Big Bear Real Estate Blog

...to buy that second home in Big Bear. Why wait? I think that the sellers in Big Bear are primed. I had a listing that went into escrow in 3 days this week. It was a great deal and the sellers were smart, they listed at a price that caused excitement. This Big Bear Cabin had a great rental history, and generated almost $1,000 a month in weekend rentals for 2007. The cabin is located in the Moonridge area of Big Bear. It is near Bear Mountain Ski Resort and the golf course.

This is an example of the great deals available in Big Bear Real Estate currently. This house was listed at only $209,900. You can be sure that the buyers would not have been able to buy the house if they didn't have a good buyers agent. The buyers agent happens to be one of my associates, Tony Card. Tony didn't hesitate to call his buyers as soon as the property hit the market.

We were having a good winter snow storm last weekend, but that didn't stop these buyers from getting up to Big Bear to look at the house. I'm sure that there were other people that would have found this great Moonridge cabin to be a fit, but Tony Card let them know that urgency was important. He got his buyers to be available to look at the cabin on Sunday afternoon just after the weekend renters had left. Listed on Friday, rented Saturday and Sunday, in escrow on Monday. If your one of the people that is looking for a good deal, you've got to be ready to act urgently.

So don't sit on your hands thinking your going to be the buyer that times this market perfectly and the best properties are going to be available when you and all the other buyers decide it's the bottom. You will have the company of everyone else that has been waiting and then you will all be competing for the best properties. This tends to drive prices up. A quote that I stole from Candace Robinson's Blog FEAR VS. GREED by Warren Buffet applies:

"Be fearful when everyone is greedy and greedy when everyone is fearful." - Warren Buffet

One of my clients that sold their home in the fall of 2006 gave me a call this afternoon. It was the kind of call you just love to get, especially 16 months after you sell a home. This client was a bachelor and he had a lot of "stuff". He was frequently gone from the home for long period with his work, and when he would come home he didn't have much time for work around the house. He was an international flight attendant, so he would get home and need to recover from some major jet lag.

I got the lead on this listing from another client that told me of their friend that wanted to sell, I called and set the appointment. I arrived at the house at the scheduled time and reviewed the comps and sold my knowledge of the local Big Bear Real Estate market. He was hesitant to take my advise at first, but soon I built a level of trust with him.

I told him that the market was not heading in the right direction, and that we would need to take the time to clean up and take care of some of the deferred maintenance. He agreed to do whatever I recommended. Guess what?, he really did all of the things that we talked about. He must have made 8 or more trips to the dump with a pickup and trailer, and spend a couple thousand on painting and repairs.

We also talked about listing the property at market value and trying to get the property shown. I told him that the first sell was to the other agents. We signed the listing at an aggressive price and after the cleanup was complete, we put it on the market.

17 days later we had 2 offers on the property and actually sold the house for $3000.00 over list price. I know that this is no miracle, but we did the right things. Considering what has happened to our market since, we were very fortunate.

So, the call came in today from the client. He called to thank me 16 months after the close for doing such a good job. He was happy that he sold when he did and that he went through the trouble of following my direction.

He also asked me to refer him to an agent for a future purchase in the Las Vegas market. If you are an agent that works with buyers in the Las Vegas area, give me a call. Maybe I can refer this person to you. 

I love these kind of calls from past clients.... 

Most areas in Big Bear have plenty of trees. Some of the forest areas around Big Bear need fewer trees. Big Bear is definitely not Big Bare. Part of creating a healthy forest that is less likely to be taken by fire or bark beetles is making sure that the number of trees per acre are at a healthy level.

We went through a drought period that allowed the bark beetles to thrive on trees that were unhealthy. Most of these trees weren't getting enough water. The drought conditions were the biggest reason, but uncontrolled forest growth also added to the problem.

For the next several years, the Forest Service anticipates a higher than normal tree mortality rate in our mountain communities.

The diagram below simply indicates what is planned in the National Forest that surrounds us. The U.S. Forest Service is in the process of thinning and removing overgrown vegetation and trees from the south border of the town to the mountaintop providing a "Zone of Defense" around the communities of Big Bear Valley.

Let's look at the environmental effects of an untreated forest. An untreated forest competes for nutrients and water, chokes off the sunlight on the forest floor, reducing plant life for birds and wildlife to feed. Over time, this creates an unhealthy forest. Ideally, by thinning out our overstocked forest, we can create a more bio-diverse forest with lower tree mortality.

