Santa Barbara Independent Real Estate 12/15/22

Let Your Routine Guide You to Bliss

How Routines Create Comfort During the Holidaze

Ifind tremendous comfort in routines, structures, systems, and processes. If you’ve been reading my column, this won’t surprise you. My entire business is centered around helping individuals, teams, couples, business owners, and companies find more structure and get into the groove by supporting them to find what works and what doesn’t work.

If you haven’t been reading my column, welcome to my monthly ramblings about ideas and thoughts about the habits and actions of productive and organized people. These are the things they do regularly to bring order to their day, i.e., routines!

Often, when I’m on one-on-one calls with clients during my workdays, the conversation turns toward their routines and structures.  How they do what they do and WHY they do what they do. The answer always leads us back to the same place.  Routines help us feel safe.  Think about it most people feel better when that list is in place when the bed is made when the meal plan is in place for the week. I know I do. Routines put your mind on autopilot.

This time of year, though, it’s easy to let the routines that normally ground and center us get off-kilter given the chaos of the 60-ish days that we call November and December. So, this year I’m challenging you to keep your routines prioritized, rather than letting them slip by the wayside because it’s the “season of busyness.” An even deeper challenge is to determine what you can implement RIGHT NOW through the end of the year that will put you in a better place each day.

SIMPLY 805

abundant time of year.  You no doubt have lots of things swirling and pulling for your attention, so make it easy and externalize it.  Pull out a notebook, put the date on top, and get your list put together before you go to bed the night before so you can get started on your day in a more focused way.  Moreover, writing things down holds us accountable and we’re more likely to do those things than if they’re left churning around in our brains.  Remember, your brain is for solving problems, not storing them!

day were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to the doctor’s office.  Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what you have received, and when people pause to acknowledge the goodness in your life and the process, they usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves. As a result, being grateful also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals whether to other people, nature, or a higher power.  Take to heart how Benjamin Franklin ended every day and ask, “What good have I done today?”

Keep up with your morning routine. Don’t have one? Put just one thing in place. Write a page in your journal, read for 15 minutes, meditate for three minutes (which means just sit still and breathe), or get some morning movement before anyone else gets going.

Another routine to consider is to get things out of your head during this

Lastly, reflect on the day’s achievements. It can be easy to lose sight of the success you have had during the day.  Taking a few moments at the end of the day to reflect on and celebrate your wins puts things into the proper perspective and gives your mind a reset for the next day.  Research shows that people who write three things that they are grateful for each

So, I’ll end this year’s column with the things I am grateful for: my own daily routines that help keep me sane, my boys Steve, Ben, and Zack as well as where we live, how we live, and who we spend time with. We are blessed. I’m grateful for you readers thank you for your feedback, comments, support, and for reading my column. Happy holidays!

by Sara Caputo

Sara Caputo transforms how individuals, teams, and small businesses navigate workflow and increase productivity. Her work has been featured in Working Women, Success, and Forbes, as well as other national and regional publications. She can be reached at sara@saracaputoconsulting.com

ADL Hosts Annual Reception

On December 4, the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties, hosted its Annual Reception at the Canary Hotel for about 100 supporters. The Reverend Randall Day and Sarah Gluck Perez were honored.

After a lively reception in the lower-level foyer, guests gathered in the Riviera Room for a short, enchanting performance by Lois Mahalia, who also closed out the evening with a couple of songs.

Rev. Randall Day of St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church received the Ally of the Year Award for his longtime, enormous support of marginalized communities in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Ventura County English teacher Sarah Gluck Perez received the Educator of the Year Award. She was recognized, according to ADL Executive Director Dan Meisel, because of the breadth of her impact in helping students facing structural and social challenges.

With the unfortunate presence of hate in Santa Barbara, along with the rest of the nation, the ADL provides a valuable, though underutilized, resource for the community, both for preventative action and for postincident response.

In the past year, ADL provided anti-bias workshops in the Tri-County area, including to Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) faculty and to SBCC’s Early Childhood Education Program students. It provided workshops for parents in the Goleta Union School District and was quite active in Ventura County.

While ADL is known for its work countering antiSemitism, these workshops are about all forms of bias and racism, exploring issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Overall, these programs reached 919 educators, 575 community members, and 100 students.

