House & Home: November 12, 2022

Mark MacGillvray Coldwell Banker

Located in a prime area in the Golden Quadrangle, on one of Montecito’s finest streets. This chic and charming home is a private, secluded residence on over three acres. The home has been extensively and impeccably renovated and combines both Mediterranean and modern styles. Flooded with an abundance of natural light with French doors from most rooms, the versatile floor plan offers two/three bedrooms, an office, a sitting room, living and dining areas, a kitchen and three bathrooms. The superbly crafted outside entertaining area features a pool, hot tub, a fireplace, multiple trellises and seating areas, with a backdrop of a gorgeous stone wall. Replete with a wine storage room, gated driveway, two-car garage. Coveted indoor outdoor living make this unique property extremely desirable.

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& Home is a product of the Classified Advertising Department of the Santa Barbara News-Press.

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By Bob Walsmith, Jr. President of the Santa Barbara Association of REALTORS®

CAR Fall Meetings

The California Association of REAL TORS® (C.A.R.) conducts three business meetings each year, in January, in April and October. Unfortunately, this year, the January meeting was canceled due to CO VID-19. I wrote about our April meeting a few weeks after I returned from that trip to Sacramento and following suit, I am now writing about our most recent Fall meeting in Long Beach.

Some of the important issues include education, policy, and the new laws that will affect our daily lives as homeowners and REALTORS®

I attended many seminars that will allow me and my fellow CA REALTORS® to bet ter serve our clients and the public. These seminars are educational, interesting and helpful. No matter how long someone has been in our profession, it is always vitally important to continue to learn and strive for more and better ways to ensure our clients success and that we help them achieve the American Dream of home ownership. For when it comes down to it, that truly is our only charge!

Other important take-aways was that C.A.R. has adopted a new Strategic Plan for 2023-2025. This new strategic plan lays out our strategic priorities and the pillars for how those priorities can be accomplished;

1.Influence and Impact on California Real Estate — This is done through Advo cacy, Impacting Housing Affordability and Supply, Fair Housing, and Environmental, Social and Governance Practices.

2.Member Success in a Changing Land scape — This can be accomplished with Business Resources, and Professionalism, and Professional Development.

3.Housing, Community and Profes sional Sustainability — The will be done through the CAR Brand, the REALTOR® Brand, Broker Relations, and Member En gagement.

4.Member Engagement, Development and Inclusion — Members must be more involved I’m promoting our profession and involved in our communities.

CAR has also adopted some new longrange goals for our members. These in clude;

•Having CAR be the voice of California real estate and the champion of real prop erty rights.

•Supporting the creation of housing and pathways to homeownership in California.

•Being a diverse organization that unites the strength and expertise of the real estate profession.

CAR and REALTORS® are respected leaders who foster thriving communities.

Fostering a culture of inclusivity and transparency.

Another major result of our recent meet

ings was the fact that C.A.R. issued a formal apology for past discriminatory policies.

Regrettably, the California Real Estate Association (CREA), now known as C.A.R., once played a leading role in segregation and exclusionary practices in housing, California communities still grapple with health and homeownership inequalities. For decades, CREA promoted policies that encouraged discrimination and the idea that neighbor hood integration would negatively impact property values. The Association endorsed racial zoning, “redlining” and racially re strictive covenants.

In a statement by current C.A.R. Presi dent Otto Catrina, he apologized on behalf of all members, past and present, for foster ing a practice of discriminatory practices towards minorities throughout the state of California. President Catrina said, “The As sociation was wrong. We apologize for these actions. We not only apologize for those ac tions, we strongly condemn them, and we will continue working to address the legacy of these discriminatory policies and prac tices.”

In the years since these practices were changed, CAR has done everything it can to make up for these transgressions and to foster inclusion and equality for all.

For instance, CAR recently sponsored a law requiring periodic implicit bias training for all real estate salespersons. Additionally, CAR helped shape a new law that strength ens consumer protection in instances of ap praisal bias.

CAR is hard at work to address the leg acy of discriminatory policies in a variety of ways. CAR will also continue to develop and strengthen programs that break down barriers to home ownership.

An example of REALTORS® working with our elected officials to help our com munities is the fact that legislation is being introduced to raise the capital gains allow ances from $250,00 for an individual to $500,000 and for family from $500,000 to $1,000,000. This would not have been pos sible without conversation and communica tion between REALTORS® and legislators.

A new law will also take effect next year in CA, that prohibits a landlord within a HOA from prohibiting renting out a por tion of their dwelling.

One other interesting part of these meet ings is the Business Expo that showcases many companies whose services allow RE ALTORS® to make better use of their time and to serve their clients and communities better.

