Buying a Condo or Townhouse in Santa Barbara

When considering purchasing a condo or Townhouse in the Santa Barbara area, you'll definitely want to work with a qualified Realtor who is familiar with the ins and outs of buying condos. In addition, your Realtor should be knowledgeable about the market inventory, both the condos currently on the market, and those that may be coming on the market in the upcoming months, but that the general public is not aware of yet. I work with quite a few first time and 2nd home buyers looking for Condos, so at any given time, I've probably previewed or showed 75% of the condos/town homes in the areae, as well as know of several not yet on the market. I'd be happy to share that expertise with you.

When considering purchasing a condo in this area, for most buyers on a budget it comes to a series of trade-offs or compromises. As such, I'd recommend thinking over and prioritizing the following items pertinent to condos:
1) How many bedrooms/bathrooms do you need?
2) Do you have any pets, especially a dog or dogs? If you have a dog, or want to get one, that will limit the number of complexes down dramatically (will leave only 40% or so, depending on the size of the dog)
3) Do you need a garage? Many condos only provide a covered parking space.
4) Do you want to be downtown, or would you consider other areas that may offer newer, nicer, or larger condos for the same price?
5) Do you have any preference between one and two story units?
6) If it is a condo, rather than a townhome, would you prefer to be on the bottom or top floor?
7) How much are you budgeting for the HOA (home Owner's association) fee? They can range from $175 to $550/mo depending on the complex

That's just a "starter" list, but I'd be happy to help walk you through the process and help show you what your money can by in different parts of town. Feel free to call me at 805-637-7148.