Since schools returned to in-person classes, ADL has revived its No Place for Hate initiative, which currently runs in 13 schools in the Tri-County area, but only one of those is in South Santa Barbara County: Monte Vista Elementary School. Under this initiative, ADL acts as a resource for educators and students in their efforts to combat bias and bullying and provide environments where all students feel they belong.

According to Meisel, teachers in the Tri-County area regularly use resources on ADL’s national website about anti-Semitism. However, he laments that other than in Ventura, few districts are seeking programming or information about anti-Semitism specifically. In these times of rising anti-Semitism, Meisel reflects, the topic is surely arising more generally in classroom conversations, and he hopes that educators will make use of the ADL to better understand the issue and be better equipped to facilitate conversations about it. According to Meisel, “With more understanding of Judaism, anti-Semitism, and, frankly, all forms of bias, we can proactively prevent many troubling incidents from occurring rather than having to respond to them.”

In response to recent anti-Black incidents, Santa Barbara Unified School District is conducting a racial climate survey and, according to Meisel, will then determine whether any ADL programming is appropriate.

In addition to working with schools, the ADL this year also has made many presentations to community groups on anti-Semitism and on the rising trends of hate and bias.

ADL records hate incidents and so far this year, there have been 60 credible reports in the Tri-County area, including 28 involving anti-Semitism and 18 that were racially motivated. Anti-Semitic incidents included slurs hurled at an individual and graffiti at bus stops, a bike path, and public parks. There were racial slurs at schools, an anti-LGBTQ physical attack, and the stealing and burning of a gay pride flag from a church.

In South Santa Barbara County (including Santa Ynez Valley), there have been 19 reports: 11 anti-Semitic, five racial, two LGBTQ-related, and one other. Reports come from the public, law enforcement, and media. Meisel strongly suspects incidents are under-reported and points, for example, to hearing from S.B. city officials that swastika graffiti is common in local public parks.

ADL’s national Center on Extremism provides data and reports on trends and research on extremist groups. ADL S.B./Tri-Counties and ADL Los Angeles together meet regularly with law enforcement representatives in Southern/Central California to share information.

For coverage of other events, go to independent.com/society. Send invites to gail@independent.com.

SOCIETY MATTERS Text and photos by Gail Arnold

Honoree Rev. Randall Day, Regional Director Dan Meisel, and honoree Sarah Gluck Perez

Boardmember Susan Rose and Board Chair Mark Goldstein

Major sponsors Betsy and Charles Newman

Lois Mahalia performs.

The Santa Barbara/Ventura chapter of The Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit organization run by the agents and employees of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, has received one of its largest donations to date: $50,000 from longtime agent Cristal Clarke in the Montecito Midtown office.

Giving back to the community she loves is nothing new for Cristal. She and her husband, Nigel, have been supporting local businesses for several years, based on their belief that small businesses are the fabric of their community. “It is an honor and a privilege to live and work in our local community. I am truly grateful for the trust placed in me which enables me to continue to do what I love and give back where I can.”

“Cristal’s humble generosity shines through in every aspect of her work,” said Martha Mosier, President of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. “Cristal continues to give back to the communities she serves, and does so with a generous and open heart. Our California Properties family and the Montecito community are extremely fortunate to know and work with Cristal. We appreciate all of our associates who participate in contributing to The Charitable Foundation, and today, we are very grateful for Cristal’s extremely generous gift.”

Per The Charitable Foundation’s mission, Cristal’s donation will be used to support local organizations that promote health, education, community, and the environment.

“Cristal’s generous contribution to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties’ Charitable Foundation is a beautiful expression of her commitment to strengthening and enriching the lives of people throughout her community,” said Gino Blefari, CEO of HomeServices of America and Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. “Her extraordinary kindness demonstrates the power within us to uplift others and serves as inspiration for others to follow.”

“Cristal has always been an extremely generous and gracious individual, both personally and professionally,” said Kyle Kemp, Regional Vice President, Santa Barbara, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. “She actively seeks out needs in the community and works to fill them, without any thoughts of herself. Her generosity always comes from a place of humility and grace. We are proud to have Cristal as a member of our company and community.”

Cristal, who has specialized in the sale and acquisition of extraordinary estates and land in Montecito, Santa Barbara, Hope Ranch, and Summerland for more than three decades, is consistently recognized and praised for her dedication to her clients. “I go the extra mile for them and it shows,” she said. “That’s true not just throughout the transaction, but beyond escrow. Most of my clients become friends who know they can count on me, and that trust translates into repeat business and referrals as well as personal bonds.”

