"We want something cabin-y." This is something I hear ALL the time. Most of my clients want to escape from the city to their mountain home that really feels mountainous. But here's the thing, you can still get that feeling without the bears and lacquered wood. Don't get me wrong, a lot of people love that look and it is important to decorate your home to fit your taste. But, if you're looking for something current or are hoping to maximize your rental potential, kicking that traditional cabin look may be the … [Read more...]
Looking to Ditch That Big Bear Cabin Look? Here’s Some Tips to Modernizing Your Mountain Home….
April 28, 2020 by 2 Comments
Landscaping for Residential Real Estate
July 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Whether you’re a “do it yourself” type of person or you prefer to call in the professionals, landscaping in Big Bear, CA poses unique problems. Long-time Big Bear gardeners will tell you about our short growing season (90 days). Our shortened growing time and colder winter season means trees and shrubs that thrive in Southern California will not grow in these mountains. Different areas of the Big Bear valley support a wide variety of local and introduced plants. The Boulder Bay area is moist enough for ferns. The … [Read more...]
Protecting Your Real Estate Investment – Frozen Pipes
February 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Big Bear... was hit with a cold snap earlier in January and the ever present problem of frozen pipes reared its ugly head throughout the valley. I made the rookie mistake of leaving my hoses attached to the outdoor faucets and woke up to frozen pipes. Fortunately, the problem was isolated to a small area of my home, but I learned from my plumber that over 40 homes in my neighborhood had been affected. Water, as we learned in school, expands when frozen. That's a problem because inside the pipes, there is no room … [Read more...]
Top 10 Tax Breaks For Homeowners
December 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment
By owning your own Big Bear home, you are eligible to receive many tax benefits throughout the time you own the property. Here’s a brief overview of the top ten homeowner tax deductions: 1. Mortgage Interest Interest that you pay on your mortgage is tax deductible, within limits. If you're married and filing jointly, you can deduct all your interest payments on a maximum of $1 million in mortgage debt secured by a first or second home. The maximums are cut in half for married taxpayers filing separately. Note: … [Read more...]
Fall Season Home Maintenance Checklist
October 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
You can feel it in the air – it’s fall in Big Bear. As we get into the cold weather season the days start getting shorter and the nights are getting colder. It’s time to perform some routine maintenance to avoid major problems and to keep your Big Bear home operating more efficiently. Here’s a fall season checklist to help you with the most common home maintenance issues: Heating System – Replace the filter and consider hiring a qualified professional to service the heating system. Air Vents/Registers - Adjust … [Read more...]
Maintaining Your Big Bear Fireplace
September 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment
You can feel it in the air. The fall season is upon us and soon temperatures will be dropping. One of the great things about the colder seasons in Big Bear is enjoying a roaring fire in your cabin or home. Here are a few tips for keeping your wood burning fireplace safe and working properly through the fall and winter months. The best thing you can do to maintain your wood burning fireplace is have it regularly checked and cleaned by a professional. A fireplace should be inspected at least once a year to avoid … [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...]
Your Big Bear Home
November 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Go Green Save Money Reducing your carbon footprint and “going green” are big buzzwords these days. Winter heating costs have risen over the past few years and it’s more important than ever to reduce energy consumption. Here are a few low-cost and no-cost tips to help Big Bear home owners reduce their carbon footprint and save money at the same time. Use The Heat Of The Sun Open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the … [Read more...]
