This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on December 29, 2024. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletter
This year’s Santa Barbara Association of Realtors annual awards ceremony was held at the Santa Barbara Beachfront Hilton on December 5. Several new awards were bestowed this year, plus traditional honors in categories recognizing leadership, community service, overall excellence, and more. The Howard Gates Award is presented each year to an agent who closes a particularly challenging transaction by their “proficiency, skill, ingenuity, thoroughness, and persistence.” This year’s honoree was Rachel Brown — shown above with the trophy as big as herself! — as presented by Chris Agnoli. Check out our article with all of the other awards and photos of the recipients right here.
Awards and celebrations are definitely in the air. Also on December 5, the Santa Barbara chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIASB) announced their 2024 Design Awards. Top honors went to the home shown above, designed by agps Architecture, along with several other awards. AIASB president Amy Tripp praised the “inspiring diversity of architectural designs created by our talented members.” An exhibition will be held in February and March to showcase these awards, with an opening reception on February 6 at the Channing Peake Gallery. For now, feast your eyes here for all the details.
With a triple island in the kitchen, dual king beds in the primary bedroom, a bowling alley, a game room, and an indoor basketball court — and even a trampoline room! — this 30,000-square-foot mega-mansion in Southlake, Texas, is over the top, even for our friends at Zillow Gone Wild. It’s all dressed up for the holidays, making me wonder just how many poinsettias were involved in the making of this decor?! No matter the number, this home proves once again that everything IS bigger in Texas. At $27,500,000, it sports eight big bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, and sits on almost four acres on a street called Sunshine Lane. Eleven bathrooms? I can barely keep one clean!
To round out The Home Page for the year, here’s a brand-new listing in Montecito’s Upper Village. The gorgeous saltwater pool that you see here connects to a brand-new luxurious, contemporary home through disappearing doors. What you don’t see here are the stunning mountain views that you’d get to enjoy as you float in the pool. Oak trees and fruit trees also dot the landscaping, along with a hot tub, an outdoor kitchen, and outdoor shower. Learn more about this beautiful home here, or reach out to Marsha Kotlyar Estate Group today.
Thank you for reading The Home Page and the Independent throughout 2024. I wish you and yours a bright and shiny new year!