Portions of the "Zone of Defense" have already been created. Thanks to the diligence of the U.S. Forest Service the work is ongoing. This work is projected to take several years to complete.

Many of the dead trees have been removed from the forest, but some still remain. These are dangerous, since they are like tall match sticks that will ignite quickly if we have a fire in the area. Most of the dead trees that are in the areas of the city of Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City have been removed.

Over the last three years, Big Bear Valley's fire agencies have worked in conjunction with the homeowners, to eliminate and remove dead or hazardous trees. To date, over 82,337 hazardous dead, dying and diseased trees have been removed. In addition over 9,771 acres of live fuels reduction have been treated creating a more healthy urban Forest. This is a combined total for all the properties within the City of Big Bear Lake and the unincorporated areas such as Big Bear City, Fawnskin, Angeles Oaks, and Forest Falls.

Within the City of Big Bear Lake just 18,772 trees greater than 10 inches dbh have been removed with 2,391 acres treated.

As a Real Estate agent in Big Bear, we have not had any problems getting homes insured for fire. We did experience some delays during the Butler 2 fire, but the delay was short and effected only homes that were scheduled to close escrow during the time of the fire.

If your looking for deals in the Big Bear Real Estate Market, there are some great values in the current inventory. With over 1050 residential properties on the market in Big Bear, you don't want to try to figure out what and where you should buy without the help of a licenced Realtor. You can save yourself time and money by contacting a professional early in your search. Look for an agent that works full time and knows the Big Bear Real Estate inventory well. Look for an agent that will give you straight answers and not mislead you. Look for an agent that as helped other people find their dream home in Big Bear.

One good way to see who is serious about the business is to call an office at 8am and see who is working. These will be agents that are eager to serve you. Another way to see if an agent is responsive is to send an email request and see how long it take to get a response if any. Once you speak to the agent, ask them to give you information about a property. If your job is to sell Big Bear Real Estate, you should know the inventory. Many agents never go look at property until they have a client. This will cost you time and often you won't ever see the best property, because they haven't seen it either. The best deals will go quick regardless of the market, so you need an agent that can tell you about them as soon as you meet.

Give me a call ... I know the inventory of Big Bear Real Estate and we will find the Big Bear Home that fits your needs.    

Did you hear that????....... That was opportunity knocking. If you are a renter in Big Bear, what are you waiting for? The market is as good as it gets for buyers, and interest rates are at historic lows. Are you going to be one of the people that says "Remember when I could have bought a house for $130,000?" 

There are many first time home owner programs that you may qualify for that can help you with things like down payment and closing costs. I have had clients that qualify for as much as 6% in special programs.

Some examples of properties that I would find hard to resist would be the bank owned REO properties. We currently have 25 of these properties on the market in Big Bear. Some of these properties have deferred maintenance issues and that allows a new owner to personalize the home to fit their tastes. These REO properties are also creating some motivation with sellers that need to sell.

I ran some numbers on a home today for a client that is looking to buy his first home. The house is owned by the seller (not the bank) and is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath built in 1991. It is about 900 square feet and has a view of the mountains. This house is listed for $139,000!!!!!! The payment would be around $770 a month for principal and interest. For crying out loud, that is less than some of you are paying for your car payment!

There are currently 26 homes in Big Bear that are listed below $140,000. When do you want to go look at them??

This is an opportunity first time buyer's need to take....     

We finished up the year with 1029 recordings which is 32% below 2007 recordings. This is 49% below the 20 year average. It is also 23.9% below the lowest year in 20, before 2007, which was 1993 with 1353 recordings. Prices are still moving down and days on the market are still high. Current Big Bear residential listings are at 1070 today, which is coming down. I think some sellers are starting to understand that "If you don't have to sell, you don't want to be in this market".

Sellers will find this market to be disappointing. We have not seen many happy sellers in the past year. Sellers will profit most by pricing correctly and selling as quickly as possible. This is not a "let's wait and see what happens" market... I know what will happen, you will either not sell or sell for less than if you priced your property correctly in the beginning. Hesitating to reduce your price to market will cost you money.  All of the marketing in the world will not sell an overpriced house. Would you buy P & G stock at a price that was higher than the current market?

