SAMARKAND

Location:
Perhaps a mile and a half west of downtown Santa Barbara, Samarkand is bordered by Las Positas Road to the West, State Street to the North, the 101 Freeway to the South, Alamar Avenue and Oak Park to the East. Due to its small size, it is one of the most stylistically definable neighborhoods as well, with most homes modest in scale.

Characteristics:
The entire neighborhood sits on one gently rolling hill, with one of America's most beautiful and prestigious retirement centers its namesake and most prominent landmark. The center is formerly a hotel, and took its name "Samarkand" from the archaic Persian, meaning "the land of heart's desire". The Samarkand District Improvement Association is one of the most active property owner groups in the city, and they report Samarkand has one of the lowest population densities in Southern California.

Price Range:
$680,000 to $2,200,000