KITP

Note: The sites referenced on this page are provided for your convenience based upon feedback from previous visitors.   KITP does not endorse  any site. In the event that an online rental provider asks you to wire money to secure a rental, please inform KITP. You should not wire money to a provider who is not known to -- or cannot be verified by -- us.

Many sites provide guidance about online vacation rentals.  For example, check Steps to reserve a vacation rental on the VRBO site.

House and apartment listings

For both short-term & long-term visits, do-it-yourselfers might try some of the house listing services available on the web, such as:

• Vacation Rentals by Owner - Numerous visitors have reported finding success here.
• Sabbatical Homes and Academic Homes - These sites host listings both of available homes and of academics looking for accommodations.
• USA-Lodging.com - An online reservations service for Goleta and Santa Barbara
• Santa Barbara Cottages - This site has been used by some pervious visitors who had a good experience.
• Airbnb.com - Similar to vrbo.com.
• Kijiji Clasified - listings for the Santa Barbara area
• Craig's list - a very popular online classified ad site that includes rentals; again, please note their guide to avoiding fraud

Vacation rentals

Vacation rentals are typically priced weekly and are rather expensive, but they sometimes discount 10% or so if rented by the month.

• VacationHomes.com
• Cyberrental
• Coastal Hideaways - This company has several beach rentals plus other vacation rentals south of Santa Barbara, in Carpinteria and Ventura. Melissa Pearson at: 805-969-1995 or coastalhideaways@aol.com
• Coastal Properties - Check their webpage first – if you don’t see anything suitable, call them at (805) 969-1258 and ask for Shane Amburn. You can also email Shane at: shane@coastalrealty.com.

Other Possibilities

• Ben Brode offers a nice studio apartment in Mission Canyon (behind downtown Santa Barbara) at a reasonable rate.

• Some of the home exchange services include a few rental units, such as Global Home Exchange.

Rental Location Agents

Tired of looking yourself? These agencies will search for lodging for your dates with your specified requirements. (They get a commission from the renter, so there are no direct charges to you.)

• Coastal Escapes Reservation Services - (805) 684-7679, (800) 292-2222

• Hot Spots Accommodation Service - (805) 564-1637, (800) 793-7666

Community Housing Office

The University has a Community Housing Office that deals with housing opportunities in the community. Although primarily organized for students, they do maintain a list of housing available for visiting faculty (separate from their lists of student housing).

They do not look at the listings; they do not frequently update their list, and they do not make arrangements for visitors. Faculty and staff now need to purchase a $25 'yearly membership' to access the CHO rental site to see listings. Note that KITP is not a subscribing department for the CHO listing site.