The Home Page | Spooky Season + a Scout Sighting

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on October 29, 2023. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

It’s getting super spooky around town. I mentioned it last week, but now it’s on full display. This house on West Figueroa is a favorite in my neighborhood. I walk by often, admiring their landscaping, and was shocked last week to see this skeleton crew on the job. Now that they seem to be here to stay — at least through the end of the month — I’m hopeful that other houses on the block will join in the seasonal vibe. Show me your spooky neighborhood! If you have favorite Halloween decor, send me a photo and I’ll share it next week. Let’s spread the spirit.

Ready for a haunted event to kick off the season?  Kevin and Lesley Hall of The Hall Team at Compass are once again hosting their annual “HALL-oween” pumpkin-carving party for three consecutive nights leading up to Halloween. The pumpkins will be lit up each night with the goal of having 200 carved pumpkins on display. Come participate and enjoy the festivities on October 28, 29, or 30 between 4-8 p.m. at 3709 Capri Drive, Santa Barbara.

The event is also a fundraiser for The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County. Feel free to bring donations of cash, check, or Venmo for the Food Bank, or just enjoy complimentary fresh-made tacos (Saturday and Sunday), live music (Sunday), popcorn, snacks, and a celebration of the season. All of the carved pumpkins will be kept on-hand to create one incredible display for the community to enjoy through HALLoween! Questions? Reach out to Kevin Hall at (805) 451-9998.

Here’s some more seasonal inspiration from the East Coast. You don’t have to go quite as “all-in” as this couple in Rhode Island, but if you do like the look, visit Kiel James Patrick on Instagram for a panoply of playful pumpkin-inspired scenes.

Scout prefers a more subtle look. She’s letting her leash suffice as her costume this season. Although she’s hiding her enthusiasm, she’s blending in well with her autumn background, and ready for whatever spooky shenanigans lie around the next corner.

The other topic that’s buzzing around town this week: The Independent’s Best of Santa Barbara® 2023 has hit the streets. If you haven’t picked up your glossy 148-page print copy yet to paw through, here’s a link to tide you over. From best tacos to best toy store, from best doggy daycare to best dentist, the results are all there, as voted by YOU, our loyal readers. In the realm of real estate, the best agent, best team, and best real estate company all get celebrated as well. Congratulations to all!