The next owner of your house could be a neighbor

By Kenneth Harwood

Economist, Solvang Chamber of Commerce

If you own a house here and plan to sell, chances are that the next owner of your house lives in Santa Barbara County. That’s a finding from a study of 51 sales of residences in 2017 by a real estate firm in Solvang.

More buyers come from Santa Barbara County than from all other places combined.

Chances are pretty good that the buyer of your house lives within 15 miles of you, because slightly more than half of the buyers live within 15 miles. Quite likely the buyer lives in the Santa Ynez Valley.

People who move fewer than 50 miles say that a main reason for moving is related to housing, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. Often that means something like an upgrade, a downsize, or a move from renting or leasing to owning.

Those who move 500 miles or more tend to say employment is a main reason.

Thanks to Allan Jones of Santa Ynez Real Estate Company for the data set. Please go online to U. S. Census Bureau, News Release C816-189, November 16, 2016, Table 21, for details of stated reasons for moving.