SANTA BARBARA, Calif.— As interest rates continue to rise, it has become more difficult to find a home, especially in places like Santa Barbara where people pay a premium to live by the ocean.
We spoke to realtors who have interesting predictions about how high-interest rates will affect buyers and sellers, and how the pandemic has shaped the housing market in Santa Barbara County.
Realtor Yawar Charlie says the COVID-19 pandemic caused the housing market in Santa Barbara to explode.
He explains that quarantine propelled people to escape the confinement of the big city in search of calming nature and coastal bliss.
The influx of new people has pushed others out who are unable to afford the high cost of living in Santa Barbara.