Congratulations! You’ve negotiated an agreed upon sales price on a perfect piece of Big Bear real estate. So now what happens? It’s time to open escrow. Very simply defined, an escrow is a deposit of funds, a deed or other instrument by one party for the delivery to another party upon completion of a particular condition or event. In California, escrow companies are regulated by the Department of Corporations or the Department of Real Estate and must undergo constant scrutiny. They are required to hold funds in … [Read more...]
Big Bear Real Estate – The Skinny on Home Inspections
June 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Every Big Bear real estate purchase agreement should include a provision for a home inspection. The following list covers the basic elements that a home inspector will check. You can also use this list to help you evaluate properties you’re considering for purchase. Structure: A home’s structure impacts how the property stands up to weather, gravity, and the earth. Structural components, including the foundation and the framing, should be inspected. Exterior: Big Bear weather and sunlight can be tough on homes. The … [Read more...]
Big Bear Real Estate – Do It Yourself Pest Control
June 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Living in Big Bear means being close to nature, and sometimes nature gets a little too close for comfort. As soon as the weather starts to warm ants begin showing up on kitchen counters. And mice can move into your home without you knowing it. So what can a Big Bear homeowner do to keep pests out of their home and yard? Here are a few tips for keeping Mother Nature in her place. Keep It Clean The best way to control pests is to keep your home and yard as clean as possible. Mice and bugs are attracted to food and if … [Read more...]
Big Bear Real Estate – Home Staging Tips
October 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment
In today’s competitive real estate market sellers must do everything they can to prepare their home for a sale. Aside from pricing your home correctly, home staging is next best way to attract potential buyers. Here’s a few low cost tips to get you started turning your house into a show home. Curb Appeal This is the critical first impression as buyers drive up to the home. Wipe down or power wash your exterior including the front door, porch, outside railings and steps. It’s cheaper than repainting and makes a … [Read more...]
Is Your Big Bear Realtor a Local, or a Tourist?
April 12, 2010 by 4 Comments
Using a Realtor that lives and works out of the Big Bear area, is like hiring a tourist as a site seeing guide. They can't tell you about the history of the homes that you are interested in since they have never seen them before. Chances are, they may not even be able to find them to show them to you. They may not know the difference between a raised perimeter foundation and a slab. They might tell you that all areas of Big Bear are the same. How can they tell you about the recent homes that have sold, when they … [Read more...]
The Right Asking Price Makes All The Difference
April 19, 2009 by Leave a Comment
I talk with a lot of home sellers in Big Bear. Some are thinking of selling, and some are trying to sell right now. The conversations are really not all that different. Most of the time, it comes down to the pricing. Here are a couple videos I did over the past week relating to selling a home in Big Bear. See if you can guess what the common theme is for both of these. [viddler id=2d5f7e69&w=545&h=349] This real estate market is for serious sellers only. That's why banks make up more than 50% of … [Read more...]
So, We’ve Hit Bottom In Big Bear……..Not So Fast!
April 4, 2009 by Leave a Comment
[viddler id=8b2cd2a8&w=545&h=349] There's been a lot of talk recently about the real estate market in Big Bear hitting the bottom. Rightfully so, with sales up nearly 50% from last year, interest rates under 5%, the number of properties on the market down 25%, and prices down 25% to 50% from their peak, it is natural to think we are there are close to it. I guess it depends on what you call the bottom, number of sales or prices? If it is sales, then yes, we already hit bottom last year. But, prices are … [Read more...]
You Make Money When You Buy, Not Sell
March 13, 2009 by Leave a Comment
The title of this post is something I heard a few times over the years. It didn't make a lot of sense then but sure does now. Reminds me of something Warren Buffett would say. One of his most famous & recently well used quotes is "to be cautious when others are greedy, and greedy when others are cautious." Less face it, right now, a lot of people are cautious. Even with the 20-50% price drops, and more and more bank owned deals hitting the market, some buyers continue to wait on the sidelines. I am not … [Read more...]