As you can see, these meetings are not va cations for REALTORS®, but showcase real world issues that educate, guide and moti vate REALTORS® to help everyone realize the American Dream of home ownership.

Bob Walsmith, Jr. can be reached at 805-720-5362 or emailed at Bob@BobWalsmithJr.com

HOA Homefront Readers Questions

’Tis The Season – For Signs

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. CCAL

Kelly:

I am currently disagreeing with my HOA regarding political signs. I still have a small sign in my front yard. The HOA board inserted a new rule section refer encing Civil Code 4710, and it states po litical signs cannot be placed more than 60 days before the election and must be removed 15 days after the election. Can the board bypass the Davis-Stirling Act with this new rule?

Hi Kelly:

– Sincerely, M.R.

About a month [September] ago po litical signs for in the upcoming election started appearing in front yards. In the past the HOA required the resident to remove the sign. Now the HOA is citing Civil Code 4710 as a reason they cannot prohibit political signage at all. Can the HOA allow political signage only during specified time periods? Has the HOA opened itself for litigation by not enforc ing their own rules?

– J.R. Dear M.R. and J.R.: Civil Code Section 4710 does not give political signs less protection than other noncommercial signs. I understand the logic behind the desire to limit politi cal signs to the political season. However, the statute protects all noncommercial signs and banners, which includes the political variety. I don’t think a rule lim iting the time for political signs would withstand a legal challenge. Although, I think good neighborly courtesy would dictate that outdated political campaign signs be taken down after the campaign is over, but the Davis-Stirling Act does not require that reasonable and neighborly behavior.

– Best regards, Kelly.

part of the “common area”. I petitioned the board many times to act on this, but they have shown no progress. Where do you think I stand?

Dear R.M.:

– Thanks, R.M

The Civil Code Section 4710, protect ing noncommercial signs, limits its pro tection to signs placed with a member’s “separate interest.” “Separate interest” is defined by Civil Code Section 4185(a) as the “unit” in a condominium project or the “lot” in a planned development project. So, signs are not protected if they are placed in common area or exclusive use common area, which are shared in terests and not separately owned by the homeowner.

However, is the sign truly in common area? The demarcation of common area as opposed to separate interest comes from the condominium plan in a condo minium project and a subdivision map in most planned developments. That differ entiation isn’t as easy these day to identify as it used to be, since subdividers often create condominiums with “units” that include yards and other developers cre ate planned developments in which the residences are attached and the “lot” is only the ground under the residence. So, it’s not always quite as simple as it first appears.

– Best to you AND your neighbors, and hoping you can develop a good compromise, Kelly

Kelly:

I have been doing battle with the HOA about a resident displaying a “Black Lives Matter” sign in what is considered to be

Readers: Wouldn’t it be amazing if we were all more tolerant of political cam paigns and views other than our own, celebrating instead of spurning diversity in our neighborhoods? What if we all also would temper our desire for political expression by also considering whether our own displays of opinion might not enhance the architecture and landscaping of our community? Just another perspec tive to consider.

Submit questions to Kelly@rodllp.com. Past columns at www.HOAHomefront.com. All rights reserved®.

Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. is a Fellow of the College of Community Association Lawyers andPartnerof Richardson Ober DeNichilo LLP, a law firm known for community association advice.

Buellton

Kitchen and bath fixtures with versatile install options

By Ed Del Grande

Question:

Hi Ed: Read your article on versatile dual-mount kitchen sinks that can be installed to the countertop either top-mounted or undermounted. This makes sense to have flexible install options. What other fixtures like this can you suggest? – Don

Answer:

To quickly recap, the dual-mount kitchen sinks I mentioned have a special flat and thin rim that allows the sink to be mounted as a drop-in or under-mount installation. This is especially helpful if you already have the sink and then change your mind on the countertop installation.

So along that same thinking, here are a few other versatile kitchen and bath fixtures I can suggest.

First, if you are looking to upgrade your existing or new toilet with bidet features, new bidet-style toilet seats are designed to fit most elongated toilet bowls without having to be a certain make or model.

If you’re looking for a kitchen or bathroom faucet that can be installation-friendly, one-hole faucets with optional escutcheon base plates can usually be used for one- or three-hole faucet applications.

To finish up, let’s talk about bathroom lighting fixtures that can also offer dual-mount applications. New multidirectional horizontal or vertical mounting wall sconce lights can brighten up any bath room — in more ways than one!

