Categories:
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May22024
THE ART AND VALUE OF NAMING A HOME OR ESTATE
How a Thoughtfully Created Name Can Elevate a Property’s Prestige
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Mar182024
WHY NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO SELL YOUR SANTA BARBARA HOME
Unlocking the Golden Opportunity of Spring
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Feb192024
HOME IMPROVEMENTS: STRATEGIES FOR MAXIMUM ROI IN 2024
Top 20 Improvements and Refreshments for the Best Return on Investment, According to the Experts
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Jan112024
15 HOME TRENDS FOR 2024
Hi-tech and No-tech Meet Comfort, Practicality, and a Bit of Extravagance
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Dec252023
HOW WILL PREDICTED 2024 REAL ESTATE TRENDS AFFECT THE SANTA BARBARA MARKET?
A Look at Some Key Insights and Their Possible Influence Locally
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Oct122023
THE ART OF SELLING A LUXURY HOME IN SANTA BARBARA
8 Tips to Sold, No Matter the Season
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Aug312023
CRISTAL CLARKE’S HOME SELLERS' GUIDE TO SUCCESS
For Even Seasoned Sellers, this “Closing 101” Checklist Can Be a Useful Reminder
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May112023
10 LUXURY HOME FEATURES BUYERS WANT
Hint: Amenities, Technology, and Style Top the List
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Mar202023
WHAT EVERY SELLER NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT HOME INSPECTIONS
What Luxury Home Buyers Should Inspect and Expect
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Jan102023
HOW TO FIND THE BEST SANTA BARBARA REAL ESTATE AGENT
Whether You’re Buying or Selling a Home, The Right Agent Can Make a Huge Difference
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Oct42022
HOW TO SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR GARDEN WHEN YOU MOVE
7 Tips to Make it Easier to Part With Your Garden
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Sep132022
SELLERS' MARKET vs. BUYERS’ MARKET
What They Mean to You. Plus: What Are the Current Santa Barbara Real Estate Market Conditions?
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Jun272022
THE IMPORTANCE OF BRANDING YOUR MONTECITO HOME FOR SALE
Believe it or not, branding is a key component when it comes to selling real estate, especially in the luxury sector. Branding a Montecito home for sale begins by hiring the best in the business. Over the years, I’ve developed an arsenal of proven real estate branding ideas designed to position my clients in the marketplace and sell their property for top dollar as quickly as possible.
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May252022
SECRETS TO SELLING YOUR HOME QUICKLY FOR TOP DOLLAR
Luxury home sales in Santa Barbara County are still soaring. However, there are some tips Award-Winning Realtor Cristal Clarke has to share to ensure selling your home quickly also brings top dollar.
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Apr242022
PRIMARY BATH REMODEL: 8 REASONS TO START NOW
There are many reasons homeowners decide to begin a primary bath remodel. And for today’s high-end homebuyers, an updated primary bath, like the spectacular one pictured above from my Italian Country Estate in Montecito’s Ennisbrook listing, has become a must-have. But a good return on investment is not the only reason to redo that sacred space.
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Apr62022
SPOTLIGHT ON: CARPINTERIA STATE BEACH AND COAST
With terraced bluffs, dunes, and a mile of sand and surf for swimming, surfing, fishing, tide pooling, exploring or just relaxing, Carpinteria State Beach is truly a unique treasure.
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Mar182022
THE LAWS: CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE DISCLOSURES
Even in our current HOT real estate market, every California home seller, including my clients who contracted me to sell their Breathtaking Ocean View Montecito Retreat pictured above, must familiarize themselves with California real estate disclosures laws.
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Mar42022
SPOTLIGHT ON: SANTA BARBARA’S HOPE RANCH
Santa Barbara's Hope Ranch is a highly sought-after, affluent residential community showcasing a sophisticated outdoor, beach and equestrian lifestyle.