Buyers enjoy one of the best markets ever. Don't sit on your hands if you have interest in buying Real Estate in Big Bear. Sellers are motivated. There are currently 25 REO properties on the market in Big Bear. That is only 2% of our inventory, but these REO (bank owned properties) are setting the standard for pricing. There are 10 of these properties that are currently in escrow out of the 63 total in escrow. That is 16% of the escrows going to these types of listings. Banks have great motivation and understand the market better than most sellers.

Feel free to give me a call if you would like to discuss the Big Bear market. I appreciate your business and the referrals of your family and friends.

Regards,

Steve Hirschler

Associate, The Tim Wood Group

Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery

42153 Big Bear Blvd.

P.O. BOX 6820

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

steve@bigbeargallery.com

909 866-3481 EXT. 217 CELL 909 725-5889

Fax 909 866-3531

http://www.stevesellsbigbear.com/

Big Bear Real Estate has the best buyers market in years. Buyers in Big Bear will see a good selection of homes for sale in Big Bear Lake, Evergreen Estates, Winter Park, Moonridge, High Timber Ranch, Fox Farm, Eagle Mountain, Castle Glen, Whispering Forest, Bear Loop, Big Bear City, Peter Pan, Poet's Corner, Forest Springs, Shay Meadows, Baldwin Lake, Valley View, Meadowbrook, Sugarloaf, Erwin Lake, and Lake Williams. Most areas have seen a price decline of between 15 and 25 percent from the highs in late 2005 and early 2006. This takes us back to late 2004 and early 2005 pricing. There are currently a number of bank owned REO properties in most of these areas. With interest rates at historic lows and inventories at good levels, now is the time to buy that mountain home that you've always wanted.

These days looking into what is available is as easy as turning on your computer and finding a Real Estate site that has the availability of the local Big Bear MLS. I offer this service on my site with no registration necessary. Just click on this link to go there now www.SteveSellsBigBear.com . I am available at my office daily starting at 8am. I also can be reached by e-mail at steve@bigbeargallery.com. I work at Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery Realtors and we are located at 42153 Big Bear Blvd. I can show buyers any of the Big Bear MLS listings regardless of the listing office or agent.

Finding the right Big Bear Real Estate agent to help you find you mountain home is an important task. You'll want someone that is available when you arrive in Big Bear. Tell your agent what you're looking for and they should be able to take you to properties that fit your description. You'll want your agent to be knowledgeable of all of the active Big Bear inventory. You'll want an agent that is willing to find what you are looking for, not what they are looking to sell you. You're Big Bear Real Estate agent should be aware of recent sales that have occurred and be ready to inform you of the different advantages and disadvantages of each of the neighborhoods. Your agent should be knowledgeable of Real Estate contracts and negotiations. Big Bear Real Estate is a local market, so you'll don't want to bring an agent from out of the area to represent you in this important transaction. I won't represent a buyer in Orange County for the same reason, I don't know the market.  

When you are looking at Big Bear Real Estate, keep in mind that while this is a buyers market, you will see some properties that are priced at market and others that are overpriced. It's a good buyers market, but some rules still apply. Buyers in this market will be able to do one of two things. You'll either be able to buy the best home for a good deal, or a fair home for a great deal. Seldom do we see the best Big Bear houses sell for the lowest price. Sales prices are still being affected by location, street appeal, upgraded kitchens and baths etc. They are also being affected by poor location, noise, deferred maintenance, outdated kitchens and baths, poor floor plans, etc. Don't forget all of the homes that you looked at and why you are interested in a certain one. Other buyers will also find the same things appealing about the home you like.  

Moonridge has the best mix of amenities for most buyers of Big Bear Real Estate. Moonridge is located near Bear Mountain and Snow Summit ski slopes. Moonridge in Big Bear Lake is the most desired area for skiers and snowboarders.

This area has some of Big Bear's finest mountain retreats. With many amenities like the Bear Mountain Ski Resort , Bear Mountain Golf Course, Moonridge Zoo, and access to the National Forest. Many homes in the Moonridge area have well treed lots with lake and ski slope views. Currently we have close to 200 homes and cabins available in the Moonridge area. I can show you any of these home and am available 7 days a week for my clients. You'll find homes in the Moonridge area of Big Bear to be priced between $179,000 and $1,999,000, which is a range that will fit for most buyers. There are many neighborhoods in the Moonridge area. Some of the areas that are popular are Lower Moonridge, Upper Moonridge, and High Timber Ranch.