Master Contractor/Plumber Ed Del Grande is known internationally as the author of the book “Ed Del Grande’s House Call,” the host of TV and Internet shows, and a LEED green associate. Visit eddelgrande.com. Always consult local contractors and codes. ©2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Santa BarB ara County SaleS

This is a partial list of all recorded residential sales in Santa Barbara County from November 1 thru November 4, 2022. While these recordings are public record, the News-Press receives this information from an outside source. This list does not represent all sales that occurred over this time period. Consult your REALTOR® for further information regarding home sales in your area of interest.

AREA ADDRESS SELLER

BUELLTON / SOLVANG 7588 HEMPSTEAD AVE RICHARD JAMES EA

BUYER PRICE DATE

BTP GROUP LLC $50,000 11/01/22 829 HARTNELL RD LONG ERIN EU MATTHEWS SCOTT EA $1,333,500 11/01/22 810 UNION AVE BUELLTON TOWN PLAZA PARTNERS BTP GROUP LLC $2,950,000 11/01/22 816 W RIMES CT NORCOTT BRYAN LATCHFORD WILLIAM EA $3,800,000 11/04/22

CUYAMA 922 CALLE ABIERTA MESSINA SALVADOR PAGENKOPF DAVIEL EA $110,000 11/03/22

GOLETA 1000 E OCEAN AVE CLEMMONS PENNY 5290 OVERPASS ROAD LLC $110,000 11/04/22 1010 E WALNUT AVE WEBSTER ROBERT EA FRANKLIN LINDA $639,000 11/02/22 1527 CRESTLINE DR REGENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF CA HAWKES ELLIOT EU $699,000 11/03/22 1006 N SAN MARCOS RD WHISENAND SUSAN EA RITMIRE DIANA EA $1,050,000 11/01/22 1455 STERLING AVE GIMELBERG AMBER EU GARCIA SERGIO EU $1,192,500 11/02/22 1609 W CHERRY AVE SMITH TAYLOR EA LATORRE TYLER EU $1,200,000 11/01/22 1214 VILLAGE CT NGO PHUONG COLSTON WALKER EA $1,226,000 11/04/22 1007 W ANABELLE ST SPAINHOUR DAVID EA KORTE-NAHABEDIAN MARK EA $1,735,000 11/02/22 1195 DOVE MEADOW RD SBMR LLC 1418 ALMOND LLC $3,000,000 11/02/22 1609 VIA TROPICO CWI SANTA BARBARA HOTEL LP RUBY SB HOTEL LLC $529,869,000 11/03/22

GUADALUPE

497 E NEWLOVE DR D SERPA RICHARD PERALEZ MANUEL EA $400,000 11/04/22 465 HOT SPRINGS RD GB LAND 4 HERNANDEZ BRANDON EU $628,000 11/02/22 470 VALLEY DAIRY RD GB LAND 4 ARGUELLO LUIS EU $661,000 11/04/22 521 CARRIAGE HILL CT CAMARENA CAM EA 4625 INVESTMENTS LLC $3,085,000 11/04/22

LOMPOC 1674 EUCALYPTUS DR A WEYRICK COLIN EA

ABBOTT TECH TECHNICAL SERVICES $175,000 11/01/22 2040 S LASSEN DR LANGDON ALEXA WALLER CHARLES $405,000 11/02/22 175 McMurray Rd OZUNA EVANGELINA EA TORREZ JASON EA $475,000 11/02/22

Santa BarB ara County SaleS

AREA ADDRESS SELLER

460 FOXEN DR NAEMI ANGELO EU

BUYER PRICE DATE

TORRES JOSE $900,000 11/02/22

SANTA MARIA 5290 OVERPASS RD 211 RIOS AGUSTIN EA HOLLINGSEAD BLANCHE EA $1,075,000 11/01/22

SANTA YNEZ 839 E SLOAN TERR MATTHEWS SCOTT & CLAUDIA C TTE SIMON ASHER EA $11,525,000 11/01/22

UNICORP 642 W DE LA GUERRA ST HEAD CHRISTOPHER EA METOYER MATTHEW $280,000 11/03/22 715 ROBERTO AVE JACOBSON JOHN EA ELLSWORTH GEOFFREY EU $308,000 11/02/22 7309 DAVENPORT RD MACIAS CARMEN FRAPWELL RYAN $380,000 11/03/22 301 N SOLEDAD ST NOVEREAS JOHN CARMICHAEL JESSE EA $415,000 11/04/22 281 SHULTE LN HOMER LEROY EA