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Feb52022
ARCHITECT REX LOTERY: MASTER OF MODERNIST DESIGN
The renowned architect Rex Lotery died in 2007, but his legacy is manifest on The American Riviera where he designed the AIA Award-Winning Modernist Masterpiece as his personal residence, and pictured throughout this blog post.
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Feb22022
ENNISBROOK: LUXURIOUS HOMES AND NOTEWORTHY PROVENANCE
In 1845, 356 acres of vacant land in the hills a few miles northeast of the Santa Barbara Presidio, dotted with native oaks and not much else, were granted to Nemecio Dominguez, a prominent Presidio soldier.
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Jan192022
Staging a Home: Key to a Successful Sale?
The importance of staging a home cannot be overstated. That’s why staging is one of the most important things I do – or recommend my clients do. Think Pinterest-ready.
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Dec202021
Ojai California: A Magical Mecca of Wellness and Wonder
As real estate buyers continue their search for the perfect home or home away from home, I’ve added a new hamlet to my portfolio of distinctive Santa Barbara area communities.
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Dec22021
Vacation Homes: Competition, Cash and Considerations
Today’s homebuyers are still in love with vacation homes. So much so that demand for vacation homes in the U.S. rose by 70% in October of 2021. And it looks like this trend will continue; solidified by work-from-home policies, preferences, and a desire to beat an expected interest-rate hike.
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Oct72021
Selling a Montecito Home This Fall or Winter?
Thinking of selling a Montecito home this fall or winter, like the owners of my Charming French Normandy Style Home Near MUS listing pictured above? A great place to start is by selecting the right real estate agent.
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Sep292021
The Art of Selling a Luxury Home: Secrets of A Top Realtor
If you’re considering selling a luxury home, keep in mind that sales are soaring. In fact, multi-million-dollar home sales surged by 88.2% year over year in the second quarter of 2021.
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Sep222021
What Makes a “Luxury Home”?
What makes a "luxury home"? The epitome of a lavish California beach villa, the home pictured above and elsewhere in this post is well-appointed with luxury décor and amenities.
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Jul282021
The Best Interior Paint Colors for Selling a House
Is it worth considering the best interior paint colors for selling a house? Every home seller has heard about the importance of sprucing up their property before listing a home, as the owners of my Exquisite Italian Villa in Montecito’s Ennisbrook (pictured above) did.
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Jun232021
Around The World Ideas for Santa Barbara Gardens
Our amazing Mediterranean climate is one of the many things that make living in Santa Barbara desirable, and makes magical Santa Barbara gardens possible.
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Feb262021
A Luxury Realtor’s Homebuyer Guide to Property Easements
This comprehensive home buyer guide to property easements offers a comprehensive knowledge base for buyers to refer to prior to entering into escrow.
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Jan42021
The Smart House: More Valuable in Today’s Market?
By now, every homeowner should know about the importance of integrating smart house technology into their abode. After all, it’s technology that can make life easier and add value when the time comes to sell.
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Aug42020
Santa Barbara Landscape Design: Complementing Your Home’s Architecture
From Spanish Colonial Revival homes and Victorian and Craftsman beauties, to mid-century modern and contemporary residences, Santa Barbara’s distinctive architecture is greatly enhanced by complementary landscape design.
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Jul142020
7 Tips for Creating Your Own Safe Haven
What makes a happy home? A safe haven offering sanctuary from the storm, so to speak. It’s one that brings a smile to your face and a feeling of security even when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
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Jul72020
Preparing Your Santa Barbara Home For Sale
A few minor touch-ups can go a long way toward making a favorable impression on potential buyers — and perhaps cinching a deal.
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May72020
Montecito’s 93108 Zip Code: Consistently One of Forbes Richest
The Santa Barbara-Montecito area, also known as the “American Riviera,” has been a magnet for the rich and famous for over a century.
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Mar112020
Selling a Montecito Home: A Few Things to Consider
If selling a Montecito home is at the top of your to-do list, then this blog is for you. Selling your home is hard. And emotional.
