The Trade Report · October 2026
The Trade Report · October 2026
The Trade ReportMontecito Ranch Lane closed October 12 and Hot Springs Road October 14. On October 19, Hidden Valley Lane was reported sold off-market for $75 million, the largest residential sale in Montecito’s history. Two more estates closed above $19 million in the same stretch.
The top of the Santa Barbara market usually moves one estate at a time. Through September, eight homes had sold for more than $19 million in the Santa Barbara MLS this year, about one a month.
Then, in the first half of October, four more closed: in Summerland, on Padaro Lane, on Hot Springs Road and in Hope Ranch. Three days later, Siteline reported that Ted Sarandos had sold 2840 Hidden Valley Lane off-market for $75 million, the highest price ever paid for a home in Montecito.
Together the five come to $216.4 million across more than 54 acres. Several had been offered for years. They sold once the price met the market.
homes sold for $45 million or more, including a $75 million Montecito record. Only one other sale in the Santa Barbara MLS has topped $40 million this year.
homes sold above $19 million in October, counting Hidden Valley Lane. The nine months before brought eight in all.
of this year’s dollar volume above $19 million came in October, counting Hidden Valley Lane.
across the five estates, on more than 54 acres.
Source: Santa Barbara MLS via Flexmls, closed sales January 1 to October 16, 2026. Hidden Valley Lane sold off-market and was reported by Siteline.
Five homes sold for more than $19 million in October, $216.4 million in all, counting the $75 million off-market sale of Hidden Valley Lane. April, the next biggest month, came to $111.3 million. Tap a month to see the sales behind it.
Santa Barbara MLS closed sales, plus the off-market sale of Hidden Valley Lane reported by Siteline on October 19.
The architecture. Francis T. Underhill designed the house in 1917, and Lockwood de Forest laid out the gardens. Recently restored, it has a 13,629-square-foot main house with seven bedrooms, on 10.5 acres in the middle of Montecito with ocean and mountain views.
Listing representation Timothy Di Prizito, Christie’s International Real Estate SoCal
Buyer representation Dusty Baker Group, Sotheby’s International Realty
The manor. Completed in 2005, the manor runs to 21,890 square feet with 12 bedrooms on 19.78 acres above the ocean, set behind its own regulation polo field.
Listing representation Josh and Matt Altman, Douglas Elliman
Buyer representation Michael Calcagno, Berkshire Hathaway
The land. Its 4.21 acres on Padaro Lane include nearly an acre of private beach, an equestrian trail to the sand and direct access to the Loon Point surf break. The single-level house, completed in 2014, has three bedrooms.
It sold through Concierge Auctions, represented by Barron and Tessa Hilton of Compass.
Listing representation Barron and Tessa Hilton, Compass
Buyer representation Casey Turpin, Village Properties
The provenance. Edwards & Plunkett, the firm behind the Arlington Theatre, designed the house for the family of a Chicago banker, who named it for the oaks that still stand on its 2.89 flat acres. Julia Child filmed Dinner at Julia’s here, and Fess Parker later owned it.
A level lawn runs from the six-bedroom house to a tennis court, a pool, rose gardens and a citrus allée.
Source: Santa Barbara MLS via Flexmls, closed sales January 1 to October 16, 2026. *Sold off-market; reported by Siteline October 19. Close date not public.
The estates that sold were exceptional properties, priced where buyers would meet them.
Several had been offered for years at prices buyers would not pay. Once they were repriced, they sold.
That is the clearest lesson of this stretch. At the top of the Santa Barbara County market, a home of real quality that is priced appropriately tends to sell.
What sold also says something about what these buyers value: land and provenance. More than 54 acres changed hands. The houses carry names, from Francis T. Underhill to Edwards & Plunkett to John Saladino. One faces its own regulation polo field; another has nearly an acre of private beach.
Santa Barbara MLS via Flexmls: MLS 26-3078 (October 8), 26-3436 (October 12), 26-1329 (October 14) and 26-2568 (October 16).
Sold off-market and not recorded in the MLS. Reported by Siteline on October 19, 2026. Close date not public.
Every closed sale above $19 million in the Santa Barbara MLS from January 1 to October 16, 2026, plus Hidden Valley Lane where noted.
MLS records. Hidden Valley Lane acreage from Siteline.
Notable sales, new listings and the houses worth knowing across Montecito, Santa Barbara and the California coast.