DOMINGUEZ VICTOR $470,000 11/04/22 2473 S VILLAGE GREEN DR CALBILLO DANNY EU ROCHE KENNETH $570,000 11/01/22 617 E MAIN ST TUNNELL MARY EA HERNANDEZ MICAH EU $610,000 11/04/22 7349 ELMHURST PL HOESL ANTON EA PANCHAL NIMISHA $625,000 11/04/22 8301 HOLLISTER AVE MARTINEZ WARREN RATATOUILLE LLC $631,500 11/03/22 3121 AVENA RD WOMACK JOHN EA SALINAS ANTHONY EU $732,500 11/04/22 40 LOS PATOS WAY GILES, KENNETH D VALLA CHAD EA $975,000 11/04/22 3456 VIA CORTEZ CEBADA VENTURES LLC RAMOS EDUARDO EU $1,000,000 11/02/22 321 E INGER DR D22 FLOCKEN EUGENE EU TERRA FIRMA CALIFORNIA LLC $3,500,000 11/03/22

Here is how to properly clean your gutters

As the leaves litter your yard throughout the fall, the need to clean your gutters will only rise. It’s an important part of home mainte nance that can have some serious consequences if neglected.

According to realtor.com, neglected gutters can cause roof damage during the winter, basement flooding, mold and mildew, and damage to a home’s fascia and wood framing. Luckily, cleaning out your gut ters is a relatively easy task.

First, you will need a few supplies — all of which can usually be found at your local hardware store.

To properly clean out your gutters, you will need a ladder for reach. You will also need a bucket to place all of the gutter’s nasty debris in.

Snag a gutter scoop to scrape out that gutter debris once you are on your ladder. Once you have removed all of the big pieces of debris, use a garden hose to flush out the smaller leftover pieces.

If the leftover debris is getting stopped up in your gutter’s down spout, unwind a metal coat hanger and use it to gently push the de bris through to the bottom of the downspout.

According to some cleaning services, you should clean out your gutters at least one or two times each spring and fall. The more rain your area receives, however, the more often you should consider cleaning out your gutters.

If you hear dripping from your gutters, that is often a telltale sign that it is time to give them a good cleaning out. It is also a good prac tice to clean them out after any major storms, as strong winds can blow debris into your gutters.

by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Distributed

As the leaves litter your yard throughout the fall, the need to clean your roof gutters will be an important part of home maintenance.

Photo courtesy Zerbor/Dreamstime/TNS

Design

Recipes:

The power of home staging

By Cathy Hobbs

Top photos show how staging can make a difference leading to an accepted offer within 30 days on the market. Photos courtesy Handout/TNS

Staging is a longtime secret weapon relat ing to selling a house. Ask any savvy real estate agent and they will likely admit that home staging is one of the key tools in their market ing toolbox.

Why? The reality is that most potential buyers lack vision. A space that is cluttered, in need of repair or overly personalized im mediately signals worry and work to potential buyers. Most understand the reality of what a space looks like now, as opposed to what the space could be. Here’s how to maximize your staging potential.

Stage primary rooms

Living rooms and primary bedrooms are two of the most important rooms in a home. Living rooms are often one of the first rooms to enter in a home and the main space for entertaining, so it is important that the pre sentation is strong and makes an impact. Primary bedrooms are considered sanctuaries and often have great importance and appeal to potential buyers.

Let furniture placement take center stage

The goal in primary spaces such as living rooms and bedrooms is to create a cohesive furniture arrangement. In many instances, occupied listings have an overabundance of furniture. When it comes to home selling, less is more. The goal is to allow potential buyers to be able to see the space, as opposed to focus on the stuff.

Getting started

Start with foundation pieces and end with the details. In other words, start big and end small. Begin with large items such as sofas and area rugs, then focus on complementary elements such as artwork and end with details such as toss pillows, throws and accessories.

Stay neutral

Neutral color palettes are ideal for staging. Not only do they blend with other colors, but they also create a soothing environment. Col ors such as gray and off-white work well.

Stage it, sell it

When a property goes on the market, it is no longer a seller’s home. Instead it is a product for sale that will be compared to other products. In seeking the ideal home, most potential buyers will visit more than one house, comparing and contrasting selling features as far as the positives and negatives. A staged home conveys one that is move-in ready, which is the desire of most potential buyers.

Cathy Hobbs, based in New York City, is an Emmy Award-winning television host and a nationally known interior design and home staging expert with offices in New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C. Contact her at info@cathyhobbs.com or visit her website at cathyhobbs.com. ©2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

On Gardening: A confession about perennial sweet potatoes

By Norman Winter

My bride, Jan, said, “Those ornamental sweet potatoes you planted this year look better than they did last year.” She was referring to a big display of Sweet Caroline Medusa Green that was draping over a rock wall.