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Feb262020
Montecito: Best Place to Live in the Santa Barbara Area
Those of us who call Montecito home know it is one of the best places to live in California, the nation and maybe even the world.
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Apr162020
The Richness of Santa Barbara History
The founders of the City of Santa Barbara were among the first in the nation to realize the cultural and economic value of preserving historic buildings.
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Aug122020
The Santa Barbara Luxury Real Estate Market is Booming
A limited supply of available properties along the South Coast of Santa Barbara County are keeping home values higher than one might expect in the time of COVID-19.
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Dec172020
Selling Your Home During the Holidays?
Selling your home during the holidays? How to optimize that effort might be the most important decision you'll make. It’s true that the season’s home sellers might see fewer house hunters, but those buyers are motivated.
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Apr22021
The Sweet Spot for Luxury Homebuyers: Not Too Big, Not Too Small
As affluent Americans reconsider their priorities amid the pressures of COVID-19, a sweet spot has emerged for luxury homebuyers.
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May292021
How to Declutter Your Home: Tips From a Luxury Realtor
Decluttering your home is not a new concept, but how to declutter your home requires some careful thought and a bit of expertise. And a decluttered home isn’t simply good for avoiding embarrassment when guests arrive; its health benefits have become increasingly recognized.
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Aug212021
The 2021 Santa Barbara Real Estate Market : A Top Realtor’s View
The 2021 Santa Barbara real estate market continues, with experts seeing a major post-pandemic rebound. Steady mortgage rates and job recoveries, combined with the law of supply and demand are working together to make home sales surge.
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Nov162018
How to Protect Your Home While You’re Selling
Selling a home in Santa Barbara isn’t necessarily unsafe; however, it’s always a good idea to take precautionary safety measures to protect your home and treasures as soon as you list with your favorite Realtor®.
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Oct32019
Real Estate Investing: Still the Best Choice Anyone Can Make
Over the last two centuries, about 90% of the world’s millionaires have created their wealth through real estate investing. That statistic was first cited by Billionaire Andrew Carnegie.
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May292019
Are “Pocket Listings” Effective When Selling Homes in Montecito?
So-called “pocket listings” have been a longtime staple among New York City and other high-end real estate market sellers looking to quietly sell a high-priced luxury residential property.
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Jun42019
Buying a Home in a Buyer’s Market
As a follow-up to a recent blog post, I’m going to look at how buying a home in a buyer's market affects the high-end market, including the luxury home market right here in Santa Barbara and Montecito. It turns out there is a limit to how high home prices can go, even in some of America's most alluring, if overheated, places.
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Aug142019
9 Hidden Costs of Buying a Home
Are you aware of the hidden costs related to buying a house? For the unsuspecting homebuyer -- moving to a new home like the Singular Ocean View Montecito Home pictured on this blog -- these hidden costs can be truly frightening.
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Nov292019
Downsizing Your Home: 5 Signs It Might Be Time
Is it time for downsizing your home? I recently posted a guest blog, “Downsizing for Seniors,” explaining how to make it as stress-free as possible. But when I thought about the topic, I realized that downsizing is not reserved for seniors only.
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Jul132018
Selling a Home: Want to do it Quickly and For Top Dollar?
Preparation is key if you’re interested in selling a home fast and for top dollar. That’s why I’ve created this list of the top 10 mistakes home sellers make that can keep their home sitting on the market for months with no or low offers.
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Oct102018
Hiding The Children’s Mess While Selling Your Montecito Home
frustrated parents and battling children faced with hiding the children's mess My busy clients know, hiding the children's mess when selling their Montecito home can be a major challenge. The process of keeping everything clean and tidy when your Realtor brings potential buyers to showings can be exhausting and overwhelming, if not be downright chaotic when a seller has children. But it doesn't have to be that way.
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Oct302018
Selling a Haunted House?
In honor of Halloween, I thought I’d take a look at the challenges of selling a haunted house. Would you buy one? In the real estate game, haunted houses have the official designation of being considered “stigmatized.”
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