The Charitable Foundation has chapters in San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties. Each chapter donates to its own community. The Charitable Foundation has provided hundreds of grants totaling approximately $5 million to local organizations that promote health, education, community, and the environment. For more information, please visit www.thecharitablefoundation.net.

Cristal is always eager to share her wealth of knowledge of the Central Coast with buyers and sellers. Reach her at 805-886-9378 or cristal@montecito-estate.com.

Sarah Sinclair gives you the inside scoop on real estate in The Home Page, going behind the scenes each Sunday to visit our region’s casitas, cottages, and castles.

Cristal Clarke

2022 SBAOR INSTALLATION & AWARDS LUNCHEON

On Friday December 2, the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors (SBAOR) hosted their 115th Installation & Awards Luncheon.

I was proud to be a part of this wonderful celebration. This is a day not to highlight how many homes agents sell or how much money they make, but to showcase the amazing contributions that REALTORS® and affiliates make to our local community. It is also an opportunity to thank both the outgoing president and board of directors for their service and to introduce the new president and board of directors.

Here are some of the award recipients:

REALTOR® Community Service Award - Sheela Hunt, Village Properties. Sheela is a successful REALTOR® wh has found the time to donate more than twenty years of service to the local Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation. She has served on their board of directors, Fund Development, Real Estate, and Planned Giving committees. She has co-chaired numerous events, and personally drives Easter baskets to families in treatment at the LA Children’s Hospital. Sheela also donates her time with local schools and fundraising for the Teacher’s Fund Supplies Drive.

Community Service Award - Meichelle Arntz. Meichelle launched Angels Foster Care in 2006, a private non-profit Foster Family Agency that serves children from birth to age five. Her goal was to reduce the trauma that local babies and toddlers experience in foster care by keeping them with one loving family for the entire time that they are in foster care. Over the past sixteen years, Angels Foster Care has impacted the lives of 297 abused, neglected, and abandoned infants and toddlers in our local foster care system.

Affiliate of the Year - Matt Genovese, Finance of America. This award is given to an affiliate member of the SBAOR that makes a significant contribution to the association. The recipient must model ethical business practices and standards, have a good reputation among peers and display a spirit of cooperation. Matt certainly exemplifies these traits and much more. He is always willing to step up and

support our events throughout the year.

REALTOR Award of Excellence - Linda Lorenzen, Coldwell Banker and Keith Berry, Coldwell Banker (posthumous award). Both of these esteemed REALTORS® have served the local philanthropic community with distinction and have also served our local association for over five decades. Even though they were ‘competitors’ at the same brokerage, they always strived to help each other and everyone within our organization. They are both truly class acts in every sense of the word.

Honorary Member for Life - Carol Kruckenberg, Village Properties. This award recognizes an exemplary member for at least 25 years who displays an incredibly strong dedication to our association and local community. During her 25 years as a member of our association, Carol has been chairperson of several committees, director, Secretary, Treasurer and President of the SBAOR as well as a Director of the California Association of Realtors Board of Directors. Her talented IT background has paved the way for leading our Budget & Finance, Business & Technology and Statistical Review committees. Carol’s long-term commitment to professionalism, excellence in real estate profession, unmatched work ethic, and unparalleled leadership is truly a model to be followed.

Howard Gates Award - Gary Goldberg, Coastal Properties. This award is given to the local REALTOR® that has played a significant role in bringing about a difficult transaction to a successful closing. This particular transaction had so many challenges, but Gary was ultimately able to satisfy both the buyer and the seller in the end. And that is ultimately what we always are supposed to do.

REALTOR® of the year - Brian Johnson, The Management Association. This award is given to an association member who has gone above and beyond their normal scope of responsibilities and has served their fellow agents and the asso-

ciation in many capacities for many years. Here are just some of the committees that Brian has served on; Grievance, Multiple Listing Service (MLS), Budget & Finance, Awards, and Government Relations. Brian served as the 2021 SBAOR President and is also the first commercial REALTOR® to lead the association.

Congratulations to all these worthy recipients. As you can see from their accomplishments, these amazing individuals do much more than help their clients buy and sell homes. They care deeply about our community and dedicate countless hours to making Santa Barbara a better place to live and work.

