Montecito Luxury Real Estate
Life is Good for Residents and Visitors Alike
Adjacent to Santa Barbara and stretching from its beautiful beaches to the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains, this exclusive 8-square mile enclave of stylish Montecito homes and exquisite Montecito estates is one of the View Available Listingsmost prestigious residential areas in the U.S. It is home to approximately 10,000 year-round and part-time residents.
Visitors consider its Four Seasons Biltmore Resort and the acclaimed San Ysidro Ranch among the finest and most luxurious lodging in the world. The community’s two intimate commercial hubs — Upper Village and Lower Village — offer fashionable shops, fine art galleries, and a roster of casual and fine dining establishments catering to the most discerning clientele.
A Bit of Montecito History For thousands of years, the Chumash tribe of Native Americans enjoyed the hills, canyons, beaches, creeks and indigenous vegetation of the area now known as Montecito. Although Spanish explorers and a religious delegation arrived in the 18 th century, attention was centered on establishing the Santa Barbara Mission and Presidio several miles to the west. By the 2 nd quarter of the 19 th century, however, the area was rife with bandits and highwaymen. Their residence was fairly short-lived, and by the 1860s Italian immigrants had discovered the idyllic place that came to host their farms and gardens. On their heels came promotion of the area’s hot springs, which drew affluent Eastern and Midwestern visitors.
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Montecito Real Estate
By 1915-20, wealthy tourists had purchased parcels of land and begun building large Montecito homes. Although the Great Depression slowed that development for a few years, recovery followed, more grand Montecito estates and a luxury hotel and beach club were built, and the enclave was on the road to becoming a privileged community. Today, the words “Montecito real estate” call to mind a wide variety of properties in a range of prices and architectural styles. From mountain view condos at $1+ million, to $50+ million luxury estates, all Montecito homes and estates have in common the prestige that comes with owning property in one of North America’s most impressive and highly coveted communities.