$2,482,682Average Value$1,230Average Price per Sq Ft16Homes For Sale
Million-dollar views and high-end homes
Named for the Spanish Colonial mission built in the late 1700s, Mission Canyon is a scenic hillside suburb. This picturesque community is in the shadow of the Santa Ynez Mountains, just 3 miles north of downtown Santa Barbara. “These are view properties up on the hill, so you’ve got very specific buyers because homes are high-priced and most don’t have a traditional yard,” says Keller William agent Caleb Overton, a resident of Santa Barbara since 1999. “Buying here is all about the million-dollar views. On a clear day, you can see the city and the ocean.” Overton says some properties have unobstructed views on the east and west sides, allowing homeowners to see the sun rise and set each day.
Mission Canyon is a great place to start a family.
Welcome to Mission Canyon in Santa Barbara, CA.
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Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens
The outdoor experience is a massive draw to Mission Canyon. “It has its own microclimate. You get warm air from the mountains and breeze from the ocean,” says John Finseth, a second-generation Santa Barbara resident and Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. “It’s like being in a convertible with the top down and the AC on.” The neighborhood bumps up against some of the best hiking spots in the region. Inspiration Point Trailhead winds through the mountains above the neighborhood and has different trails of varying degrees of difficulty. Hikers enjoy expansive views, majestic sunsets and natural land features like waterfalls and massive rocks.
Rocky Nook Park is a classic community park with a playground, picnic tables and barbecue pits. The trails are a great place to walk along a creek in the shade of overarching tree growth. Mission Canyon is home to the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens, a living museum of native California plans set on 78 acres. Over 5 miles of easily walkable trails wind through a towering coastal redwood forest, wild-crafted gardens, including a Japanese tea garden, and a cacti-filled desert. The grounds offer expansive views of the San Ynez Mountains and the city’s Channel Islands. Poppie season each spring is particularly worth the price of admission.
Trails at Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens are very popular in Mission Canyon.
Flowers at Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens in Mission Canyon.
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Most homes lack yards
Mission Canyon is a primarily residential neighborhood of single-family homes lining long winding streets. A wide range of architecture is represented, with most homes largely built between the 1920s and ‘70s. Among the properties are classic cottages and Craftsmans, midcentury ranch-style homes and Spanish-inspired estates. Streets lack sidewalks, and lots are tightly packed south of Montrose Place, with more room to spread out going north. “Most of these homes don’t have yards, so instead, you’re going to see larger decks, big windows and cascading landscaping around staircases,” Overton says. “There really isn’t any new construction either; it’s mostly upgrades and expansion of existing properties.” Prices range from around $1.4 million for three bedrooms, about 1,500 square feet, to $4.6 million for a four-bedroom home with almost 5,500 square feet. Lot size and the view figure into the overall cost.
Mission Canyon has lots of single-family homes to choose from.
Spanish-style homes are also common in Mission Canyon.
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School district in the top 10 percent
Children are served by Santa Barbara Unified, ranked in the top 10% of school districts in California by Niche, which gives it an A grade. Kids can start their education at Roosevelt Elementary, an above-average school graded B-plus by Niche but with an A in diversity. The next step is Santa Barbara Junior High, another B-plus school. Santa Barbara Senior High is a highly rated standout school graded A by Niche. Established in 1875, the school’s grand Spanish-inspired primary building was built in 1924 and has been designated a historic landmark by the state and city. The school has robust academic programs, including pathways and academies in sports medicine, construction tech, culinary arts and computer science.
Roosevelt Elementary School in Santa Barbara challenges and encourages children to learn.
Welcome to Santa Barbara Junior High School.
Santa Barbara Senior High School features many athletic opportunities.
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Shopping and Dining
About 3 miles from Mission Canyon, residents can shop for groceries at Whole Foods on State Street, one of the city's primary local thoroughfares leading into downtown. La Cumbre Plaza is a shopping center with national retailers like Target and Macy's and restaurant options. Lure Fish House is a high-end option for locally sourced seafood, and Backyard Bowls is a health food offering.
William Sonoma near Mission Canyon is a hot spot for kitchen items.
Los Agaves is another popular Mexican restaurant near Mission Canyon.
There are a number of cafes to choose from in Mission Canyon.
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Ten-minute drive to downtown Santa Barbara
Due to its rustic residential nature, a car is required in Mission Canyon, which has no public transportation options. There are bus and train options in Santa Barbara, but nothing this far north. “It’s not that far from everything, so I wouldn’t call it a remote area,” Finseth says. “The nice thing is you also don’t get all the noise from the freeway, trains, or airport. It stays pretty quiet.” The neighborhood is 3 miles north of downtown, a breezy 10-minute drive most of the day. The airport and the University of California, Santa Barbara, are about 10 miles west via I-101.
Going for a walk down State Street is a popular activity for locals in Mission Canyon.
There are many great lunch spots near Mission Canyon.
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Fire risk is a real concern
Prospective buyers in Mission Canyon should beware of significant wildfire risk. “You’ve got the wonderful views here, but fire is a big worry,” Overton says. Not only is the fire risk high but the neighborhood is also laid out as a winding series of roads with many dead-ends and few entrances and exits. Communities bordering wildlands like Mission Canyon are particularly at risk in California, where fire insurance is becoming more expensive as companies continue to pull out of the state.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
On average, homes in Mission Canyon, Santa Barbara sell after 53 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Mission Canyon, Santa Barbara over the last 12 months is $2,200,000, consistent with the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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