Compass, the largest residential real estate brokerage in the United States, is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its Santa Barbara office, marking a decade of growth, gratitude, and deep-rooted commitment to one of California’s most cherished coastal communities. Since opening its first local office in 2016, Compass Santa Barbara has played a meaningful role in the evolution of the region’s real estate market helping thousands of people find homes throughout the area, growing to more than 100 accomplished agents, and closing more than $7 billion in real estate sales. The milestone reflects not only business growth but also a long-standing dedication to service, relationships, and community impact in Santa Barbara.
“Santa Barbara was a natural fit for Compass from the beginning,” said Abel Ramos, Managing Broker of Compass Santa Barbara. “This is a relationship-based market built on trust, integrity, and service. We’re proud of what has been built here over the past 10 years and excited about what’s ahead.”
Santa Barbara’s natural beauty, lifestyle, and values-driven culture have long made it one of the most desirable places to live and work. Over the past decade, Compass has grown alongside the community, helping shape the market by supporting residents to sell with confidence while welcoming new buyers to Montecito, Santa Barbara, and beyond.
When entering the Santa Barbara market in 2016 with the opening of its Coast Village Circle office, Compass was guided by early leadership under John Nisbet and anchored by founding local agents, including Stan Tabler, the first Compass agent in Santa Barbara. From the start, the focus was on bringing together agents and staff who embodied the highest standards of professionalism, collaboration, and ethics creating a foundation for long-term success. In 2025, Compass Santa Barbara was recognized as Best Real Estate Company by the Santa Barbara Independent’s Best of Santa Barbara® Reader’s Poll, underscoring the trust and recognition earned within the local community.
Beyond real estate, Compass Santa Barbara has remained deeply invested in giving back. Agents and staff have supported and volunteered with numerous local organizations, including Hugs for Cubs, She Is Beautiful, the Santa Barbara Food Bank, Storyteller Children’s Center, Unity Shoppe, the Bucket Brigade, and others raising thousands of dollars and contributing countless volunteer hours. The office also mobilized to support those impacted by the 2018 Montecito debris flow and families relocating to the area following recent wildfires.
From its beginnings in Montecito to its expansion into downtown Santa Barbara, Compass’s presence has served as a declaration of its long-term commitment to the region: to serve at the highest level and to continually reimagine what real estate could be in one of California’s most distinctive markets.
“After being with a corporate brokerage for years and seeing it fade, it was time for a change,” said Tabler, founding agent. “Compass stood out as a trailblazer for the industry with its technology, energy, culture, and vision. The early days were an adventure, and the journey has been incredibly rewarding. Ten years and counting—it’s been an amazing ride.”
Today, Compass Santa Barbara continues under the leadership of Ramos, carrying forward the shared values that CEO and Founder Robert Reffkin and John Nisbet established from the very beginning. These include excellence in agents, phenomenal support, an unmatched collaborative culture, and innovative tools that elevate how agents serve their clients. As Compass Santa Barbara looks ahead to its next decade, the focus remains unchanged: serving the community with humility, gratitude, and optimism, while continuing to help people find their place in one of the most extraordinary places to call home.
Compass maintains a local presence across the region with multiple convenient office locations to support buyers and sellers. For more information or to discuss your real estate needs, please contact their offices in Santa Barbara (801 Chapala Street; 805.284.0881), or Montecito (1101 Coast Village Road, Suite B; 805.253.7700), follow Compass Santa Barbara on Instagram at @CompassSantaBarbara.
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