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Dont’ Worry About The Asking Price, Worry About The Value

I've talked about this topic before. Here's another example. Like the video above? Check our some of my other real estate video topics here. Want to be kept up to date on the Big Bear real estate market?  Be sure to sign up for our email or RSS updates. … [Read more...]

The Right Asking Price Makes All The Difference

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!

[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...]

The Best In Show Is First To Go

[viddler id=9775a0e6&w=545&h=349] Everyone knows it is tough to sell a home in this market.  It is not impossible though. While there are some things you cannot control, like location, there are certainly some other things that you can.   The asking price, the overall property condition, showing restrictions and the like are all things well within a seller's choice to make. Whether they decide to make the right choice is up to them. The two most important factors in getting a home sold in today's market … [Read more...]

The Big Bear MLS – Is Your Property In It?

The vast majority of properties sold in Big Bear are sold by real estate agents who live, work, and breath in Big Bear. Yet, some sellers (read:banks) list their properties with out of area agents who don't have much experience selling property in Big Bear.  It is kind of like a knee doctor working on your elbow.  Can they do it?  Sure, but are they really the expert? What's worse is these real estate agents rarely put the listing in the local Big Bear MLS (Multiple Listing Service).  How are the local agents … [Read more...]

How Not To Reduce The Price Of Your Big Bear Home

Price reductions are commonplace in today's real estate market.  Many days, they actually outnumber the number of closed sales & new pending sales. Price reductions happen because the seller or real estate agent overestimated the market value of the property in the beginning and the buyers reject it.  Dropping the price is not necessarily a bad thing, it happens.  But, the key reason to drop the price is to spark some interest, generate some activity, and hopefully, an offer. Many times though the seller only … [Read more...]

Getting Pre-Approved For The Loan, Not As Boring As It Sounds

It goes with out saying that the getting a loan could be the biggest factor in determining whether or not a buyer is able to successfully close on a property. Along with a home or property inspection, I would say that 80% or more of the challenges that come up in buying a home in Big Bear fall into these two areas. Paying cash? Great, but you are one of the very few these days.  With tighter lender standards in this market, especially in the jumbo loan category (over $417,000 for my area), getting your loan in … [Read more...]

Everyone Wants A Deal When Buying Real Estate

I get that.  I would too. I have never had a buyer client say I want to overpay for a property.  It is rare that they even want to pay fair market value. While everyone wants a deal, very few buyers will actually act accordingly when a deal presents itself.  Buyers tend to get caught up more in the list price / offer price / sales price than the market value, so much so that when the right deal does come up, they miss it. The fact is that even in this "horrible" market, there are still an average of 50 buyers … [Read more...]

Giving Out My Real Estate Thanks

Even though the real estate market has seen much better days, I believe there is still plenty to be thankful for in the world of real estate. [viddler id=90c5a3a9&w=545&h=349] Have a great Thanksgiving everyone! … [Read more...]

Pricing Your Big Bear Home – Get Ahead Of The Buyer Train

One of the most common mistakes sellers make in this market is overpricing their home.  It is human nature to think ours is better than the others.  In real estate however, the numbers speak for themselves. The quote, "Liars figure, but figures never lie" seems appropriate. The biggest risk with overpricing a home now is that every month the home in on the market the price moves farther down, sometimes 1-2% (for Big Bear) per month. Many times sellers start out too high, and then reduce only to see that they are … [Read more...]