AWARD RECIPIENTS:

Community Service Award – Meichelle Arntz

REALTOR® Community Service Award – Sheela Hunt, Village Properties

Howard Gates Award – Gary Goldberg, Coastal Properties

Honorary Member For Life – Carol Kruckenberg, Pueblo Realty Group

REALTOR® Award of Excellence – Linda Lorenzen & Keith Berry, Coldwell Banker

REALTOR® of the Year – Brian Johnson, The Management Association, Inc.

2023 BOARD & OFFICERS:

President: Todd Shea

President Elect: Michele Allyn

Vice President: Marcella Simmons

Secretary/Treasurer: Summer Knight

Directors:

Jennifer Berger

Jena Harris

Tyler Mearce

Patrice Serrani

Elisa Bartron Hills

Gay Milligin

Jeff Oien

Jean Sedar

Immediate Past President: Robert Walsmith, Jr.

Affiliate Director: Jennifer Le Mert

805.720.5362 and/

Bob Walsmith Jr. is a native to Southern California and a Realtor® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. During his work with the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors, Bob has served on the CORE Committee, Education Committee, been Chair of the Budget & Finance Committee, and the Multiple Listing Service Committee. He also is on the Board of Directors of the Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara. Bob lives in Goleta with his beautiful wife Julie. When not working, Bob enjoys playing golf, fine wine, fine dining, and walking our beautiful coastline. Bob can be reached at

or bob@bobwalsmithjr.com

Sheela Hunt

Julie & Bob Walsmith, Jr.

2022 President Bob Walsmith, Jr.

2023 President Todd Shea with his parents Jane and Peder Shea

Gary Goldberg

Brian Johnson

Q: Marsha, I am due to close escrow on my dream home in seven days. Suddenly, the sellers have declared they no longer want to sell. They want to refund my deposit. I don’t want the money; I want my house and I want them to leave. Both agents are frustrated and angry. What is my recourse?

A: Fortunately, this is not a frequent occurrence. You don’t mention why the sellers want to cancel. In many cases, sellers have a momentary panic and want to cancel a sale. Once they seriously consider it, they will move forward. I speak from experience in this matter. My husband and I were in the process of purchasing our first home in June 1990. The home had been a rental for many years and was a true fixer. We opened escrow on June 26, 1990. The Painted Cave Fire started the next day on June 27. The winds were fueling this ferocious fire, and the flames quickly reached Santa Barbara. The sellers lived off North Turnpike and were concerned their house wouldn’t survive. They called their agent on June 28 and asked to cancel escrow, thinking they could move into their rental if their home burned. We told the sellers’ agent to have her clients sleep on this action and we would talk in a couple of days. The sellers decided to

move forward with the sale. Sadly, along with 427 other structures, their home was lost in the Painted Cave fire.

Once sellers go into a real estate contract, the power in the transaction shifts to the buyers. The buyers have a set of contingencies to complete within a specific time frame. Sellers have no recourse but to wait on the buyers to remove their contingencies. Only when the buyers fail to perform within the contract’s timeframes can the sellers move to cancel the contract.

If all the contingencies have been removed and buyers decide to cancel the contract, their security deposit, generally 3 percent of the contract price, is at risk. The seller has been harmed by the buyers backing out at the last minute.

The buyers are likewise harmed by sellers who attempt to cancel the contract at the last minute. While the sellers have no actual money in escrow, they can expect to be sued for specific performance by the buyers, the buyers’ broker, and the sellers’ own broker. Everyone fulfilled their obligations, and the sellers are causing serious harm and acting in bad faith by canceling.

The buyers have several options. They can sue to force the sellers to complete the sale. If the sellers have no legitimate reason for backing out, the buyers will ultimately win

in court. The buyers can also record a lis pendens on the property, letting the world know there is a lawsuit taking place and the property can’t be sold. If the sellers are reneging on the contract to obtain more money in another sale, the lis pendens will halt that sale.

The good news for you is that often it simply takes a little time for sellers to recognize that moving forward with the sale is far better than the alternative. Give them a few days. I hope they make the right choice.

