Frequently Asked Questions

We help buyers and sellers in Santa Barbara, Montecito, Hope Ranch, Goleta, Summerland and Carpinteria, working from Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties offices in Montecito and Santa Barbara. Tell us how you want to live, your timing and your budget, and we’ll help you compare the neighborhoods and homes that fit.

The most reliable answer comes from a property-specific valuation. We look at recent comparable sales, the homes you would be competing with today, and your home’s condition, layout, views, land and improvements, then explain the likely selling range and the reasoning behind it. It’s free and there’s no obligation. Request your home’s value.

They’re a reasonable starting point, but they often miss what drives value here: views, lot size and usability, privacy, permitted improvements, guest houses and ADUs, and the condition of the home. Automated estimates can be far off for one-of-a-kind or higher-end properties, which is why we review the home in person before suggesting a price.

The main costs are brokerage compensation, which is negotiable and not set by law, the Santa Barbara County documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price (customarily paid by the seller), the seller’s share of escrow, the owner’s title insurance policy, loan payoffs, prorated property taxes, any HOA fees and preparation costs. We prepare a property-specific net sheet so you can see your estimated proceeds before you list. Your CPA should advise on capital gains and withholding.

It depends on the home, the price and the competition. Most sales include a few weeks of preparation, the time on market, and an escrow period that is commonly around 30 days but can be shorter or longer by agreement. We’ll map out a timeline for your home and adjust the plan as showings and offers come in.

Usually some preparation pays off, but a full renovation rarely does. We walk the home with you and prioritize what buyers will notice and pay for, such as paint, repairs, landscaping, cleaning and staging, and point out projects better left to the next owner. Our network of stagers, painters, contractors and landscapers can help get the work done on your timeline.

We build the plan around the home and its most likely buyers. That can include professional photography, video, floor plans, staging, targeted digital advertising, print, and direct outreach to the agents who work with buyers in that price range, along with the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network. Kendrick and Jedd guide the strategy, and our marketing and operations team carries it out.

It depends on your finances, timing and how much uncertainty you’re comfortable with. Selling first gives you a firm budget but may mean a temporary move; buying first avoids that but can mean carrying two homes or making a contingent offer. We’ll compare the options with you and your lender and plan around the trade-offs.

Montecito ranges from walkable homes near the Upper Village and Coast Village Road to beach-close properties and private foothill estates, and each comes with different daily routines and upkeep. We help you compare condition, usable land, access, privacy and value, and flag the property-specific questions to review, including insurance, permits, water and any history of fire or flood exposure. Our neighborhood guides are a good place to start.

Much of the South Coast sits in mapped fire hazard areas, and California sellers must disclose whether a property is in certain fire, flood, earthquake and other natural hazard zones. Insurance cost and availability vary from home to home, so we recommend getting quotes from an insurance broker early, during your contingency period, before you commit.

Yes. We explain each step, help you compare homes and neighborhoods, and coordinate with your lender, inspectors and other specialists. We’ll walk through offer terms, contingencies and due diligence so you understand every decision before you make it.

Beyond the unit itself, review the association’s budget, reserves, dues, insurance, any special assessments, rules on rentals and pets, and who maintains what. These differ from one complex to the next, and we help you request and read the documents during your review period.

Yes. Kendrick works closely with trustees, executors, fiduciaries, estate and real estate attorneys, CPAs and wealth advisors on trust, probate and estate sales. We coordinate preparation, clean-out and vendors, keep every party informed, and handle the sale while the attorneys and tax advisors address authority, court and tax questions.

Yes. We coordinate preparation, vendor visits, marketing, showings and escrow milestones while keeping you involved in every decision. You’ll have one partner as your main point of contact, regular updates, and electronic signatures wherever escrow allows.

We watch for these through our brokerage and agent relationships where sellers allow it and the rules permit. They’re part of a well-run search, not a substitute for one, and access always depends on the seller’s instructions.

It varies by neighborhood, price point and property type, so the coast doesn’t move as one market. For your search or sale, we review the current competition and the most relevant recent sales and explain what they show, including where the picture is less certain.

Start with how you want to live: walking to the beach or the village, room for a garden or horses, privacy, schools, commute or views. From there we compare areas like Montecito, Hope Ranch, the Riviera, the Mesa, San Roque, Goleta and Carpinteria, and narrow it down to the streets that fit. Browse our neighborhood guides.

Look for local experience in your specific area and price range, a clear plan for pricing and marketing, direct involvement from the person you hire, strong negotiating skills, and references from recent clients. Ask who you will actually be working with day to day and how they will keep you informed.

The Guehr Group, led by partners Kendrick Guehr and Jedd Hewitt with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, has contributed to more than 600 transactions and over $1 billion in sales volume, focused on Santa Barbara, Montecito and the surrounding South Coast.

Yes. You work directly with Kendrick and Jedd, with one partner as your main point of contact. Emily, our Director of Operations and Marketing, coordinates with our marketing staff and transaction coordinator so we can stay focused on your decisions.

Yes. We represent buyers and sellers throughout Santa Barbara, Montecito, Hope Ranch, Goleta, Summerland and Carpinteria, including clients who are selling one home and buying another. We discuss representation and responsibilities with you before we begin.

A typical sale follows six steps: a valuation and strategy meeting, preparation of the home, marketing and showings, reviewing and negotiating offers, escrow with inspections, disclosures and the buyer’s contingencies, and closing. We give you a written plan for each step and the decisions that come with it.

We agree on your main point of contact and preferred way to communicate at the start, and Kendrick answers calls, texts and emails himself, including evenings and weekends. Call Kendrick at (805) 448-4185 or Jedd at (805) 850-9277 to start a conversation.

Our Montecito office is at 1170 Coast Village Road, Montecito, CA 93108, and we also work from the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices office at 3868 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Contact us to meet at either office or another convenient location.

Yes. The network of contractors, designers, landscapers and other local specialists we’ve built over years of work stays available to you after escrow closes. Tell us what you’re planning and we’ll point you to the right people.