Living in Santa Barbara, we are reminded daily of how fortunate we are. Santa Barbara is one of the most vibrant small towns in America, and the Realtor community here is one of the most engaged and active groups locally in terms of civic awareness, consumer advocacy and local philanthropy.
We are all thankful for the real estate market recovery, which continues at a sustainable pace with low interest rates continuing to spur sales. We are thankful for the decline in the distressed sales market and the return of equity sales. We are thankful for our approachable and receptive local government, who listened to our concerns for our clients and their property rights and are working with us toward a solution to our Zoning Information Report concerns.
We are thankful for the great organizations who support our locals in need and are driving toward our biggest donations to date for the Unity Shoppe. We are thankful for year-round temperate weather as well as a year-round real estate market. We are thankful for all of our buyers and sellers this year who entrusted us with their most valuable asset.
I am especially thankful for my Board of Directors, who volunteered their time, expertise and thoughtful consideration to make decisions on behalf of our members and represent the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors in the community. Each of you has provided a special level of commitment to the betterment of our profession and our community: Parker Beatty, Alec Bruice, Jim Caldwell, Staci Caplan, David Kim, Ed Fuller, JJ Lambert, Austin Lampson, Eddie Madrigal, Bridget Murphy, Reyne Staplemann and Doug Van Pelt.
As Realtors, we are fortunate to sell this great town as well as the American Dream. Happy Thanksgiving from the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors!
— Laurel Abbott is a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway California Properties and president of the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors. Contact her at laurel@laurelabbott.com or 805.879.8050. The opinions expressed are her own.