Marsha Gray, DRE #012102130, NMLS#1982164, has been a real estate broker in Santa Barbara for more than 20 years. She works at Allyn & Associates, real estate services and lending. To read more Q&A articles, visit MarshaGraySBhomes.com. She will research and answer all questions submitted. Contact Marsha at (805) 252-7093 or MarshaGraySB@gmail.com.

by Marsha Gray

Goleta

17 N San Marcos Road

#B, 2BD, 1.5BA, Sun 1-4, $859,000, Village Properties, Lynda Bohnett 805-637-6407, DRE#01268751

The Mesa

2402 Calle Montilla, 4BD, 3BA, Sat 12-3 & Sun 1-4, $3,195,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Ricardo Munoz 805-8958725, DRE#01505757

Hope

Ranch

622 Via Trepadora, 5BD, 4BA, Sat & Sun 1-4, $4,200,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Annette Vait / John Comin 805886-1926 / 805-6893078, DRE#02044281 / #00662357

4520 Via Esperanza, 5BD, 4BA, Sun 1-4, $8,250,000, Coastal Properties, Gary Goldberg 805-455-8910, DRE#01172139

Santa Barbara

1701 Anacapa St #26, 2BD, 2BA, Sun 1-3, $850,000, Village Properties, Dianne & Brianna Johnson 805-450-6078, DRE#00947199 / #01943572

545 Los Feliz Dr, 3BD, 2BA, Sun 1-3, $1,050,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Katya Sheets 805-708-2323, DRE#02061444

733 Bath Street, 2BD, 2BA, Sun 12-3, $1,095,000, Village Properties, Madisyn Graham 805-450-4032, DRE#02166282

5073 San Vicente Drive, 3BD, 2BA, Sat & Sun 12-3, $1,395,000, Sotheby’s International Realty, Brandon Veltri 805-4487433, DRE#02070796

401 Chapala Street #215, 1BD, 2BA, Sat 11-1, $1,619,000, Epstein Partners/Keller Williams, Steve Epstein 805-6899339, DRE#00994429

5539 San Patricio Dr, 4BD, 3BA, Sat 2-4, $1,698,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Katya Sheets 805-7082323, DRE#02061444

4556 Carriage Hill Dr, 3BD, 2BA, Sat & Sun 12-3, $1,795,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Weston Rowan 805-5123892, DRE#02182012

646 Calle Del Oro, 3BD, 3BA, Sat 1-4, $1,858,000, Coldwell Banker Realty, Charles Brewer/Brisaly Balderas 805-4505623, DRE#01477889 / #02128318

2205 Oak Park Ln, 3BD, 2BA, Sat & Sun 1-4, $1,900,000, Village Properties, Casey Turpin 805-232-5766, DRE#02125478

4414 Meadowlark Ln, 5BD, 3BA, Sat & Sun 1-3, $2,795,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Georgette Owens 805-570-6138, DRE#02172408

4439 Shadow Hills Blvd Unit N, 4BD, 5BA, Sun 2-4, $2,895,000, Coldwell Banker Realty, Scott McCosker 805-4511721, DRE#00494253

4675 La Espada Drive, 3 BD, 5BA, Sun 1-4, $3,799,000, Coldwell Banker Realty Montecito, Chris Harrington 805-689-7418, DRE#01019556

Montecito

302 Alston Rd, 4BD, 3BA, Sat & Sun 1-4, $3,995,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Stefan Stojanovski 805-570-0640, DRE#02112629

Carpinteria

1116 Linden Ave, 1BD, 1.5BA, Sun 1-3, $765,000, Village Properties, Justin Corrado 805-451-9969, DRE#01356799

1114 Linden Ave, 1BD, 1BA, Sun 1-3, $795,000, Village Properties, Justin Corrado 805-451-9969, DRE#01356799

4527 Carpinteria Avenue Unit D, 2BD, 2.5BA, Sun 1-4, $850,000, Coastal Properties, Gary Goldberg 805-455-8910, DRE#01172139

1118 Linden Ave, 2BD, 2BA, Sun 1-3, $945,000, Village Properties, Justin Corrado 805-451-9969, DRE#01356799

1112 Linden Ave, 3BD, 2BA, Sun 1-3, $995,000, Village Properties, Justin Corrado 805-451-9969, DRE#01356799

1112-1118 Linden Ave, 7BD, 7BA, Sat & Sun 1-3, $3,295,000, Village Properties, Pranav Shastri / Justin Corrado 805729-7993 / 805-4519969, DRE#02152010 / #01356799

Santa Ynez Valley

128 Sierra Vista, 3BD, 2BA, Sat 1-3, $519,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Bill Coker 805-689-7415, DRE#01766178

629 Central Ave #B, 2BD, 1.5BA, Sat 12:302:30, $622,000, Village Properties, Nancy Rizzo 805-403-2700, DRE#01367103