The Home Page | December Delights

Before & Afters, Birthdays, and More

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on December 4, 2022. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

I attended an inspiring celebration on Friday at the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors’ annual installation and awards luncheon at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. It’s always a fun event, and this year, we bid farewell to 2022 President Bob Walsmith, Jr. and inducted 2023 President Todd Shea. Several Realtors, affiliates, and community members received awards for their outstanding service. Stay tuned here for more details and photos, unavailable as of press time.

A super cool remodeling project crossed my desk this week from my Realtor friend Kathy Spieler. Here are some before and after shots of this recent local project:

Here’s the kitchen before:

And look at the transformation in this “after” shot:

I actually kinda like the retro flooring and red counter of the bathroom before:

But wow, what a difference in this “after” pic:

And then there’s the living room. As someone with a home of similar era who has unabashed fireplace envy, there’s a lot to love in this “before” shot of the living room:

This “after” photo showcases how they’ve kept the bones — including “my” fireplace — and really transformed the space, including the incredible ceilings:

For more details, including a whole list of tips for efficient makeovers, check out Kathy’s Instagram account. A recent post includes even more photos, with some “during” shots as well, to see the magic being created.

Although the sunshiny days of summer are my favorite time of year, I can find plenty to savor in December as well. Snowflakes! Eggnog! Holiday movies! And most important to some of us … Sarah’s birthday! 😉 Which just happens to be TODAY!

Pick up this week’s issue for a full lineup of holiday happenings and gift-giving to help you celebrate and shop local. Happy Birthday to me, and happy holiday season to us all!

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