One of the many aspects to keep in mind when buying a home in Big Bear is the exposure that your property will be getting. By exposure, I am talking about the weather and sun exposure on your Big Bear home.
It is typically more preferred to have southern exposure during the winter months. If you have southern exposure on the front side of your home, then there is a good chance that the snow will melt a lot quicker than across the street.
These photos were taken yesterday in the newer Castle Glen subdivision of Big Bear Lake. One of the homes was located on the north side of the street, therefore it was facing south and getting the good southern exposure.
The other home was directly across the street on the south side of
the street, facing north. You can see the difference in how much snow has melted on each property. Keep in mind this is without lifting a finger to clear the snow on either property, all natural.
You might be asking, “what are the benefits of having southern exposure for your Big Bear home?” The two major benefits that I can think of are that the quicker snow melt makes for less icy conditions & easier access to the home, and there is a warmer feeling in and around the home from direct sun and less shade. These may not sound that great but once you have been in Big Bear a few times during the winter and seen/felt the difference, I think you will agree.
Whether you have southern or northern exposure, it is a never a good idea to drive and pack down the snow on your driveway. This can create an icy nightmare that you could be dealing with for most of the winter, especially if you don’t have the southern exposure. It is a best to have the snow cleared first before you drive or walk on it. This will save you a lot of headaches (and broken bones) in the future.
As with most things, there are also some disadvantages to having southern exposure. During the summer months it can create warmer temperatures for your home. Also, given that the majority of the properties in Big Bear are constructed of some type of wood (including decks), the weather in Big Bear does a number on them. Maintenance of your Big Bear home is a very important yet often overlooked item when people are considering buying.
On average, the homes in Big Bear that have a lot of wood (log or log sided, ship lap, and the like) will need to be repainted or stained every 5 years or so. Having southern exposure on your property will only speed this process up, more like every 2-3 years on the sides that get the most exposure. And decks will need to be restained every 2 years as well. We are starting to see a lot of the newer homes in Big Bear built with more maintenance free materials including siding and decks.
Either way, keeping these things in mind will help insure that you have less surprises after buying you Big Bear home.
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