taking in the natural beauty of the Riviera landscape. We hope you'll be able to join us in your search for the best in Santa Barbara homes and real estate in our coastal paradise!

Courtesy of Staci Caplan and Michael Humphrey Sterling Properties & Estates - Santa Barbara Luxury Homes and Real Estate

We love sharing our favorite things to do in Santa Barbara, and a day on the waterfront is always high on our list. Between the stunning sight of our beaches stretching out along the coast, biking along palm-tree lined Cabrillo Boulevard, exploring the many shops and eateries on Stearns Wharf and at the Santa Barbara Harbor, and taking a stroll through Chase Palm Park, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the waterfront every day.

Santa Barbara’s attractive Mediterranean climate is perfect for enjoying outdoor activities year round and is a part of what makes Santa Barbara real estate so valuable and highly sought-after. While most of these activities are best enjoyed under the warm California sunshine, on Sunday December 9^th, a special event is taking place after the sun sets at the Santa Barbara Harbor – The 27^th Annual Santa Barbara Parade of Lights.

The Santa Barbara Parade of Lights takes place on the water, setting it apart from other typical holiday parades. Participants will be navigating extravagantly decorated boats decked with lights and other creative displays to celebrate this year’s theme of “Starry, Starry Night” in the waters of the Santa Barbara Harbor. At the end of the boat parade, a fireworks show will follow to light up the night sky above.

Although the boat parade doesn’t start until 5:30pm, after sundown, there will be plenty to do before the Parade of Lights. Starting at 3:00pm on the City Pier, explore the Santa’s Village event, which will feature holiday music, a visit from Santa, and an incredible ten tons of snow!

There’s something wonderful to do in Santa Barbara every day, whether you’re searching for luxury homes and real estate with us, attending the many events, festivals, and celebrations that our city offers or simply taking in the natural beauty of the Riviera landscape. We hope you’ll be able to join us in your search for the best in Santa Barbara homes and real estate in our coastal paradise!

Courtesy of Staci Caplan and Michael Humphrey of Sterling Properties & Estates - Santa Barbara Luxury Homes and Real Estate

Love the winter holidays but hate harsh winters? Owners of Santa Barbara real estate enjoy the best of both worlds! One of the great things about Santa Barbara is that we are south-facing, meaning we experience a year round, mild, Mediterranean climate very similar to the south coast of France, or the Amalfi coast of Italy. Owners of Santa Barbara homes are familiar with the benefits of our ideal climate and this is one of the many reasons we live here. While we may not experience the traditional charm of a snow-sprinkled landscape, we do take advantage of the opportunity to attend outdoor events year-round, such as the Downtown Holiday Parade this Friday, November 30th at 6:30pm along historic State Street in downtown Santa Barbara.

The Santa Barbara Downtown Holiday Parade is a time honored tradition in our city by the sea, held the week after Thanksgiving each year since the 1950s. It is Santa Barbara’s only night-time street parade, allowing the dazzling displays to light up the night. This year marks the 60^th year of the Santa Barbara Downtown Holiday Parade, and as such this year’s theme is “A Diamond Holiday.” With more than 50,000 Santa Barbara residents and guests expected to be in attendance, there will be no shortage of holiday cheer! The parade will include marching bands, holiday themed floats, giant balloons, an array of local performance groups, and much more. In addition, Olympic Gold Medalist Kami Craig will serve as Grand Marshal for the 2012 Santa Barbara Downtown Holiday Parade.

As we string the palm trees with lights and build sand castles for Santa Claus, there’s no question that we at Sterling Properties and Estates in Santa Barbara are already enjoying the holiday spirit! Contact us at Sterling Properties and Estates today to learn more about Santa Barbara, our climate, our neighborhoods, the current Santa Barbara real estate market and inventory, and how we can help you find your Santa Barbara dream home!

Courtesy of Staci Caplan and Michael Humphrey of Sterling Properties & Estates

When people think of Santa Barbara, the scenes that often come to mind first are of architecture with gleaming white stucco structures topped by our famous red rile roofs, luxury homes in exclusive neighborhoods such as Monetcito and Hope Ranch, an endless array of boutique shops, decadent dining options, world class wineries, resplendent resorts, meticulously maintained golf courses, and our spectacular waterfront. Santa Barbra excels in all of these areas, making it a treasured hotspot for luxury lifestylers and celebrities as well as an excellent destination for anyone interested in arts and culture. However, some of the most exciting and inspiring aspects of Santa Barbara’s arts scene are found not in polished, pristine galleries or grand theatres, but in Santa Barbara’s legendary Funk Zone.

Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone is located just off historic State Street, extending to Garden Street to the east and bounded top and bottom by Monetcito Street and Cabrillo Boulevard. In these last few blocks, downtown Santa Barbara ends and the beach begins. Don’t be fooled by the name – Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone is a flourishing center for the arts community, drawing a quite impressive selection of local artists and businesses working together to revive this special area of town. In the Funk Zone, visitors can find everything from painted murals stretching along entire facades of buildings, to surf shops, art galleries, restaurants, and more in a charming and quirky mixture of new, old, marine, residential, and industrial style buildings. In addition, many of the participating wineries of Santa Barbara’s Urban Wine Trail are located in the Funk Zone.

Santa Barbara has a vibrant community-driven arts scene, one not limited to the confines of museums, galleries and theatres. Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone serves as a refreshing break from the ordinary, and a journey into this eccentric little amalgamation of shops, homes, studios, and more is a great way to spend a day in Santa Barbara. If you would like to know more about Santa Barbara or are searching for your dream home in the Santa Barbara area, Sterling Properties is glad to be of service to you - contact us today!

Courtesy of Staci Caplan and Michael Humphrey Sterling Properties & Estates - Santa Barbara Luxury Homes and Real Estate

Living in idyllic Santa Barbara, nestled between soaring mountains and the sparkling Pacific Ocean, enjoying the selection of some of the finest luxury real estate opportunities in the world, it’s easy to feel as if you’ve been completely whisked away from the rest of the world. However, with Veterans Day approaching, it is important to remember and honor those who fought so bravely for the many freedoms that we enjoy today.

Santa Barbara is honoring Veterans in a number of ways over this weekend. Bright and early Saturday morning, the Santa Barbara International Marathon begins. This great event will honor veterans throughout the course of the race, with a Color Guard fly-over of WWII war planes at the beginning of both the full and half marathon, authentic WWII Jeeps escorting the runners, and a “Veterans Mile.” The “Veterans Mile” will occur along the entire final mile of the race, which will be lined with veterans, active duty personnel, and supporting members of the community proudly holding American flags and the campaign flags of all the wars and conflicts of the 20^th century alongside a display of military vehicles. After the race, a concert will be held with performances by the Westmont College Orchestra and local high school choruses. Selections of music will range from our National Anthem to music identified with the different wars. Later in the evening, the 17^th Annual Military Ball will be held at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort along the waterfront, one of Santa Barbara’s premiere resorts.

On Sunday morning, attend a special Veterans Day ceremony at the historic El Presidio de Santa Barbara, which will include a wreath ceremony, the playing of taps, and a cannon and musket firing. Following this ceremony at 12:30pm, the Veterans Day Parade will begin its journey along State Street, just a moment’s stroll from El Presidio. This spectacular parade will begin in the air with a fly-over of both vintage and modern aircraft. On the ground, the Santa Barbara Veterans Day parade will include hundreds of participants from all sections of the armed forces and many historic vehicles.

Sterling Properties & Estates thanks all those who have served our country and we wish you a very happy Veterans Day!

Courtesy of Staci Caplan and Michael Humphrey Sterling Properties & Estates - Santa Barbara Luxury Homes and Real Estate

While the East Coast is recovering from one of the most severe storms in our nation’s history, the West Coast continues to have unseasonably warm weather. One of the great things about Santa Barbara is that we are south-facing, meaning we experience a year-round, mild, Mediterranean climate very similar to the south coast of France, or the Amalfi coast of Italy. Owners of Santa Barbara homes are familiar with the benefits of our ideal climate and this is one of the many reasons we live here. From maintaining raised garden beds, now planted with winter vegetables, to lush gardens and outdoor living areas on their property, we truly enjoy the Santa Barbara lifestyle! With the spirit of free enterprise, another wonderful benefit is that Santa Barbara has a thriving community of local farmers who are able to make the fruits of their labor available at Santa Barbara’s many Farmers Markets each week!