Sheepishly, I bowed my head and sort of muttered that I didn’t plant any sweet potatoes this year. I feel like I am about to break out in hives knowing what I am about to write. Knowing I was going to do this, I even sought counsel from other Southern horticulturists.

My beautiful Sweet Caroline Medusa Green spilling over the wall is in year two; so is my Illusion Midnight Lace grow ing in a container. My Illusion Emerald Lace is in year three, and my dollar rescue off death row clearance at the big box store is in year four.

Confessing this is most relieving. I have felt like I should be a member of a sweet potato help group where we join and state emphatically, “Hi I’m Norman and I grow ornamental sweet potatoes as perennial.”

The guilt associated with this is deep rooted. The tags for the plants say hardy in zones 11a and 11b, holy Panama! But I suppose my most profound guilt came from the years work ing as a horticulture specialist for Mississippi State University. The first line in my job description was to promote the green industry.

I have felt that if I spill the beans that the ornamental sweet potato may be perennial, the plant industry might not sell as many in the spring and I might crash the market. My counsel in Louisiana however, said yes, we tell customers they are perennial.

Obviously, I have been dabbling in horticulture humor or buffoonery to this point. The real truth is that the ornamental sweet potato is the same genus and species as the one you eat

at the Thanksgiving table. They produce tubers just like the edible varieties, though their taste and consistency is not up to culinary standards.

So, picture that my Sweet Caroline Medusa Green or Il lusion Emerald Lace are likewise producing tubers under ground. When frost comes, I remove the foliage just like vegetable growers do, one because they are ugly, and two, we don’t want any diseases going into the tuber.

My plants are growing in super well-drained soil, which definitely is a factor in those that return. During the winter the tubers and the dormant partner plants like Rockin salvi as, Truffula Pink gomphrena and Vermillionaire cuphea are asleep waiting for spring temperatures and warm soil.

If you have grown ornamental sweet potatoes, you know they are vigorous travelers, with the ability to travel 10 to 20 feet. Therefore, you can find yourself in the management business. This is the big reason why compact or behaved va rieties like the Sweet Caroline Medusa Green have racked up more than 20 awards.

The Illusion varieties are also award winners and highly popular in the landscape industry. If you do have tubers, they are generally close in proximity to the original plant and haven’t creeped into the rose garden. The Illusion series is adding a new color in 2023 called Illusion Penny Lace that is a gorgeous coppery red.

Yes, The Garden Guy is an ornamental sweet potato lover and has been growing them as perennials in zone 8a Georgia for three or four years. I am looking forward to growing the new climbing Sweet Caroline Upside series and the new Illu sion Penny Lace.

Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Toughas-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinter TheGardenGuy.

Illusion Penny Lace ornamental sweet potato will debut at garden centers in 2023.

Photos courtesy Norm Winter/TNS

Sweet Caroline Medusa Green ornamental sweet potato completely over the wall in October year two.

Illusion Emerald Lace ornamental sweet potato year one with Truffula Pink gomphrena and SunPatiens Compact Electric Orange and Rocking Blue Suede Shoes salvia.

Illusion Emerald Lace ornamental sweet potato year two with Superbells Pomegranate Punch calibrachoa.

AN

Yard Sale Tips

Before Your Sale

• Prepare to start early. Collectors and antique dealers like to show up early in the morning.

• obtain a permit if required

• Clean up your space. People like clean and neat places.

• Gather lots of shopping bags. Gathering Items

• Test any electrical items to make sure they work.

• Collect your items and sort it by type. (clothing, toys, tools, etc.)

• Take time to clean or repair your items.

• Wash all the clothes so they smell fresh.

WhaT SellS BeST?

• Tools: Guys love it all, any kind.

• Baby items of all kinds, especially clothing.

• Kitchen appliances.

• Clothing: Kids and adult.

What Should You Not Sell?

• Items missing safety parts.

• unused prescription drugs or medications.

• Personal hygiene items.

• halogen floor lamps.

• old baby cribs or playpens, incomplete child safety seats.

adverTISING

• Tell your friends, family or coworkers about your sale. Word travels.

• Place a classified ad in the Santa Barbara NeWS-PreSS!! remember to check the publication’s deadline.

• In your ad, give lots of details. Include the address, day(s), time of your sale. list major items such as “lots of kids clothes.”

SIGNS

• Check your local ordinances.

• list your address and sale date on all signs.

• Post your signs at main intersections, street corners and at the end of your driveway.

• use same colors and writing on your signs as people recognize them at a glance.

• Keep a list of where you posted your signs. It will be helpful when it’s time to take them down.

The consumer Protection Agency offers a complete list of dangerous items to avoid selling at yard sales. Visit www.cpec.gov