Thanks for all your help. We have shifted our sights to San Diego but have really appreciated being able to look through all the information on your websites.

Hello again Terri,
I thought I would check in with you and see if you have made any progress on your plans. I would be so pleased to speak with you via private e-mail (joy.bean @sothebyshomes.com) or telephone (805-895-1422)at your convenience about your relocation plans and school specifics. I invite you again to visit my website at http://www.joypbean.com for more comprehensive information about our beautiful communities here in the Santa Barbara area, and to search all available home listings for our area. In addition, you will find helpful information about foreign investing in our local real estate, as well as a full complement of concierge services and resources which you may find useful. Also, you will easily find links to school report cards, evaluations and demographics as well as contact information for both public and private schools.

With regard to market trends in our area, we have seen a significant increase in real estate sales in our region over the past three months, and inventory continues to shrink, though there are still plenty of wonderful homes on the market at present in all price ranges and location. I will be most happy to offer advice on local family friendly resources as well as real estate expertise and relocation services through our company offices worldwide.
I look forward to hearing from you and wish you well on your imminent move.
Best regards,
Joy Bean

Hello again Terri,
In response to your inquiry about talking to some folks about schools and community, I would be happy to give you the names of two fine educational consultants in the area who could easily sift through all of the options, neighborhood dynamics, community benefits and school overviews and help guide you in your school and community search. Please e-mail me at joy.bean@sothebyshomes.com and I will be happy to pass those onto you.
As I, too, have been faced with moving to a new community and selecting schools for my children, I know how bewildering it can be. While you many find some anecdotal information on a blog, you have no way to evaluate whose advice you might be taking, and what their biases may be.
Might I suggest that we speak on the phone or by e-mail, and I might be able to steer you towards some like-minded folks who could better answer your questions as well as the consultant option.
Also, you will find links to all of the schools, descriptions, reports and test results on my website: http://www.joypbean.com.
I hope this helps!
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Joy Bean
805-895-1422

Good morning Terri,

Here is a good resource for you with reviews, ratings, and comments from the public on the different schools in Santa Barbara: http://www.greatschools.net/city.page?city=Santa%20Barbara&a… I hope that helps!

HI Again,

I was not aware that you are not able to give personal opinions on neighborhoods/schools. Could any of you point me in the direction of a blog or other website where I might be able to get local people's opinions on the areas you cover? Thanks.

Terri

Good morning Terri,

It looks like with Kevin's & Joy's responses you have some great information and resources already. That said, I did want to echo Kevin's statement about agents not being able to offer direct opinions or statements regarding "family areas" and good schools. That said, we can definitely point you in the right direction to access school statistics, demographics, crime rate, etc. Santa Barbara does have a reputation for very good schools in the area.

Here are some additional resources to that affect: http://www.theziagroup.com/SantaBarbaraSchools.php

On a real estate note, when are you planing on relocating and will you be looking to rent for a while, or immediately purchase a home in the area?

I'm not sure if you prefer to communicate via email or phone, but please feel free to reply back by phone (cell: 805-637-7148) or email (Daniel@ZiaGroup.com), whichever you feel most comfortable with. In order to assist you in the first stages of your home search I need some more information on the specific type of property that will fit your needs and price range. I'd be happy to walk you through what is available at each price category if that would help you narrow down your search. A 5-10 minute phone conversation can typically provide me with enough information for my team and I to start actively searching for properties on your behalf.

Often times I learn about properties, that are "quietly for sale" or are not yet listed in the MLS or online, called "pocket listings". If you tell me more about what you are looking for, I may be able to recommend a pocket listing or two that may fit your needs. My clients really appreciate the opportunity to buy a home without the competition of it being on the open market yet. Let me know if you are interested, and I'll give you some more info.

Another service that may be helpful is our automatic email home finder, where we create a custom search in the MLS for you using your specific criteria. Then, every week, or at a frequency of your choosing all of the new listings that match your criteria will be emailed to you. It's a great way to learn about, or keep up-to-date on the current inventory in our market and gives you a leg-up on other potential buyers who only hear about a property through the newspaper.

I look forward to hearing from you, Terri, and helping in any way I can. Enjoy your week and take care!



Regards,

Daniel Zia, Broker-Associate & Realtor®
Prudential California Realty
For comprehensive real estate information & to search the MLS, visit: http://www.ZiaGroup.com
Or visit our blog at: http://www.theziagroup.com/santa-barbara-real-estate-news/

Cell: 805.637.7148
Fax: 805.563.0053
3868 State St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Lic. #01710544
-Leading Edge Society: Top 7% of Prudential Agents Nationwide

Terri,

We as agents are not legally allowed to talk about the schools in the sense of what is better or not or what is good. With that said, people do have all their opinions when you talk with them. The easiest place to start is to just take a look at the list of schools on my site. Then if you have questions you can follow up with me and/or contact the schools themselves.

http://www.santabarbararealestatevoice.com/category/school-i…

You can also learn about our community by browsing my site.

Look forward to hearing from you.

take care
Kevin Schmidtchen
Sotheby's Int'l Realty

Hello Terry,
Welcome to our beautiful community! We have such a diversity of lifestyles available here in Santa Barbara and environs, and our area abounds in many different educational options. In fact, there are so many outstanding school choices, depending upon public or private (here in the US our public schools are your private schools, I believe), religious orientation or school curriculum focus, grade school, secondary and college preparatory schools, as well as fine university and city college options. I invite you to visit my personal website at http://www.joypbean.com and scroll through the Santa Barbara and environs section to locate a complete description of schools in the area, as well as access to school report cards, test scores, student assessments, size and the like. You will also find links to individual schools therein.

This section will also give you an overview of our wonderful communities and their distinctive character and amenities. I believe that no matter which location you may choose, there is an outstanding educational option in each individual town. As you review each section, you may click through directly to view all current homes for sale in each area. This should provide you with an idea of pricing, home styles, size and location in each respective area. In addition, you may wish to explore additional articles in my Service Advantage section which may be of interest to you in your relocation. I would be happy to provide you with more specifics on our relocation services as well.

As a mother of three , I can appreciate your wanting to hone in on the most family-friendly areas and study your choices carefully. I would be happy to provide you with further information and discuss your options in more detail at any time. Please feel free to e-mail me directly at joy.bean@sothebyshomes.com with your questions and I will do my best to help you in your information-gathering. I would be pleased to help you in your search for your family's new home as well, when the time comes.

Best of luck on your move and I will look forward to hearing from you at your convenience. I hope this has been helpful.

Joy Bean
Sothebys International Realty
1436 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-895-1422 http://www.joypbean.com