Lower Moonridge has easy access to the Bear Mountain Parking lot and shuttle services. Homes in the lower Moonridge area are priced starting at about $180,000.

The upper Moordige area covers a wide range of prices and a large geographic area. Most of the lots in upper Moonridge are over 7000 sq ft and have many trees. This truly gives you the mountain get a way feeling that most people are looking for. I have personally lived in upper Moonridge for 18 years.

The High Timber Ranch area in a new development in the Upper Moonridge area. It has large lots that are usually over 20,000 sq ft and under ground utilities.

Homes in the High Timber Ranch area start in the $600,000 price range.

Our office is easy to find. We are located at 42153 Big Bear Blvd. If you are interested in Big Bear Real Estate, give me a call...

As a home owner and Big Bear Real Estate agent that has lived in the upper Moonridge area of Big Bear Lake for over 18 years, I have noticed that people can't seem to find their way out of upper Moonridge. Neither could I, the first time I came up to visit my wife parents I got lost. I think I got lost every time we visited. Now it's just second nature for me, but I remember the frustration. My house sits on a corner in upper Moonridge. If I'm out shoveling my driveway in the winter or washing my car in the summer, someone will always stop to ask directions. I'm always happy to help out and direct them to where they want to go. Villa Grove is the longest street in Big Bear, and I live on Villa Grove. Many times people are following someone in their group that doesn't have a clue which direction they are going. Here is a link to Google Maps that might help.

From the Upper Moonridge or High Timber Ranch area at the very top of Moonridge, you will want to stay on Klamath until you reach Flintridge (see map). Make a left on Flintridge and then a right on Wolf. Follow Villa Grove west and turn left on Mira and then a quick right on Butte. Follow Butte to the bottom and you're back to Villa Grove. Turn left and then left on Silvertip. Follow Silvertip to Sunset. Turn right on Sunset, you'll run into Moonridge Road.

Another area in Moonridge that will get visitors lost is in the Yosemite, Canyon Crest, and Sand Canyon areas. Here is a link to the google mapthat shows this area. If you are at the top of Yosemite, you will come down Yosemite, turn left on Teton and follow Teton to Sand Canyon. Make a right turn on Sand Canyon and stay on Sand Canyon until you reach Moonridge Road. 

From Ridgecrest, you can head West and Ridgecrest becomes Sand Canyon. Follow Sand Canyon to Moonridge Road. Bow Canyon Road runs North and South between Sand Canyon and Ridgecrest. Deer canyon attaches Sand Canyon to Bow Canyon (see map).

If you happen to be on Colusa, you can follow Colusa downhill until you reach Sheephorn. Turn left on Sheephorn and follow it to Moonridge. Sheephorn runs between Moonridge road and Menlo.

I hope this helps, but if not you can always give me a call.....

The current Big Bear housing market is tough on sellers. If you are thinking about fishing for a buyer in Big Bear, but aren't willing to have the best bait, you might as well watch the beautiful Big Bear sunset. Houses in Big Bear will need to be priced at or below market value to be shown. Big Bear homes that are selling are either the very best home, or the very best deal. If you're fishing for a buyer in Big Bear you will need to hire the best guide (Realtor) available. If you are a seller and you don't have the very best house, you had better price your home to be the best deal or you're wasting your time. If you want to wait and see, I can tell you what you will see.  You will see the true value of your home decrease and if you do sell, you will get less than you wanted. Most sellers that have sold recently in Big Bear have not been thrilled with the price that they got. Even after you price your home to be the best value, you will more than likely see offers that are 10% or more below your asking price. These are serious buyers, but they want a deal. If you get one of these elusive buyers in the boat,handle them with care as they are very slippery.

If your're fishing for a deal on Big Bear Real Estate, you have arrived at the peak of the season. The lake has just been planted with some big lunkers. There are some great deals to be made. Most sellers are motivated and if you are going to go on a fishing trip this spring, get a guide (Realtor) that knows where the hot fishing holes are. Make sure your guide knows about all of the different varieties of fish that the lake has. When you find the perfect fishing hole, be sure to chum the water with a large good faith deposit and a prequalification letter from your lender. This will net you the best fish with the least amount of bait.