Santa Barbara:Communities, Culture & a Cornucopia
of Classic Real Estate
Living in Santa Barbara Means
Celebrating a Sense of Place
Whereas Montecito and Hope Ranch are known for their luxury real estate and ambiance of casual sophistication, Santa Barbara itself is famous for robust joie de vivre. While Goleta is home to high-tech and higher learning, Summerland and Carpinteria are quintessential California beach towns with a touch of class.
A Bit of Santa Barbara History
The area now home to luxury Montecito and Santa Barbara CA real estate was formerly home to approximately 10,000 members of the Chumash tribe of Native Americans. Although Spanish explorers landed here in the 1700s, the majority of non-Native American settlement didn’t begin until the early 19th century. It’s interesting to note that around the mid-19th century land now hosting multi-million-dollar homes and estates was occupied by bandits and highwaymen. By the latter 1800s, however, Italian immigrants arrived and began establishing gardens and farms. The late 19th century saw an influx of wealthy tourists from the eastern and Midwestern U.S., drawn to the area by its temperate climate, proximity to the ocean and beaches, and several hot springs. Soon, many of those visitors began purchasing land and building large estates.