Selling Your Home in Summerland, CA

The Summerland market at a glance

Summerland is an unincorporated seaside community in Santa Barbara County, tucked between Montecito and Carpinteria along Highway 101. Homes range from beach cottages near Lillie Avenue's antique shops and cafés to ocean-view estates on the hillsides above town, with Lookout Park and the beach a short walk away for much of the village.

Figures from U.S. Census Bureau data.

Summerland Beach, a short walk from much of the village.

With only a few hundred households, homes here don't change hands often. There are usually just a handful of recent Summerland sales to compare against, and no two properties are alike: ocean views, lot size, distance to the beach and freeway noise can each move a price a long way. Pricing a Summerland home well usually means reading comparable sales in nearby Montecito and Carpinteria too, and knowing how buyers weigh each.

Steps to selling your Summerland home

1. Get a local valuation. An online estimate has very little Summerland data to work from. Ask a local agent for a comparative market analysis based on real nearby sales.
2. Gather your records. Permits, past remodel plans, any Coastal Development Permits, septic or sewer records, roof and system warranties, and HOA documents if you have them.
3. Consider pre-listing inspections. A general home inspection, and for older coastal homes often a termite (wood-destroying pest) report and a sewer-lateral or septic check, lets you fix or disclose issues on your terms instead of in the middle of escrow.
4. Prepare the home. Salt air is hard on paint, decks, railings and windows. Fresh exterior touch-ups, clean windows that show off the view, and tidy landscaping pay off here.
5. Price and market it. Professional photography, and drone footage where the view or setting is the selling point, plus exposure to buyers across Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and beyond.
6. Review offers, negotiate, and close. A typical California escrow runs about 30 days, with inspection, appraisal and loan contingencies along the way.

What's specific to selling in Summerland

Coastal permits and the Summerland Community Plan

Much of Summerland lies in California's Coastal Zone, and the town has its own Santa Barbara County community plan. Additions and remodels here have often needed County, and sometimes coastal, permits. Buyers and their agents will ask whether past work was permitted, so gather what you have before listing.

Disclosures

California sellers provide a Transfer Disclosure Statement and a Natural Hazard Disclosure, which covers flood zones, fire hazard severity zones, earthquake fault and seismic hazard zones. Near the coast, also expect questions about bluff or drainage issues. Summerland was an early oil town, with wells along the shore in the 1890s; if you know of any old well or oil-field history on or near your lot, tell your agent so it can be disclosed properly.

Transfer tax and closing costs

Santa Barbara County's documentary transfer tax is $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price. Because Summerland is unincorporated, there's no additional city transfer tax. Your agent can give you a full net-proceeds estimate covering commission, escrow, title and prorated property taxes.

Taxes, and moving within California

If the home has been your main residence for two of the last five years, federal law generally lets you exclude up to $250,000 of gain from income ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly). If you're 55 or older and buying another home in California, Proposition 19 may let you carry your current property-tax base to the new home. Talk to a tax professional about how these apply to you.

Why use a local Summerland agent

• Pricing in a thin market. With so few sales, it takes someone who has been inside comparable homes to price a Summerland property correctly. Online algorithms can't see a view, a quiet street or a remodel.
• Local permit and disclosure knowledge. A local agent knows the Coastal Zone questions, County permit history and hazard disclosures buyers will raise here, and can get ahead of them.
• The right buyers. Summerland buyers often come from Montecito, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. A local agent knows the other agents representing those buyers and how to reach them.
• Local vendors. Stagers, photographers, inspectors and contractors who know coastal homes and can be ready quickly.