Moonridge Real Estate For most of us, our home is our single greatest asset. Arranging a loan based on your home’s accrued equity can be risky. Abusive lending practices can range from equity stripping and loan flipping to hidden terms and extra charges. Equity Stripping Equity stripping or skimming is a form of predatory lending which can work like high cost, risky refinancing. Homeowners facing foreclosure may be promised cash, free rent and the possibility of retaining their home. The unscrupulous lender borrows … [Read more...]
Your Big Bear Home
November 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Go Green Save Money Reducing your carbon footprint and “going green” are big buzzwords these days. Winter heating costs have risen over the past few years and it’s more important than ever to reduce energy consumption. Here are a few low-cost and no-cost tips to help Big Bear home owners reduce their carbon footprint and save money at the same time. Use The Heat Of The Sun Open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the … [Read more...]
It’s Snowing In Big Bear!
November 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment
When you live in Big Bear it pays to be prepared for a quick change in the weather. But nobody expected the six inches of snow that dumped on us yesterday. It’s rare for a storm of this size to hit this early in the season, but it’s not unheard of. We’re just scratching our heads because it was nice and sunny just a few days ago. All of the sudden, wham, it’s winter. And it’s so beautiful, just a blanket of white. Obviously, this is great news for the local economy. Tourism is our number one industry and when the … [Read more...]
Big Bear Lake Feels Like Home
November 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Every Halloween the City of Big Bear Lake throws a great party in the village. The streets are blocked off and hundreds of costumed kids of all ages walk business to business and collect candy from local businesses and vendors. It’s really a blast. Some parents dress up right along with their kids. In fact, I saw Tyler Wood and son decked out head to toe in matching fly-fishermen outfits, looking like they just walked out of The Banana Republic. This was my first “Halloween in the Village” in several years. My … [Read more...]
Renting vs. Buying a Home
November 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Extremely low interest rates, lots of inventory, and cheap prices are all reasons why you should consider a home purchase. But, is it right for you to buy now? Let’s take a look at a few of the factors to consider when making the decision to buy or to rent: When To Buy A Home Buying a home is one of the biggest investments that you will ever make. If you have excellent credit, a stable job, and enough cash in the bank to make a down payment with money left over, then buying a home may be a wise financial decision … [Read more...]
Moonridge Neighbors
October 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The Moonridge neighborhoods, comprising High Timber Ranch, Upper Moonridge and Lower Moonridge, is also home to the Moonridge Animal Park. This popular attraction is located across from Bear Mountain Ski Resort. The Park began in response to a forest fire back in 1959. Orphaned and imprinted animals that couldn’t be released back into the wild needed an alpine facility. One of the Parks first residents was a stranded, thirty pound, black bear cub. Early inhabitants also included a bobcat and mule deer. In 1960 the … [Read more...]
Mountain Colors
October 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Fond early childhood memories include watching the colors of the trees change, every Fall on the East Coast. Our mountains here in Southern California take a little bit longer. The 2011 season is in full swing and is expected to peak the weekend of October 22nd. As a transplanted “New Englander,” it took me a few years to appreciate Big Bear’s seasonal color show. The funniest color change occurs on Baldwin Lake. This seasonal dry lake changes from deep green to pink and finally a deep copper color. Many of our … [Read more...]
Autumn Events for Big Bear
October 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Big Bear’s warm outdoor season is ending. Our entertainment choices now range from watching the fall colors change, attending Oktoberfest, to celebrating Halloween in the Village. Since the fall colors appear to be peaking this weekend, we’ll try that first and join in with everyone else next weekend. The fall colors can be seen in the Fox Farm neighborhood, near McAllister. For a wilderness experience, hike into the Aspen Grove. Our Aspen tree leaves turn beautiful shades of yellow and orange. To visit the Aspen … [Read more...]
The Big Bear Gourmet
October 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Restaurants in the mountains have long been known for their piles of pancakes and American cuisine. But recently, new Big Bear Lake restaurants serve a variety of ethnic flavors and gourmet ingredients to this community. When we first moved to Big Bear from Los Angeles sixteen years ago, we used to joke about the lack of restaurant ambience. At that time, few restaurants even used linen service. The Iron Squirrel, Fred & Marys, Madlons and Stillwells at Northwoods were among the best choices. While Madlons (Big … [Read more...]
Autumn in the Mountains
October 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment
In these next few weeks, the Big Bear area will be putting on the Fall Colors. Already, the Jeffrey Pine needles are turning orange. Some of the Ornamental Maples have turned a deep red. A few of the Quaking Aspens are losing their vibrant green. We actually saw yellow Aspens behind the bank. Late season flowers are blooming, with Sunflowers, Black Eyed Susans and Rabbit Bush really drawing the bees and butterflies. Bring your camera. The best Fall viewing is coming. Big Bear is famous for our Fall display. You can … [Read more...]
