The Home Page | Full Moon Frenzy and Ladies Who Lunch

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on February 5, 2023. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

On this first Sunday in February, we’ve got a full “Snow Moon” tonight, which seems fitting given the chilly temps around the country. Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this week, signaling six more weeks of winter. Even though our local forecast predicts relatively warm days ahead, snow was visible on the mountaintops from East Beach on Tuesday morning. Whether you’re hoping for sunshine or relishing sweater weather, let’s howl at the snow moon tonight!

If you’re staying in rather than howling, here’s some inspo for styling your surfaces. You know: tabletops, shelves, all those surfaces that tend to become cluttered if we don’t pay attention to them. The cozy minimalist gives us tips about size, scale, and contrasting colors. She also describes the crisscross effect: Our eyes tend to move horizontally across a space, pausing on items that draw our attention. In the photo above, the black items on the built-ins cause our eyes to bounce back and forth, creating a balance. The wispy green plants do the same.

Out on tour this week, one of the new listings drawing lots of attention is a lovely home located at 2700 Holly Road in Santa Barbara’s Mission Canyon area. While the designer touches throughout this three-bedroom beauty are certainly worth a gander, it’s the hot tub with a stunning view that made my jaw drop. It’s listed by Calcagno & Hamilton RE Partners for $5,750,000.

The Santa Barbara Association of Realtors (SBAOR) held their monthly MLS breakfast meeting this Thursday at the Cabrillo Arts Center, with Karen Chackel of First American Title presenting on the topic of new construction in both North and South County. The event was sponsored by Kelly Marsh of Cornerstone Home Lending, and a great time was had by all.

The very same day, the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce held their annual awards luncheon at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront. Village Properties Realtors was honored with the Large Business of the Year award. Presenter Janet Garufis made special note of the Teachers Fund and the ongoing philanthropic efforts of Village Properties. Owner Renee Grubb received the award and thanked her large group of agents in attendance. We were fortunate to have several of our favorite Realtor friends at the Santa Barbara Independent table, including Marcella Simmons and Jena Harris of Village Properties, and Jean Sedar of Coldwell Banker, all of whom serve on the SBAOR board of directors.

In this week’s issue, we’ve got a great Mission Ridge home on the real estate cover, and a locals’ look at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival inside. Get some sleep this weekend — the SBIFF fun starts on Wednesday!

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