Joshua Ramirez

The city of Santa Barbara has passed a new law that requires all homes to have their sewer lateral inspected if they are extensively remodeling their home or have significant cracks that the city staff is aware of. Although the city does not require buyers or sellers to inspect the lateral during escrow I along with the city highly recommend doing so.

What is a sewer lateral?

All homes and businesses are connected to the City's sewer system by a pipe called a lateral (sewer lateral). Cracked, broken or clogged sewer laterals can cause sewage spills and sewage spills endanger public health and can have large negative effects on the environment.

Having your sewer lateral inspected can cost a few hundred dollars but a few hundreds dollars can easily escalate into thousands of dollars if the lateral is cracked, broken or clogged. But our wonderful city of Santa Barbara has implemented an incentive program to help home owners, buyers and sellers resolve their lateral problem. The program also known as SLIP can credit up to $150 per property for inspections and up to $2,000 for replacement or repairs for the lateral. Don't forget to apply for the reimbursement program if you are buying, selling or remodeling your home!

Click here to review the requirements

Ever wonder about Montecito's beginnings? The name means "little mountain," and a popular story about the areas birth dates back to 1850.

One day an ill man named Wilbur Curtiss encountered a Native American who claimed to be over 110 years old, and who said his secrets of health and longevity were bathing in a magical hot spring. Curtiss was initially very skeptical, but bathed in the hot spring anyway and proceeded to regain his health! Being a shrewd business man, Curtiss then opened a hotel and spa and aptly named it "The Montecito Hot Springs." The resort flourished for many years before it unfortunately burned down in 1964.

Although the resort burnt down many years ago, the hot springs still exist today and Montecito continues to draw people from all walks of life to enjoy the many benefits "little mountain" has to offer. A few celebrities that have been drawn to Montecito include Oprah Winfrey, Rob Lowe, Kirk Douglas, Julia Louise-Dreyfus, and a number of globally known CEO, writers, and business moguls. You probably won't find them bathing in any natural hot springs in Montecito, but you can occasionally find them driving up and down "Hot Springs Road" - the local street named after the hot springs.

So what is it that draws the celebs, CEO's and business moguls to Montecito? For starters, Montecito is only a short drive from Los Angeles, but far enough away to seclude ones self from publicists, agendas and meetings. The climate is phenomenal, the homes exquisite, and the beaches spectacular. Aside from the remarkable homes, Montecito includes an "upper village" with local coffee shops, restaurants and boutiques. The "lower village" features art galleries, restaurants and chic boutiques. With a population of about 10,000 and only around 4,200 homes, Montecito is truly a piece of heaven.