Six days a week, rain or shine, the Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market Association holds events throughout the Santa Barbara area where local agricultural experts share their goods. Founded in 1983, the Association consists of over 130 grower members who are committed to promoting local family farmers, environmental protection and restoration, and sustainability efforts. With events in downtown Santa Barbara on historic State Street, Montecito, Goleta, Carpinteria, and Solvang, residents across the Santa Barbara area can enjoy an exceptional selection of the finest local produce, baked goods, and more nearly every day of the week (see the complete Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market Weekly Schedule).

The Santa Barbara Farmers Market is a fantastic way to support the health of the local economy as well as your own health! If you are interested in finding out more about the wonderful advantages of living in and owning a home in Santa Barbara, contact Sterling Properties & Estates today!

Courtesy of Staci Caplan and Michael Humphrey Sterling Properties & Estates - Santa Barbara Luxury Homes and Real Estate

Santa Barbara boasts some of the most stunning mountain and ocean vistas in the world, a wealth of historic architecture throughout town (we recommend the Red Tile Walking Tour), a premier selection of beaches and resorts, and of course plenty of gorgeous luxury real estate properties. In addition to all this, owners of Santa Barbara homes enjoy a wonderful selection of local events year-round. With Halloween approaching in less than a week, Sterling Properties in Santa Barbara is excited to share our favorite ways to celebrate this haunted holiday with you!

This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, visit the Santa Barbara Zoo for the 2012 Boo at the Zoo festivities. Hailed as one of the most beautiful zoos in the world, the Santa Barbara Zoo is home to more than 400 animals from 160 species. Each year during the Halloween season, the Santa Barbara Zoo transforms into a trick or treater’s paradise. This year’s theme, “Land of Adventure”, promises khaki-clad explorers and adventurers in addition to the usual cast of pirates, faeries, mermaids, and other volunteers who help make Boo at the Zoo a truly special experience. With over 20 treat stations throughout the zoo featuring sustainable goodies, a Trick or Treat Trail, Boo Choo Choo train rides, Creepy Crawly encounters, Spooky Storytelling, Goblin Games, Costume Parades each night, and no worrying about traffic, Boo at the Zoo is a fantastic choice for celebrating a safe Halloween and remains one of the most popular Halloween events in the area.

Santa Barbara enjoys a rich Spanish and Mexican history, and as such our local Halloween season festivities include celebrations of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. On Sunday, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art will be hosting a Día de los Muertos Free Family Day, to share the Mexican tradition of remembering and honoring the dead. Attendees can look forward to a colorful celebration featuring music, dance performances, bilingual storytelling, displays of altars created by local school and community groups, and opportunities to make your own art. Historic Casa De La Guerra will also be hosting a Día de los Muertos Craft Day on Sunday, where visitors can participate in making traditional holiday crafts such as skeleton masks, sugar skulls, tissue paper marigolds, and prints while enjoying pan de muerto (a sweet bread) and Mexican hot chocolate.

Sterling Properties in Santa Barbara wishes you a safe and spooky Halloween!

Courtesy of Staci Caplan and Michael Humphrey of Sterling Properties & Estates - Santa Barbara Luxury Homes and Real Estate

October is typically a time for big, bright orange pumpkins. But here in Santa Barbara, all eyes are on our favorite little yellow citrus fruits as we welcome the California Lemon Festival 2012! This fun festival (October 13^th and 14^th at Girsh Park in Goleta, CA), brings together the greater Santa Barbara community to celebrate the big impact a little fruit has had on the area’s history.

Santa Barbara’s lemon history dates back to the late 1800s, when the Stow family planted the first commercial lemon orchard in California at Rancho La Patera after discovering that the mild weather in the verdant Goleta Valley, adjacent to Santa Barbara, was ideal for growing lemons. Through the mid 20^th century, Goleta lemons enjoyed fame and were in high demand. The hillsides of the Goleta Valley are still dotted with gorgeous lemon orchards to this very day, and homeowners in the area enjoy the fresh citrus fruits, the year-round views of the orchards against the mountains, and of course the value these orchards add to their Santa Barbara homes.

Featuring lemon cotton candy, lemon bars, lemon pies, lemonade, lemon ale, and many, many additional lemon-inspired goodies, the 21^st annual California Lemon Festival certainly won’t leave a sour taste in your mouth. Local bands, dancers, and performers will offer entertainment all weekend. In addition, there will also be a pie eating contest, a car show, demonstrations by local emergency response teams at “Safety Street”, and a wide selection of other games and activities (for a full schedule, click here). The California Lemon Festival in Goleta always serves to bring the Santa Barbara community together, providing a venue for local organizations and attendees to celebrate delicious and historically important Goleta lemons.

