Quick Home Search

Home Selling Advice

Many of us have crowded closets and store extra things in our garages. The problem is, potential buyers love to poke their heads into our closets and drawers. Clutter can turn off a perspective buyer or, worse yet, give them the feeling that the space is too small for their needs. Home buyers will also inspect kitchen cupboards and drawers. Organize them so they look spacious. Eliminate chipped or mismatched dishes and old pots or pans. Small upgrades like changing the counter tops and adding a new coat of paint … [Read more...]

The Escrow Process – Part Two

When escrow is opened the buyer’s deposit check will be cashed. Assuming the sale goes through, this money will be applied to the purchase price of the home. If for any reason the sale is not consummated, a buyer may be entitled to receive all of their deposit back, depending on the reason, less standard cancellation fees. In certain instances, the seller may be able to retain this money as liquidated damages. Prior to executing a purchase contract it would be wise to speak with your agent or attorney regarding … [Read more...]

Big Bear Real Estate Market Update – Thru May 2011

It's been quite a while since I posted some stats on the Big Bear real estate market.  To say things have been busy the last 8 months since my previous real estate market update would be an understatement.  Things are busy in Big Bear, just not overly productive :-).  "I am working twice as hard to make half as much," I like to say.  But, I'm not complaining. That said, I had a buyer come in the office yesterday asking where to find my updated monthly sales stats for Big Bear.  He was generally upset that I have … [Read more...]

What Do Cash Buyers Know That Others Don’t?

Now is the time to buy! Here's a quick video I did on the cash sales in Big Bear along with two conclusions I came to. Direct link to the YouTube video. 1.  People with cash are moving to real estate as a good investment.  They are thinking prices are near the bottom and now is the time to buy. 2.  Just because you are paying cash, do not expect a huge discount off of the sales price.  In Big Bear, you can expect an average of 2% savings for paying with cash as compared to paying with a loan. As discussed in … [Read more...]

2010 Big Bear Real Estate Market Breakdown

Click here to see embedded video. PDF of the presentation. … [Read more...]

Big Bear Home Sales – November 2010

Big Bear home sales hit their highest mark this year with a total of 93 sales in November.  The median sales price rose considerably, up 32% from October, while average sales price remained stable. Big Bear Home Sales Home sales in November (93) were up 18% when compared to the October sales (79). Year over year, sales were up just 2% from November 2009 (91). 26, or 28%, of the 93 sales were bank owned, down 12% from last month. 16 of the sales, or 17%, were short sales, which is 8% more than last month and the … [Read more...]

Big Bear Home Sales – September 2010 & Third Quarter 2010

Home sales in Big Bear rose 20% in September 2010 while the median sales price remained relatively the same, up just 1%.  The average sales price was up 3% in September. Big Bear Home Sales Home sales in September (84) were up when compared to the August sales (70). Year over year however, sales were down 12% from September 2009 (95). 24, or 29%, of the 84 sales were bank owned, the same % as last month. This is the second straight month that bank owned sales have made up a lower than average showing.  The … [Read more...]

Big Bear Home Sales – July 2010

The number of homes for sale in Big Bear continued its upward rise with no end in site since hitting the trough in February 2010. The median and average sales prices jumped up again after falling in June,  while home sales slipped down slightly in July. Big Bear Home Sales Home sales in July were down 6% when compared to the June sales (68 v. 72). Not a huge decrease but would be better for the market if it were 10-20% higher.  Compared to last year, sales are down 22% from July 2009 (68 v. 87) :( . 24, or 35%, … [Read more...]

2009 Big Bear Real Estate Market Recap

The real estate market in Big Bear for 2009 can be summed up in 9 words - Sales up, Prices down but stabilizing, & Inventory shrinking.  Did you count? :). Big Bear home sales rose 33% in 2009 while the median and average sales prices dropped 17% from the 2008 numbers. Year to Year Comparison Year # of Homes Sold Median Sales Price Average Sales Price Days on Market List Price to Sales … [Read more...]

Improve Your Price, and Improve Your Selling Opportunities.

The Big Bear Real Estate Market is not unlike any other market - Price is still the best indication of value. The most important piece of information your Realtor will provide is the market price. Get ahead of it, and you will be on your way to your next Real Estate destination. Spending time or money on improvements that a buyer may or may not want will cost a seller big money in a market that is falling. Get the home clean, remove the clutter from the yard and interior, paint with neutral colors if needed, … [Read more...]