The Home Page: May Day Musings

Nesting on the Mesa, Shopping for a Cause, and More

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on November 3, 2022. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

SHOP TIL YOU DROP FOR JODI HOUSE

One of the projects I’ve been working on recently is the upcoming Santa Barbara Association of Realtors charity golf tournament, being held this Friday, May 6. This annual fundraiser benefits a different local nonprofit each year; this year’s recipient is Jodi House Brain Injury Support Center. If you’ve been in town more than 25 years or so, you’ll recognize the Victorian house above as the former Chad’s restaurant on Chapala Street. Now the home of Jodi House, it serves as a community hub for survivors of brain injuries to take classes, receive support, access resources, and — as Jodi House’s mission statement decrees — to thrive rather than simply survive. The hard work the staff and volunteers do at Jodi House is near and dear to my heart. Historically, one of the fundraising aspects of the golf tournament is a silent auction. Because of COVID precautions, we’re holding all of the tournament activities outdoors this year, so instead of an in-person auction, we’re hosting an awesome online auction that everyone can enjoy. Shop for certificates from local restaurants, spas, hotels, gyms, and much more. Bid early and bid often! It’s for a great cause.

MORE OR LESS

If the kitchen shown above makes you nervous, with its maximalist style, unmatching seating, and tchotchkes galore, have no fear. This article from Curbed introduces Dorothy and Stephen Globus: married for 49 years and with diametrically opposed style sensibilities. Dorothy is a collector. As she says, “Marie Kondo says ‘Throw out anything you don’t love.’ Well, I love it all, Marie! What am I going to do?” After extensive travel in Japan in the ’90s, Stephen decided to pare down to a more minimalist lifestyle. In order to compatibly coexist, the couple turned their seventh-story New York City loft into a his-and-hers side-by-side living space that works for them. Stephen has a teahouse — complete with tatami mats, shoji screens, and a bamboo ceiling. Dorothy — a curator at museums, including the Smithsonian, throughout her career — has plenty of space for her collections, which include everything from globes to rubber stamps to hose nozzles. I love this story of making your space work — and keeping your partner happy — no matter your sense(s) of style.

HAPPY ENDINGS & BEGINNINGS

I visit a lot of houses for sale, and I sometimes get to meet the owners and learn what they love about their homes. It’s these personal stories that make homes — and the real estate profession — so special. But when a home sells, I don’t often hear about the new buyer and what attracted them to a particular house. In late March, I visited the Mesa house shown above. Today, scrolling through Instagram, I was delighted to see Christopher Smith from Bartron Real Estate Group describing the journey of his clients — and fellow Gauchos — who just closed escrow on this very house. He tells of their home search and how thrilled they are to have found this home in this great location. It’s a secondhand story, but I’ll take it! Having seen the empty house waiting for a new owner to love it, I consider this a very happy ending … and a new beginning. Congratulations to all.

WHO BELONGS IN THE ZOO?

Our Santa Barbara Association of Realtors Young Professionals Network committee spent last Monday afternoon volunteering at the Santa Barbara Zoo. They helped get ready for an upcoming inspection by cleaning up the train tracks. Committee members Stephen MacFarlane, Alyssa Jones, Jorden Angel, Katelyn Guinn, and Marisa Holly reportedly enjoyed their location near both the capybara and anteater exhibits. Alyssa shared that “Anora the Anteater was very intrigued by our work and made for an excellent chaperone!” Good thing someone was supervising this crew! Thank you, YPN team, for your ongoing volunteerism in the community.

Check out this week’s cover story, all about one of our very own local Realtors and her impressive college-bound quadruplets, plus all the weekly news, info, and entertainment you need to live your best life. Happy Sunday!

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