Quick Home Search

Big Bear Home Sales – March & First Quarter 2009

Big Bear Home Sales

After a big jump the first two months of 2009, home sales in Big Bear for March 2009 (54) slowed down a bit.  Sales were up just 10% as compared to March 2008 (49), but were down 5% from the Feb. 2009 home sales (57).

Year to date though, sales are are still up 44% from 2008 (164 vs. 113).

28, or 52%, of the 54 home sales in Big Bear were bank owned and 5, or 9%, were short sales. The 21, or 39%, other home sales in March 2009 were the organic sales.

Expect the bank owned & short sale properties to continue to make up 50% or more of the sales throughout the year as there are going to be more & more coming on the market for sale.

The sales are up because the prices are down.  The buyers today are buying for a reason – to get a deal!  If the property is not a deal, it won’t sell in this market, plain and simple.

Big Bear Home Prices

The median price for the homes sold was only down 17% from Feb. 2009 and down nearly 40% from March 2008. This is one of the bigger drops we have seen in while.  It is further proof that prices are still dropping.

There is still nearly $120,000 difference in the median asking price of $299,950 and the median selling price of $179,500.  If you are trying to sell your Big Bear home in this market, then it will require a realistic price. Banks understand this principle statement.

Banks price to sell!

That’s why they make up nearly 50% of the sales, yet they only make up 6% (50 of the 893) of the total amount of what is for sale.

The median asking price for bank owned properties in Big Bear is $174,900, $5000 under the median selling price.

Homes Currently on the Market.

Last year this time there were 1082 homes on the market, today there are 893. If there is any positive news for sellers in this market, it is that sales are up and inventory (their competition) is down.  Let’s face it, it could be a lot worse.  Just imagine if sales were lower than last year, and inventory was higher.

Big Bear Home Sales – March 2009

Month and Year # Homes For Sale Median Asking $ # Homes Sold Median Sales $
Mar 2009 893 $299,950 54 $179,500
Feb 2009 889 $309,000 57 $217,000
Jan 2009 902 $319,000 47 $220,000
Dec 2008 956 $320,905 41 $262,000
Nov 2008 1032 $325,000 50 $240,287
Oct 2008 1078 $329,000 73 $255,000
Sept 2008 1109 $328,500 82 $224,500
Aug 2008 60 $282,500
July 2008 62 $205,000
June 2008 62 $247,500
May 2008 67 $290,000
April 2008 50 $299,500
Mar 2008 1082 $339,950 49 $288,000
Feb 2008 1049 $345,000 34 $249,950
Jan 2008 1094 $339,900 30 $283,250
Dec 2007 55 $273,750
Nov 2007 66 $282,500
Oct 2007 53 $310,000
Sept 2007 60 $269,750
Aug 2007 81 $310,000
July 2007 70 $293,450
June 2007 59 $350,000
May 2007 81 $309,900
April 2007 59 $340,000
Mar 2007 82 $311,100

First Quarter Comparison (1/1- 3/31)

Year # of Homes Sold Median Sales Price Average Sales Price Days on Market List Price to Sales Price
2009 163 $212,500 $288,590 135 95%
2008 113 $279,000 $381,668 135 95%
2007 213 $312,000 $373,521 120 96%
2006 278 $322,250 $408,308 77 97%
2005 327 $268,000 $321,183 90 97%
2004 361 $198,000 $241,232 91 97%
2003 350 $173,125 $213,606 53 98%

As mentioned above, home sales for the year are up 44% from 2008 while the median & average sales price for 2009 are down 24% respectively. Prices still remain at or above 2004 levels.  Many experts are saying the bottom of the market will occur when we hit the prices of 2000.  While I don’t necessarily agree with that, at least for the Big Bear area, it will be interesting to see where it ends up.

If it is 2000, prices still have a ways to come down.

Want more?  Be sure to sign up for my email newsletter or RSS feed.

* Note: The charts above will be updated on a monthly basis. It represents single family home sales in the Big Bear area, including Big Bear Lake, Big Bear City, Moonridge, Fox Farm, Sugarloaf, Erwin Lake, & Fawnskin. Data courtesy of the Big Bear MLS. These numbers do not include raw land or condos nor does not include homes in the Big Bear MLS that are located out of the Big Bear area.

Related Articles

Big Bear Home Sales For February 2009

Bank Owned & Short Sale Homes Taking Market Share In Big Bear

Speak Your Mind

*