Between great events like the California Lemon Festival and the natural beauty of the historic lemon orchards, it’s easy to see why Santa Barbara real estate and luxury homes are so highly desired among home seekers. If you’re ready to find your Santa Barbara dream home, contact Sterling Properties. We look forward to sharing our expertise in Santa Barbara real estate with you!

Courtesy of Staci Caplan and Michael Humphrey of Sterling Properties & Estates - Santa Barbara Luxury Homes and Real Estate

The beginning of October brought much more than thoughts of ghosts, ghouls, and goblins to our office in beautiful Santa Barbara. Michael Humphrey and Staci Caplan, brokers and owners of Sterling Properties & Estates started off the fourth quarter of 2012 strong by participating in the California Association of REALTORS’ 2012 CAR Expo in Anaheim, CA. Michael and Staci have a demonstrated passion not only for successfully selling luxury real estate properties, but also for larger-scale industry involvement and service. They are involved both locally in Santa Barbara and at the state level.

CAR’s 2012 Expo offers a wealth of educational, networking, and professional development opportunities tailored to the needs and interests of California REALTORS. With a schedule packed to the brim with speakers, events, and training sessions, CAR’s Expo 2012 is truly a fantastic event for any real estate professional to further improve their skills and keep on top of the latest industry developments and news.

Michael Humphrey currently serves on the Transaction Regulatory Committee and Legislative Committee. For 2013, Michael received a two year appointment to serve on Communications Advisory, and was appointed to serve another term on the Transaction Regulatory Committee and the Legislative Committee.

Staci Caplan currently serves on the Standard Forms Advisory Committee, Land Use Committee and Legislative Committee for the California Association of REALTORS. For 2013, she has been appointed to serve as the Environmental Issues Chair for the Land Use Committee, and will continue to serve on Legislative Committee as well as the Forum on Forms.

As industry leaders, Michael and Staci are always on the lookout for ways to demonstrate their commitment to industry involvement and service, share their professional expertise, and educate themselves and others in order to provide exceptional service to their clients, associates at Sterling Properties & Estates, and REALTORS throughout the state of California.

Courtesy of Staci Caplan and Michael Humphrey Sterling Properties & Estates of Santa Barbara Luxury Homes and Real Estate

So, you’ve finally found your Santa Barbara dream home…now what? Transforming a house into a home is a multifaceted process. It can be time consuming and stressful to coordinate furniture, décor, organization, remodeling, upgrading, and creating the perfect outdoor space to enjoy Santa Barbara’s ideal Mediterranean climate. Thankfully, this weekend at the Santa Barbara Home and Garden Expo, visitors can find inspiration, advice from professionals, and home and garden related products and services for indoor and outdoor living at the Earl Warren Showgrounds!

The Santa Barbara Home and Garden Expo will feature hundreds of vendors from a wide variety of specialties. Whether you’re looking to learn about the latest and greatest offerings to add to your gourmet kitchen or searching for a professional to help tear it down completely for a top-of-the-line remodel, the Santa Barbara Home and Garden Expo promises a bountiful selection of ideas, industry experts, and products to suit any taste. In addition, many exhibitors will be offering exclusive savings to attendees, making this expo a must-see show for any current or future homeowner.

Many of the exhibitors at the Santa Barbara Home and Garden Expo will be showcasing “green” products and services that are sustainable, eco-friendly, and high-quality to help educate attendees about sustainability, energy efficiency, and other environmentally responsible options. These booths will be prominently flagged to increase visibility and encourage visitors to learn more, echoing the Santa Barbara community’s consistent efforts toward promoting eco-conscious living - a practice that Sterling Properties supports. In fact, Broker and Co-owner Staci Caplan was among the first to earn the GREEN designation through the National Association of REALTORS in 2009. She also chaired the first Green Task Force at the Santa Barbara Association of REALTORS in 2009 and served on the Green Task Force at the California Association of REALTORS in 2008 and 2009. She continually educates herself and her fellow associates at Sterling Properties about sustainable practices in real estate, business, and green building.

If you haven’t found your Santa Barbara dream home just yet, the Santa Barbara Home and Garden Expo is still an excellent opportunity to plan for the future, learn from the many experts in attendance, and get inspired – and when the time comes, Sterling Properties will be happy to help you find your perfect Santa Barbara home!