The wedding and the honeymoon are joyous times, celebrating with family and friends. As you move into daily life, home buying becomes one of the largest decisions you make together. Planning and communicating will save you time and reduce arguments later. Define how long you expect to live there and whether this is where you will begin to raise a family. This will impact what you need in a home. 1. Deposit Considerations Prior to considering your amount for deposit, be sure you have at least three to six months … [Read more...]
Winter Cruising
January 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Take advantage of Southern California's magnificent weather. Come cruise the mountains. Without precipitation and with the warm weather, one tends to treat Big Bear a little differently than during a snowy winter. Motorcycles are visible in January. Tops come down on the convertibles. Even the Corvettes come out of hibernation. Almost all the streets are dry from that great preholiday snowstorm and it is time to take advantage of this great Southern California weather. This season has been much kinder, giving the … [Read more...]
New Year’s Activities for Big Bear Lake
December 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment
A beautiful white landscape covers the Big Bear Valley. Our nights are crisp, and the days are sunny with vivid blue skies. This New Year’s weekend looks perfect! Big Bear Lake has the best snow conditions in the Country. Many of our mountain visitors plan on spending the day on the slopes. Snow Summit will be open for night sessions. Remember, your lift ticket is valid at both Bear Mountain and Snow Summit, and a shuttle is provided. There are other activities throughout the Valley for New Year’s Weekend. Here are … [Read more...]
Big Bear Holidays
December 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The Big Bear Valley has had several storms visit leaving a base of one to two feet on the slopes. The daytime temperatures will range from the mid-30's to the mid-40's. Conditions are cold enough to maintain machine groomed packed powder runs at the Resorts. Other types of snow play on the mountain include inner tubing at the Alpine Slide west of the Village or Big Bear Snow Play across from the Convention Center. If you're looking for less demanding excitement during the holidays, head into Big Bear Lake's … [Read more...]
Winterizing Your Big Bear Home – Part Two
December 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Heat, Gas, and Electricity Heating Systems Most experts advise against turning the heat completely off - for two reasons. First, the winter air brings condensation that can cause mildew and dry-rot. Second, the freeze and thaw will add undue stress to your home and has been known to crack foundations. Install a thermostat that can be set to 40 degrees and make sure you’ve sealed all potential air leaks throughout the home. Natural Gas and Propane Even though you need gas for the heat, you can turn off the gas to … [Read more...]
Winterizing Your Big Bear Home – Part One
December 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Big Bear’s been hit with a blast of artic air and overnight temperatures have dropped into the single digits. If you haven’t done it already, it’s time to winterize your Big Bear home and avoid any costly damage that can occur when the temperatures drop. Here are a few tips for protecting your mountain home during the winter months. Water Supply and Plumbing Besides wrapping your pipes and insulating your home, there are several things you can do to protect your property from freezing temperatures. If you do … [Read more...]
Big Bear Looks Like Christmas
December 7, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Big Bear looks like a Christmas card thanks to a recent snow storm that blanketed the valley with almost a foot of new snow - and the timing was perfect. Snow Summit and Bear Mountain have opened up most of their runs and lifts, just in time for the holidays. The Big Bear winter season is off to a great start. Let’s face it, whether you like it or not, Big Bear is a tourist town. As much as the locals may complain about the traffic and the crowds, most of us probably wouldn’t be here if not for the fact that Big … [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...]
Home Loans and Refinancing
November 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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...]
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...]
