Big Bear is a wonderful place to be over the holidays. There’s something special about being in the mountains this time of year. The pine trees, the snow, the fresh air, and the festive spirit of the season all combine to create a true winter wonderland – and we’re in the middle of Southern California! The village was the place to be Friday night. Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Rudolph showed up to celebrate the lighting of the Christmas tree and sing a few carols with the locals. It’s common knowledge that Mr. and Mrs. … [Read more...]
Big Bear Real Estate Buyers – Time is of the Essence!
November 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Click here if you cannot see the video above. The standard real estate contract for the state of California includes a clause that says, "Time is of the Essence." Essentially, this means that the parties to the contract need to perform according to the timelines laid out in the contract or they could otherwise be in breach of the contract. It appears to me that a lot of buyers, and many agents, seem to totally ignore this clause. It is pretty common for most escrows to be delayed 1-2 weeks or more. It is … [Read more...]
Insuring Your Big Bear Vacation Home
November 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Finding and maintaining the correct property and liability insurance for your Big Bear vacation home can be a challenge. Most vacation properties are located in high risk areas such as low-lying beach towns or in national forests and that alone can make finding insurance difficult. Add into the equation that the property may be rented on a part-time basis and things can get really complicated. Here are a few basic rules to follow to help protect you and your property from insurance nightmares. Rule One - Honesty Is … [Read more...]
Real Estate – Female Buyers
November 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The National Association of Realtors estimates that 18% of all new homes bought are by single women, representing the fastest growing segment in the real estate market. The Joint Center for Housing says the reason for this is; the desire to own a home, a need to change the home size, or to be closer to family, job or school. Three out of four new home purchases are under $200,000, and single women are looking for two or more bedrooms. While location and quality of neighborhoods takes on a higher priority, single … [Read more...]
Real Estate: Second Homes
November 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The message delivered to the 2011 Realtors® Conference & Expo over the weekend was, “A diverse set of buyers and property types comprise the second-home sector and opportunities for second-home buyers exist in nearly every market, even in nontraditional, non-resort markets.” Many people investigating the real estate market in Big Bear are looking for getaways close to home. Your second home is an investment that should be carefully analyzed. Ask yourself the following questions: Do you plan to use it for … [Read more...]
Big Bear Real Estate – Sales Update Thru October
November 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Big Bear Real Estate Market Update The Big Bear real estate market is still moving along in a catfish-like manner. It goes up, down & side to side with no clear direction of travel. One thing's for sure, every month is different right now. Sales were up 14% in October compared to the same month last year but prices were down 9% and 14% for the median and average sales prices respectively. Below is a real estate market update for Big Bear thru October 31, 2011. Year # of Homes Sold Median Sales … [Read more...]
The Proctologist Called…….
November 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment
And they found the bank's head! It's no wonder that the majority of short sales don't ever close escrow. There's not a week that goes by that I don't hear a story similar to the one below. Several months ago I had a short sale property in escrow located in the Boulder Bay area at 39029 Robin Rd. We had it in escrow for $465,000, and after 60-75 days of back-and-forth negotiating with the first lien holder, Freddie Mac, as well as the second lien holder, a private party, we were about 10-14 days away from … [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...]
Homes and Dreams in Big Bear
September 24, 2011 by 5 Comments
Big Bear is a mecca for the retirement set, and for good reason. Our mountain community offers affordable housing, an active senior center, adequate health care, and plenty of other baby boomers to hang out with. And to top it off Big Bear is located in one of the most beautiful settings in the country. My mother and stepdad have lived in Big Bear for almost twenty years and they’ve never regretted their decision to move here. Before settling on Big Bear they looked all over California for a suitable retirement … [Read more...]
