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Agent Representation is a Two-Way Street

Click here to see embedded YouTube video. Here's the gist - just because your agent does not agree with you does not mean they are not representing you.  Much of the value a real estate agent provides lies in their knowledge and experience.  They've been down this road a lot of times in the past. So, when a buyer or seller is looking like they might be getting ready to jump off a real estate cliff so to speak, most agents are going to warn their clients ahead of time and give them advice.  This can come across as … [Read more...]

The Market Doesn’t Lie.

"I want to buy something in Big Bear at 50% of the market value." Yeah, you and everyone else.  There are plenty of buyers out there, even in today's market, that would love to do that. I hear this a lot from buyers but it is an unrealistic expectation in today's information age.  The only way you are going to "steal" a property in this market is if few agents or buyers actually know about it.  Most properties that are sold today are through real estate agents and the MLS.   And the one thing you can expect is … [Read more...]

Listing Agents – Lazy & Lucky?

Click here if you cannot see the embedded video. … [Read more...]

When’s The Best Time To Sell A House In Big Bear?

Click here if you cannot see embedded video. Guess it depends on how you look at it. The majority of home sales in Big Bear occur in the months between July and October, with the closings following 30-60 days after that.  But, this is also when the market carries the largest amount of properties for sale.  Another way to look at it - you have more buyers looking to buy but also more sellers looking to sell. Conversely, there are less buyers in the November to May time frame but also less sellers on the market … [Read more...]

Lack of Buyers?

Click here to see embedded video. Nope.  There are actually plenty of buyers out there in this market.  There are, however, very few willing to pay the over-inflated asking price of many sellers. The reality is there are very few realistic sellers on the market. We don't have a lack of buyers.  Rather, we have a lack of realistically priced properties for buyers to choose from. Related Articles Should I Price It Firm Or Flexible? Actions Speak Louder Than Words In Real Estate The Right Asking Price Makes All … [Read more...]

Should I Price It Firm Or Flexible?

This question inevitably comes up every time when I am talking with sellers about their asking price. And the most common statements or questions I hear relating to this are - "We don't want to give it away" "Let's start higher, we can always go down, can't go up." "Buyers are going to want to low-ball the price, so why not leave some room?" My recommendation to sellers is always to price firm, regardless. I understand not wanting to give it away.  In fact, I've never met a seller that wants to give their … [Read more...]

Buying Or Selling A Home In Big Bear? 3 Critical Contingencies To Keep In Mind.

The California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.) residential purchase contract (RPA) has three standard contingencies built into the contract - Loan Contingency, Appraisal and Buyer's Inspections.  Most of the problems that come up in a real estate transaction fall under these 3 contingencies. If the contract is left unchanged, the period of these three contingencies is 17 days after the deal is struck. As stated in the contract, the removal of these contingencies must be in writing with the C.A.R. form CR … [Read more...]

The Termite Inspection Report – More Than Just A Negotiable Item

Would you agree to do repairs on a property without actually knowing how much they are going to cost?  I think "no" would be the most popular answer. Yet, many sellers in Big Bear agree to pay for a termite report & clear section 1 without knowing how much it is going to cost them. What is a termite report & clear section 1? Termite reports are performed on nearly every home sale in Big Bear.  In this inspection, licensed inspectors will look for any active infestation of termites, dry rot, or fungus … [Read more...]

Real Estate Is All About Time And Money

[viddler id=d53735bf&w=545&h=349] The video above is more from a seller's prespective but time and money are very much a factor for buyers as well.  The more time you have as a buyer, and the more patient you are, the better buy (more money saved) you will get. In a few years, that may change as the market start to pick up again.  For now, it is a good rule of thumb. … [Read more...]

Bank Owned & Short Sale Homes Taking Market Share In Big Bear

Active Listings % of Total Pending Listings % of Total Sold Listings Last Year % of Total Mom & Pop Seller 775 83% 36 31% 534 80% Bank Owned 69 7% 52 46% 115 17% Short Sales 89 10% 26 23% 18 3% Total 933 114 667 As evidenced in the table above, bank owned and short sale homes have taken a larger piece of the overall real estate pie here in Big Bear. 80% of the home sales in Big Bear for 2008 were your traditional, Mom & Pop seller.  That made sense as there was a similar percentage, 90-95%, … [Read more...]