Santa Barbara home appraisals in 24 hours

Signed desktop appraisals of Santa Barbara houses and condos, from your photos and the records, emailed within a day of payment.

Santa Barbara rebuilt in Spanish Colonial style after the 1925 earthquake, and red tile roofs still set the tone, from bungalows downtown and on the Westside to hillside homes on the Riviera and 1950s houses on the Mesa above the ocean. Long-held houses here often need a value for a trust, a Prop 19 transfer or a sale between siblings, and I can work from your photos.

Santa Barbara County5 ZIP codesToday or any past dateWithin 24 hours

What I look at in Santa Barbara

  1. 1

    On the Riviera and in the foothills, I weigh the view of the city and ocean against steep driveways, narrow roads, limited parking and fire exposure, all of which show in your photos and the maps.

  2. 2

    On the Mesa I watch how close a house sits to the bluff and whether the view takes in the Channel Islands or just the neighbors' roofs, and I compare with sales on similar footing.

  3. 3

    Many changes here go through the city's design review, and guest units are common. I check permits for additions and ADUs, and I value approved space and unpermitted space differently.

Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara

What to photograph

Photograph the view from inside and from the yard, the driveway or stairs up to the house, the tile roof, and Spanish details like arched doorways, tile and ironwork. Include any guest unit or studio.

Front and backKitchen and bathsEvery main roomUpgrades and problems

Upload photos after you order, or attach them to an email. Phone photos are fine.

Homes typical of Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara questions

Does a Santa Barbara guest house count in the appraisal if it's unpermitted?
I describe it and include your photos of it in the report, but I don't treat it like permitted living space. Buyers here know the difference. If you have any permit history, even old, send it, because a legal unit is valued very differently.
Our Riviera house has old foundation cracks, will that lower the appraisal?
It depends what they are. Hairline cracks in an old hillside house are common; active movement is a different story. Send clear photos and any inspection or engineer's report, and I'll value the house as it is against sales of similar older homes on the hill.
When would I get the report for a Santa Barbara home?
Within 24 hours of the moment I have both your payment and your photos, weekends and holidays included. If you're not in a rush, the regular schedule is 5–10 business days at $299 or $449.

“I've prepared desktop appraisals for every purpose on this list. Some situations still call for an in-person appraisal, though, so check with your attorney or tax advisor first to make sure a desktop report is right for yours.”

Brian Ward
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VenturaVentura CountyOxnardVentura CountyThousand OaksVentura CountySimi ValleyVentura CountySanta ClaritaLos Angeles CountySanta Barbara Countycounty pageAll areasCalifornia

Need a Santa Barbara value by tomorrow?

Send the details now. Once you've paid and the photos are in, the report is on its way within 24 hours.

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